XPS 8930, possible to install a front case fan?

You could always plug the fan directly into the power supply with the proper connector but you will not be able to control its speed. I would also like to know if someone was able to physically mount a fan in the front of the case.

There won't be a connector on the mainboard - it would have to plug directly into the power supply. 

It's been a while since I have seen the inside of one of these, but I don't recall there being anywhere to mount the fan in one - the case is small and pretty tightly packed.

I've not tried to install a front case fan into the unit yet, however, I've managed to install an 80mm extra exhaust fan on the rear PCI slot grill.  (I'm not using any of the PCI slots)  I would imagine a thin factor fan may work in front if such exists.  I'll be looking into it too as someday I may want to use the PCI slots and remove the back fan.  There are no extra fan controllers on the MB so any extra fans need to be connected to the available power plugs from the power supply and run continuously.  I'd be interested to know if anyone did indeed find a front case fan that fits and successfully installed it.    

I have an XPS 8920 which appears to have the same case as the 8930. If that is true then yes, you can install a front fan. HOWEVER, it will have to be installed in the top-front hard drive bay which has fan mount holes for a 92mm case fan.  The HD drive basket is easily removable by just unscrewing to screws. Then you can install a 92x92x25mm case fan. You will have to snake the fan power cord through the drive bay and use a PWM fan splitter cable to plug the fan into the Mobo connector labelled "Top Fan". It is best to choose a PWM fan because you will be plugging it into a PWM fan header that powers the top fan and allows the Mobo to control fan speed based on temperature. I installed a ARCTIC F9 PWM PST - 92 mm Case Fan which came with a splitter cable. It's very quiet and I can't tell it's even running. Noctua also makes very quiet and efficient PWM fans that usually come with a full compliment of cables and other doo dads.

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@jimbob55 wrote:

I have an XPS 8920 which appears to have the same case as the 8930. If that is true then yes, you can install a front fan. HOWEVER, it will have to be installed in the top-front hard drive bay which has fan mount holes for a 92mm case fan.  The HD drive basket is easily removable by just unscrewing to screws. Then you can install a 92x92x25mm case fan. You will have to snake the fan power cord through the drive bay and use a PWM fan splitter cable to plug the fan into the Mobo connector labelled "Top Fan". It is best to choose a PWM fan because you will be plugging it into a PWM fan header that powers the top fan and allows the Mobo to control fan speed based on temperature. I installed a ARCTIC F9 PWM PST - 92 mm Case Fan which came with a splitter cable. It's very quiet and I can't tell it's even running. Noctua also makes very quiet and efficient PWM fans that usually come with a full compliment of cables and other doo dads.

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Do you have pics?

HERE ;

https://www.dell.com/community/XPS-Desktops/XPS-8920-added-120mm-front-fan-with-pictures/m-p/6117839#M13713

The Arctic (and probably others) PWM fan comes with a splitter that ties into the top fan on the mobo and there is enough room for two 120mm front fans in that "tiny" case.

No, the bottom part of the rear of the front vents will take a 120mm fan and screw holes are not a problem (I used double sided tape anyway). I you use the top section of the rear of the front panel you will lose the HDD bay there.

There are a number of places to mount a fan.    Ideally you would install fans in two locations

1) The upper front intake area after moving the HDD to the rear bracket in the lower chassis.   The upper front area is a dead spot and hot air accumulates there and removing the hard drive and adding the intake fan increases airflow to the upper half of the chassis that is already problematic because of the cramped area from the swinging power supply being there.

2) The lower front intake area helps to cool the area below the GPU and PCI-e slots and hard drives you have in the lower part of the chassis.  Remove the lower slot tabs on the back of the machine.  If you have both hard drive brackets in that location and are not using one or the other, remove them, they just block airflow.

If you have a full size GPU installed like I do that is 10.5" long, the GPU basically divides the case into two parts as it restricts the airflow from the lower intake fan to the upper compartment.  So if you are having problems with CPU temps, you need to add a intake fan to the upper area as well to balance the case pressure.

