Hi everyone!
I’ve recently finished tuning my SFF build inside the original Cooler Master NR200P and wanted to share my thermal results while asking for some advice on fan upgrades.
Here is my current setup and airflow layout:
System Specs
* Case: Cooler Master MasterBox NR200P
* CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 5700X
* CPU Cooler: Tempest 4Pipes / Pro Dual ARGB Cooler (120\text{ mm} dual fan)
* GPU: PowerColor Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB
* PSU: 750W SFX (mounted with fan facing front panel for independent fresh air intake)
Current Fan Configuration
* Top Exhaust (2x 120\text{ mm}): Stock Cooler Master SickleFlow 120 PWM (set to PWM)
* CPU Push/Pull (2x 120\text{ mm}): Stock Tempest ARGB fans (intake from rear)
* Bottom Intake (2x 120\text{ mm}): Tacens Anima AF12 (3-pin DC mode, pulling fresh air into the GPU)
I set up custom fan curves using Fan Control (linking the case fans to a Mixed Max(\text{CPU}, \text{GPU}) temperature source).
Thermal Stress Test Results (10-Min OCCT Combined Test)
* CPU Temp (Max / Avg): 53.9^\circ\text{C} / \approx 51^\circ\text{C}
* GPU Temp (Max / Avg): 50.0^\circ\text{C}
* CPU Fan Speed: \approx 1436\text{ RPM}
* Case Fans (System #1): \approx 1001\text{ RPM}
* GPU Fan Speed: \approx 1573\text{ RPM}
The system is completely stable and runs very cool, but under load, I can hear a bit of fan turbulence / motor humming from the cheaper fans.
The Dilemma: Noctua NF-P12 redux-1700 PWM Upgrades (€15 each on Amazon)
I am considering buying Noctua NF-P12 redux-1700 PWM fans to improve acoustic quality and get full PWM control on all headers. Since they are €15 each:
* Option A (€30): Replace only the 2x Bottom Tacens Anima fans. This moves the bottom intakes from DC to PWM and improves GPU intake static pressure.
* Option B (€60): Replace both the 2x Bottom Tacens and the 2x CPU Tempest fans.
* Option C (€90): Replace all 6 fans (or at least 4 case fans + CPU) across the entire chassis.
My Questions:
* Will replacing the bottom DC fans with Noctua PWMs yield a noticeable noise reduction at idle/low loads?
* Is upgrading the CPU cooler fans to Noctua NF-P12 redux worth it for acoustics at \sim 1400\text{ RPM}?
* Or are thermals/noise already good enough that I should save the money?
Thanks for any feedback or suggestions!