Often used to build a large radiator heat pipes (English: heat pipe) - hermetically sealed and specially arranged metal tubes (usually copper). They transfer heat very efficiently from one end to the other: thus, even the farthest fins of a large radiator work effectively in cooling. This is how the popular cooler works

To cool modern high-performance GPUs, the same methods are used: large radiators, copper cores for cooling systems or all-copper radiators, heat pipes to transfer heat to additional radiators:

The recommendations for selection are the same here: use slow and large fans, as large as possible radiators. For example, the popular cooling systems for video cards and the Zalman VF900 look like:

Usually, fans of video card cooling systems only stirred the air inside the system unit, which is not very efficient in terms of cooling the entire computer. Only recently, to cool video cards, they began to use cooling systems that carry hot air out of the case: the first were and, a similar design, from the brand:

Such cooling systems are installed on the most powerful modern video cards ( nVidia GeForce 8800, ATI x1800XT and later). Such a design is often more justified from the point of view of the correct organization of air flows inside the computer case than traditional schemes. Organization of air flows

Modern standards for the design of computer cases, among other things, regulate the way of building a cooling system. Since the release of which was launched in 1997, the technology of cooling the computer with a through air flow directed from the front wall of the case to the back has been introduced (in addition, air for cooling is sucked in through the left wall):

Those interested in the details refer to the latest versions of the ATX standard.

At least one fan is installed in the computer's power supply (many modern models have two fans, which can significantly reduce the rotational speed of each of them, and, therefore, the noise during operation). Additional fans can be installed anywhere inside the computer to enhance airflow. Be sure to follow the rule: on the front and left side walls, the air is forced into the inside of the case, on the back wall, hot air is thrown out... You also need to make sure that the flow of hot air from the back wall of the computer does not go directly into the air intake on the left side of the computer (this happens at certain positions of the system unit relative to the walls of the room and furniture). Which fans to install depends primarily on the presence of appropriate mounts in the walls of the case. Fan noise is mainly determined by its rotation speed (see section), therefore it is recommended to use slow (quiet) fan models. With equal installation dimensions and rotation speed, the fans on the rear of the case subjectively make a little less noise than the front ones: firstly, they are located farther from the user, and secondly, there are almost transparent grilles behind the case, while in front there are various decorative elements. Often, noise is created due to the air flow around the elements of the front panel: if the transferred volume of air flow exceeds a certain limit, vortex turbulent flows form on the front panel of the computer case, which create a characteristic noise (it resembles the hiss of a vacuum cleaner, but much quieter).

Choosing a computer case

Almost the overwhelming majority of cases for computers on the market today comply with one of the versions of the ATX standard, including in terms of cooling. The cheapest cases come with neither a power supply nor additional accessories. More expensive cases are equipped with fans for cooling the case, less often with adapters for connecting fans in various ways; sometimes even with a special controller equipped with temperature sensors, which allows you to smoothly regulate the rotation speed of one or more fans depending on the temperature of the main units (see for example). The power supply is not always included in the kit: many buyers prefer to choose a power supply on their own. Among other options for additional equipment, it is worth noting special mounts for side walls, hard drives, optical drives, expansion cards, which allow you to assemble a computer without a screwdriver; dust filters that prevent dirt from entering the computer through ventilation holes; various nozzles for directing air flows inside the housing. Exploring the fan

To transport air in cooling systems, use fans (English: fan).

Fan device

The fan consists of a casing (usually in the form of a frame), an electric motor and an impeller, fixed with bearings on the same axis with the motor:

The reliability of the fan depends on the type of bearings installed. Manufacturers report the following typical MTBF (years based on 24/7 operation):

Taking into account the obsolescence of computer equipment (for home and office use it is 2-3 years), fans with ball bearings can be considered "eternal": their life is not less than the typical life of a computer. For more serious applications, where the computer has to work around the clock for many years, it is worth choosing more reliable fans.

Many have come across old fans in which the sleeve bearings have worn out: the impeller shaft rattles and vibrates during operation, making a characteristic growling sound. In principle, such a bearing can be repaired by lubricating it with solid lubricant - but how many would agree to repair a fan that costs only a couple of dollars?

Fan characteristics

Fans differ in size and thickness: usually computers have standard sizes 40 × 40 × 10 mm for cooling video cards and hard drive pockets, as well as 80 × 80 × 25, 92 × 92 × 25, 120 × 120 × 25 mm for cooling the case. The fans also differ in the type and design of the installed electric motors: they consume different currents and provide different speed of rotation of the impeller. The performance depends on the size of the fan and the speed of rotation of the impeller blades: the generated static pressure and the maximum volume of transported air.

The volume of air carried by the fan (flow rate) is measured in cubic meters per minute or cubic feet per minute (CFM). The fan performance indicated in the characteristics is measured at zero pressure: the fan is operating in an open space. Inside the computer case, the fan blows into the system unit of a certain size, so it creates excess pressure in the serviced volume. Naturally, the volumetric capacity will be approximately inversely proportional to the generated pressure. Specific view consumption characteristics depends on the shape of the used impeller and other parameters specific model... For example, the corresponding graph for a fan:

A simple conclusion follows from this: the more intensively the fans at the back of the computer case work, the more air can be pumped through the entire system, and the more efficient the cooling will be.

Fan noise level

The noise level generated by the fan during operation depends on its various characteristics (for more details on the reasons for its occurrence, see the article). It is not difficult to establish the relationship between performance and fan noise. On the website of a large manufacturer of popular cooling systems, we see: many fans of the same size are equipped with different electric motors, which are designed for different speeds. Since the impeller is used the same, we get the data of interest to us: the characteristics of the same fan at different speeds. We draw up a table for the three most common standard sizes: thickness 25 mm, and.

The most popular fan types are in bold.

