A Sequel to Adequate Cooling Methods - Case Ventilation
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Your first priority is case ventilation. Nowadays with the rise of dual- and quad-core CPUs and also GPUs, we're seeing the dissipation of a huge amount of heat. Excellent airflow is essential. Generic OEM cases may not have enough fans. Aim for a case with external fans, such as one exhaust at the back, one intake at the side panel (preferably with air-duct) and, if possible, an exhaust fan at the top of the case. Additional intake fans at the front panel or exhaust fans at the back shouldn't be underestimated either. Just make sure that your setup will be close the 1:1 [intake:exhaust] ratio.
Check out the attached picture of a generic ATX case that has an intake fan at the side with air-duct setup. Fresh air will be pumped directly onto your processor heat sink. Keep in mind that an air-duct setup might not be the best option for every setup because some aftermarket coolers will take in air from the front.
Positive pressure means having more intake fans than exhaust fans. While this practice might sound awesome, it isn't. Any case has holes, or space where air can move in. In a setup where more exhaust fans are used there won't be a vacuum, and nothing mysterious will happen, because air will be sucked in through the case's holes. No case is ergonomically closed. Pumping more air into a case doesn't bring more benefits because it can quite easily screw up the airflow cycle.
Negative pressure shouldn't be preferred either. That is because the high amount of air that must be sucked in your optical drives, memory card slots, etc. will fill with dust. Always take care that you are going to have enough inlet venting.
So here's my personal advice: I'd aim for 1:1 setups, or eventually have one more exhaust fan than intake fan. Perfect 1:1 airflow ratio setups should bring the best results.
Let's debunk two myths that are related to cases. First, a larger case doesn't always yield better cooling. Imagine a huge case with zero additional fans versus a mid-tower case with a great airflow setup. Second, aluminum cases do not "cool the system" by acting as a heat sink. There are a few real benefits of aluminum cases, such as their durability and light weight. But under no circumstances will an aluminum case "cool better" due to its material than any other case. This myth originates from the era when aluminum cases were produced for the first time and they indeed were cooling better due to the improved airflow and better quality fans.
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