Was PSU actually better at the top of the case for air cooling?

[PeterScott]

Looking at cases today, it seems like the PSU shroud tends to be making getting cool air to the GPU more difficult, and even without the shroud it still isn't great.

But it seems like with the PSU relocated back to top, where it used to be, the bottom could be a very nice direct intake for GPU cooling.

 

[UsandThem]

I think the problem is so many cases using a non-removable shroud.

My R5 doesn't have one, and I am able to have a 140mm fan blow directly under my GPU.

However, to increase the airflow to my GPU and my PSU intake, I went to Home Depot and bought some chair leg slider type things to raise my case up another 1 1/2" off of the floor, which helped quite a bit.

 

[PeterScott]

Yeah the Non-removable shrouds are even worse. I like the Define Mini-C as leading choice for my next build, but that Non removable shroud is a major annoyance.

Still even without the shroud, think about not have the PSU on the bottom at all, and how much closer your GPU would be to your bottom intake fan.

I wish they had built a more up to date Define Mini, more like the R5, it has the combo of features I like best in the Fractal lineup (better than the R6). But it is just getting bigger than I like considering I may never use any other slot but the GPU.

 

[XavierMace]

Every case I've bought in recent history has had multiple front mount fans with a straight, unobstructed path to the GPU. I don't see a bottom fan being an improvement on that, especially at the cost of losing one or more top fan mounts and having the power supply sucking in hot air.

 

[JeffMD]

PSU cooling is being favored on the bottom for several reasons.

1) if it is the heaviest part, it makes sense to put it the lowest.
2) Most performance cases will have the psu draw in cool air from bottom vents, ignoring the case circulation system.
3) Because PSU fans today run slow or not at all unless under high loads it no longer makes sense to rely on them as an exhaust fan which is what they were doing at the top of the case.
4) possibly cabling, with expansions cards and hard drive arrays demanding a large number of cables it just makes more sense in putting the psu in the lower section.