Ryzen 7 9800X3D (-30 CO) · RTX 5090 FE (.900 2752MHz) · X870I AORUS PRO ICE · 32GB CL32 6400 · FORMD T1 v2
Delta = flipped minus standard baseline. Red = flipped is worse, green = flipped is better. Aircool Intake compares against Standard Exhaust (best aircool baseline).
| Metric | AIO Exhaust |
AIO Intake |
Aircool Exhaust |
Aircool Intake |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GPU Temp | +4.4°C | +0.1°C | +9.3°C | +8.5°C |
| GPU Mem Junction | +3.1°C | 0.0°C | +7.9°C | +7.9°C |
| GPU Power | -68.6W | +40.9W | -70.2W | -17.6W |
| GPU Throttle % | +2.6% | -14.4% | +2.9% | 0.0% |
| CPU Temp | -17.8°C | -2.9°C | -9.5°C | +5.6°C |
| Core Temp Avg | -17.8°C | -3.5°C | -9.4°C | +4.3°C |
| VRM MOS | -20.5°C | -15.2°C | -12.3°C | -3.5°C |
| CPU Pkg Power | -6.1W | +1.0W | -6.9W | -1.1W |
The GPU consistently runs hotter when flipped: +4-6°C with AIO, +8-10°C with air cooling. GPU throttles in flipped configs with significant power draw reduction and underclocks. AIO configs may show higher GPU temps than air due to the radiator impeding exhaust airflow.
| Config | GPU Temp | Mem Junction | GPU Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| AIO / Standard / Exhaust | 81.2°C (77.9-83.0) | 100.9°C (96.0-102.0) | 534.2W (512.9-539.5) |
| AIO / Standard / Intake | 86.0°C (84.5-88.4) | 104.0°C (102.0-106.0) | 427.2W (347.0-498.9) |
| AIO / Flipped / Exhaust | 85.6°C (83.8-88.1) | 104.0°C (102.0-106.0) | 465.6W (397.7-535.4) |
| AIO / Flipped / Intake | 86.1°C (84.7-87.3) | 104.0°C (102.0-106.0) | 468.1W (395.0-506.1) |
| Aircool / Standard / Exhaust | 76.8°C (75.8-79.9) | 96.1°C (96.0-98.0) | 518.8W (504.0-523.1) |
| Aircool / Flipped / Exhaust | 86.1°C (84.1-88.5) | 104.0°C (102.0-106.0) | 448.6W (369.7-542.5) |
| Aircool / Flipped / Intake | 85.3°C (83.5-87.0) | 104.0°C (102.0-106.0) | 501.2W (440.1-541.8) |
Percentage of samples where the NVIDIA GPU reported thermal throttling as a performance limiter.
| Config | Throttle % |
|---|---|
| AIO / Standard / Exhaust | 0.0% |
| AIO / Standard / Intake | 15.3% |
| AIO / Flipped / Exhaust | 2.6% |
| AIO / Flipped / Intake | 0.9% |
| Aircool / Standard / Exhaust | 0.0% |
| Aircool / Flipped / Exhaust | 2.9% |
| Aircool / Flipped / Intake | 0.0% |
CPU runs cooler when flipped, but AM5 temps don't matter here — clock speeds are identical across all configs. The 9800X3D never throttles in any configuration.
| Config | CPU Temp | Core Avg | Pkg Power | Thermal Limit % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AIO / Standard / Exhaust | 77.8°C (69.0-80.9) | 66.3°C (57.8-70.7) | 54.1W (51.4-60.9) | 80.5% (71.8-83.4) |
| AIO / Standard / Intake | 54.1°C (50.5-58.2) | 42.3°C (38.4-50.5) | 45.2W (43.8-69.4) | 56.5% (52.9-59.4) |
| AIO / Flipped / Exhaust | 60.0°C (57.2-63.1) | 48.5°C (45.7-51.9) | 48.0W (46.4-55.0) | 62.8% (59.9-64.8) |
| AIO / Flipped / Intake | 51.2°C (49.9-52.1) | 38.8°C (37.3-42.0) | 46.2W (44.6-52.9) | 53.5% (52.2-54.5) |
| Aircool / Standard / Exhaust | 73.2°C (71.6-88.5) | 59.5°C (58.3-71.1) | 61.0W (58.8-86.3) | 74.8% (73.4-85.8) |
| Aircool / Flipped / Exhaust | 63.7°C (62.9-66.9) | 50.1°C (49.5-53.4) | 54.1W (52.1-63.4) | 65.2% (64.5-68.2) |
| Aircool / Flipped / Intake | 78.8°C (76.0-82.9) | 63.8°C (61.2-67.4) | 59.9W (57.0-68.5) | 80.6% (77.8-84.0) |
All VRM temperatures remain well within safe limits across every configuration.
