WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO KEEP YOUR COMPUTER COOL?

-

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO KEEP YOUR COMPUTER COOL?

Sure, you've heard about keeping your computer cool, but have you ever wondered why it's such a great idea? Kyle Harmon explains why you should consider some cooling methods for your PC.
Up until recently, major cooling devices were for people who were interested in over-clocking their machines so that they could squeeze every last ounce of performance from their computers. As chip manufacturers push their hardware to achieve greater speeds, the components require more energy to run. The end result is that the hardware puts out more heat than ever before.

Why does temperature make a difference?

Using tools to keep your CPU cool

To put it in the very simplest terms, a computer works based on the movement of electronic impulses. When the computer chip gets warmer, it causes those impulses to travel more slowly. This can result in the electronic impulses not arriving when they are supposed to, causing the computer to compute numbers incorrectly, such as 1+1=0. This can eventually cause the computer to crash. With the newest processors and video cards, proper cooling has become essential for keeping a computer stable.


Case cooling

The best way to deal with heat is to use heat sinks and fans on the most essential component in the computer that must remain cool—the CPU. Although most retail CPUs, such as Intel and AMD, come with their own heat sinks and fans, they can be ineffective depending on the environment in which they are used. It is also important to note that if you are assembling systems using an OEM processor, chances are that the CPU didn’t come with its own heat sink and fan.

There is another solution for cooling called peltier coolers. These are used in combination with a heat sink/fan combo. These devices use electronic current to move heat from one side of a pad to another, thus causing one side to be hot and the other to be cool. Unfortunately, using this method requires quite a bit of energy, and it brings another problem into the equation—condensation. If you think heat and silicon don’t mix, you should try adding water if you like living dangerously. Note that this is not advised, of course. You should be able to find peltier coolers at the two Web sites mentioned above.

Other components

If all the air inside the computer case is just as hot as the processor itself, then the heat sink and fan will do little good—blowing hot air onto the processor to keep it cool just doesn’t work. If this is the situation, odds are you may need something to cool your case in addition to the processor. Most cases come standard with two fans—one in the front that brings in cool air from outside the case, and the other fan that is attached to the power supply, which blows hot air out of the case. In most situations, this cooling method is sufficient. However, adding an additional case fan to help move the air out of the computer wouldn’t hurt. Most computers have a mounting point in the back of the case for an additional exhaust fan.

Also, some cases have the fans in the front, but there are no holes for air to pass through. If you have a plastic front panel, it can sometimes help the air flow to drill a few holes in the front to allow air to pass through. It is advised to only do this while the machine is off, of course.

If these are not adequate, a company called Zerus makes a complete line of case cooling solutions. They have drive bay coolers, hard drive coolers, central system coolers, and even a monitor cooler. I installed their Twin Turbo drive bay fan system in my computer and noticed a slight difference. I would like to note, however, that I did not experience the 30 degree C temperature drop that was advertised on their Web site as of the time that this article was published, but the noticeable difference I did experience does help in the overall stability of my computer.

Processors are not the only components in the computer that need cooling. Other chips, such as some newer motherboard chipsets and fast 3D video cards, require their own cooling as well. Fortunately, unless you’re trying to over-clock those chipsets, the heat sinks and/or fans that come with them are usually more than sufficient for keeping them running at an optimal temperature, provided that they are operating correctly.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

REASONS TO REPLACE YOUR COMPUTER FAN AND HEATSINK

-
Image
REASONS TO REPLACE YOUR COMPUTER FAN AND HEATSINK A computer's fan and heatsink are two of its most important components. The primary role of both is to cool down the processor and keep it from overheating. A laptop or notebook does not have to be outside in hot, humid weather to overheat. In fact, even if a computer is kept away from extreme heat altogether, it can still overheat. That is because a computer's processor is responsible for processing information and giving instructions to other components in the computer. A processor can get very busy as a result, especially when it is running multiple programs simultaneously. As a result, it heats up, and if there is nothing to cool it down, it can malfunction and break down, costing the owner hundreds or even thousands of dollars. This is why a good fan and heatsink are necessary. The more demand placed on the processor, the more effective the fan and heatsink must be. This guide identifies five issues
Read more

LET’S TALK ABOUT PC AUDIO SPEAKERS

-
Image
LET’S TALK ABOUT PC AUDIO SPEAKERS Computer speakers are one of those PC accessories that are almost essential; and you can spend anywhere from $10.00 to $1,000.00 for quality PC speakers, depending on your budget.   There are tons of tons of speakers with features and different prices as we know. But as I always say: WHAT and HOW is what I am looking for. For sample: I have this one in my office and works properly, the only disadvantage is that has no RADIO and only can be played with micro SD and plugged to my computer. And only pay like $20-$25. USB charged and the battery longs for 6 hours. https://www.energysistem.com/en/products/music_box/music_box_series_/42198-energy_mini_music_box_z100_r_black Here there is some thoughts and share some personal ideas about this topic. I enjoy listening to music a lot, and because my computer is the main source for my digital music collection, a decent speaker system is essential. Expensive is not alway
Read more

LET’S TALK ABOUT - NETWORK FORENSICS

-
Image
LET’S TALK ABOUT - NETWORK FORENSICS BASIC CONCEPT Network forensics is a sub-branch of digital forensics relating to the monitoring and analysis of computer network traffic for the purposes of information gathering, legal evidence, or intrusion detection. Unlike other areas of digital forensics, network investigations deal with volatile and dynamic information. Network traffic is transmitted and then lost, so network forensics is often a pro-active investigation. Network forensics generally has two uses. The first, relating to security, involves monitoring a network for anomalous traffic and identifying intrusions. An attacker might be able to erase all log files on a compromised host; network-based evidence might therefore be the only evidence available for forensic analysis. The second form relates to law enforcement. In this case analysis of captured network traffic can include tasks such as reassembling transferred files, searching for keywor
Read more