This is the most basic method of cooling, and costs the least. Smaller cases can be worked with, but components that need airflow (usually the processor and video card) should have vents closeby. Phase change units like the one pictured here range in price from $1,000 to $2,000 USD. As such, this is the quietest way to reduce CPU/GPU heat in your PC. In other words, if your memory is running hot, buy and install a memory fan. Peltier cooling relies on the thermoelectric principle. Make sure there's nothing sitting right against any side of the computer, especially the back. Pick the Best Fans for Your PC Any desktop PC with standard case fan mounts will work (80mm, 120mm, 140mm, 200mm—it doesn’t mater as long as they’re consistent). Your computer contains a lot of parts, almost all of which create heat when your computer is on. There's a fan on top the CPU, one inside the power supply, and usually one or more on the front and/or back of the case. If your computer is hidden away inside a desk, make sure the door isn't closed all the time. As long as air flows through the computer, dust will follow and build up. Cool air enters from the front and sometimes from the sides of the case. Keep in mind that open-loop systems require a lot of investment and it makes the components being cooled harder to change out, depending on the availability of heat blocks. Unfortunately, you can't just replace the power supply fan. Here's what you need to know to get the best results. Many are free or very inexpensive, so there's really no excuse to let your computer overheat and cause damage. You can see this work when you tilt a can of compressed air too much and spray on a surface. Components might get uncomfortably hot if the ambient temperature is very warm, but most computer hardware that needs active cooling have the smarts to prevent themselves from going down in flames if the cooler can’t keep up. If you’re looking for high airflow with low noise, look for larger fans. Water has a high thermal conductivity, meaning it absorbs heat very easily—even moreso than air. Phase change cooling works the same way that an air conditioner or refrigerator works: using the vaporization (liquid to gas) action of a working fluid to draw heat away or pump it elsewhere. You can set your PC up to be ridiculously fast or whisper-quiet, and in both cases, cooling is key. You can custom tailor your loop to dissipate the exact amount of heat generated by your computer, making it a much more capable cooling solution. It’s fallen out of use due to requiring another cooling system (usually liquid) anyway, as the hot side can get hot enough to burn out the unit. How a CPU Cooler Works Both air and liquid CPU coolers operate on a similar principle, and both do essentially the same thing: absorb heat from the CPU and redistribute it away from the hardware. An air-cooling solution that consists of a heatsink, heat pipes, and a fan. It all finds a way into your computer and much of it gets stuck in the several fans. An example of a phase change cooler, from LDCooling. Cooling methods explained The secret to harnessing the cooling power of air lies in fans— lots of fans. One of the most effective ways to cool your PC is to clean the internal fans. Over time, high heat accelerates wear and decreases reliability of the components. Liquid-based CPU coolers often appear to be large and bulky systems at first glance. The fans run at a very high RPM and are quite loud. Heat may cause performance degradation, but by way of the component throttling itself to prevent it from getting hotter. Be sure to unplug everything, don't carry too much at once, and sit things down very carefully. These are not user serviceable beyond installation and basic maintenance. Liquid cooling uses some kind of coolant, usually distilled water, as the primary cooling medium. Air cooling uses the case’s air as the primary cooling medium. (Maximum PC) 14 September 2015. The fans inside your computer are there to keep it cool. Some parts, like the CPU and graphics card, can get so hot you could cook on them. As far as noise is concerned, anything below 40dB will be very quiet, but start creeping up to 50dB and it’ll be loud. If you find that your memory, graphics card, or some other component is creating a lot of heat, you can cool them down with a component-specific fan. Do you know what slows a fan down and then eventually makes it stop? Is the area you're using your computer just too hot or too dirty? The airflow you feel when you hold your hand behind your computer is coming from this fan. The problem is that this also allows dust to creep in everywhere in the case. Home Made PC Water Cooling: One of the most enjoyable things to do in your spare time is to make gadgets and mods to your computer. There are also a number of ways to tune up your PC . If you’re looking into how to chill down your PC, this guide will help get you started. Sho Kikugawa While the resistance of a semiconductor increases, at around 160° C, its resistance decreases. The drawback to that is condensation can build up and create an electrical short hazard. Your main concern will be your computer's case which holds all the important parts like your hard drive, motherboard, CPU, etc. With the ever growing need for more effective and extreme cooling solutions due to the production of more powerful computer systems, water cooling – or liquid cooling - is one solution to tackling heat output that has boomed over recent years. He writes troubleshooting content and is the General Manager of Lifewire. Dirt—in the form of dust, pet hair, etc. This causes more current to flow through the device, which causes it to get even hotter, until the chip burns up. Below are 11 computer cooling solutions that anyone can do. A case fan is just a small fan that attaches to either the front or the back of a desktop computer case, from the inside. The power supply in your computer has a large fan built into it. An urban legend about desktop computer cooling is that running your computer with the case open will keep it cooler. If you want to avoid the dust bunnies or fan noise, avoid cases with lots of openings. Case fans help move air through a computer which, if you recall from the first several tips above, is the best way to ensure that those expensive parts don't get too hot. The fan push the air to the heat sink and the hot air in the sink expands and comes out of the sink and then it is pushed to outside of the case through case c… There are many different ways to keep your PC cool; some more efficient than others. Connecting a 4-pin fan to a 3-pin socket. Moving your computer can cause damage to the sensitive parts inside if you're not careful. In these cases, installing a water cooling kit can help. Each differ by what kind of physics magic they employ to do so. Unparalleled Cooling Performance. You should periodically dust your workspace and clean your laptop with cotton swabs or compressed air - while it’s turned off - to prevent build up and excessive heat. These are built piece by piece and are modular and customizable as a result. Many companies sell large CPU fans that help keep CPU temperature lower than a factory installed fan ever could. Another point is that hot exhaust air may be drawn back into the case. Do not use a hand duster, especially something like a Swiffer, as these can build up static charges that can damage the hardware. This also prevents any hot exhaust air from being drawn back in. Most of the hot air flows out of the back end of the computer case. Just shut your computer off, open up the case, and use canned air to remove the dirt from each fan. When you apply electricity to a Peltier cooling module, one side becomes hot while the other side becomes cold. Thermal stress is much more prominent if the temperature differences are wide. This causes the fans to slow down and fail much quicker than usual. That is, you cannot add additional tubing and parts to expand the loop. Similar enterprise-level PC cooling products can be $10,000 USD or more! When you apply electricity to it, heat moves from one side to the other. These are usually: A general rule of thumb is that the higher the power consumption, the more heat the part will give off. 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