case included fans and connectors

I'm building a new rig, something I haven't done in a long time, and have a question about fans supplied by the case manufacturer. My last case came with 4 wire fans that connected directly to the MB and other components. The new cases I am looking at seem to provide a manual control for the case fans. My question is, why have manual control over the fans instead of fan speed based on temperatures in the case? I am looking at the Corsair Graphite Series 760T full tower as my case of choice but this seems to be the same for most if not all the cases I can find. Am I missing something and are there still cases that have fan speed controlled by the demands of the system?

The fans on the front of the 760T are 3 pin DC and similar to AF140 LED. The 760T is an older case from when not every motherboard came with functional fan controls and plentiful headers. Regardless, there is no requirement for you to use the case's built in fan controller. Those fans can be connected directly to your motherboard and controlled via voltage adjustment like any other DC fan and in accordance with your BIOS or software settings.

Thanks for the info. I thought the MB controlled fans had a 4 pin connector but it has been a long time. I also thought the case supplied fans had a molex connector which is simply "on". You say the 760 T is an older case. Does Corsair make a newer case with more updated features? I like the design and features of the 760 T but there are some things it does not offer that I would like. Still, it's my favorite so far.

Pretty much any motherboard other than the cheapest one in the line should have 3 pin DC/4 pin PWM fan controls. Most auto select the proper one for you and some even have fan delays built into the BIOS to prevent the constant revving up and down. As always, check your exact board specs. Sometimes there is a curve ball.

 

"Older" is a relative term. It is from a couple years ago and not every board in Z77/87 days had full fan control. Also, some people just prefer the manual control without having to worry about software conflicts, etc. There is a molex lead and that is how the fans are powered when connected to case controller, but you should be to unplug the fan wire and connect to the board. Perhaps someone with a 760T on hand can verify.

 

The "newest" cases are going to be drive-less, possibly glass or very large door cut. That may not suit everyone and the older comment was not intended to be detrimental, only a view toward the period when the case was designed. Case fan speed controllers are rare now. It's all about the lights.

That explains a lot and I was unable to find the information on line. I will be using an upper mid range Z270 Gaming MB with Corsair Vengeance LPX 32GB DDR4 3200 C16 memory. I also intend to liquid cool the CPU with either Corsair Hydro H100i v2 Liquid Cooler or Corsair Hydro Series™ H110i 280mm Extreme depending on what the case can handle.

 

I thought the drive bays in the cases I have been looking at seemed unnecessary considering the new hardware that's available but I still have several high capacity drives floating around so I'm sure I can put them to use. I also like an internal DVD R/W in the case. Oh, and 850w platinum PSU minimum. I will use another bay for a hot swap drive bay with USB 3.0 connectors.

 

As for lights, I really don't care. Functionality is what I want and paying extra for a light show is not my thing. But it is what it is. Perhaps my age is showing. :)

The 760T can handle a 280mm radiator up top and I would strongly recommend the H110i over the H100i v2 on durability alone. The only trick is you may have to move the rubber grommets up top in the mesh to line up with the 280mm radiator mounting holes.

And of course the top lid will stay off.

 

Still doing research on this and other cases but this case is still my case of choice. I want to confirm that the top cover needs to be removed if liquid cooling is installed, correct? It should also be removed while the system is running for best ventilation, correct? That's really an aesthetic bummer and really ruins a beautiful case. Still, I'm not sure that is a deal breaker considering all the pluses this case offers.

 

When a liquid cooler is installed on the top should the air flow be exhausted through the top or drawn in through the top. Exhausting the cooler seems obvious but if it is installed as intake then cooler air would be drawn in and then pulled out by the rear fan(s). I have also read a 280mm cooler can be installed in the front of the case replacing the 2 140mm AF fans but there "may" be some clearance issues. Nothing is really spelled out though. Moving the grommets is not an issue for me.

 

Do you think there may be a top cover offered by Corsair that could be a raised version that would not need to be removed for better air flow? that would close the deal for me.

When a liquid cooler is installed on the top should the air flow be exhausted through the top or drawn in through the top.

 

I prefer to exhaust through the top because this gives a cooler temperature within the case. OK, the CPU may be a couple of °C warmer, but the motherboard will be cooler, the disks cooler, and the air the GPUs draw in will be cooler.