Having counted the coefficient of proportionality of the air flow and the noise level to the revs, we see almost complete coincidence. To clear our conscience, we consider deviations from the average: less than 5%. Thus, we got three linear relationships, 5 points each. It is not God only knows what statistics, but for a linear relationship this is enough: the hypothesis is considered confirmed.

The volumetric performance of the fan is proportional to the number of revolutions of the impeller, the same is true for the noise level.

Using this hypothesis, we can extrapolate the results obtained by the method of least squares (OLS): in the table these values \u200b\u200bare shown in italics. It should be remembered, however, that the scope of this model is limited. The investigated dependence is linear in a certain range of rotation speeds; it is logical to assume that the linear character of the dependence will remain in some vicinity of this range; but at very high and very low speeds, the picture can change significantly.

Now let's consider a line of fans from another manufacturer:, and. Let's make a similar plate:

Calculated data are highlighted in italics.
As mentioned above, if the fan speed values \u200b\u200bdiffer significantly from those studied, the linear model may be incorrect. Extrapolated values \u200b\u200bare to be understood as approximate estimates.

Let's pay attention to two circumstances. Firstly, GlacialTech fans work slower, and secondly, they are more efficient. Obviously, this is the result of using an impeller with a more complex blade shape: even at the same speed, the GlacialTech fan carries more air than the Titan: see graph growth... A the noise level at the same speed is approximately equal: The proportion is respected even for fans from different manufacturers with different impeller shapes.

It should be understood that the real noise characteristics of the fan depend on its technical design, the generated pressure, the volume of pumped air, on the type and shape of obstacles in the path of air flows; that is, on the type of computer case. Since there are so many different cases used, it is impossible to directly apply the quantitative characteristics of fans measured under ideal conditions - they can only be compared with each other for different models fans.

Fan price categories

Consider the cost factor. For example, let's take in the same online store and: the results are written in the tables above (fans with two ball bearings were considered). As you can see, the fans of these two manufacturers belong to two different classes: GlacialTech operate at lower speeds, therefore they are less noisy; at the same revs they are more efficient than Titan - but they are always more expensive by a dollar or two. If you need to build the least noisy cooling system (for example, for a home computer), you will have to fork out for more expensive fans with complex blade shapes. In the absence of such stringent requirements or on a limited budget (for example, for an office computer), simpler fans are fine. The different type of impeller suspension used in fans (see section for details) also affects the cost: the fan is more expensive, the more complex bearings are used.

The beveled corners on one side are the key of the connector. The wires are connected as follows: two central ones - "ground", common contact (black wire); +5 V - red, +12 V - yellow. To power the fan through the molex connector, only two wires are used, usually black ("ground") and red (supply voltage). By connecting them to different pins of the connector, you can get different fan speeds. A standard voltage of 12 V will start the fan at nominal speed, a voltage of 5-7 V will provide about half the speed. It is preferable to use a higher voltage, since not every electric motor is able to reliably start at too low supply voltage.

Experience shows that fan speed when connected to +5 V, +6 V and +7 V is approximately the same (with an accuracy of up to 10%, which is comparable to the measurement accuracy: the rotation speed is constantly changing and depends on many factors, such as the air temperature, the slightest draft in the room, etc.)

I remind you that the manufacturer guarantees stable work their devices only when using standard supply voltage... But, as practice shows, the overwhelming majority of fans start up perfectly even at reduced voltage.

The contacts are fixed in the plastic part of the connector with a pair of bending metal "tendrils". It is not difficult to remove the contact by pressing down the protruding parts with a thin awl or a small screwdriver. After that, the "antennae" need to be bent to the sides again, and insert the contact into the corresponding socket of the plastic part of the connector:

Sometimes coolers and fans are equipped with two connectors: molex-connected in parallel and three- (or four-) pin. In this case you need to connect power only through one of them:

In some cases, not one molex connector is used, but a pair of "mom-dad": this way you can connect the fan to the same wire from the power supply that supplies hDD or an optical drive. If you swap the pins in the connector to get a non-standard voltage on the fan, pay special attention to swap the pins in the second connector in exactly the same order. Failure to do so could result in incorrect supply voltage to the hard disk or optical drive, which will most likely lead to their immediate failure.

In three-pin connectors, the installation key is a pair of protruding guides on one side:

The counterpart is located on the contact pad, when connected, it enters between the guides, also acting as a latch. The corresponding connectors for powering the fans are located on the motherboard (as a rule, there are several in different places on the board) or on the board of a special controller that controls the fans:

In addition to "ground" (black wire) and +12 V (usually red, less often: yellow), there is also a tachometer contact: it is used to control the fan speed (white, blue, yellow or green wire). If you do not need the ability to control the fan speed, then this contact can be left unconnected. If the fan is powered separately (for example, through a molex connector), it is permissible to connect only the RPM control contact and the common wire using a three-pin connector - this circuit is often used to monitor the rotation speed of the power supply fan, which is powered and controlled by the internal power supply circuits.

Four-pin connectors have appeared relatively recently on motherboards with LGA 775 and socket AM2 processor sockets. They differ in the presence of an additional fourth contact, while fully mechanically and electrically compatible with three-pin connectors:

Two the same a fan with three-pin connectors can be connected in series to one power connector. Thus, each of the electric motors will have 6 V supply voltage, both fans will rotate at half speed. For such a connection, it is convenient to use the fan power connectors: the contacts can be easily removed from the plastic case by pressing the fixing “tab” with a screwdriver. The connection diagram is shown in the figure below. One of the connectors plugs into the motherboard as usual: it will supply power to both fans. In the second connector, using a piece of wire, you need to short-circuit two contacts, and then insulate it with tape or electrical tape:

It is strongly discouraged to connect two different electric motors in this way.: due to the inequality of electrical characteristics in different operating modes (starting, acceleration, stable rotation), one of the fans may not start at all (which is fraught with the failure of the electric motor) or require an excessively large current to start (fraught with failure of the control circuits).

