# Build PC Without A Case?



## dcf-joe (Jan 28, 2010)

I was wondering, would it be intelligent to build my next pc without a case, and just put everything on a desk nearby my monitor, mouse and keyoard? Obviously, the airflow would be unmatched, but the entire idea seems detrimental to the hardware.


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## phanbuey (Jan 28, 2010)

well... consider your environment... really if you have house parties, kids, pets, like to eat/drink at the computer, take your rig to lanparites/friends' houses... and any other activity that might disturb your hardware - then an open system is probably not a good idea unless its temporary.  Which is why we invented cases in the first place.

If these things are not factors then then go for it.


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## dcf-joe (Jan 28, 2010)

I am living in an apartment by myself, so I am really the only person by it. The entire "setup" will not be that close to the monitor and such, because I kind of get wild while gaming. Other than that, I think that I will go ahead and do it for the cooling benefits.


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## MT Alex (Jan 28, 2010)

Check this out:  http://forums.techpowerup.com/showpost.php?p=1622641&postcount=4437

Chicken Patty uses these setups quite a bit.  I think it is the best route for what you're describing.


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## TheLaughingMan (Jan 28, 2010)

That is a testing rack and would be considered a case since you have to buy it.  Those can get kinda expensive too.


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## Mussels (Jan 28, 2010)

you dont get any airflow boosts at all.

Air flow is exactly that. air FLOWing, moving. making it open air doesnt give you any flow, it gives you passive cooling with all your parts at ambient temperatures.

You wont get any temp boosts, unless you had a terrible case with no intake/exhaust fans. It could even get worse than a decent case.


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## surfingerman (Jan 28, 2010)

just tie strings around all your hardware and hang it from the ceiling fan.. it will be a wind chime PC


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## Jetster (Jan 28, 2010)

Mussels said:


> you dont get any airflow boosts at all.
> 
> Air flow is exactly that. air FLOWing, moving. making it open air doesnt give you any flow, it gives you passive cooling with all your parts at ambient temperatures.
> 
> You wont get any temp boosts, unless you had a terrible case with no intake/exhaust fans. It could even get worse than a decent case.



Unless you have a 19" fan running on it.   Personally I like having a case just to protect the parts from the elements. And I live alone too. Shit happens


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## t77snapshot (Jan 28, 2010)

dcf-joe said:


> I kind of get wild while gaming.



extreme gaming!





sorry I couldn't resist....


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## HammerON (Jan 28, 2010)

Mussels said:


> you dont get any airflow boosts at all.
> 
> Air flow is exactly that. air FLOWing, moving. making it open air doesnt give you any flow, it gives you passive cooling with all your parts at ambient temperatures.
> 
> You wont get any temp boosts, unless you had a terrible case with no intake/exhaust fans. It could even get worse than a decent case.



I agree with that as I have a Tech Station and it has never cooled the cpu, nb, gpu as a case with good airflow would. This while keeping the window open in Alaska during this cold winter!


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## douglatins (Jan 28, 2010)

t77snapshot said:


> extreme gaming!
> http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b10/T77snapshot/crazygamer.jpg
> sorry I couldn't resist....



Omg if you get that extreme while surfing a empty web page, would not want to be your neighbor while you play something intense.

Also just components laying around instead of a  say tech bench is very unsafe, since i can almost see a video card bending over and braking the PCI interface off


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## johnnyfiive (Jan 28, 2010)

If you buy or build a tech station, get one that can accomodate fans that cool the NB, SB, and MOSFET/VRM areas. I spent $50 building mine and it had no issue keeping everything cool.
















http://techpowerup.com/gallery/2231.html


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## TotalChaos (Jan 28, 2010)

looking good dude


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## assaulter_99 (Jan 28, 2010)

johnnyfiive said:


> If you buy or build a tech station, get one that can accomodate fans that cooler the NB, SB, and MOSFET/VRM areas. I spent $50 building mine and it had no issue keeping everything cool.



That looks cool in my books!


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## MK4512 (Jan 28, 2010)

Others beat me to it, but +1 to buying a workbench/techstation if you really want to have your hardware out it the open.

But I only recommend it if you are godly at cable management. If not, it will become a big problem...


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## johnnyfiive (Jan 28, 2010)

Nothing that a few zipties can't fix. I cable managed mine and used the curly SATA cable method to keep cables close to the tech station.


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## Easo (Jan 28, 2010)

I have this running for nearly month in a dormitory. DONT DO THIS!


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## johnnyfiive (Jan 28, 2010)

Also, don't forget about the gutting an old case method either. Thats how I "built" a tech station for my second rig, an i5 750 beast.


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## amd/atifiend (Jan 28, 2010)

if i were building something like that, I would probably go with an external dvd burner and perhaps an esata hd enclosure.


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## Jetster (Jan 28, 2010)

That gives me an idea....may be Velcro some parts to the wall. Kinda part art part PC?


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## SnoopKatt (Jan 29, 2010)

If you're careful enough, go for it. I guess you don't have much to lose by trying it out since you can always just buy a case later.

But if you're bringing a girl there and if she sees that, she's gonna be "WTF is that"


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## TIGR (Jan 29, 2010)

I have two computers running with no case. Considering they hold a combined total of 12 OC'd GPUs and two OC'd quad-core CPUs running Folding@home, this is the best way to cool them. Cooler, cheaper, and I've had no problems. Easy to set up a box fan to further improve the cooling.

Some people worry about dust and such ... let's be honest, dust always gets into a system anyway, regardless of whatever filters may be in place. You're going to have to clean it off eventually anyway.

Everything is easier to access this way.

One concern can be noise, depending on the configuration. Having the parts in a case typically requires more fans, but some cases also dampen noise considerably.


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