Computer Cooling Tips

Computer Cooling shouldn't be an afterthought. It takes careful planning. Heat is the enemy inside a gaming computer. The hotter it gets the poorer your components performance will be. It is very important that you ensure proper airflow and cooling for each of your major components. This will help you ensure that your components not only function properly but last longer as well. If cooling isn?t done right you?ll get erratic behavior and your computer will shut down unexpectedly. In extreme cases you could send your investment up in a puff of smoke.

What components produce the most heat?

The components that produce the most head inside your case are the CPU, video card, and power supply. It is important that when you select your case you have one that is large enough or designed well enough to allow adequate airflow through the case. This will help ensure proper computer cooling. It is also important that when you wire your components you do not leave a giant mess of wires that will restrict airflow. It will cut down the circulation and cause heat to build. It?s worth the extra time to route your wires appropriately.

A clean case makes a cool computer!

Dust can also build inside your case which will in turn restrict airflow. Finding a case that has filters can reduce the amount of dust that finds its way inside. Regular cleaning can help reduce the effects of dust build up though. By a can of condensed air and blow your computer out periodically. It will keep your heatsink, fans, and vents free of debris ensuring proper computer cooling.

Case Cooling

For case cooling the general recommendation is to have a fan in the front at the bottom of your case that sucks fresh, cool air in. Another fan near the top in the back of the case should act as an exhaust fan to evacuate the hot air. Remember hot air rises so this setup really makes the most sense. Be aware though that if you have more air coming in than going out it creates a higher level of pressure inside the case. This will reduce the efficiency of your setup which leads to improper computer cooling. This is referred to as positive airflow. Neutral airflow is ideal. You want the same amount of air going out as coming in.

Spot Cooling

Some components may require spot computer cooling. The processor is a prime example. If you don?t have a heat sink with a fan you will fry your CPU almost as soon as you turn it on. It is important that you have an adequate heatsink to cool the processor. Most heat sinks have a copper base. Some are made entirely of copper these days with fins and ridges that increase the surface area to allow it to dispel more heat. Unless you will be overclocking your CPU the stock heatsink is usually adequate. Although heat sinks aren?t all that expensive so you may want to pony up $30 or so to ensure that your processor runs nice and cool so you get the most performance out of it. If you will be buying an aftermarket CPU cooler just be sure to match it up with the processor you have. Most will tell you what CPUs they were designed for. Tiger Direct offers some good prices on computer cooling products.