Do you need some type of cooling in your computer tower if you dont overclock anything?

Question

I dont even have a case fan or anything. I just got a fan that came with the processor and the fan thats built in the video card. I dont overclock anything so is it okay if i just leave it as it is?

i was thinking about buying a computer case that has better airf flow and case fans, but its so damn expensive to ship here in hawaii. Its like over $100 to ship it here.

Answer 1

I hope you don't mean that you want to 'leave it as it is' regarding to the 'fan that came with the processor', which is actually the heatsink, without which the processor will burn out within about 1 minute after you turn it on.

The processor ABSOLUTELY MUST have a heatsink with a fan to be installed on it during operation. There are some heatsinks, which can be run just by itself, without fan of any sort, but those passive coolers are generally quite big and expensive too. Scythe Ninja, Tuniq Tower, and Thermalright Ultra are some examples of those. No amount of airflow in the computer case will keep your cpu cool enough if you run it without a heatsink (unless you put some kind of an airplane turbine right in front of it. That MIGHT help.).

In regard to your airflow question in case - even if you don't overclock, you should have at least one 80mm fan for inflow. The reason being that when your computer case is closed, the hot air from cpu and videocard will not cool down fast enough and progressively it'll get hotter and hotter. That doesn't necesseraly mean that your computer will crash right away but it'll keep all your components running at higher temperatures and as a result it'll shorten their lifespan. You can actually try it by yourself - you'll see that your computer case will be actually very warm to the touch after it's been left on (even idle) for about 20-30 minutes without any airflow from outside. Again, that might depend on what kind of case you have, but the one I'm using, the Silverstone HTPC one, is warm even after I put one 80mm fan in. Unfortunately, there's no place to put a bigger fan, so I will have to mod the case to be able to hold one or two of 120mm fans.

Although it won't matter as much of an answer to the original question, I'd still like to point out a couple of points, on which Doggzill is not quite correct.
First, overclocked cpu DOES generate more heat. That's why liquid cooling exists in the first place - so that the cpu could be cooled more than air cooling allows to. Increased voltage to get stability and higher clocks make the cpu much hotter.
And second - the more the cpu is overclocked, the more energy it spends. QX6700 rated at 135w on stock settings will spend more than 200w during use if overclocked to 4ghz.

Although I'm not an expert overclocker, I do know some things. And I've been working with hardware, building and upgrading computers for a few years already - not taking into account that I've been using computers for around 15 years.

Answer 2

It depends on if your computer is a prebuilt one or custom made. I am not sure, but I know some companies won't let you overclock. And if you use your computer for general use, overclocking really isn't gonna make it appear much faster. It is mainly for people who want to increase the frame rate a little more in games, or gain a better score in 3dmark (a test that tells you how good your computer is)

Answer 3

A single case fan blowing IN will make a big difference, there is already a fan in your power supply blowing out.
Every cpu creates heat, most over clocked cpus dont overheat, the higher voltage simply causes to much interference between resistors to work anymore, and by cooling it down more than what it requires at stock settings will allow higher settings.
Lets say a cpu is 65 watts, it will still be 65 watts if over clocked, it will just be more unstable. Cooling it down makes it more stable for any given settings.

Answer 4

I think all new pc today needs cooling. the faster they are the more they need it. Better airflow for better performance. You can add cpu fans inside your existing casing if you want..it's cheaper. Also make sure that your cpu is not covered or the exhaust is too close to the walls.

Your other cheap options may be:
- putting a fan beside your cpu
- remove the cover
- if you're good with tools you may put holes on your cover and add another fan in it

:)

Answer 5

Faster processors, even without overclocking, generate heat. Case fans are not a bad idea, but your computer will probably survive without one.

Your CMOS menu should include an option to read your CPU temperature. You might want to check it and see how that little old chip is doing. If it is not overheating I wouldn't worry about it.

Answer 6

Well thats fine for what you have right now but I do suggest some more ventilation. Processors nowadays like the Core 2 Duo's and those AMD x2 heat up like ovens and the fans on them don't do much. To help preserve your processor I suggest that yeah you do look into implementing another fan to help the airflow. The graphics cards fan is perfectly fine and can handle the colling of the chip on its own.

Answer 7

I have a POS HP with a case fan for the power unit. It runs cooler than my sol box with a dual processor fan and a fan card.

I wouldn't worry about it for normal use. I might upgrade the fan if I were gaming.

Answer 8

An extra fans or two would help to cool your system and extend the life of your components epecially for those with multiple drives and cards.

Does the tower provide mounts for cooling fans - then you can easily get a couple and install them yourself - they come with screws and connecters to attach to the power supply molex cables.

Answer 9

You should have at least one case fan acting as an exhaust, other than that you should be fine if you don't OC.

Answer 10

I would suggest at least one extra fan...i had my computer overheat before and i dont have mine over clocked