Are Case Fans Actually Needed?

[Hugh9191]

Just wonderin' coz I haven't got any on mine, I have a processor fan, a graphics card fan and the power supply fan (all the important ones!)

Is a case fan needed? I have quite a big case (ex server case).

I have an AMD 64X2 4400+ processor, a nvidia 8400GS graphics card and a gigabyte motherboard. I have 1 seagate hard disk.

Speedfan reports the processor at 37 degrees c, the hard disk at 32 and the graphics at 50. The other temp 1 is 33 degrees, temp 2 is 42 and temp 3 is 30 (I presume these are various places on the mobo).

The only one that seems hot is the graphics there.

 

[Vipernitrox]

with that kind of hardware you really wouldn't need a case fan. I'd recommend installing at least one or two to get some airflow going.

 

[funkysnair]

yes i would say it is a must to have atleast two fans (intake-exhaust)...

other wise it will be like an oven inside your case, everything generating heat and no where for it to go!

 

[Hugh9191]

Ok. I'll probably go for a couple of fans what with them being rather cheap.

 

[funkysnair]

exactly-there so cheap you might aswell...

saves overheating your hardware and can pro long the life of your computer

 

[Dystopia]

I would get some fans, like said, 2 is good, one intake and one exhaust. I have three, 1 intake 2 exhaust

 

[smoothjk]

Will it run fine without case fans? With a big enough case, yes.

But they're cheap, and they lower temps...possibly helping stability and overclockability. Why not?

 

[Bartmasta]

I wouldn't go for it.

I play with my side panel off because with it on temps are like 10 'C higher.

Anyways I decided to get 2 intake fans 80x80 and 50x50 (80x80 at 5v instead of 12V) and exhaust 80x80 at 12V.

Needless to say, after putting the fans on (that means the side panel) temps rose by 4'C.

Maybe its worth it if you have a big case and lots of fans.

But if you are getting just a few it's not worth it.

 

[Geoff]

Having high-flow case fans and installed in the correct locations, is the best thing. Having the side panel open won't do any good if you don't have any circulation in your room, now if you have a house fan blowing nearby then yes that would work. Without case fans your RAM, northbridge, southbridge, and other fanless components can easily overheat. It's best to have intake in the front and exhaust out the back, you don't want to have fans that are pushing air in opposite directions trying to fight each other.

 

[ducis]

case fans are needed but ventilation is

 

[lovely?]

case fans are most definitely necessary. i have three 120mm fans, two intakes and one exhaust, and one exhaust 80mm and another 80mm for my hard drives. without them my temperatures skyrocket.

 

[Bartmasta]

I don't get how you guys obtain such low temps with case fans.

Oh well I'll just stick with the good ol' side panel off trick.

 

[diduknowthat]

At least have 1 case fan in the back, and preferably another one in the front. I have 2 120mm fans and my case temp is pretty nice.

 

[smoothjk]

I wouldn't go for it.

I play with my side panel off because with it on temps are like 10 'C higher.

Anyways I decided to get 2 intake fans 80x80 and 50x50 (80x80 at 5v instead of 12V) and exhaust 80x80 at 12V.

Needless to say, after putting the fans on (that means the side panel) temps rose by 4'C.

Maybe its worth it if you have a big case and lots of fans.

But if you are getting just a few it's not worth it.

50x50 fans aren't gonna do squat. Even 80x80s are pretty small and don't typically push a lot of air.

If you have a good size case with good ventilation and good CFM fans, you're golden. And not everyone wants to have their PC panel open with a fan blowing into it (for aesthetic reasons, mostly). If you're gonna leave the case closed, get some fans in there.

 

[Cpetrie]

50x50 fans aren't gonna do squat. Even 80x80s are pretty small and don't typically push a lot of air.

If you have a good size case with good ventilation and good CFM fans, you're golden. And not everyone wants to have their PC panel open with a fan blowing into it (for aesthetic reasons, mostly). If you're gonna leave the case closed, get some fans in there.

Also: Dust, with the side panel off.

 

[Hugh9191]

Also: Dust, with the side panel off.

The reason I was reluctant to get case fans was coz of dust, I have seen lots of cases where they have done nothing but sucked dust into the case. Having the side off attracts less dust than fans, I find.

Oh well, I will get a couple of fans and gas dust it every now and then.

 

[Kornowski]

Yes.

 

[Scubie67]

Regular vacuuming of your computer room will cut down on dust so that it shouldnt be much a factor anyway.

 

[Bartmasta]

you can also try ghetto cooling which is taking the side panel off and using a regular house fan, i have a small one that fits on my desk and it's about as loud as a case fan

 

[diduknowthat]

The reason I was reluctant to get case fans was coz of dust, I have seen lots of cases where they have done nothing but sucked dust into the case. Having the side off attracts less dust than fans, I find.

Oh well, I will get a couple of fans and gas dust it every now and then.

Get some fan filters and fit them on the fans. But seriously, there's a reason why cases come with fan mounts. Even prebuilt computers have some sort of exhaust fans.