How hot is OK?

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#3260726 17-Jul-2024 13:03

Thinking on it, I do recall that card ran warm when I had it. I put that down to the fact it was in an NZXT H1 case where everything was very cramped. It would hover around 70-80 degrees in there. It seemed happier in less cramped case with good airflow for a short time before I sold it. It always performed well despite the temperature.

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#3260746 17-Jul-2024 13:54

gehenna:

Thinking on it, I do recall that card ran warm when I had it. I put that down to the fact it was in an NZXT H1 case where everything was very cramped. It would hover around 70-80 degrees in there. It seemed happier in less cramped case with good airflow for a short time before I sold it. It always performed well despite the temperature.

Yeah, I mean, the computer is stable, no crashing, it's just like sitting next to a heater and a small room gets VERY warm very quickly.

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#3260754 17-Jul-2024 14:16

networkn:

Playing Xenonauts 2 so not extremely taxing.

I'm not familiar with that game, but what I have noticed is that with powerful graphics cards and undemanding games is that your computer will render many more frames than your monitor can display. E.g. your GPU might be running at 100% and rendering 400 FPS, when your monitor is limited to displaying 60 (or these days possibly 120 or 144 or more). There are plenty of tools to allow the real-time monitoring of frame rates (e.g. mangohud), even if your game doesn't have a built-in monitor.

If it turns out my hypothesis is correct then you could attempt to limit the frame rate of your game. Your game may or may not have a frame rate limiter in the settings, or it might be something which can be updated in a config file or with a console command.

It'll reduce your power usage too!

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#3260776 17-Jul-2024 15:34

ratsun81:

Unfortunately that case is known to have issues with thermals, see Gamers Nexus review on youtube.

Short version is make sure to open the front door when gaming at the very least.And possibly pull the filter out when gaming to give it some good airflow.

That's unfortunate. Any reason I shouldn't just remove the filter all the time?

I'll need to see how I can have the door open, it's not a very convenient space under my desk.

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#3260778 17-Jul-2024 15:37

I have a Fractal Define 7 gaming PC and a 7XL server, both run cool in my experience, with the former running a 4080.

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#3260787 17-Jul-2024 16:09

gehenna:

I have a Fractal Define 7 gaming PC and a 7XL server, both run cool in my experience, with the former running a 4080.

It seems we have good taste!

I should but am struggling for motivation to, open it up and make sure all the fans are spinning, and in the right direction.

It wouldn't be the first time I've seen a fan sucking air into a case not out of it, unintentionally.

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#3260788 17-Jul-2024 16:10

networkn:

gehenna:

Thinking on it, I do recall that card ran warm when I had it. I put that down to the fact it was in an NZXT H1 case where everything was very cramped. It would hover around 70-80 degrees in there. It seemed happier in less cramped case with good airflow for a short time before I sold it. It always performed well despite the temperature.

Yeah, I mean, the computer is stable, no crashing, it's just like sitting next to a heater and a small room gets VERY warm very quickly.

~500W of heat output from a desktop gaming PC (while gaming) is to be expected these days.

That's about the same as one of those Panel Heaters:

https://www.mitre10.co.nz/shop/goldair-eco-panel-heater-425w/p/369535

or a quarter of a fan heater on high.

So a small room getting warm is to be expected.

Pretty limited what can be done about this:

Slowing down the computer (limiting frame rates or similar) so it doesn't need to work as hard.
Upgrade components to more modern, but lower tier components that are more efficient (need to check they are actually more efficient)
Swap to a gaming laptop (which are generally more optimized for efficiency than desktops)
Duct the waste heat from the PC outside
Run an air conditioner.

Improving airflow in your case won't impact total heat rejected, but sound's like it is still needed. PC component's aren't really designed for the inside of the case to be super hot.