Often fixed or variable resistors connected in series in the power circuit are tried on to limit the fan speed. By changing the resistance of the variable resistor, you can adjust the rotation speed: this is how many manual fan speed controllers work. When designing such a circuit, you need to remember that, firstly, the resistors are heated, dissipating part electrical power in the form of heat - this does not contribute to more efficient cooling; secondly, the electrical characteristics of the electric motor in different operating modes (start-up, acceleration, stable rotation) are not the same, the resistor parameters must be selected taking into account all these modes. To select the parameters of the resistor, it is enough to know Ohm's law; you need to use resistors designed for a current not less than the electric motor consumes. However, I personally do not like manual control of the cooling, as I believe that a computer is a perfectly suitable device to control the cooling system automatically, without user intervention.

Fan monitoring and control

Most modern motherboards allow you to control the rotational speed of the fans connected to some 3- or 4-pin connectors. Moreover, some of the connectors support software control of the rotational speed of the connected fan. Not all connectors on the board provide such capabilities: for example, the popular Asus A8N-E board has five connectors for powering fans, only three of them support rotation speed control (CPU, CHIP, CHA1), and only one fan speed control (CPU); Asus P5B motherboard has four connectors, all four support rotation speed control, rotation speed control has two channels: CPU, CASE1 / 2 (the speed of two case fans changes synchronously). The number of connectors with control or rotation speed control capabilities does not depend on the used chipset or south bridge, but from a specific motherboard model: models from different manufacturers may differ in this regard. Often board developers deliberately deprive more cheap models fan speed control capabilities. For example, the motherboard for Intel Pentiun 4 processors Asus P4P800 SE is able to regulate the speed of the processor cooler, but its cheaper version Asus P4P800-X is not. In this case, you can use special devices that are able to control the speed of several fans (and, usually, provide for the connection of a number of temperature sensors) - they appear more and more in the modern market.

You can control the fan speed values \u200b\u200busing BIOS Setup... As a rule, if the motherboard supports changing the fan speed, here in the BIOS Setup you can configure the speed control algorithm parameters. The set of parameters is different for different motherboards; usually the algorithm uses the readings of thermal sensors built into the processor and motherboard. There are a number of programs for different operating systems that allow you to control and adjust the fan speed, as well as monitor the temperature of various components inside the computer. Some motherboard manufacturers bundle their products with proprietary Windows programs: Asus PC Probe, MSI CoreCenter, Abit µGuru, Gigabyte EasyTune, Foxconn SuperStep, etc. Several universal programs are distributed, among them: (shareware, $ 20-30), (distributed free of charge, has not been updated since 2004). The most popular program of this class is:

These programs allow you to monitor a range of temperature sensors that are installed in modern processors, motherboards, video cards and hard drives. The program also monitors the rotational speed of the fans that are connected to the motherboard connectors with appropriate support. Finally, the program is able to automatically adjust the fan speed depending on the temperature of the monitored objects (if the motherboard manufacturer has implemented hardware support for this feature). In the above figure, the program is configured to control only the processor fan: at a low CPU temperature (36 ° C), it rotates at about 1000 rpm, which is 35% of maximum speed (2800 rpm). Setting up such programs comes down to three steps:

1. determining which of the motherboard controller channels the fans are connected to, and which of them can be controlled by software;
2. an indication of which of the temperatures should affect the speed of the various fans;
3. setting temperature thresholds for each temperature sensor and a range of operating speeds for fans.

Many programs for testing and fine-tuning computers also have monitoring capabilities:, etc.

Many modern video cards also allow adjusting the fan speed of the cooling system depending on the temperature of the GPU. With the help of special programs, you can even change the settings of the cooling mechanism, reducing the noise level from the video card in the absence of load. This is how they look in the program optimal settings for the HIS X800GTO IceQ II video card:

Passive cooling systems are usually called those that do not contain fans. Individual computer components can be satisfied with passive cooling, provided that their heatsinks are placed in a sufficient air flow created by "foreign" fans: for example, a chipset's microcircuit is often cooled by a large heatsink located near the place where the processor cooler is installed. Passive cooling systems for video cards are also popular, for example:

Obviously, the more radiators one fan has to blow through, the greater the flow resistance it needs to overcome; thus, as the number of radiators increases, it is often necessary to increase the impeller speed. It is more efficient to use a lot of low-speed large diameter fans, and passive cooling systems are preferable to avoid. Despite the fact that there are passive heatsinks for processors, video cards with passive cooling, even power supplies without fans (FSP Zen), trying to build a computer without fans at all from all these components will certainly lead to constant overheating. Because a modern high-performance computer dissipates too much heat to be cooled by passive systems alone. Due to the low thermal conductivity of air, it is difficult to organize effective passive cooling for the entire computer, except perhaps to turn the entire computer case into a radiator, as is done in:

Perhaps completely passive cooling will be sufficient for low-power specialized computers (for Internet access, for listening to music and watching videos, etc.) Cooling saving

In the old days, when the power consumption of processors had not yet reached critical values \u200b\u200b- a small heatsink was enough to cool them - the question "what will the computer do when there is nothing to do?" The solution was simple: while it is not necessary to execute user commands or running programs, the OS gives the processor a NOP command (No OPeration, no operation). This command causes the processor to perform a meaningless, ineffective operation, the result of which is ignored. This takes not only time, but also electricity, which, in turn, is converted into heat. Typical home or office computer in the absence of resource-intensive tasks, it is loaded, as a rule, by only 10% - anyone can verify this by launching the Manager windows tasks and observing the CPU (Central Processing Unit) load history. Thus, with the old approach, about 90% of the processor time was blown away: the CPU was busy executing commands that no one needed. Newer operating systems (Windows 2000 and later) act more sensibly in a similar situation: using the HLT (Halt, halt) command, the processor stops completely for a short time - this, obviously, allows to reduce power consumption and processor temperature in the absence of resource-intensive tasks.