 

Also see http://forum.corsair.com/forums/showthread.php?p=796027 for why you should get a CoolIT H110i rather than an Asetek H115i.

For most people in a traditional tower, top radiators are better of as exhaust. Dumping heat directly out of the case is always better when you can. Additionally, that 'benefit' of bringing in cooler outside air becomes moot if you heat up the inside of the case. What you are really trying to do is manage the coolant temperature. If you dump CPU waste heat in combination with GPU waste heat inside the box, that leaves the rear fan as the only exhaust. You will have higher case temperatures. Now, instead of "colder" outside air having any influence at all, the radiator, tubes, and pump all sit in a 35-40C case environment and this makes your baseline coolant and CPU temp the same at a minimum. 30 minutes into a gaming session, your CPU and case temps will be worse than if you ran it as exhaust.

 

At one point in time was I was debating the 760 vs 780. The roof is what tipped the balance to the 780. Similar case, but I liked that little curve shape to it, the option of 3x120 across the front, and the top. You definitely have to keep the top off any time you have a radiator up there. Those cases with a solid, but side vented top panel often trap heat close to the radiator and bring back +5C or more higher coolant temps than expected. Those types of cases are some of the few where you might be better off with top intake. Very situational.

c-attack, thank you for the advice. I looked at the Corsair installation guild and the recommended method is to intake air from the outside. With two 120mm intake fans in the front of the case and one exhaust fan in the rear directly behind the cooler I thought case temp would still be cool enough. I am new to liquid cooling however and may try both methods and see how temps vary. I will also take a look at the 780.

Yes, definitely try both and experiment. Everyone should always do this, if they are interested. Without the exact hardware to test, my recommendations are always a mix of theoretical and past experience with similar shapes and configurations.

 

In this case, the theoretical choke point is the rear exhaust. Most standard 140mm airflow fans will move around 60 cfm out the back at 1000 rpm. Speeds faster than that are not likely to be overly pleasing. Your two front 140mm fans have double the potential intake volume, plus the volume of air coming from the top. The top intake volume will be small, as the radiator drastically reduces airflow. At 1000 rpm (as fast as you want the radiator fans to spin) you might move about 30 cfm into the case from both fans combined. So, that puts you at 150 cfm intake, 60 cfm exhaust. The air volume will accumulate inside the case, waiting to get out. Some gets out through vent holes, but the "positive pressure" people refer to is quite small and not effective for moving large amounts of air. What you are really looking for is an even balance between intake and exhaust and this is normally achieved by altering fan speeds. If you keep the front fans lows, you could still come close to balance, but the that means the most you can ever change the case air by is that 60 cfm. With it as top exhaust, your exhaust potential is then 90 cfm (more if you crank up the radiator fans). Your front fans can still bring 120 cfm in, so that means they don't need to run at max and can settle on a nice and smooth 700 rpm when under multi component load, like gaming. Regardless, you total air change rate is now 90 cfm instead of 60, a 50% increase. Factor in the CPU waste heat is no longer part of the equation, and this is why I recommend it. At least in theory...

 

The GPU is the wild card. A reference style GPU will move more of its heat out the back directly, helping with case temperatures. The open, multi-fan designs release more heat into the case, which must then be moved out. Usage varies, but most people will have much lower CPU temps than GPU temps.

 

Corsair put that "intake is recommended" label on every product, regardless of size any with no regard to case placement. The subject has too many variables to every make a blanket recommendation either way, without considering the case layout and hardware. When they had a more active presence in the User Forums, they would often say as much.

So I looked at the 780T and the conclusion I came to was that I like the overall design of the 760T better but agree with your analysis that the cooling configuration is superior on the 780T. OK Corsair, how about providing a filtered perforated top (color coordinated or black) for the 760T. I also like the three 5 1/2" bays at the top of the 760T as I have plans to use at least two of them. Looks like cable management is somewhat better on the 760T as well. I'm still undecided though. 1080 TI FTW3 is the GPU I plan to use so that reinforces exhausting the cooler.

Thanks Nick, good to know. I'm checking it out now but it would be nice if Corsair offered one to help maintain the elegant lines of the case.

 

Just what the doctor ordered.

I wonder if anyone has modded the top cover for improved cooling? People did that on the front panel of the 750D, before Corsair introduced the Airflow front panel.

