Video games are becoming more and more realistic, their software is ever more demanding, graphics cards are ever more powerful to support ever higher screen resolution and require increasingly powerful computers to function correctly.
What are PC gamers looking for? They need the best quality, powerful, efficient, fast hardware with significant storage capacities.
Depending on each person's needs, the criteria for choosing a PC case can be very different from one gamer to another: the space available in the case, the quality of the materials, the design, the components, etc.
Here are the best-selling PC cases of this year
However, the cooling system is an essential element for everyone. It must be sufficiently efficient to protect the housing from any deterioration linked to an uncontrolled increase in temperature
Like many gamers, perhaps you have already asked the question of an open or closed case to ensure the best performance in this area?
Let's take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of each option based on 4 important points:
- The effectiveness of ventilation for temperature regulation,
- The issue of noise
- Maintenance of the case, fans and components
- The risk of accident
1. The effectiveness of ventilation for temperature regulation
For some gamers, an open case will have the advantage of offering greater air flow and better ventilation and will therefore help to lower the temperature.
For others, on the contrary, an open case does not help regulate the internal temperature, by “breaking the air flow”.
We can imagine that the temperature could be higher in closed enclosures, but this actually depends on the enclosures and their characteristics.
If you want an open or closed PC tower, we recommend a case with tempered glass for easy assembly and disassembly in the event of a problem!
Recent closed boxes are designed to optimize air flow management thanks to:
- The location and size of the fans
- Positioning of air inlets and extractions . Hot air being lighter than cool air, the air inlet must be on the front, on the lower part and the extraction which recovers the hot air will be more effective positioned on the upper part at the back .
- The arrangement of the components and more generally the internal structure of the case, which can promote an air circulation corridor allowing its extraction or, on the contrary, increase the risks of overheating of sensitive components.
- To the quality of finishes and assembly . These are also very important elements, they remain essential to optimize air flow.
In summary, closed enclosures are designed to promote good ventilation of the system and components , with variable efficiency depending on their power. Some users notice that the temperature of their case increases so much that they prefer to open it to help the temperature drop. But a well-designed case should be fully effective closed.
2. The issue of noise
There are many elements that can generate noise in a PC case and noise can become a real problem... It can be caused by the fans , they are what we immediately think of when the problem arises (the more the fans are bigger and less noise they make).
But there are also other sources of noise such as air circulation between components and cables, optical drives, rotating drives, component vibration, etc.
An open enclosure is generally noisier.
If the issue of noise is important to you, a closed PC case will therefore have advantages. It is even possible to turn to soundproof boxes. Indeed, if you are looking for a silent PC case , there are ranges of cases equipped with noise reduction devices thanks to acoustic insulation panels allowing better soundproofing, vibration attenuators or even the use of silent fans.
We recommend the Be quiet brand if you want a completely soundproof PC case!
3. Maintenance of the case, fans and components
Concerning the maintenance of your PC, there are 2 points on which it is necessary to think about when asking the question of an open or closed case:
- The question of accessibility
- The issue of exposure to dust, pet hair and other ventilation debris.
In an open case, components such as fans are more exposed
To dust and other debris. However, an open case also allows better accessibility, which for some users is an undeniable advantage by allowing more regular maintenance of fans and components.
Depending on the assembly and quality of materials, a closed case makes maintenance more difficult, with the interior structure being less accessible. So think about the ideal size of your PC tower; There are ATX cases but also more compact and small models called Mini ITX .
But a closed enclosure also better protects the components from debris , the incoming air is still somewhat “filtered”. However, maintenance remains important, because the air inlet always lets dust through. The question of accessibility can therefore be important.
This point should certainly be considered depending on each individual’s situation. The question does not arise in the same way in a house with or without animals, for example.
4. The question of accident risk:
Who hasn't already had their coffee (or even their meal) in front of their computer? Unless you have your computer locked away, it is most often accessible to other residents of your home, with all the risks that this entails.
An open case clearly increases the risk of accident . Whether it is the presence of a child or an animal intrigued by the interior of the case, the risk of a foreign object hitting the PC tower or spilling a liquid, the walls of a closed case represents additional physical protection capable of saving your computer from an ordinary everyday accident.
In conclusion
The power needed to support increasingly high-performance games makes the question of your PC's cooling system and airflow management crucial. The choice of an open or closed case depends on many elements and opinions differ on the subject.
What should you choose to protect your computer from the main danger to which it is exposed: the risk of overheating?
In certain situations, when the case temperature tends to rise too much, an open case can help. However, it is certain that a well-designed case, with ventilation adapted to the power of the PC and a well-managed air flow, will have optimal efficiency on a closed case.