Experienced computer scientists can recall a number of programs for "software cooling of the processor": while running under Windows 95/98 / ME, they stopped the processor using HLT, instead of repeating meaningless NOPs, which reduced the temperature of the processor in the absence of computational tasks. Accordingly, the use of such programs under Windows 2000 and newer operating systems makes no sense.

Modern processors consume so much energy (which means they dissipate it in the form of heat, that is, they heat up) that the developers have created additional technical tools to combat possible overheating, as well as tools that increase the efficiency of saving mechanisms when the computer is idle.

Thermal protection of the processor

To protect the processor from overheating and failure, the so-called thermal throttling is used (usually not translated: throttling). The essence of this mechanism is simple: if the processor temperature exceeds the allowable temperature, the processor is forced to stop by the HLT command so that the crystal can cool down. In early implementations of this mechanism, through BIOS Setup, it was possible to configure how much of the time the processor would be idle ( cPU parameter Throttling Duty Cycle: xx%); new implementations "slow down" the processor automatically until the crystal temperature drops to an acceptable level. Of course, the user is interested in the processor not being cooled down (literally!), But performing useful work - for this you need to use a sufficiently effective cooling system. You can check if the processor thermal protection (throttling) mechanism is turned on using special utilities, eg :

Minimizing energy consumption

Almost all modern processors support special technologies to reduce energy consumption (and, accordingly, heating). Different manufacturers call such technologies differently, for example: Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology (EIST), AMD Cool'n'Quiet (CnQ, C&Q) - but they work essentially the same way. When the computer is idle and the processor is not loaded with computational tasks, the processor clock speed and voltage decrease. Both reduce the power consumption of the processor, which in turn reduces heat generation. As soon as the processor load increases, the full processor speed is automatically restored: the operation of such a power saving scheme is completely transparent to the user and the programs being launched. To enable such a system, you need:

1. enable the use of a supported technology in BIOS Setup;
2. install the appropriate drivers in the operating system (usually a processor driver);
3. in the Windows Control Panel, in the Power Management section, on the Power Schemes tab, select the Minimal Power Management scheme from the list.

For example, for an Asus A8N-E motherboard with a processor, you need ( detailed instructions are given in the User Guide):

1. in BIOS Setup in the Advanced\u003e CPU Configuration\u003e AMD CPU Cool & Quiet Configuration section, switch the Cool N "Quiet parameter to Enabled; and in the Power section, switch the ACPI 2.0 Support parameter to Yes;
2. install;
3. see above.

You can check that the processor frequency is changing using any program that displays the processor frequency: from specialized types, up to the Windows Control Panel, the System section:

Often, motherboard manufacturers additionally complete their products with visual programs that clearly demonstrate the operation of the mechanism for changing the frequency and voltage of the processor, for example, Asus Cool & Quiet:

The processor frequency changes from the maximum (if there is a computational load) to a certain minimum (if there is no CPU load).

RMClock utility

During the development of a set of programs for comprehensive testing processors, was created (RightMark CPU Clock / Power Utility): it is designed to monitor, configure and manage the energy-saving capabilities of modern processors. The utility supports all modern processors and the most different systems power consumption management (frequency, voltage ...) The program allows you to monitor the occurrence of throttling, changes in the frequency and voltage of the processor. Using RMClock, you can configure and use everything that standard tools allow: BIOS Setup, power management by the OS using the processor driver. But the capabilities of this utility are much wider: with its help you can configure a number of parameters that are not available for customization in a standard way. This is especially important when using overclocked systems when the processor runs faster than the nominal frequency.

Auto overclocking video card

A similar method is used by video card developers: full GPU power is needed only in 3D mode, and a modern graphics chip can cope with a desktop in 2D mode even at a reduced frequency. Many modern video cards are tuned so that the graphics chip serves a desktop (2D mode) with reduced frequency, power consumption and heat dissipation; accordingly, the cooling fan spins more slowly and makes less noise. The video card starts to work at full capacity only when launching 3D applications, for example, computer games... Similar logic can be implemented programmatically using various software utilities fine tuning and overclocking video cards. For example, this is how the automatic overclocking settings in the program for the HIS X800GTO IceQ II video card look like:

From the user's point of view, a computer is considered sufficiently quiet if its noise does not exceed the surrounding background noise. During the day, taking into account the noise of the street outside the window, as well as the noise in the office or at work, the computer is allowed to make a little more noise. A home computer that you plan to use around the clock should be quieter at night. As practice has shown, almost any modern powerful computer can be made to work quite quietly. I will describe a few examples from my practice.

Example 1: Intel Pentium 4 Platform

I have 10 Intel Pentium 4 3.0 GHz computers with standard CPU coolers in my office. All machines are assembled in inexpensive Fortex cases up to $ 30, Chieftec 310-102 power supplies (310 W, 1 fan 80 × 80 × 25 mm) are installed. A 80 × 80 × 25 mm fan (3000 rpm, noise 33 dBA) was installed in each of the cases on the rear wall - they were replaced by fans with the same performance 120 × 120 × 25 mm (950 rpm, noise 19 dBA) ). IN file server local area network for additional cooling of hard drives on the front wall there are 2 fans 80 × 80 × 25 mm connected in series (speed 1500 rpm, noise 20 dBA). Most computers use the Asus P4P800 SE motherboard, which is able to regulate the speed of the CPU cooler. The two computers are equipped with cheaper Asus P4P800-X motherboards, where the cooler speed is not regulated; to reduce the noise from these machines, the CPU coolers were replaced (1900 rpm, 20 dBA noise).
Result: computers are quieter than air conditioners; they are practically inaudible.

