are pci slot fans worth it?

[MJCfromCT]

just wondering...i've been hearing mixed reviews..

[ukulele]

Depends. If you don't have a hole for a regular fan, then it's better then nothing. They are best for cooling a hot video card, but not too good for overall case cooling.

[RamonGTP]

I've found that a good aftermarket HSF and a side fan blowing over the AGP/PCI slots offers MUCH better cooling than any PCI slot fan could.

[fishybawb]

Most of those slot fans (actually ALL, but I was being kind) are absolute junk :t

[MJCfromCT]

So for a case filled with 80mm's, there wouldn't really be a need...thats what i figured. :)

[Terminator]

If your talking about the fans that just sit in you PCI position(not plugged into the PCI slot) then they are almost completely useless. I had one in the PCI next to my video card and made not difference to temps. Better to analyse your case airflows.

T

:t

[Bovon]

Another thought about case cooling.. I have read several threads recently (here and there) about guys saying their motherboard was hotter than it should be. I am not too sure I know what temps a motherboard should run at, but if the temps are considered excessive, then that will cause component failure (like capacitors?).

More and more, with heat buildup inside the cases helping to cause CPU temps to rise, I like the idea of a 120 mm fan in the side of the case blowing cooler (hopefully) air directly onto the motherboard. At least, this should clear out any 'hot-spots that may be accumulating due to what air is being drawn into the case is not circulating around good enough.

Remember, all of the CPU and video card HS-fans in the world cannot help if the case temps are too hot. Once a heatsink reaches some temp that is "too much", recirculating hot case air will not cool it back down...it is possible for a heatsink to get to some point that it will continue to heat up faster than it can be cooled..a sort of run-a-way situation. We are not likely to see something like this in a computer during a normal home type setup...but knowing that it can happen should be enough for us to consider alternative measures when case temps are excessive.

[Cyan]

I did have one of the PCI slot coolers for awhile, I switched it to face up instead of down, right below my Gfx card, it would be blowing out hot air that you could feel.

For my part it did work, when I switched to watercooling I got rid of it tho.

[ukulele]

but if the temps are considered excessive, then that will cause component failure (like capacitors?).

That's just because Americans long ago forgot what quality is in everything. I have a 35 year old Kenwood solid state high power amplifier that runs hot enough to cook on and it is still the best amp I have ever owned and I have owned a lot of amps. With todays electronics you are lucky to get a year or two out of any stereo before something gets flakey.

[RamonGTP]

ukulele, its not that they forgot how to how to build quality products. Its that they realized there is a lot more money to be made with inferior products. Afterall, why buy one amp every 35 years when you can buy one every 5 ;)

[ukulele]

That's not exactly right either. It because people are basically too stupid to know quality if it bit them on the backside. If the manufacturers couldn't sell junk they would be making quality products. Just take a look around your house. I'll bet that, unless you are an antique collector, just about every thing you own is from Walmart or Costco or some other look alike junk dealer. Your furnature is photo covered pressboard, your car is a recycled Gisha brand tuna can, your watch is a plastic chip with a dieing battery and your home stereo is a converted plastic boom box made to look like a Startreck prop. To make matters worse you are offended because I implied that you are stupid even though I am right and you paid good money for your junk. ;)

[Bovon]

Originally posted by ukulele
That's just because Americans long ago forgot what quality is in everything. Correction, Americans have just about quit making anything. All electronics is made in the far east or nearly all, with Asian products. Only our government can afford to have true American parts and technology built into the stuff the government buys to go to the military and stealth ships and planes, etc.

Americans have shot them own selves in the foot by buying the junk from elsewhere...we used to make the best consumer products anywhere in the world, but we would not buy the products, so the companies that didn't fold, moved to Mexico and elsewhere.

I am just as much to blame as anybody... when I worked, my salary was very good... I could buy most anything we needed or wanted, within reason of course..but instead of buying well made American stuff, we bought "throw aways"..and that is exactly what it was...throw aways. We as a family, used the savings for a grand two week vacation every year.

This was back in the late 50s and on thru the 60s when dang good solid wood furniture was still being made. Some TVs were American made..the parts inside said 'made in America'.. you have to go to an antique store now to find that.

[crusious31]

The only "Made in the USA" electronic product I can remimber owning is my sega genesis. Most likely not made here anymore.

http://www.vidgame.net/SEGA/Sega/Genesis/gen_sys2.jpg

[RamonGTP]

I don't think the sega genisis is made anywhere anymore

[skytop]

I had a credit at one website for a return and used it on a PCI slot fan. Could not notice any difference one way or the other. The slight amount of air it circulated could not really amouint to anything. Better than nothing, but not much.

Save your money and drill a hole in the bottom or top of you case and install a real good 80mm fan that will do some real good.

Also check to see if your case maker has an option for a new side panel with a premade fan hole. Actually, cutting a hole in a case side, bottom or top is a piece a case and yields substantial air cooling improvement. Figure your case dynamics and choose the best location for additional exhaust and even some intakes for proper flow through.