"Covered" Motherboards

[bradly1101]

All types of chips/components on motherboards get warm, so wouldn't these sleek, covered motherboards decrease life expectancy?

 

[Joepublic2]

Supposedly they channel airflow over the hot components if it has a fan (can't see from that angle) but really it's just a dumb gimmick IMO. If it doesn't have forced airflow it could definitely hurt cooling. Whether it's enough to shorten the lifespan of the board who knows.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Probably not enough to hurt anything. Flipside is, you're just paying money for aesthetics.

Circuit boards are ugly, and the whole scene is so '90s-ricer-chic I could vomit. If you want a computer that's more fun to look at than it is to use, ditch the transparent side panel and learn to paint instead.

::adjusts the onion on his belt::

Hell, I've seen so many "pinup" desktop wallpapers, how "aircraft nose art" style airbrushing isn't more popular as a case mod, I'll never understand. (Don't google for either of those at work, btw.)

</rant>

 

[DigDog]

dumb gimmick, potentially lower performance, extra costs.

great idea!!

 

[freeskier93]

That particular board you pictured actually has a water block on the VRMs.

 

[bononos]

And the chipset heatsink is exposed so the lower decorative plastic cover is not trapping any heat.

 

[bradly1101]

That particular board you pictured actually has a water block on the VRMs.

Yeah but I'm talking about all the other little components and chips that warm up under those covers.