Example 2: Intel Core 2 Duo Platform

Home computer on new intel processor The Core 2 Duo E6400 (2.13 GHz) with a standard CPU cooler was assembled in an inexpensive aigo case at $ 25 price, a Chieftec 360-102DF power supply (360 W, 2 fans 80 × 80 × 25 mm) was installed. In the front and rear walls of the case, 2 fans 80 × 80 × 25 mm are installed, connected in series (speed is adjustable, from 750 to 1500 rpm, noise up to 20 dBA). Used motherboard Asus P5B, which is able to regulate the speed of the processor cooler and case fans. A video card with a passive cooling system is installed.
Result: the computer makes such a noise that during the day it is not heard behind the usual noise in the apartment (conversations, steps, the street outside the window, etc.).

Example 3: AMD Athlon 64 Platform

My home computer on an AMD Athlon 64 3000+ (1.8 GHz) processor is built in an inexpensive Delux package for up to $ 30, initially it contained a CoolerMaster RS-380 power supply (380 W, 1 fan 80 × 80 × 25 mm) and a GlacialTech SilentBlade video card GT80252BDL-1 connected to +5 V (about 850 rpm, noise less than 17 dBA). Used motherboard Asus A8N-E, which is able to regulate the speed of the processor cooler (up to 2800 rpm, noise up to 26 dBA, in idle mode the cooler rotates about 1000 rpm and makes less than 18 dBA noise). The problem with this motherboard: cooling the nVidia nForce 4 chipset, Asus installs a small 40 × 40 × 10 mm fan with a rotation speed of 5800 rpm, which whistles loudly and unpleasantly (in addition, the fan is equipped with a sliding bearing, which has a very short resource) ... To cool the chipset, a cooler for video cards with a copper radiator was installed, against its background you can clearly hear the positioning clicks of the hard drive heads. A working computer does not interfere with sleeping in the same room where it is installed.
Recently, the video card was replaced by the HIS X800GTO IceQ II, for the installation of which it was necessary to modify the chipset heatsink: bend the edges so that they do not interfere with the installation of a video card with a large cooling fan. Fifteen minutes of work with pliers - and the computer continues to run quietly, even with a fairly powerful video card.

Example 4: AMD Athlon 64 X2 Platform

A home computer based on an AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+ (2.0 GHz) processor with a processor cooler (up to 1900 rpm, noise up to 20 dBA) is assembled in a 3R System R101 case (included 2 fans 120 × 120 × 25 mm, up to 1500 rpm, installed on the front and rear walls of the case, connected to a standard monitoring and automatic fan control system), an FSP Blue Storm 350 power supply unit (350 W, 1 fan 120 × 120 × 25 mm) is installed. A motherboard (passive cooling of the chipset microcircuits) was used, which is able to regulate the speed of the processor cooler. Used video card GeCube Radeon X800XT, cooling system replaced with Zalman VF900-Cu. A hard drive known for its low noise generation was chosen for the computer.
Result: The computer is so quiet that you can hear the noise of the hard drive motor. A working computer does not interfere with sleeping in the same room where it is installed (the neighbors behind the wall are talking even louder).

Conventional fans have faithfully served computer owners for many years, still remaining the main cooling method - there are others, but those are more for enthusiasts. Phase change systems are obscenely expensive, and liquid cooling with all kinds of pipes, pumps and reservoirs is complemented by constant worries about leaks. And the cooling in the liquid system still occurs with air, only the radiator is removed.

Throwing away worries about the age of technology, it is difficult not to admit that blowing out a radiator with air at room temperature - effective method heat removal. Problems arise when the entire system prevents air from circulating normally in the enclosure. This guide will help you optimize your cooling system to improve performance, stability and component life.

Body layout

Most modern cases belong to the ATX layout: optical drives are in front of the top, hard drives are immediately below them, the motherboard is attached to the right cover, the power supply is at the rear from the top, expansion card connectors are displayed on back... There are variations on this scheme: hard drives can be mounted in the lower front of the side using quick-connect adapters, which simplifies their removal and installation and provides additional cooling from the side of the drive bays. Sometimes the power supply unit is placed at the bottom so that warm air is not passed through it. In general, such differences do not show negative impact for air circulation, but should be taken into account when laying cables (more on this later).

Cooler placement

The fans are usually installed in four possible positions: front, back, side and top. The front ones work on blowing, cooling the heated components, and the rear ones remove warm air from the body. In the past, such a simple system was already enough, but with modern heating video cards (of which there may be several), weighty sets random access memory and overclocked processors should seriously think about proper air circulation.

General rules

Resist the temptation to choose the case with the most fans in the hope of the best cooling: as we will soon find out, the efficiency and smoothness of air movement is noticeable more important than indicator CFM (Airflow Volume in Cubic Feet Per Minute).

The first step in building any computer is choosing a case that has the fans you want and no fans you don't need. A good starting point would be a chassis with three vertically positioned coolers at the front, as they draw air evenly across the entire surface. However, such a number of blower coolers will lead to increased air pressure in the case (read more about pressure at the end of the article). To remove the accumulated warm air, you will need fans on the back and top walls.

Do not buy a case with obvious obstructions to air circulation. Fast drive bays, for example, are great, but if they require the drives to be stacked vertically, this will seriously constrain airflow.

Consider a modular power supply. The ability to disconnect unnecessary wires will make the system unit more spacious, and in the case of an upgrade, you can easily add the necessary cables.

Don't install unnecessary components: take out the old PCI cards that will never be useful, let the additional cooling for the memory remain in the box, and several old hard drives can be replaced with one of the same size. And for heaven's sake, get rid of the floppy drive and disk drive already.

The massive air ducts on the chassis may sound like a good idea in theory, but in reality they will rather interfere with the movement of air, so disconnect them if possible.

Fans on the sidewalls are useful, but more often problematic. If they work with too large CFM, they make the coolers on the video card and processor ineffective. They can cause turbulence in the enclosure, making it difficult for air to circulate and also lead to accelerated accumulation of dust. Side coolers can be used only for weak air removal, accumulating in the "dead zone" under the PCIe and PCI slots. The ideal choice for this would be a large cooler with a low rotation speed.

