[SOLVED] Is it better to keep the side panel of the case opened?

[modeonoff]

Hi, I am satisfied with the noise level of my gaming PC (RTX2080Ti, 9900K). It is fairly quiet except during boot and launching of games. At those time, fans ramp up at max speed and the machine became noisy. They, after a few seconds, the machine became silent. In terms of keeping the components long lasting, should I turn off the machine if I don't use it? Is it better to remove the side glass panel of the case? This would allow the heat to leave the machine quickly but at the same time, dust could get in easily as well.

 

[Eximo]

Given boot times these days, I see no reason to keep it running 24/7. There is some argument for temperature cycling and the negative effects there, but it really comes down to how long you intend to keep it. For myself, I upgrade somewhat regularly, so the longevity of the components don't matter as much. But if you want to keep it going, that just means regular maintenance. Cleaning out dust filters, changing thermal compound every year or two, swapping out fans as they fail. Just generally monitoring temperatures to see if anything is going wrong.

If your computer runs significantly cooler with the side panel off, it means you haven't really achieved proper airflow. In an ideal world you would have enough incoming filtered air and enough exhaust to keep the system cool and without dust getting in (too much) Not that hard to achieve really.

The side panel is there primarily to protect the contents of the computer, so leaving it off isn't wise from that perspective. In many designs it is also necessary for proper airflow. If all the intake fans do is end up pushing air out of the open side panel, they are only effectively cooling the components mounted in the front (Assuming front intake)

I've done both. In the XP days I pretty much left my machine on 24/7 to avoid boot times. Air filters were almost unheard of in computers. The era of side panel fans that blew external air directly into the CPU cooler. Made for pretty dusty computers.

Now I only turn my gaming system on when I need it. Probably not ideal for the pump to have that many 'dry' starts, but everything else should be getting less hours on it. I don't mind swapping out the cooler in a year or two. Actually kind of need to, that thing is getting on 5 or so years old.

 

[velocityg4]

I'd say it doesn't really make a difference. As long as you keep your cooling equipment clean and in good shape, use a good PSU and have a clean power source. You should be good to go. Everything else is down to individual component quality and luck of the draw.

There's no hard data I'm aware of where on/off cycles vs always on are studied. It's all anecdotal. With all the possible configurations. Could you imagine the group sampling size you'd need for such a study.😱

That being said. Many of the servers I come across have been in use for 10+ years. Running 24/7 and clogged with all sorts of filth. It's rare to see one fail. Many businesses also keep their desktops on 24/7. They hold up just fine.

I would expect any computer with decent quality parts to hold up for an average of ten years with minor hardware repairs and maintenance. Before a major component failure occurs. Whether it is on 24/7 or turned off every day. Well beyond obsolescence.

 

[modeonoff]

Thanks. What is mean by "clean power source"?

In general, is it better to turn off the machine if I leave the machine on for 2-5 hours doing nothing while watching TV somewhere else?

I have 3 front fans, 1 back fan and 3 top fans in my dark base pro 900 rev2.

 

[velocityg4]

Thanks. What is mean by "clean power source"?

In general, is it better to turn off the machine if I leave the machine on for 2-5 hours doing nothing while watching TV somewhere else?

I have 3 front fans, 1 back fan and 3 top fans in my dark base pro 900 rev2.

Clean power being, steady voltage and frequency within the operational range of the PSU. Mostly a problem in countries with unreliable electrical grids or people getting power from a cheap generator. Areas with a lot of blackouts, brownouts and surges need extra equipment to protect a computer.