 

If you do get the case it may be worth trying it with the top panel on and off, I tried it with the front panel of my 750D on and off and it made surprisingly little difference, 2 to 3 degrees.

From what I can see from the exploded views of the case there is minimal if any clearance between the cover and the air flow top. I also plan to install a liquid cooler on the top inside and I know the cover will need to be off for that. In my opinion the exterior case, especially the top cover, is designed purely for aesthetics with little regard for functionality. Some consideration for top air flow aesthetically designed could have easily been achieved. Nick from Corsair was kind enough to direct me to a site that provides custom fit magnetic attached filters for every opening on the case. While not the prettiest solution, it does look better than the exposed grommets and holes in the chassis. the filters are also available in black or white. For the top, it provides the functionality I am looking for. It also adds to the price of the case. I still think this case is one of the best among those I have researched and is my case of choice for my new rig especially since I can now get the filters I want.

Can the H110i cooler be mounted on the front of the 760T case in place of the supplied fans? I guess what I'm asking is if the cooling hoses are long enough to reach the front of the case? Can someone tell me what the difference is between the Corsair 110i and 115i coolers besides $10? The description is the same for both.

The the difference here is the top on the 760T is a flush fit. There are no air channels around it and putting it on will in effect seal the top. This would be extremely disadvantageous for radiator functionality.

 

You can get a top filter and the decimex ones are very thin and of good quality. I used them on my 540's. However, keep in mind it does constitute some resistance and you would need to bump your top fan speed up a little to maintain the same amount of airflow. That may or may not matter to you. In terms of necessity, dust is not coming through that opening when the case is in operation. If you have an extreme environment with more than household dust concerns, a cover of some sort for when it's powered off will be far more effective than a filter. Also, I am not sure how a filter will work on the 760T. Decimex are typically magnetic and it may just slap onto the top mesh. Whether that is acceptable may depend on the case position in relation to you.

You can read Red Ray's post with some of the differences between the H110i and H115i. Don't give too much value to the marketing on the product pages. These are two near identical coolers from two different original manufacturers. The reasons why there are two are complicated, but you should not read anything into the numbering system.

 

As for hose length, I think just barely, but would prefer to have someone with a 760T confirm. The side mounted and more flexible hoses on the H110i would potentially make this easier. Here is someone who did with a H105. Hose length is the same at 300mm and they turned their insert point to the top at the CPU eating another 10mm or so. Not much extra. I don;t think this would be my first choice in mounting, but it won't hurt to try as long as you are not basing your entire reason for buying this case on this particular aspect.

 

You can read Red Ray's post with some of the differences between the H110i and H115i.

 

 

WOW, thanks and that's a great comparison between the two coolers. This also answered the question for me about who manufactures the coolers.

My feelings about this case after nearing completion of the build. Still waiting on the GPU and the drive. I took all your comments and suggestions into account and decided to go with this configuration as a first attempt. I will monitor the temperatures and determine if I need to change the orientation of the cooler air flow.

 

Agonize. That's what I do whenever I purchase items that are more than trivial. So after weeks of looking at reviews and interacting with forums I chose the Corsair 760T case for my new monster rig. I had narrowed the choice to three but this one edged out the others. Overall I like the case but there are also several disappointing things I only learned once I started the build.

 

Pros:

Huge. I mean I could rent out space in this case

Decent cable routing and ample space for it (with one glaring exception I will discuss)

Three exposed 5 1/2" bays (Also with a caveat)

Relatively light but very sturdy with no flex

Very quiet even with the fans on high

Undeniably attractive (to me anyway)

Doors easy to remove

Modular

 

Cons:

DVD bay cover will not install once a DVD burner is installed (perhaps selected brands will)

Cutout for the motherboard is slightly high, meaning the I/O connectors are misaligned.

Cooler capacity states up to 360mm on the top of the case but internal dashboard cable routing prevents that (details about this below)

Top cover blocks all top venting and should be removed when the system is running revealing a quite ugly perforated top (I knew about this)

Only 4 zip ties supplied with the case (I knew about this)

Supplied fans are not PWM (misinterpreted the posts about this)

 

I intended on installing a 240mm liquid cooler and, based on the 360mm capacity of the case, an additional 140mm (or 120mm) fan on the top since now I would have 4 intake and one exhaust fan. The intent was to install the cooler towards the front of the case and the additional fan at the rear. What I discovered was the cables from the case dashboard are routed as a bundle into the top area where the cooler would need to be mounted if it were mounted towards the front of the case. This prevented me from mounting the cooler at the front and also quashed any plans for an additional fan at the top. I am not sure another fan could be installed anyway as I did not take into account the radiator tanks, but I will never know.

