Case MODs & Cable Management

[Getback]

I would love to see this stickied!

[Reschke]

I personally like the Armor series cases. One reason I have stayed away from the NZXT Tempest is the power supply location. I just don't like having my psu sitting underneath all my other components...just a personal issue for me.

[alskahawk]

 Is the PSU facing downward? If so, are there air holes in the bottom?

[Masherbrum]

That PSU is a PC & Cooling, so there is no top/bottom fan.    A bottom mounted PSU is the best way to have it, IMO.   

[Denholm]

Wow! That's impressive. My third attempt at cable management turned out nasty. Then again, who can do anything with these compact HP cases?

[alskahawk]

That PSU is a PC & Cooling, so there is no top/bottom fan.    A bottom mounted PSU is the best way to have it, IMO.   

 kool! Bottom mount is the way to go IMO too.

[TilDeath]

There are 3 real heat sources in a system.  The CPU, GPU and PSU.  As we all know heat rises, that is why I like a bottom mount PSU, any radiated heat is dissipated within the case rather then sitting at the top and baking, giving you overall temps that are more consistant thruout the case and not hot spots.

Some case makers/designers are using chambers within their cases.  Lian Li has 3 and 4 chambers within some of their cases.  One for the PSU, one for the MB, CPU, GPU, one for the HD cage and one for the media drives.  In principal this a great idea, but in my opinion not so good for ventilating each.  There has to be an air in and air out for each chamber which is good and bad.  Lots of fans but I question the CFM's in and out if they are equal or preferably negative pressure in the chamber to assist on fresh cool air in.

[BaldEagl]

There are 3 real heat sources in a system.  The CPU, GPU and PSU.  As we all know heat rises...

And that is precisely why most case manufacturers top mount PSU's.  Why would you prefer to have uneeded heat passing by more critical components (CPU and GPU), neither of which can expel heat directly out of the case and ultimately making them harder to cool?  The PSU on the other hand can expel heat directly out of the case so the PSU fan(s) acts as the final link in thermal management in a top mounted configuration.  Nothing is baking because the air is moving, similar to moving rivers resisting freezing.  It's also why those manufacturers who do use bottom mounted PSU's isolate them in their own lower chambers but even at that there's a slight amount of passive heat exchange.

The only advantage I can see to a bottom mounted PSU is lowering the center of gravity of the case making it harder to tip over... like that's ever going to happen.

One final note; most motherboards are also more accomodating of a top mounted rather than bottom mounted PSU.  I don't think anyone will ever convince me that all the engineers from all around the world working for all the different companies manufacturing components in these areas are all wrong in their thinking.  Rather I think the few who have strayed were looking for a marketing angle to differentate themselves from the competition but what do I know.

[Fulmar]

From what I've read and understand, the bottom mount PSU case designs do have better airflow, but they are limited when using standard ATX motherboards.  Cooling improved considerably when BTX motherboards were used because their layout was specifically designed for bottom mount PSU cases.  Allow better airflow through the case and in the processor region.

Unfortunately, do to manufacturers not wanting to spend lots of cash changing or adding assembly lines for a new form factor, it never really caught on and have since gone the way of ZIP drives.

[TilDeath]

And that is precisely why most case manufacturers top mount PSU's.  Why would you prefer to have uneeded heat passing by more critical components (CPU and GPU), neither of which can expel heat directly out of the case and ultimately making them harder to cool?  The PSU on the other hand can expel heat directly out of the case so the PSU fan(s) acts as the final link in thermal management in a top mounted configuration.  Nothing is baking because the air is moving, similar to moving rivers resisting freezing.  It's also why those manufacturers who do use bottom mounted PSU's isolate them in their own lower chambers but even at that there's a slight amount of passive heat exchange.

The only advantage I can see to a bottom mounted PSU is lowering the center of gravity of the case making it harder to tip over... like that's ever going to happen.

One final note; most motherboards are also more accomodating of a top mounted rather than bottom mounted PSU.  I don't think anyone will ever convince me that all the engineers from all around the world working for all the different companies manufacturing components in these areas are all wrong in their thinking.  Rather I think the few who have strayed were looking for a marketing angle to differentate themselves from the competition but what do I know.

Most cases do not have a top mounted fan (blow hole) so the heat collects and is used by the CPU HSF and is much warmer then if the same case had a bottom mounted PSU.  There are very few cases being made with chambers.  More and more case makers are going to bottom mount PSU's in their line of products.  It was not thought of for convenience, it actually is cooler in the case with a bottom mount PSU.  But this is all a matter of preference, chocolate or vanilla

[Charge]

I seems some PSUs are made to cool only themselves thus they have only a single 80mm fan and some PSUs are more directed to act as final link in pushing hot air out of the case and they have a 120mm for intake and 80mm outlet fan.

I'd put a single 80mm fan PSU in the bottom of the case (if thats the only option) and make a single 120 fan to push out the heat from top of the case, or put a PSU with 120&80mm fans on top of the case.

-C+