PsiRadish
08-08-2007, 05:56 AM
So I just recently finished with a motherboard+CPU+videocard upgrade, and my case is currently still open. As I was poking through the ATi Control Panel settings, I came across the temperature read out, which displayed 65°C. This is after maybe an hour of continuous computer use, but not making the video card (SAPPHIRE Radeon X1650 256MB) do anything besides display windows at 1280×960. It did read 62°C later in the day (when it was also cooler), immediately after having run the Earthsim demo ATi pushes with its drivers (15 minutes of my life wasted), but this still seems rather high.
I have decided that this is not something I will allow to continue (more on that later), but first I want to know whether I can safely run the system with the case closed for now. Will this make the temperatures worse for the video card? Better? Highly dependent on what cooling is in the case? I have an 80mm fan and the PSU fan blowing air out the back of the case, 2 empty expansion slots missing slot covers (not deliberately), and a vent at the front with a currently unpowered 80mm fan waiting for me to get a y-splitter for my motherboard's one free fan connecter. Can I safely close it up under these conditions? Should I wait until I have the y-splitter for the front fan? I suppose in general what affect does an open case have on cooling?
Next, I'd like to solicit some opinions on the $3 card cooler (http://www.creativemods.com/guides/guide_view.php?url=three_dollar_card_cooler) I'm looking at (slot-cover-mounted version) to rectify my video card's apparent temperature issues :)
I have decided that this is not something I will allow to continue (more on that later), but first I want to know whether I can safely run the system with the case closed for now. Will this make the temperatures worse for the video card? Better? Highly dependent on what cooling is in the case? I have an 80mm fan and the PSU fan blowing air out the back of the case, 2 empty expansion slots missing slot covers (not deliberately), and a vent at the front with a currently unpowered 80mm fan waiting for me to get a y-splitter for my motherboard's one free fan connecter. Can I safely close it up under these conditions? Should I wait until I have the y-splitter for the front fan? I suppose in general what affect does an open case have on cooling?
Next, I'd like to solicit some opinions on the $3 card cooler (http://www.creativemods.com/guides/guide_view.php?url=three_dollar_card_cooler) I'm looking at (slot-cover-mounted version) to rectify my video card's apparent temperature issues :)