Are case fans necessary?

[Mooncalf]

I have places for one in the front and back but if they aren't necessary I thought I could cut back on the noise. I won't be overclocking and the power supply I am picking out will more than likely have two.

 

[Davegod]

well, it partly depends what youve got in your case, but probably you do. a decent quality fan shouldnt be making much noise, normally you wouldnt hear your exhaust fan over the cpu fan. the psu fans really only count as -at the most- one exhaust fan, since both the fans dont seperately point out of the case, instead one just feeds the other.

 

[CubicZirconia]

Except for the psu fan, no they are not. Your cpu will probably run at insanely high temperatures, but it will still run.

 

[Ness]

it all depends WHAT you are running... if you are running an old 90 MHZ Pentium 1, you'd be stupid for wasting your time with a case fan, let alone a processor fan.

If you're running any "modern" processor, it'd be a good idea to have at least one fan blowing air out.

Think about this, if you have a Processor fan that's just blowing the same heated air on the heatsink, eventually the air is going to reach a temperature close to the CPU temp, then it's not doing much for cooling, and as a side effect, everything else inside your case will get hot. Then throw in the fact that everything else will be making it's own heat to begin with.

I would, go pick up a couple of stealths or panflos, something nice and quiet. The little noise they make will be drowned out by your processor fan anyway. If it's that much of a bother you should really consider some alternate silencing methods, such as foam/dynamat, rubber washers and grommets on everything, bondo any useless holes, etc.

 

[Mooncalf]

I have a couple of Sunon fans I could use. My system would be as follows

cdrw
dvd
80GB HD
G3 Ti200
Audigy
2.1 Ghz XP (retail package)

So the one rear would be fine or best to use both (or would that be overkill for not overclocking)?

 

[Cerb]

Use the rear ones or at least plug the holes, I'd had a couple cases where the CPU and PSU sucked hot air in through them (on a 2000+, that ain't good!). the front ones you don't need if you want to vut down noise.

 

[mastay]

Grab one of those NMB low RPM fans that runs at like 17CFM. They are pretty much inaudible.

 

[Ness]

Originally posted by: Mooncalf
cdrw
dvd
80GB HD
G3 Ti200
Audigy
2.1 Ghz XP (retail package)

With a processor that powerful, with just a stock heatsink, your temps are probably at 55-65C quite easily more than that. With both of those panflos on as exhaust, you could probably get that to 40C.

 

[CubicZirconia]

I stand by my original statement of not needing any case fans besides the psu fan. It really doesn't matter all that much if your cpu is running at 70 as long as its running. Its nice to have your processor running nice and cool, but its not necessary at all. If you'd rather not put up with the extra noise the fans produce (however minute), run the system without them for awhile and see how it goes. I'm sure it will be fine.