| Config | VRM MOS |
|---|---|
| AIO / Standard / Exhaust | 70.6°C (58.0-75.0) |
| AIO / Standard / Intake | 69.9°C (58.0-74.0) |
| AIO / Flipped / Exhaust | 50.1°C (47.0-51.0) |
| AIO / Flipped / Intake | 54.7°C (53.0-56.0) |
| Aircool / Standard / Exhaust | 64.3°C (60.0-65.0) |
| Aircool / Flipped / Exhaust | 52.0°C (51.0-52.0) |
| Aircool / Flipped / Intake | 60.8°C (58.0-62.0) |
| Metric | Standard Exhaust |
Standard Intake |
Flipped Exhaust |
Flipped Intake |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPU Temp | 77.8°C (69.0-80.9) | 54.1°C (50.5-58.2) | 60.0°C (57.2-63.1) | 51.2°C (49.9-52.1) |
| Core Temp Avg | 66.3°C (57.8-70.7) | 42.3°C (38.4-50.5) | 48.5°C (45.7-51.9) | 38.8°C (37.3-42.0) |
| GPU Temp | 81.2°C (77.9-83.0) | 86.0°C (84.5-88.4) | 85.6°C (83.8-88.1) | 86.1°C (84.7-87.3) |
| GPU Mem Junction | 100.9°C (96.0-102.0) | 104.0°C (102.0-106.0) | 104.0°C (102.0-106.0) | 104.0°C (102.0-106.0) |
| GPU Power | 534.2W (512.9-539.5) | 427.2W (347.0-498.9) | 465.6W (397.7-535.4) | 468.1W (395.0-506.1) |
| GPU Throttle % | 0.0% | 15.3% | 2.6% | 0.9% |
| VRM MOS | 70.6°C (58.0-75.0) | 69.9°C (58.0-74.0) | 50.1°C (47.0-51.0) | 54.7°C (53.0-56.0) |
| CPU Pkg Power | 54.1W (51.4-60.9) | 45.2W (43.8-69.4) | 48.0W (46.4-55.0) | 46.2W (44.6-52.9) |
| Thermal Limit % | 80.5% (71.8-83.4) | 56.5% (52.9-59.4) | 62.8% (59.9-64.8) | 53.5% (52.2-54.5) |
| CPU Usage | 21.2% (19.9-28.5) | 19.1% (16.4-63.7) | 19.5% (17.6-28.7) | 19.5% (16.4-28.3) |
| Metric | Standard Exhaust |
Flipped Exhaust |
Flipped Intake |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPU Temp | 73.2°C (71.6-88.5) | 63.7°C (62.9-66.9) | 78.8°C (76.0-82.9) |
| Core Temp Avg | 59.5°C (58.3-71.1) | 50.1°C (49.5-53.4) | 63.8°C (61.2-67.4) |
| GPU Temp | 76.8°C (75.8-79.9) | 86.1°C (84.1-88.5) | 85.3°C (83.5-87.0) |
| GPU Mem Junction | 96.1°C (96.0-98.0) | 104.0°C (102.0-106.0) | 104.0°C (102.0-106.0) |
| GPU Power | 518.8W (504.0-523.1) | 448.6W (369.7-542.5) | 501.2W (440.1-541.8) |
| GPU Throttle % | 0.0% | 2.9% | 0.0% |
| VRM MOS | 64.3°C (60.0-65.0) | 52.0°C (51.0-52.0) | 60.8°C (58.0-62.0) |
| CPU Pkg Power | 61.0W (58.8-86.3) | 54.1W (52.1-63.4) | 59.9W (57.0-68.5) |
| Thermal Limit % | 74.8% (73.4-85.8) | 65.2% (64.5-68.2) | 80.6% (77.8-84.0) |
| CPU Usage | 23.8% (21.8-41.2) | 19.4% (17.1-27.0) | 20.4% (18.5-27.3) |