A Guide To
Basic PC Cooling
One of the greatest dangers to your PC is something we all take
for granted - Heat! Your office space may be cool enough
for you, but is it for your PC?
Desktop PCs and Notebook PCs generate heat that
can be damaging to its components. Not just damaging, but
heat can actually reduce the performance of your PC - slowing
down processing, and causing intermittent errors that can affect
your stored data.
A Thermograph of a pc board showing hot
Whether you’ve just bought your Desktop or
Notebook, or you’re a long-time owner, here are some tips that
will help lengthen the life of your precious personal computer.
Read The Manual!
The manufacturer of your PC understands the
issues that can affect your PC. They have gone through the
testing to understand how and when your PC can fail.
That's why, it's important to review the owner’s manual, and
follow the manufacturer’s suggestions on how to use, and
maintain your computer. Pay special attention to any discussion
of cooling, and the placement of the computer.
The Heat Is On
The truth of the matter is, anything that
consumes energy generates heat. The power supply, the processor,
the graphics card, the hard drives, and all the other components
of the computer that require power for it to function generate
heat. The amount of heat depends on the device - for
example processors and video cards generate HUGE amounts of
heat. You have probably noticed at one time or another,
the big finned heat-sinks (cooling devices) on some of the
components inside your computer. These are there to help
preserve the useful life of these devices.
It is true that all personal computers, whether
they are Desktop PCs or Notebook PCs, come with a cooling
system. However, the standard cooling system that comes with
your PC may not ultimately be adequate for the PC you now have.
Plus, to work efficiently in protecting your PC from overheating
and possible damage, several things have to be considered.
In PC Cooling - Bigger Is Better!
PCs are generally air cooled. This means
they need lots of air flowing inside them to carry the heat out
of their chassis. To keep the internal airflow at maximum
there are a few things to watch out for in your desktop
Keep Cables Neat - the cables inside
your computer can become a block to proper airflow, so be sure
they are organized so that they do not restrict airflow.
Dust - accumulating dust inside your PC
can be deadly. It acts to insulate the devices it
covers, keeping heat in, plus dust clogged fans and vents
restrict the amount of airflow possible. Keep your PC
blown out and dusted regularly.
Fans - periodically check your PC's
fans to make sure they are working effectively. Fans can
fail, resulting in significant reductions in airflow - in some
systems a single fan failure can be enough to damage your PC.
Covers On Tight - your PC's chassis was
designed for proper internal airflow across the various
components. However, if your PC's enclosure is open,
this then dramatically changes the cooling dynamic. It
can reduce or eliminate cooling of some components altogether,
so make sure the case's cover in on tight.
A well designed case with side and rear
cooling fans is a must for customized PCs
Have you added new hardware to your PC? A
new motherboard, video card, or hard drive? Did you
upgrade the cooling at the same time? I bet you did not!
This is the perfect time to look at a cooling or
power supply upgrade! The typical PC relies heavily on its
power supply's fans for cooling. Also, most original
equipment power supplies don't have much margin for additional
upgrades, so your power supply may be working at or near 100%
capacity. Therefore, the answer is to upgrade the power
supply with a model that will not only meet your power needs,
but also include more robust cooling. A power supply
replacement is generally easy to perform, and can extend you
PC's life (especially since old power supplies are generally
what kill most PCs).
We previously mentioned airflow inside the PC,
but airflow around the outside is just as important.
Blocking the exhaust or intakes can reduce the internal airflow
Set up your personal computer away from other
equipment or appliances that generate heat. Keep your personal
computer away from direct sunlight, and make sure that your PC
is placed in a well-ventilated area. Placing Desktop PCs and
their monitors flat against walls or in enclosed areas should be
avoided - leave at least 6 inches of space between the back of
the PC and the wall.
Desktop PCs have ventilation fans at the rear of
the unit, and depending on its design, may even have ventilation
fans on its sides, top, or at the front of the unit. Make sure
that these ventilation fans are not blocked in anyway as to
constrict the airflow that is needed to cool the internal
Some people place their Desktop PCs on the
floor. While this may save your desk space, having your PC on
the floor also makes it more susceptible to dust (and animal
hair if you have pets in the house). It is safer to keep your PC
off of the floor to minimize foreign matter from entering the
computer case. Avoid placing the Desktop PC near drapes as
they may end up blocking the ventilation of the computer case as
Notebook PCs should not be placed on soft
surfaces, such as a bed, couch, or on top of a pillow which can
allow the PC to sink into the soft material blocking the
ventilation holes needed to circulate air through the computer.
Using your Notebook PC on a hard level surface, such as a table
is probably the best way to keep your notebook working within
its optimal temperature range.