Clean the case regularly! The accumulation of dust poses a serious threat to electronics, because dust is a dielectric, and moreover, it clogs the air exhaust paths. Just open the case in a well-ventilated place and blow it out with a compressor (you can also find cans of compressed air for blowing out on the market) or lightly brush it with a soft brush. I do not recommend a vacuum cleaner, it can break off and suck in something you need. Such measures will remain mandatory, at least until we all switch to self-cleaning coolers.

Larger, slower coolers are usually much quieter and more efficient, so get them whenever possible.

Environment

Do not stuff the system unit into any kind of closed box. Do not trust the manufacturers of computer furniture, they do not understand anything about what and why they are doing. The internal compartments in the desks look very comfortable, but compare that to the inconvenience of replacing overheated components. There is no point in thinking about a cooling system if you end up placing your computer where there is nowhere for air to escape. Typically, the design of the desk allows you to remove the back of the computer compartment - this usually solves the problem.

Try not to put the system unit on a carpet, otherwise dust and lint will accumulate in the case faster.

The climate in your area is also worth considering. If you live in a hot area, you will need to take cooling seriously, perhaps even consider water cooling. If your place is usually cold, then indoor air is of particular value, which means you should use it wisely.

If you smoke, it is highly recommended that you do not do so near your computer. Dust is already harmful to components, and cigarette smoke generates the worst possible dust due to its moisture and chemical composition. Washing off such sticky dust is very difficult, and as a result, electronics fail faster than usual.

Cable routing

Proper cable routing requires careful planning, and the patience is not available for everyone who enjoys buying new hardware. I would like to quickly tighten all the bolts and connect all the wires, but there is no need to rush: the time spent on the correct placement of cables, which does not impede air circulation, will pay off with interest.

Start by installing your motherboard, power supply, storage, and drives. Then, lead the cables to the devices, roughly indicating their grouping. This will give you an idea of \u200b\u200bthe total number of individual bundles and you will understand whether they have enough stock to be placed under motherboard... You may need additional adapters for this.

Then you need to select the cable tie tools based on your personal preference. There are many products on the market for bundling and securing cables to the housing.

• A conduit is a plastic tube that is split on one side. The bundle of wires is placed inside and the tube is closed. It looks neat when used skillfully, but it can be difficult if the beam has to bend.
• Spiral winding is a great option. It is a corkscrew-shaped plastic tape that can be unwound and wrapped around a bundle of cables. Very flexible, so conduit is more convenient in some cases.
• Cable braid is often found today on the wires coming from the power supply, primarily to the motherboard. Can be purchased separately for cable ties - it looks great, but it won't be easy to get the job done.
• Cable ties are a must for every computer builder. Combined with adhesive backing pads, they make cable routing simple and effortless.
• Velcro straps (like the clasps on jackets) can be reused - if you make regular changes to the wiring system - but they don't look so neat anymore.
• If you know how to handle a soldering iron and want to shorten / lengthen the wires yourself, a heat-shrinkable film will be a convenient and reliable means of insulation and additional fixation. Under the influence of high temperature, such a film shrinks, tightly pulling the wires at the point of contact.

Data cables can be easily tucked under or on top of the drive, or stowed in a free adjacent bay. If the cables are in the path of air movement, secure them to the wall of the chassis or compartment. IDE cables are a rarity these days, but if anything, replace the flat versions with the round ones.

Now that all the cables are in place, it remains to connect the devices without worrying that the wires will interfere with the air flow.

Positive or negative pressure?

Oddly enough, it is not necessary to equalize the extract and exhaust fans according to CFM. Better to choose between positive and negative pressure.

Configured with positive pressure coolers with a higher CFM are put on the blower.

Benefits:

• Air exits through all the smallest openings in the case, forcing each crack to contribute to cooling;
• Less dust gets into the case;
• More useful for video cards with passive cooling.

Disadvantages:

• Video cards with a direct heat dissipation system will partially counteract the operation of coolers;
• Not the best choice for enthusiasts.

Configured with negative pressure CFM is higher at the air outlet, which creates a partial vacuum in the case.

Benefits:

• Good for the enthusiast;
• Enhances natural convection;
• Direct, linear airflow;
• Suitable for graphics cards with direct heat dissipation system;
• Enhances the action of a vertical processor cooler.

Disadvantages:

• Dust builds up faster as air is drawn in through all openings;
• Passively cooled graphics cards do not receive any support.

Choose a pressure scheme taking into account the filling of your computer. You can buy a case with adjustable fan speed. You can use third-party solutions to control the speed of coolers, but they are expensive and often look tasteless. Check your wallet and sense of beauty.

Now that the air cools your computer seamlessly and efficiently, you can be confident that your precious components will last long and run at full capacity.

How to properly organize cooling in a gaming computer

The use of even the most efficient coolers can be useless if the air ventilation system in the computer case is poorly thought out. Hence, correct installation fans and accessories is a mandatory requirement when assembling a system unit. Let's explore this issue with the example of one productive gaming PC

⇣ Contents

This article is a continuation of a series of introductory materials on assembling system units. If you remember, last year came out step-by-step instruction "", Which describes in detail all the main points for creating and testing a PC. However, as is often the case, when assembling a system unit, nuances play an important role. In particular, installing the fans correctly in the chassis will increase the efficiency of all cooling systems and also reduce the heating of the main computer components. It is this question that is discussed in the article below.

I warn you right away that the experiment was carried out on the basis of one typical assembly using an ATX motherboard and a Midi-Tower case. The option presented in the article is considered the most common, although we all know perfectly well that computers are different, and therefore systems with the same level of performance can be assembled in dozens (if not hundreds) of different ways. That is why the results presented are relevant exclusively for the considered configuration. Judge for yourself: computer cases even within the same form factor have different volume and number of seats for installing fans, and video cards, even using the same GPU, are assembled on printed circuit boards of different lengths and equipped with coolers with a different number of heat pipes and fans. Nevertheless, our small experiment will allow us to draw certain conclusions.

