Side Mount Intake Fan

[wulf109]

I just added a side mount intake fan to augment my rear and top mount exhaust fan. I was running with the left side panel off. Adding the side intake fan made put the side on. Since doing this my CPU temperature has dropped 10-15 degrees C under load. I find it hard to believe this temperature drop. This is an i7 running at 3.6Ghz. I added a side intake to my backup computer and I'm seeing the same kind of temperature drop. The idle temperatures remain at their old levels.

[redwudz]

The only thing I have against side intake fans is that, if unfiltered, they blow dust and lint directly into the CPU cooler. Much better to use a screen or filter over them. I get sufficient airflow from front intake fans, along with rear exhaust fans. But your case may behave differently.

[wulf109]

The side mount fans are well below the CPU and blow into card slots not the CPU. I'm also using a front intake fan.

[mammo1789]

The side mount fans are well below the CPU and blow into card slots not the CPU

That is not all true. It depends of the case I have cooler master HAF 922 and if you put 120mm side fans one can end up straight to the cpu line.

The only thing I have against side intake fans is that, if unfiltered, they blow dust and lint directly into the CPU cooler.

Totally true but you can always use your whife or girlfriend stockings very cheap and very efficent dust filter i use black to go together with the case i put them from inside with 2 side tape

As far as the temperatures any blow in fan can have positive impact because is always better to have positive pressure in pc case ( that is more air coming in than going out)