does your system run cooler with case side panels off?

[Ferzerp]

Given the fans typically used in cases, I seriously doubt anyone is going to create a higher air pressure zone inside any computer case.....the air is exhausting as fast as you put it in, hence the air pressure is the same as atmospheric.

Have yet to see a case that is truly air tight. If you had that, with the proper fans like the ultra high speed dual fan Delta fans, you might have a chance to raise the internal air pressure 0.1psi, but with the typical cases and fans in use, not going to happen.

You realize that "the air is exhausting as fast as you put it in" can only occur because the pressure inside the case is higher than the pressure outside? If the pressure is the same, the air wouldn't come out.... You put more air in. This raises the pressure. So air starts to escape to the lower pressure area.

What this person was suggesting is to have your case pressure higher than ambient so that your vents have air coming out. The opposite is having all your fans as exhaust with the low pressure zone created causing ambient air to enter through vents. The other option is a combination of push and pull where some fans are exhaust and some are intake.

 

[ljtatej]

If I didn't run my air purifier 24/7, I would be cleaning my case every 2 weeks. Right now I can let it go about a month. I tried adding filters to my fans, but it just increased fan noise by an incredible margin.

 

[Makaveli]

I used to run with the side off when i had a cheap case and bad cooling, but i don't now. If i have to run with the side off i lower my overclock.

With that being said im on Watercooling and it was the best thing i have ever done. No temperature problems, no waiting for the next best thing in air coolers, it just works! Well worth the investment if you're overclocking!

Its worth it if you don't change hardware often!

If you are on a 2 year upgrade cycle having to rebuy water blocks gets expensive!

 

[Makaveli]

my system needs the sides on or im asking for it in dust...

This no side panel equal dust bunnies and crap crawling into your system!

Not to mention one family member with a liquids to close to your system and even splash damage will screw you!

Good luck!

 

[john3850]

Turn all your fans to intake (except the psu), to create a higher air pressure zone inside the case. Cover each fan's intake with a filter. Then all you have to do is clean a couple filters every week. Get some snap-on slide-out filters and super glue them over the fan ports. Cleaning the filters will be a simple matter of sliding them out and shaking them.

All the fan air in sounds cool but there is radiator in the case.
I also vacuum the floor twice a week.
Love to go case less but then the cats will walk on it.
Cats have been lucky cause i dont use fan guards in rear x 3 120 at 80cfm.

 

[jhu]

Side panels help keep the spiders out.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Should be an interesting experiment.

I used to have two identical rigs, in CoolerMaster Elite 330 cases. Q9300 @ 3.0, GTX460 1GB card. All running distributed computing.

Both machines were in identical desks, in cubby-holes.

One machine had the side panels on, the other did not.

The difference in temps was like 1C.

Biggest change for me was getting a better case, a Rosewill Blackhawk, with five fans. Even with the sides off, my CPU temps dropped like 12-13C, and my GPU temps dropped 8C. Right now, the CPU is at 69C, and the GPU is at 65C, all at 100% load.

Would be interesting to see if those temps go down further, if I put the side-panels on.

 

[FordGT]

My 2600K and GTX560Ti both run hotter with the side panel removed. The temps increase 3-4 degress. I use a CM Centurion 5. With the panel on my 2600K idles at 28c and goes to around 50c with room temps being in the mid 70's F.


On a side note, dust is a huge problem for me too since I live next to a dirt road and all summer long that crap blows through the air. I usually clean it out once a month or so but the tight spaces between the CPU heat sink always drive me insane.