Question:
I just got a new computer tower, pimped up for gaming. The manual (yes, I read the instructions!) says I need to put it somewhere with a specific amount of space. Can’t I just put it where my old tower was?
Answer:
Congrats on your new computer. And condolences to your family, they likely won’t see you except for bathroom breaks (unless you take an empty coffee can with you…and we won’t go there!).
Computer towers today, especially the “pimped up” ones generate a lot of heat. That heat needs to be removed from the tower, and cooler air needs to be pulled inside the tower to replace it. When you put a computer tower in a small space, the fan can’t vent the heat properly. Also, when the tower attempts to pull in cool air, the air it pulls in tends to be the same hot air it just vented out. This results in overheating…and possibly a short life for your new “pimped up” computer.
The best thing for the life of your computer (and your gaming) is to always follow the manufacturer’s suggestions, and make sure you don’t block the air intake vents. Happy gaming!
If you have a question for our resident geek, email it to geek@tbyd.ca!
The more space you can give your computer, the better. Don’t underestimate the amount of heat those things can produce! If you can, get something like a wire rack for it to sit on so it not only has space on the top and sides but on the bottom as well. You’d be amazed at how much that one small change can improve the cooling of your PC – and better cooling means better performance, which means BETTER GRAPHICS! 😉