An important "detail" of the system unit is the central core processor i7-8700K. A detailed review of this six-core is located, so I will not repeat myself once again. Let me just note that cooling the flagship for the LGA1151-v2 platform is a difficult task even for the most efficient coolers and liquid cooling systems.

The system was installed 16 GB of RAM DDR4-2666 standard. operating system Windows 10 was written to solid state drive Western digital WDS100T1B0A. You can get acquainted with the review of this SSD.

The MSI GeForce GTX 1080 Ti GAMING X TRIO graphics card, as the name suggests, features a TRI-FROZR cooler with three TORX 2.0 fans. According to the manufacturer, these impellers create 22% more airflow while remaining virtually silent. Low volume, as stated on the official MSI website, is also ensured through the use of double-row bearings. Note that the radiator of the cooling system, and its ribs are made in the form of waves. According to the manufacturer, this design increases the total dissipation area by 10%. The radiator also comes into contact with the elements of the power subsystem. MSI GeForce GTX 1080 Ti GAMING X TRIO memory chips are additionally cooled with a special plate.

The accelerator fans start rotating only when the chip temperature reaches 60 degrees Celsius. On an open stand, the maximum GPU temperature was only 67 degrees Celsius. At the same time, the fans of the cooling system spun up by a maximum of 47% - this is about 1250 rpm. The real GPU frequency in the default mode was stable at 1962 MHz. As you can see, the MSI GeForce GTX 1080 Ti GAMING X TRIO has a decent factory overclock.

The adapter is equipped with a massive backplate that increases the rigidity of the structure. The back side of the graphics card has an L-shaped strip with built-in Mystic Light LED lighting. The user, using the application of the same name, can separately adjust three glow zones. In addition, the fans are framed by two rows of symmetrical dragon claw-shaped lights.

According to the technical specifications, MSI GeForce GTX 1080 Ti GAMING X TRIO has three operating modes: Silent Mode - 1480 (1582) MHz for the core and 11016 MHz for memory; Gaming Mode - 1544 (1657) for the core and 11016 MHz for memory; OC Mode - 1569 (1683) MHz for the core and 11124 MHz for memory. By default, the video card has game mode enabled.

You can get acquainted with the performance level of the reference GeForce GTX 1080 Ti. Also, MSI GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Lightning Z was released on our website. This graphics adapter is also equipped with a TRI-FROZR cooling system.

The build is based on the MSI Z370 GAMING M5 ATX form factor motherboard. This is a slightly modified version of MSI Z270 GAMING M5 board, which was released on our website last spring. The device is perfect for overclocked Coffee Lake K-processors, as the digital power converter Digitall Power consists of five dual phases, implemented in a 4 + 1 scheme. Four channels are directly responsible for the operation of the CPU, another one for the integrated graphics.

All components of the power circuits comply with the Military Class 6 standard - this applies to both titanium core chokes and Dark CAP capacitors with at least ten years of service, as well as energy efficient Dark Choke coils. And also DIMM slots for installing RAM and PEG ports for installing video cards are clad in a metallized Steel Armor case, and also have additional soldering points on back side boards. For the RAM, additional isolation of the tracks is applied, and each memory channel is wired in its own layer of PCB, which, according to the manufacturer, allows achieving a "cleaner" signal and increasing the stability of the DDR4 modules overclocking.

From the useful, I note the presence of two M.2 connectors at once, which support the installation of drives PCI Express and SATA 6Gb / s. The top port can accommodate SSDs up to 110mm in length, and the bottom port up to 80mm. The second port is additionally equipped with a metal heatsink M.2 Shield, which is in contact with the drive using a thermal pad.

A Killer E2500 gigabit controller is responsible for the wired connection in the MSI Z370 GAMING M5, and the Realtek 1220 chip is responsible for the sound. The Audio Boost 4 sound path received Chemi-Con capacitors, a dual headphone amplifier with an impedance of up to 600 Ohm, a front dedicated audio output and gold-plated audio connectors. All components of the sound zone are isolated from the rest of the board by a non-conductive backlit strip.

Mystic Light motherboard backlight supports 16.8 million colors and works in 17 modes. You can connect RGB tape to the motherboard, the corresponding 4-pin connector is soldered on the bottom of the board. By the way, the device comes with an 800 mm extension cord with a splitter for connecting an additional LED strip.

The board is equipped with six 4-pin fan headers. The total number is selected optimally, the location is also. The PUMP_FAN port, soldered next to the DIMM, supports the connection of impellers or a pump with a current of up to 2 A. The location is again very good, since it is easy to connect a pump to this connector from both an unattended LSS and a custom system assembled by hand. The system deftly manages including "carlsons" with a 3-pin connector. The frequency is regulated both by the number of revolutions per minute and by the voltage. It is possible to completely stop the fans.

Finally, I would like to mention two more very useful features of the MSI Z370 GAMING M5. The first is the presence of a POST indicator. The second is the EZ Debug LED block located next to the PUMP_FAN connector. It clearly demonstrates at what stage the system is booted: at the stage of initializing the processor, RAM, video card or drive.

The choice for Thermaltake Core X31 was not accidental. Here is a Tower case that fits all modern trends... The power supply is installed from below and is isolated by a metal shutter. There is a basket for installing three drives of 2.5 '' and 3.5 '' form factors, but HDD and SSD can be mounted on the barrier wall. There is a basket for two 5.25 "devices. Without them, nine 120mm or 140mm fans can be installed in the case. As you can see, Thermaltake Core X31 allows you to fully customize your system. For example, on the basis of this case it is quite possible to assemble a PC with two 360-mm LSS radiators.