Always make sure to keep your personal computer
clean. Cleaning the exterior is not enough. Make sure you know
where all the ventilation intake and exhaust openings are, and
make sure that these are not obstructed by objects, dust, dirt,
foreign matter, or by any of your personal computer’s
components. If you own a Desktop PC, it would be a good idea to
clean the inside of the personal computer at least twice a year.
Accumulated dust and lint can clog heat sinks and fans found
inside the personal computer. This will result in a drop in
cooling efficiency which can lead to the personal computer’s
components overheating and eventually failing. Heat sinks only
work if they are kept clean and are in direct contact with
moving air to transfer heat from the heat sink fins to the
cooler air around it. You can clean them off using a vacuum
cleaner, a blower brush, or a can of compressed air. As a
rule, you can use the vacuum on the outside of the PC, and
compressed air inside - to minimize the chance of accidental
damage to your PC.
If you have a Notebook PC, it would be a good
idea to send it in for regular maintenance. A competent computer
technician can open up your Notebook PC and make sure that the
internal components are kept free of dust and that its fans or
heat sinks are clean and functioning to ensure proper air flow,
and cooling efficiency. But at a minimum, use compressed
air to keep openings clear of dust. Another tip for
notebook owners is to buy a supplemental cooling pad - these
contain larger cooling fans that blow upward to help keep your
Doing Something About It
Keeping a cool PC isn't luck, it's maintenance
to be sure, but it is also being proactive, and that means
improving the cooling performance of your system. Some
manufacturers do a great job designing their systems for thermal
efficiency, but other may cut corners on critical cooling
components. The good news is that you can improve your
PC's cooling performance very easily.
In planning for a cool system, Heat Sinks are
the first line of defense. They come in all shapes and
sizes, and serve many different components.
Ultra X-Wind CPU Cooling Fan
RAM Memory Coolers
- often overlooked, your RAM memory also produces its share of
the heat load of your PC, and cool running RAM can also play a
role in maintaining the highest level of performance. Few
systems come with efficient RAM coolers, yet they are
inexpensive and easy to install.
A Thermaltake RAM Memory Heat Sink
In addition to the regular air cooled components
and PC chassis' ventilation fans, there are other options
available. Such options include:
Vantec Spectrum PCI Fan Card with a Blue
Very Cool Cooling!
Thermaltake DuOrb Video Card Cooler
Ultra/ChillTec Thermal Electric CPU Cooler
Superior CPU Cooling!
Cooler Master Aquagate Liquid Cooling
A Radiator for your PC!
An external liquid cooled radiator system
Other things to consider
When purchasing a new PC, some advanced planning
can save you the trouble of dealing with an overheating PC.
Choose a Desktop PC case which is large enough to easily accept
all the components you wish to install, and still have strong
airflow. A good case with enough breathing room will help deal
with cooling issues well into the future. However, if you are
building a system, buy a case with extra ventilation to be on
the safe side.
If you are installing multiple hard drives, do
not stack them one on top of the other (if possible). Skip a
drive bay to allow air to flow between the hard drives. Keep
your cables tidy. Tucking them to the side opens up the airways
and lessens air turbulence inside the Desktop PC case increasing
airflow. Likewise, choose a good power supply unit equipped with
a large fans to efficiently extract the hot air from the Desktop
Make sure the CPU cooling system is adequate and
be sure that the CPU heat sink is installed per the
manufacturer's requirements. The same for your video card
- be sure it also has adequate cooling, since the CPU and video
card tend to be the devices that produce the most heat.
Notebooks that feature AMD processors tend to
run hotter than Intel processors. So if you have an AMD
processor notebook, pay special attention to the cooling of your
Vantec Lapcool 4 Notebook Cooler w/ 4 Port
If you have a Notebook PC and you use it hours
on end, a good purchase will be a Notebook PC cooling pad which
is equipped with fans to cool the underside of your Notebook PC
by ensuring adequate airflow across the ventilation openings.
Notebook cooling pads operate very quietly, but they are
available in less efficient silent fanless design as well.
Follow these tips and your Desktop PC or
Notebook PC will give you many years of reliable service. For
high performance systems, you might want to consider upgrading
your PCs cooling system to the latest liquid-cooled or noiseless
systems. You can also boost the cooling efficiency of your
current system by adding cooling devices that focus on the
individual components in a Desktop PC system such as CPU fans
and heat sinks, Chipset fans and heat sinks, hard drive coolers,
graphic card coolers, and case fans. You can also check out our
guide on Advanced PC Cooling for tips on how to keep high
performance components cool even under extreme load.