Is it okay for me to install a fan onto the side panel of my case?

[swftre]

I recently installed a brand new processor onto my PC, an AMD A8-7680. A few days after doing so, I noticed that my PC was heating up too much (CPU reaching 97 degrees celsius on HWinfo, Motherboard reaching 118 degrees celsius). I purchased an 80mm fan which I installed as an exhaust fan, then considered purchasing a 120mm fan as an intake fan which I planned to install on the side panel of my case (Fortress Magnus Micro ATX). However, a friend disagreed with my plan, stating that it I shouldn't install a fan on the side of my PC, even though it looks like the case can support it. What should I do?

[RageTester]

Those numbers sound extreme, what about temp at idle?

Have you checked temperatures with another software, to make sure? Are your current fans running loud? Temp sensor could be  broken or maybe thermal compound is not applied correctly on the CPU... but if you really feel the heat and throttling in real use, You might want to underclock the CPU.

[220VoltsallCore]

Reapply paste and check cpu fans

[Deuxez]

1 hour ago, swftre said:

118 degrees celsius)

that sounds like an unused censor on the mobo. My asrock a320m got 2 of those, thats unused, so in hwmonitor they always sit around 118c (but idunno why). So ignore that part. But about that cpu... did you reapply the thermal paste when u removed the cpu cooler. It might have been old to begin with + u removed and installed it again. 2nd thing to check is if u got the cpu fan plugged in correctly. While it might not be that its still worth to check just to make sure it isnt anything stupid thats causing this. But im still betting on that thermal paste re-apply.

[DoctorNick]

Of course not, you would violate the law of aesthetics.

On a serious note, yes you can, but as others suggested, remount cpu cooler and change the thermal paste - and if still bad, maybe even consider a new cooler.

[WoodenMarker]

As mentioned, repasting is a good idea. 

Side panel mounts tend to be unfiltered but that seems to be an issue with the case as a whole. 

Besides that and being a bit finicky, there's nothing wrong with a side panel fan mount. It tends to be the most effective place for a case fan when it comes to cooling performance.