Summary here:

https://www.dell.com/community/XPS-Desktops/XPS-8930-GPU-and-CPU-Liquid-Cooler-PSU-Case-Swap-Upgrade/m-p/6138060/highlight/true#M16396

There are a couple of LittleBear84 mad fan pics of possible locations of fans in the XPS 8930 case.

https://www.dell.com/community/XPS-Desktops/XPS-8930-CPU-Liquid-Cooler-GTX-1080-Hybrid-GPU-Upgrades/m-p/6138021/highlight/true?lightbox-message-images-6138021=9720iA8C5C74BDDF06418#M16394

In the upper intake front location, if you remove the upper HDD bracket you can place a fan there.  You can go to the extreme of drilling mounting holes for 120mm fans in the front of the chassis there but you can certainly use some advanced mounting tape to mount the fan in that location inside the chassis.  Full size 120mm x120mm x 25mm fan will fit.

In the lower front intake area, you can certainly install a fan using 546insp methods.  However, there is a mounting location at the XPS 8930 front intake for a Aurora R5/R6/R7 fan bracket that snaps in.  The XPS 8930 shares the same chassis with the current Aurora.  That would be the easiest way to put a fan there....just change the fan out if you want to put a different fan in that bracket.

https://www.dell.com/community/XPS-Desktops/XPS-8930-CPU-Liquid-Cooler-GTX-1080-Hybrid-GPU-Upgrades/m-p/6138060/highlight/true#M16396

I think all you would ever need is a PWM 120mm fan in the lower rear of the front of the case and tie it into the top fan so they work together and it won't require removing any hdd bays. I think you just need an overall airflow from the front to the rear top but whatever you do block ALL venting around the new fan like I did so ONLY outside front air enters. Mounting with thick weather stripping will let your new fan "float" so it doesn't transmit any noise to the case. My computer is completely quiet now and the occasional fan noise from the top rear is gone. I can hold piece of light paper up to the side of the front of the case and the new front fan will hold it there.

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@546insp wrote:

I think all you would ever need is a PWM 120mm fan in the lower rear of the front of the case and tie it into the top fan so they work together and it won't require removing any hdd bays. I think you just need an overall airflow from the front to the rear top but whatever you do block ALL venting around the new fan like I did so ONLY outside front air enters. Mounting with thick weather stripping will let your new fan "float" so it doesn't transmit any noise to the case. My computer is completely quiet now and the occasional fan noise from the top rear is gone. I can hold piece of light paper up to the side of the front of the case and the new front fan will hold it there.

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I have to respectfully disagree.   Having a fan in the lower intake position is better than having no fan at all but here is a case with a full length card from a couple of views.......the GPU blocks effective airflow from the lower compartment and the power supply is above the GPU and hinders airflow even further.  How can you can effectively get airflow from that lower intake fan position up past those obstacles?  What it will do is lower temps by helping to create better airflow, balance case pressure and lower GPU temps.

Not everyone has a long gpu like that and that is only the side view. I think the air does go around everything since it's pushed by the front fan and pulled by the top fan but without a test done with thick smoke it's hard to say exactly how it flows. I do know my lower front fan addition dropped the top exit temps quite a bit and completely cured my loud fan problem. After taking a look inside I see that the psu partially blocks both top and bottom front fan positions so I would say either both upper or lower front fan mounting would work about the same but no need to remove the hdd bay with the bottom mounted option. The main thing is to get 100% outside air coming in which I haven't seen anyone in here achieving yet. You have to completely block off all venting leading back to inside the case with tape (around your newly installed front fan).

Yes, get the front fan from the Aurora R5-7, with the included black plastic bracket, runs around $19.99 on ebay right now. Buy a PWM fan splitter, open the case, slide battery compartment open, slide fan into place, it clips right into the front, install splitter, reconnect old fans, and you're done.

Good luck, I can add pictures later if needed.

Edit* pic addedAurora R5-7 Series front chassis fan in 8930.