[SOLVED] Will a PC run fine without any cooling fans attached to my case?

[s6lid]

I was just wondering if it would since a gpu and a cpu has a cooler.

 

[Koekieezz]

It will just run fine, extra fans on the case are used for a better airflow

 

[Chris David]

If it is not in a place with terrible airflow and your case is sufficiently big enough to not cause a complete suffocation of air, then you don't really need any cooling fans. But I'd say at least have one at the back as a exhaust.

 

[Paperdoc]

I do NOT recommend that!

I agree that both the CPU and the GPU have coolers (fans?) on them. But in each of those cases, they draw air from their immediate area INSIDE the case and usually discharge that heated air also INSIDE the case. Well, some high-performance video cards discharge out of the back through a grill, but bear in mund that is because they are using a LOT of air from inside and making it VERY warm. In both cases, they are using pre-heated air that has accumulated heat from everything inside the case, and then re-using that same air. And in this process, all the mobo components that also generate heat are depending on the same air for heat removal, too.

With NO case ventilation fans, there are one (or two) fans that actually do bring air into the case or push some heated air out. The PSU normally has its own cooling fan, and that often is an exhaust fan that draws its air from inside th case (again) and blows it out, and posssibly the graphics card depending on how its cooling air flow is designed. Those two alone are NOT normally sufficient to move enough outside (room) air through the case to remove all the heat building up.

How much heat are we talking about? Well, all of the heat is generated by the electrical power the components consume from the PSU. Start with what is the power rating of your PSU? Let's suppose it is 450 W (not a large one), and under normal workloads you may actually be using no more than 300 W. We are NOT doing heavy gaming at that load! If the PSU operates at 85% efficiency, then it is pulling 300/0.85 = 353 W from the wall outlet, and of that 53 W worth of heat is being sent out of its rear vents to keep the PSU cool. The 300W actually used by your computer's components inside the case are ALL being converted to heat inside. Consider a simple plain 100 RW light bulb - it throws out quite a bit of heat. Picture THREE of those inside a metal box with slots but NO forced air flow. How hot do you think the box will be in a few hours?

 

[s6lid]

How much heat are we talking about? Well, all of the heat is generated by the electrical power the components consume from the PSU. Start with what is the power rating of your PSU? Let's suppose it is 450 W (not a large one), and under normal workloads you may actually be using no more than 300 W. We are NOT doing heavy gaming at that load! If the PSU operates at 85% efficiency, then it is pulling 300/0.85 = 353 W from the wall outlet, and of that 53 W worth of heat is being sent out of its rear vents to keep the PSU cool. The 300W actually used by your computer's components inside the case are ALL being converted to heat inside. Consider a simple plain 100 RW light bulb - it throws out quite a bit of heat. Picture THREE of those inside a metal box with slots but NO forced air flow. How hot do you think the box will be in a few hours?

I have a really small case that measures about 14 Inches in width and 15 inches in length when you look at it sideways, its about 6 and a half inches when you're facing the power button. (small case)

I guess I do need a cooling fan or case ventilation fan for it since it's that small,
also one last question, I have a 700W PSU would that just make the case hotter since its using alot of watts? (I'm new to this stuff).

I can't really afford to buy a new case since I'm only 15 and don't have a job yet.

 

[GorillaMonsoon]

I have a really small case that measures about 14 Inches in width and 15 inches in length when you look at it sideways, its about 6 and a half inches when you're facing the power button. (small case)

I guess I do need a cooling fan or case ventilation fan for it since it's that small,
also one last question, I have a 700W PSU would that just make the case hotter since its using alot of watts? (I'm new to this stuff).

I can't really afford to buy a new case since I'm only 15 and don't have a job yet.

The current draw (amps) is whats going to cause the heat, and that is determined by the device. So if say your GPU is drawing 1 amp your PSU is not going to feed it 3 just because it can. Your PSU will actually be working at a lower percentage of it's full potential so in theory it will run a bit cooler than a 400 Watt one for example.

As for fans your specs are not that crazy so 1 exhaust fan will probably be fine, but I'd invest in at least 1 intake when you get your GPU. That said put an ad up in your local buy and sell that your in search of a fans and you'll probably get one cheap or free. Heck I have a few extra fans and would give you one if you were local.

 

[s6lid]

Thanks for the advice, I really appreciate it! 😀

 

[Paperdoc]

Thanks for Best Answer. And GorillaMonson above is exactly right. The Watt rating of your PSU is not what it DOES, it is what it CAN do if required. The actual power consumed is determined by your hardware and how much work it is doing. That's why I picked an arbitrary modest power number for my example. 300 W would be more than enough if you are just doing a few documents or working in a spreadsheet of surfing the web lightly. You would use a LOT more for high-performance gaming applications, both in the CPU and on the graphics card.