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#3260790 17-Jul-2024 16:27

Definitely check the airflow is all going in the direction you'd expect. mine sucks in the front, through the CPU cooler, and exhausts out the back. I used AIOs for a few years but now that the PC is in my basement and cabled to my lounge TV, I don't mind the noise and I moved to air cooling. It's been much better overall if I'm honest, but I may feel differently if I had to hear the fans.

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#3260794 17-Jul-2024 16:37

gehenna:

Definitely check the airflow is all going in the direction you'd expect. mine sucks in the front, through the CPU cooler, and exhausts out the back. I used AIOs for a few years but now that the PC is in my basement and cabled to my lounge TV, I don't mind the noise and I moved to air cooling. It's been much better overall if I'm honest, but I may feel differently if I had to hear the fans.

Yeah, I mean, water cooling doesn't appeal to me at all. I mean it's cool and all...... ;)

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#3260796 17-Jul-2024 16:43

It's useful if low noise is a priority. It is for me when the PC is nearby. There's debate about performance differences between the two, but for me it was mainly about noise.

ratsun81

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#3260822 17-Jul-2024 17:28

networkn:

ratsun81:

Unfortunately that case is known to have issues with thermals, see Gamers Nexus review on youtube.

Short version is make sure to open the front door when gaming at the very least.And possibly pull the filter out when gaming to give it some good airflow.

That's unfortunate. Any reason I shouldn't just remove the filter all the time?

I'll need to see how I can have the door open, it's not a very convenient space under my desk.

Please tell me this is not sitting on the floor on bare carpet🤮 Its a sin for computers, they will just pull in all the dust.

TL;DW the gamers nexus vid showed 10C drop with door open and a further 8C drop with the filter removed. Its pretty easy to open and close the front door on that case so for the lazy win id go with that but taking the filter out means you need to be vigilant with dust control...

Also have you opened it up and actually cleaned the filters in the last year? That is something everyone should be doing. Yes yearly open up the pc and remove all the dust accumulation.

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#3260824 17-Jul-2024 17:34

networkn:
gehenna:

I have a Fractal Define 7 gaming PC and a 7XL server, both run cool in my experience, with the former running a 4080.

It seems we have good taste!

I should but am struggling for motivation to, open it up and make sure all the fans are spinning, and in the right direction.

It wouldn't be the first time I've seen a fan sucking air into a case not out of it, unintentionally.

You should generally have a mix of fans blowing air into and out of the case. Typically front, side, and if present bottom are intake, and top and rear are exhaust.

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#3260866 17-Jul-2024 20:01

ratsun81:

Please tell me this is not sitting on the floor on bare carpet🤮 Its a sin for computers, they will just pull in all the dust.

TL;DW the gamers nexus vid showed 10C drop with door open and a further 8C drop with the filter removed. Its pretty easy to open and close the front door on that case so for the lazy win id go with that but taking the filter out means you need to be vigilant with dust control...

Also have you opened it up and actually cleaned the filters in the last year? That is something everyone should be doing. Yes yearly open up the pc and remove all the dust accumulation.

Yeah, on the floor, on carpet :)

Not sure how they can be referring to a door? Is it this case?

https://www.computerlounge.co.nz/shop/components/cases/cases/fractal-design-define-7-compact-mid-tower-case--black-solid?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw1920BhA3EiwAJT3lSa7WIwqONf7LJEnMAZYlyLBMrG0yfz8RhI0_Eirf4mu3zU-PQjarixoCrPcQAvD_BwE

It doesn't have a 'door' really. It has a panel that comes off entirely..

No I haven't cleaned the filters either ;)

I shall open it up over the weekend, though from what I can see, this is operating at near expectations for heat given the 3080 is 'normal' at 83c and CPU is sitting around 53c when gaming.

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#3260918 18-Jul-2024 08:33

Oh you have the compact version. Thats different to the non compact version which does have a front door.....

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#3260921 18-Jul-2024 08:49

I will say I went from a 13700kf to a 14700kf a few months ago, and when it was installed, the guy blew the case out really well. There was a reasonable amount of dust, but it wasn't excessive.

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