What was it like deciding on your first case and part cooling? Case and parts cooling has me in a rut.

[BobReily]

After reading tons of articles and message board posts on cooling (maybe more than a person should be allowed to read), still haven't come to a conclusion about what to kind of fans to use, and some things just don't make sense. There are too many variations on what cooling to get, and I know that getting a "perfect" answer is never going to happen. Just need to vent some frusteration, but I will appreciate the help. If you respond in "scientific talk" , that is fine - I can understand it. If it's in English, that is fine, too.

Not planning on overclocking, but are overclockers usually the computer builders who use 120cm fans? For a Pentium 4 2.4 GHz, 512 MB of RAM, DVD burner, two 7200 hard drives, 430 watt power supply, one CD rom, a not-so-impressive graphics card, a chieftec dragon case, and a PCI audio card, would two 80cm fans in the back and two 80cm fans in the front be best to keep those parts alive for a good two years or more? (it must be..)

Also willing to case mod (cutting holes maybe for a 120cm fan), but as a first-time computer builder, I am becoming too paranoid about cooling and it's not necessary - just don't think selecting a cooling solution should be this difficult. What has been the best plan for you - the expert computer builder - seriously, think back to when you were building your first computer and found that 14 120cm fans and three top blowholes (I'm over-emphasizing) was not really necessary.

 

[BG4533]

4 80mm fans as you described will be plenty, expecially if you are not overclocking. Depending on what sort of fans you are planning on using really quiet 20cfm one or louder more powerful ones, 4 may not even be necessary.

Computer parts are designed to last a good amount of time and take a decent amount of heat. It used to be processors were designed to last about 10 years, far more that almost anyone would use them. I would keep a good eye on the hard drives though and if possible, keep a fan blowing across them. HDs just dont seem to take heat as well as they used to.

I would start off with 4 medium flow fans in the case and go from there. If you find it is too warm (which is unlikely) add a blowhole or more powerful fans. If it is too loud and cool enough, add a Rheobus.

Many people are starting to use 120mm fans as they allow only quiet fan to be used instead of 2 louder ones while providing adequate cooling.

Brian