pianobench

Having a top radiator vs a front radiator depends on a lot of factors. But the main factor will be your GPU. What is your GPU fan type on your card? Is it a fully enclosed GPU and "blower" type card? Or is it an unenclosed "open" type card? If it is a "blower" card, then it will not matter much top or front mounted radiator. However if it is an "open" type GPU, you want to have your CPU radiator in the front of the case as the GPU will make the ambient temperature in the case higher and thus you will have a higher CPU temperature load. See this video for more information and further explanation. [ame] [/ame]

Here are some tips. If you are using a front mounted radiator for your AIO, try to position the radiator so that the tubes are at the top. This way your AIO pump can more efficiently move water with gravity. This is because the AIO pump is tiny and needs all the help it can get to move the heat away from the CPU. See Linus for some explanation. [ame] [/ame] Also another tip. If you use a "open" type GPU (GPU where the heatsink and fans are not enclosed in a housing and are fully open) then you want to have the radiator at the front of the case. This is because an "open" type GPU will make the surrounding air hotter and if you had the radiator set on top of your case, your CPU will increase in temperature due to the GPU. See this video for more information and explanation. [ame] [/ame]