About a month ago, PC gaming enthusiast and YouTuber Major Hardware revealed a CPU cooling experiment involving 15 mini fans installed in a custom frame.
What some called "The Fanhattan Project" was indeed reminiscent of some sort of nuclear test, yet it proved to be a capable gadget that could keep Major Hardware's CPU just a bit cooler than a standard 120mm Noctua A12x25 fan.
The result wasn't as surprising, considering each custom mini fan (measuring about 30mm) was a scaled version of Noctua's superb design, yet it proved it could be done.
Now, Major Hardware has returned with what he's calling "The Superdome." It's essentially the same idea at heart, scaled all the way up to 15 full-size 120mm fans tucked into a custom side panel for a desktop gaming PC.
Major Hardware explains that the project was born after receiving audience feedback asking for a larger scaling of the original project. The sticking point, of course, was that each Noctua A12x25 fan costs about $35. Thankfully, Noctua agreed to send the fans free of charge, officially kicking off the project.
How the craziest gaming PC air cooler I've ever seen was built by one person
Major Hardware explains that he went back to the original fan frame used in the previous project and blew it up to an enormous size. Confident that the 15 full-size Noctua fans would fit into the frame, he sent the design to his 3D printer and watched it take shape.
Each 120mm fan was then carefully installed in the frame and wired up. The first plug-in was successful, with just a bit of a rubbing noise from one of the fans that was quickly solved.
Has there ever been better airflow in a gaming PC?
Major Hardware propped up the giant fan-infused side panel and sent smoke through it, revealing just how much air it can push. It was then installed on his gaming PC.
MH explains how the PC he uses for testing (and regular gaming) has radiators installed top and bottom, exhausting air. This setup usually causes the PC to get pretty hot when gaming, with temps often hitting about 86 degrees Celsius.
"It started as a meme, but I think I might actually leave this on my PC because of how well the thermals were."
Major Hardware (YouTube)
After installing the custom 15-fan side panel, temperatures dropped to 66.8 degrees Celsius, about 20 degrees cooler. As MH points out, the project started as a meme, but came out "pretty incredible."
The craziest part? There's not much noise. That's ultimately a testament to Noctua's design, which is often considered the peak of PC air cooling.
How can I make my own Noctua Superdome for my gaming PC?
Let's say you happen to have 15 120mm PC fans sitting around. What better way to use them than by creating your own Superdome?
Major Hardware was kind enough to provide the 3D printing files on his Thingiverse page, which means that you can also get started, assuming you have access to a 3D printer.
Is this a project you'd like to try out yourself? Have you done any custom modding similar to what I've highlighted here from Major Hardware? Let me know in the comments section below!
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