This probably isn't an original complaint in general, sorry.
In trying to choose a case I find case reviews quite frustrating in that they all seem to put a great deal of effort into measuring and tabulating temperatures, but almost invariably just use the stock fans to do so. To me this seems to render the whole exercise a bit futile. Especially as these days cases often come with up to 7 or more fan mounts, but only 2 or 3 actual fans.
In particular, reviews often measure temps with the side panel mount left unused, and it seems to me this therefore tells me almost nothing about how good the GPU cooling in particular would be if you at least filled that mount. All you get are predictably better gpu temps on cases that include that fan by default, with no clue as to how the other cases would do if you spent a few bucks filling that mount.
I realise there's a rationale for this, in that they are reviewing the case 'as is' and any extra fans will add to the cost, but I reckon I'm capable of working that out and factoring it in to the bang-for-buck calculations.
Specific example - fractal R2 midi vs R4 - the former has no side fan, but comes with 3 fans by default rather than 2, and the latter comes with noise reduction material over most of the fan slots. But which would give better temps if you added at least a couple more fans from stock? I've no idea.
In trying to choose a case I find case reviews quite frustrating in that they all seem to put a great deal of effort into measuring and tabulating temperatures, but almost invariably just use the stock fans to do so. To me this seems to render the whole exercise a bit futile. Especially as these days cases often come with up to 7 or more fan mounts, but only 2 or 3 actual fans.
In particular, reviews often measure temps with the side panel mount left unused, and it seems to me this therefore tells me almost nothing about how good the GPU cooling in particular would be if you at least filled that mount. All you get are predictably better gpu temps on cases that include that fan by default, with no clue as to how the other cases would do if you spent a few bucks filling that mount.
I realise there's a rationale for this, in that they are reviewing the case 'as is' and any extra fans will add to the cost, but I reckon I'm capable of working that out and factoring it in to the bang-for-buck calculations.
Specific example - fractal R2 midi vs R4 - the former has no side fan, but comes with 3 fans by default rather than 2, and the latter comes with noise reduction material over most of the fan slots. But which would give better temps if you added at least a couple more fans from stock? I've no idea.
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