Top vs bottom mounted PSU

[Deleted member 589304]

I am currently in the process of building a new computer and was trying to find a good case for about $50.

It will have a i5 and a gefource 5600

so need room for the graphics card, I would like to have good air flow to keep it cool, and quiet. The first one I built sounds like a jet engine.

Which brings be to the question in the title does it top or bottom mounted PSU really matter. I was tould to try and stay away from the bottom ones.

Any info would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[hunter315]

Why were you told to stay away from bottom mounted ones?

Bottom mounted PSUs sometimes encounter issues with cables not being long enough to route behind the motherboard but this isn't an issue with most PSUs. Being bottom mounted makes the case a bit more stable, and allows for a fan on the top of the case.

 

[spikey_monkey]

I'm using an Antec 1200 which has a bottom-mounted PSU. It seems to me there is a pocket of relatively dead air between my PSU and video card intake. I have yet to get around to installing a side-fan to blow on that exact area, but when I do I will not have to worry about that pocket anymore. Well, I shouldn't really worry anyway, that case has so many fans!

So I'd say don't worry about top or bottom mounted as long as the case has a side-fan slot to blow on the PCI slots. Of course, there are always PCI slot fan options as well, e.g., http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007998%20600035566&IsNodeId=1&name=PCI%20Slot%20Case%20Cooler

So just go for a case that tickles your so-called fancy.

*Edit: And really do make sure the PSU has cables long enough if the PSU is bottom-mounted. That was one of my big concerns when looking at full-towers as opposed to mid-towers. Not so much an issue with bottom-mounted PSU's on mid-towers, as hunter315 said.

 

[Deleted member 589304]

Why were you told to stay away from bottom mounted ones?

That was one reason I heard is that the cables might not be long enough, I also heard that since heat rises it will make the CPU hotter, and that the only benefit of a bottom mounted PSU is that it will keep it self cooler be being on the bottom.

Also do i need to be concerned if I would get one because my PC are on carpet don't want carpet fibers and what not to get in the PSU.

some cases I was looking at are:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119106

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147144

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147153


or if any one has any other suggestions.



Thanks

 

[hunter315]

Notice that the two bottom mounted cases you are looking at have a large exhaust fan at the top, this helps keep the CPU much cooler than the PSU fan which is rather low flow because it only spins enough to keep the PSU cool, its not meant to be a full exhaust fan.

Of the two bottom mounted ones only the rosewill challenger has the vent on the bottom under the PSU, but if you are placing it on carpet the vent in the bottom doesnt help much so for a PSU with a 140mm fan you would have the fan pointed into the case, and for one with 80mm fans it doesnt matter which way you orient it, it wont be sucking air through the bottom vent.

 

[Deleted member 589304]

So which brings me to one more question about the PSU.

I originally was going to go with this one:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817171036

But I was told not to because name brand makes a difference is PSU and to go with like a corsair or an antec.

And will 600W bee enough running an i5 with a gefource 560?

Thanks

 

[spikey_monkey]

So which brings me to one more question about the PSU.

I originally was going to go with this one:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817171036

But I was told not to because name brand makes a difference is PSU and to go with like a corsair or an antec.

And will 600W bee enough running an i5 with a gefource 560?

Thanks

http://www.geforce.com/Hardware/GPUs/geforce-gtx-560ti/specifications Says 500w minimum, so yes. Of course if you ever decide to SLI you'll want a few hundred more watts.

CoolerMaster is a good brand. Also, 5 eggs out of almost 300 is a pretty good sign.

 

[g-unit1111]

I am currently in the process of building a new computer and was trying to find a good case for about $50.

It will have a i5 and a gefource 5600

so need room for the graphics card, I would like to have good air flow to keep it cool, and quiet. The first one I built sounds like a jet engine.

Which brings be to the question in the title does it top or bottom mounted PSU really matter. I was tould to try and stay away from the bottom ones.

Any info would be appreciated.

Thanks

600 will be plenty for that configuration as long as you don't have future plans for SLI or extreme overclocking. Check some of these out:

Corsair TX650 V2 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139020
PC Power & Cooling Silencer MKII 650 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817703026
Cougar Rs650 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817553012
Seasonic M12II 620 Bronze - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151095

 

[lp231]

Most of the good cases out there have bottom mounted PSU, so there really isn't a choice, unless you opt for those cheap quality types.
Cooler Master Stacker have a top mounted PSU and some even support mounting in either top or bottom.
Another will be their ATCS 840

 

[Deleted member 589304]

Best answer selected by Jordan_22.

 

[Deleted member 589304]

Thanks for all of the help

 

[Gothmorg897]

I had looked into this myself a few months and from what i read and personal experience top and bottom have advantages but all advantages and disadvantages are minor e.g. bottom mounted is cooler than a top mounted but unless you have a case with bad air flow it makes no more than 2'C difference and if you had a case with bad airflow you are probably not concerned too much about it because gamers and pc enthusiasts would of been bothered to get a new case or something. hope this helps. just my opinion.

if you are going to build a expensive system then bottom mounted because high end cases usually bottom mounted and if you are gonna build pricey pc its a what hell why not thing to have.