The device turned out to be very spacious. There is plenty of room behind the chassis for cable routing. Even with careless assembly, the side cover will close easily. Iron space allows you to use cPU coolers up to 180 mm high, video cards up to 420 mm long and power supplies up to 220 mm long.

The bottom and front panel are equipped with dust filters. The top cover features a mesh mat that also keeps dust out and makes it easier to install case fans and water cooling systems.

The modern personal computer is a high-tech device capable of performing many complex tasks. Distinctive feature PC (and all electronic devices) is the heating of its components. If in the early 90s, PCs got by with simple aluminum heatsinks on the processor, then today you cannot do without abundant air or water cooling. Today we will talk about air cooling and how to properly install coolers in the system unit.

You must understand one simple feature, the main thing is not the number of fans that you install, but the direction of the air flow. The air in the system unit must correctly "enter and exit", to put it simply - cold air is sucked in, does its job of cooling, and goes out of the case. If the fans are installed incorrectly, then there is a chance that hot streams will remain inside the case, thereby increasing the temperature of all components.

To begin with, let's find out which parts are most hot and have “default” fans. This is (CPU), (if the video card is built-in, then a cooler is not required, since the card itself is essentially missing) These details will create the greatest amount of heat. However, to remove hot air outside the system unit, at least one more cooler is required.

The main dimensions of fans for system units:

• 80 mm;
• 120 mm;

Air enters the system unit, takes heat from the hard drive, memory, motherboard. The processor fan gives off its heat to the stream, then it is released outside the case using the fan for exhaust.

This scheme is very simple and practical, you will need to purchase two additional case fans (usually there is at least one in the case).

Sometimes the case has side holes for cooling, it is recommended to hook the fans in these places for "blowing", ie. so that air is sucked into the housing. In addition, to create an efficient airflow path, it is recommended to switch from standard to one that would be on the side of the processor. This design will not only effectively cool your CPU, but also direct the airflow towards the fan to blow out of the case.

Sometimes there are holes for fans in the bottom of the case, in such places they should also be hooked in the “blowing” position.

It should be understood that the abundance of coolers in your computer is good, you don't have to worry about heating, but there is also an inverse groan in this issue - noise. Many "propellers" create a strong "rustle" sound. Before buying, look at the decibels that the fan produces. Also, do not forget to periodically clean the coolers, it not only contributes to the worst heat dissipation, but also increases the noise level.

Examine the insides of your PC and consider whether you should buy a lot of fans or two is enough.

Cooler (from the English cooler) - literally translated as a cooler. In essence, it is a device designed to cool the heating element of the computer (most often the central processor). The cooler is a metal radiator with a fan blowing air through it. Most often, it is the fan in the computer system unit that is called a cooler. This is not entirely correct. A fan is a fan, and a cooler is exactly a device (heatsink with a fan) that cools a specific element (for example, a processor).

Fans installed in the computer's system unit provide general ventilation in the case, supplying cold air and exhausting hot air. Thus, there is a general decrease in the temperature inside the case.

The cooler, unlike case fans, provides local cooling of a specific element that gets very hot. The cooler is most often located on the central processor and video card. After all, the video processor heats up no less than the CPU, and sometimes the load on it is much stronger, for example, during a game.

The power supply also contains a fan, which simultaneously serves both to cool the heating elements in the power supply, as it blows air through it, and for general ventilation inside the computer. In the simplest version of a PC cooling system, it is the fan inside the power supply that provides air ventilation inside the entire case.

Which way should the fans rotate in the case

So, let's consider the ventilation and cooling scheme of the computer. After all, many beginners, when assembling a computer on their own, have the question "Where should the fan blow" or "In which direction should the cooler turn". In fact, this is really important, because properly organized ventilation inside the computer is the key to its reliable operation.

Cold air is supplied to the housing from the front lower part (1). This should be taken into account when cleaning your computer from dust. It is imperative to vacuum the place where air is sucked into the computer. The air flow gradually warms up and rises upward and already hot air is blown out through the power supply unit (2) in the upper rear part of the case.

In the case of a large number of heating elements inside the case (for example, a powerful video card or several video cards, a large number of hard drives, etc.) or a small amount of free space inside the case, additional fans are installed in the case to increase air flow and improve cooling efficiency. Better to install fans with a large diameter. They provide more airflow at lower rpms and are therefore more efficient and quieter than smaller diameter fans.

When installing fans, take into account the direction in which they blow. Otherwise, you can not only not improve the cooling of the computer, but also worsen it. If you have a large number of hard drives, or if you have drives operating at high speeds (from 7200 rpm), you should install an additional fan in the front of the case (3) so that it blows through the hard drives.

In the presence of a large number of heating elements (powerful video card, several video cards, a large number of boards installed in the computer) or if there is not enough free space inside the case, it is recommended to install an additional fan in the upper rear part of the case (4). This fan should blow air out. This will increase the airflow through the case and cool all internal components of the computer. Do not install the rear fan so that it blows inside the case! This will disrupt the normal circulation inside the PC. On some cases it is possible to install a fan on the side cover. In this case, the fan must rotate so that it sucks air into the case. In no case should it blow it out, otherwise the upper part of the computer, in particular the power supply unit, motherboard and processor, will not be sufficiently cooled.

Which direction should the fan on the cooler blow

I repeat that the cooler is designed for local cooling of a specific element. Therefore, the total air circulation in the enclosure is not taken into account here. The fan on the cooler must blow air through the heatsink, thereby cooling it down. That is, the fan on the processor cooler should blow towards the processor.

On some cooler models, the fan is installed on a remote radiator. In this case, it is better to place it so that the air flow is directed towards the rear wall of the case or up towards the power supply unit.

On most powerful video cards, the cooler is a radiator and an impeller that does not blow air inward from the top, but drives it in a circle. That is, in this case, air is sucked in through one half of the radiator, and blown out through the other.