how important is a case in cooling?

Permabanned
Joined
26 Jul 2007
Posts
3,583
Location
Coventry
this may seem like a dumb question but I was thinking if i used a water cooling setup could you not just have the mobo like not attched to anything just have all the components sprawled over your desk lol. and then maybe attach some random fans about the place? (to save money)

anyone else done anything similar?
 
Well you could do that but many people would be uncomfortable with their computer not being in a case in case any accidents happen such as a spilt drink or dropping something onto it.

If you have all parts watercooled (including NB and SB) then i see no reason why you would need airflow over the motherboard.
 
yantorsen said:
could you not just have the mobo like not attched to anything just have all the components sprawled over your desk lol. and then maybe attach some random fans about the place?
You could but its not a good look! :D

messyoverclock4lr.jpg


[edit] Not my rig btw!
 
Last edited:
Big.Wayne said:
You could but its not a good look! :D

messyoverclock4lr.jpg
lol does look pretty lame just i want good cooling on the cheap and dnt really care wht it looks like.

I could probz do it neater than that though :P
 
theres no real reason to have a case, it will run fine outside the case, but in general memory and mosfets, especially if overclocking which is pretty common when watercooling, will want at least some minimal airflow. slow silent fans are possible, anyone that claims something like an s-flew, higher or medium speed at 7 or 5v is audible and irritating is talking out their rear end. couple 120's providing basic silent airflow to mem/mostfet/cpu area is pretty essential. as is some airflow on gfx cards mem sinks assuming watercooling the gpu. mem on a gfx card don't often need sinks, but a tiny bit of airflow is a must.
 
Maybe I'm just clumsy but I wouldn't go for exposed components. Would be too scared about kicking/dropping/spilling something in it. At least make some kind of ghetto thing like whoever it was off this forum that stuck a normal 18" or something household fan in a mdf box. Would stop you knocking capicitors off anyway.
 
I only go caseless when I'm overclocking :D

Although I once built a computer into my old "school desk" from the the '50's. No one ever figured out where the computer was, and it worked like a charm :)
 
DampCat said:
You lie. Seriously i spend at least 2 hours a week getting gnomes out of my case.

:p

Leave your underwear draw open as a distraction. I only loose one old pair of tighty whities a week and it keeps my case gnome free!
 
Back
Top Bottom