Which provides better cooling?

[nx02nx02]

I am kind of curious which one gives the computer better cooling. Will the computer stay cooler with the sides off and no case fans installed or say a really good Antec or Coolermaster or other brand good $100-200 Case with a few case fans sealed with the sides of the case mounted on?

Currently I have my computer in my older cheap case and it doesn't have any case fans so I took both of the sides of the case off of it for now to help keep it cool.

But now I am in the market for a good expensive case designed for cooling with a few case fans etc.

So which method will give my or any computer better cooling?

Sides off but no fans?

Or sides on but good fans and a decent cooling case?

 

[DrMrLordX]

If you have a good case, properly-managed cables, and good fans, you can get much better cooling than a fanless case with the side off. You can try to get away with a sides-off, fanless case if you have a top-down HSF using a powerful fan, but I wouldn't recommend it.

 

[nx02nx02]

I see. Thanks for the reply. I better get a new case soon then. Now I just need to choose a good one.

 

[DrMrLordX]

Coolermaster CM-690 seems to be popular around here these days.

 

[nx02nx02]

Is that the same thing as the RC-690? I can get the RC-690 locally but not the CM.

 

[WoodButcher]

Why not mod what you have? A big price tag does not guarantee good cooling. If you don't like the appearance of you current case by all means buy new but if cooling is the only problem post it up, what case? do you have a link to a photo or make and model?

 

[nx02nx02]

The problem with my current case is it is pretty old. Probably atleast a 5 year old model or more and it was only like $40 new.
It doesn't really have any intake fans at all or spots I could put them in. There is 1 spot in the back I could put a exhaust fan in but that probably wouldn't be nearly enough. I cant find a model # or anything on it. It is 2 tone beige and gray and kind of just a generic mid tower. I wish there where a couple spots on it to put some fans but theres hardly anything.

Edit. I checked and the Coolermaster that I can get locally is actually a CM690.

 

[DrMrLordX]

Before you proceed, what hardware are you looking to cool?

 

[BladeVenom]

You have one spot for an exhaust fan, so just cut a hole in the side for an intake fan.

 

[aigomorla]

Originally posted by: nx02nx02
Is that the same thing as the RC-690? I can get the RC-690 locally but not the CM.

RC-690 COSMOS 690 CM 690


i believe these are all the same thing. And i really love this case, althought i kinda butchered mine up.

But i have to agree, its probably the best mid tower case you can buy under 150. I got mine for 39.99 dollars tho.


I say under 150, because the TJ-09 would probably kick its butt, and so would some DD's waterboxes, as well as a few MM mini cubes.

 

[nx02nx02]

Another reason I need a new case though is my current case cant really fit a 8800 GTX and the hard drives at the same time.
The rest of the computer is a Asus P5B Deluxe, 2 Gigs Crucial DDR2, Conroe E6600, Seasonic 700 Watt, and 2 Western Digital Hard Drives.

I was kind of thinking about getting the Lian LI PC-7A plus II

 

[WoodButcher]

The Lian Li looks good, very similar to my TJ08. I know what you mean about an old case but paint, bondo and a good chainsaw work wonders. This was my first attempt at butchery, that case is a Toshiba originally a P3 built for People PC as pictured it has evolved a bit to an e6600 and has since been relegated to an 840 extreme on air (TT sucks, it died) but is still in use by my son.