Best 140mm fans for silent SLI gaming computer

[camaxide]

So, I've read through loads of reviews and benchmarks now, and used hours plotting numbers into excel, but I'm almost farther off finding the right fans now than when I started.
Reason is I don't really know how much effect is needed.. as the most silent fans obviously also push the least air..
Currently I look at throwing in two 1080Ti's in SLI (custom coolers) along with 7700k on air-cooling (Noctua or the like).
I won't have any water or hybrid cooling, and case I look at is Phanteks Evolv TG edition (I might find I have to swap this with a different case if it cant cool those GPU's well enough with only two front fans).

Any good tips on which fan will give me the most quiet operation while still cooling good enough.

Ps: I live in Norway, so ambient temps are not in the 40's during summer.

[CA_Steve]

Welcome to SPCR.

When you go SLI, you are going to want a case that has the ability for a lot of unobstructed airflow. Otherwise, it won't matter how quiet a case fan is - the gfx card fans will overpower all. Have you considered the Fractal Define S and it's 3x 140mm front fan slots or (even better) the Silverstone FT05 with the bottom to top airflow and large fans. Here's a nice build by Abula.

[NeilBlanchard]

I recently upgraded to a 1070 SLi system, and the best 140mm fans I have found are Phanteks PH-F140XP_BK 140mm PWM. And what Steve is talking about is exactly right. I had 1 exhaust an one intake on the upper part of my Phanteks Enthoo Pro M case, (and one 120mm intake on the lower hard drive / PSU part).

The upper EVGA 1070 FTW video card gets a steady diet of already warm air from the lower card. The lower card was fine on the quietest fan curve, but the upper one needed a fairly aggressive fan curve just to stay around 80C. Adding one top fan (at quite modest speed) keeps both cards much quieter. I will be tweaking things - I am waiting for a PWM hub, to power a second top fan, and I think I will get it quieter.

[quest_for_silence]

the best 140mm fans I have found are Phanteks PH-F140XP_BK 140mm PWM.

Which other fans did you compare it to?

[Abula]

Currently I look at throwing in two 1080Ti's in SLI (custom coolers) along with 7700k on air-cooling (Noctua or the like).

Im going to advise against SLI if you are looking for a quiet setup, i already tried it with two MSI GTX980Ti Gaming, and it was not so bad, as long as the games were not so demanding, games like WOW, LOL, DOTA2, Diablo3 were fine, i personally couldnt hear the gpu, or at least notice them, but once you went into a little more GPU intensive, its very hard to keep the GPUs under control noise wise, to me for someone looking for twin GTX1080Tis build, go with water, i would think the pump will be less noise than what the gpus are going to deliver noise wise, again really depends on the games, but personally im out of SLI for good, and if i ever need it again, ill invest on a CASELABS case and a custom water loop with 80mm thick rads with low FPI and very low rpm pwm fans.

Btw why do you need two GTX1080Tis? even one GTX1080 work ok with 4k, a Ti would be sufficient with most titles, the only reason that i see aiming at more than 60fps at 4k, but there are no monitors that can do that right now, thus my suggestion si go with a single GTX1080Ti and see how it works out, it should handle everything. If i could fit it, i would wait for the MSI GTX1080Ti Lightning, on the past two gens, it has been the quietest high end gpus.

[quest_for_silence]

case I look at is Phanteks Evolv TG edition

The Phanteks EVOLV suffers of a too restricted airflow, and a SLI setup is starved for air.

If you like the EVOLV over any other design, a watercooling setup could be better suited.

The Enthoo Pro (not M) is in my experience the most versatile case in Phanteks lineup, and better suited than the EVOLV for such a rig: unfortunately its look is completely different.

[NeilBlanchard]

the best 140mm fans I have found are Phanteks PH-F140XP_BK 140mm PWM.

Which other fans did you compare it to?

Admittedly, not many other 140mm fans, but it is good relative to the 120mm fans I have used.

[quest_for_silence]

Admittedly, not many other 140mm fans, but it is good relative to the 120mm fans I have used.

Thanks.

And now at which speed do you usually operate those Phanteks?

[NeilBlanchard]

Admittedly, not many other 140mm fans, but it is good relative to the 120mm fans I have used.

Thanks.

And now at which speed do you usually operate those Phanteks?

I'll check tonight. They are controlled by the motherboard, and generally they are off or running slowly.