QUESTION :
I recently learnt that the only prominent fan in my system – the CPU fan – has the sole purpose of cooling the heatsink and, by extension, the CPU. Reading the Wiki page on fans suggests that it’s common for most modern desktops to have around 3-4 fans, and although I’ve run this system without problem for years, I also recently installed a new hard-drive that gets insanely hot, so I wanted to be sure that I’m not going to run into problems.
My desktop isn’t particularly powerful – it’s a mid tower with an 3.1GHz i3 Dual Core, 16GB of RAM, a Corsair VS550 PSU, a 120GB Kingston SV200S3128G SSD, a 1TB Hitachi HDS721010DLE630 and a newly-installed 2TB Seagate Barracuda (ST2000DM001). The Motherboard is a H61M-HVS, it has has two 4-pin headers (CPU_FAN and CHASSIS_FAN) and one 3-pin header (PWR_FAN).
According to CrystalDiskInfo, the SSD is currently at 52C (shows up orange in CDI), the Hitachi is 32C, and the Barracuda has been between 45-47C throughout the day (shows up blue, funnily enough).
It’s also worth bearing in mind that I haven’t put the case’s side cover back on since installing the Barracuda, so I think that means things are going to get hotter still.
Seeing as it’s a midtower, I have no idea where I would place one, but does my system need another fan?
ANSWER :
[D]oes my system need another fan?
Absolutely. Unless your PC has a decibel volume somewhere between a leaf blower and a small jet engine, you’re doing it wrong. 😉
All kidding aside, lower temperatures can make a difference in the general reliability and life span of computer parts. To the best of my knowledge, hard drives are not as susceptible to heat as a CPU/GPU but (anecdotally, at least) they tend to fail the quickest of any given part, so keeping them cooler is arguably in your best interest.
Reading the Wiki page on fans suggests that it’s common for most modern desktops to have around 3-4 fans[.]
This is correct. Most desktops have a CPU fan, Power Supply fan, and intake/exhaust fans for the case itself.
That said, it sounds like your case is rather small. If you can’t honestly fit another fan (i.e. you would have to cut a hole in the side of your case rather than using an empty mount), there is probably little reason to try adding another one.
Although I’ve run this system without problem for years, I also recently installed a new hard-drive that gets insanely hot, so I wanted to be sure that I’m not going to run into problems.
Air flow is about the most important factor for cooling overall. From what you describe, it sounds like your case isn’t really designed to handle the thermals associated with the drive (it’s designed for cooler parts that need less air). This isn’t a deal breaker (I used to have a Seagate drive that got ridiculously hot to the touch and never had a direct issue with it) but it will almost certainly shorten the life of the drive. I wouldn’t be suprised if you had to replace it in a few years or so.
It depends on the system.
The funny part is all this is documented in the ATX specification, and probably hasn’t changed all that much post PIV (which had a specific, over CPU chimney), and it actually says very little about fans.
I quote page 25 here (cause its a gripping read for some folks, and a snoozer for others) – which is essentially at the end of the specs.
5.1 Venting
Adequate venting should be provided in the system to allow for unimpeded and well-directed airflow to
cool key components such as the processor. One recommendation that is implicit in the ATX specification
is the placement of the power supply. The power supply should be placed in close proximity to the
processor if the power supply is expected to cool the processor properly (but be sure to observe the
component height keepouts over the PC board). Chassis venting should be placed strategically to allow for
proper cooling of other components such as peripherals and add-in cards. A system fan should be
considered to allow for proper cooling of all system components.
In theory you ought to be able to rely on your CPU fan to cool your CPU and to use the power supply fan as a suppliment to that. In practice, I’ve rarely seen a ATX varient or ITX varient without the rear fan. 2 fans is what the ATX standards require and the extra fans are really for higher end, higher heat setups. Yours is… pretty mundane, and probably won’t generate that much heat.
Also, in many cases the extra, or larger fans are used to direct air flow, and run slower and quieter. Typically you’re ‘stuck’ with what the manufacturer has done but that’s fine. Good cases are engineered for proper airflow. Less good ones are probably just the bare minimum to meet specs. You should typically not need more than PSU + 1x Case fans
Its also worth remembering cooling is about air flow in a controlled manner. Leaving the side off might potentially affect cooling adversely.