 

I was aware the case fans supplied were controlled by an included fan switch but was unaware they were not PWM fans. It was mentioned in the posts the fans could be connected to the MB but I did not fully comprehend speed control would simply be transferred to internal manual fan adjustment from the supplied fan switch and thought they would be PWM. After rereading the posts I see the error was mine. I prefer to have the MB determine fan speed based on internal temperatures but that is not possible with the supplied fans and spending an additional $60 or more for new quality fans on a case this expensive was not going to happen. If there is a fan header that can connect to the MB PWM connector and make the fans work as if they were PWM fans I would like to know.

 

The top of the case has a magnetically attached cover that is aesthetically pleasing but functionally useless, especially with a top cooler installed. It must be removed for proper cooler function. I chose to install the cooler to draw air from outside the case which created another issue, unfiltered air into the radiator and case. There is an outfit that makes fitted color matching filter covers for this case and that added another $40 for just the top cover to the case.

 

One of the things that appealed to me about the case was the three 5 1/2" front bays. Since I am building a monster 4K rig I wanted a Blue Ray burner in the case. I will also be installing a hot swap bay. The top blank in the case is designed to conceal a DVD drive and has an eject button to accommodate it. Unfortunately it does not work (at least for me). When the drive is inserted into the case it is flush with the front of the case and the supplied door does not fit. I removed the door cover and plastic panel from the drive it did fit properly into the case and allowed the supplied cover to attach. Unfortunately the button on the cover did not work to eject the tray. I wound up putting the DVD drive back together and installing it with screws as it does not line up with the quick attach mechanism in the case.

 

The cutout in the case for the MB supplied I/O panel is cut about 1mm high in the case. This means the connectors on the MB do not line up properly with the holes on the panel. It is difficult to install any cables because of the misalignment and I am concerned it will provide a constant upward pressure against the MB.

 

I took a trip to my local Lowes and bought a 100 pack of zip ties for about $3. This little thing is quite an annoyance for a case this expensive.

 

In conclusion I like the case but with so many small design and quality control problems I would probably choose another if I had it to do over again.

I prefer to have the MB determine fan speed based on internal temperatures but that is not possible with the supplied fans and spending an additional $60 or more for new quality fans on a case this expensive was not going to happen.

 

This is one of the Asus 270 motherboards? This should be easy from within the BIOS or the AI Suite software, if you decide to use it. In the "E-Z BIOS", there is a fairly straightforward visual graph for fan control (Q-Fan). However, the more intricate tools are in the Advanced BIOS (F7) --> Monitoring Tab (scroll way down).

 

You should see a list of your fan headers CPU, CHA_1, CHA_2, etc. Within each of those are options for pre-designed curves or better still, your own custom points. Also there is the control variable and on Asus there are multiple choices including CPU temp, VRM, PCH, motherboard, or other temp probes. Whether the fan is PWM on DC should have no impact on this functionality. The only immediate difference is the 60% minimum speed for a DC fan. PWM fans can often drop down to near 25%. This may or may not matter, depending on the fan and location.

 

However, there is still an ace to play. If you decide to use the AI Suite software and the FanXpert part of the program, you can turn down those DC fans even further to point where the difference no longer matters. This would also give you desktop control of the case fans to make finding your perfect speeds easier. You do not need all aspects of the AI Suite. The DIP mode contains FanXpert as well as the overclocking and monitoring sections. Things like USB charging, super transfer, home cloud and the rest do fit into this and do not need to be installed. However, keep in mind AI Suite and DIP do not always work well with other monitoring software, including Corsair Link for the cooler. If you decide to use this at the start (and many people do when they get an Asus board), set Link not to run on start-up and I would move the radiator fans connectors to the motherboard for control with all the others. People tend to have strong feelings about AI Suite, one way or the other, but it does have some uses.

As always c-attack great information and yes, I have the Asus STRIX 270E ROG MB. I will certainly look into this. Still waiting for the drive and GPU to complete the build. I think I will also check with Asus and see if they might have a stamping problem with the I/O plate.