Is it safe to run PC without the side panel???

[Phantom04]

Hello, I was wondering if it's alright to run pc while gaming without side panels. I just checked the temp on vanguard with high settings-  'with side panel on cpu reach max 66℃ & gpu max 84℃' and 'with side panel off cpu max 59℃ and gpu max temp is 79℃.'
Though there is some temp drop with side panel off, I wanted to know is there anything else I should be concerned about? Is it safe to run for the components to be exposed ?

Thank you. 

[OddOod]

If you don't have cats, the increased sound is the only concern, feel free. There are even open case concepts which are pretty cool
If you do have cats, they might crawl around in there.
 

[OddOod]

This is my HTPC, I specifically run it open so it can passively cool

 

[Rauten]

It's safe, but also dangerous. 

 

Nothing bad is going to happen to the computer by having the side panel off.

However, if something were to fall on it like, say, a spilled drink, it wouldn't have the layer of protection that the side panel provides.

 

That being said, your temps, while not stellar (GPU, mostly), are not that bad.

[Rauten]

4 minutes ago, OddOod said:

This is my HTPC, I specifically run it open so it can passively cool

 

 

Oh blessed lord of zip ties, hold us in your gravity-defying embrace.

Hooooooooooooly shit. Linus would be proud.

[OddOod]

10 minutes ago, Rauten said:

However, if something were to fall on it like, say, a spilled drink

Clearly OP just needs to make sure not to watch anything too funny while drinking. Can't risk a spittake at the wrong moment  

[FliP0x]

If you're getting lower temps with the side panel off, you are likely not getting enough (or proper) airflow.

 

In general, it is 'safe' to run without a sidepanel, but you're risking dust getting directly into your system and not get cought by the air filters.

Some dust would always get through, but you're looking at much higher 'contamination' without a sidepanel.

How does your cooling solution look like? Front mounted fans, top mounted fan, exhaust fans?

[shoutingsteve]

Yes, safe until you're actually doing something intensive.  But if you are getting higher temps with the panel on, you need to redo your airflow.  It is supposed to run cooler with the side panel on (yes, counter-intuitive, but true).  If you have only the airflow of the components with integrated fans then all the passive cooling is going to over heat.  Think about your southbridge, no fan on that, but if you are going to do a giant file transfer and it is running full throttle for 30 minutes, it will get hot.  Without airflow (from a system of case fans) it is entirely dependent on hot air rising to cool it.

Your GPU and CPU are cooler because they have fresh air, but they are the only ones benefiting.  Everything else is overheating but isn't giving you a temperature readout.

[shoutingsteve]

3 minutes ago, FliP0x said:

If you're getting lower temps with the side panel off, you are likely not getting enough (or proper) airflow.

 

In general, it is 'safe' to run without a sidepanel, but you're risking dust getting directly into your system and not get cought by the air filters.

Some dust would always get through, but you're looking at much higher 'contamination' without a sidepanel.

How does your cooling solution look like? Front mounted fans, top mounted fan, exhaust fans?

Darn, you beat me to it. But I 100% agree with you.

[Vishera]

1 hour ago, OddOod said:

This is my HTPC, I specifically run it open so it can passively cool

 

Why does it ask me to sign into a Google account?

[Somerandomtechyboi]

 

*laughs with pc ontop a cardboard box

 

Theres no real "danger" to running without the sidepanel or without case as itll run fine and ive been doing this for the past 4 years, but there are some dangers mostly relating to pets and human error

 

40 minutes ago, FliP0x said:

If you're getting lower temps with the side panel off, you are likely not getting enough (or proper) airflow.

^^^

Sidepanel is used to lower temps in properly designed cases but for most improperly designed hotbox cases they are just a stupid aesthetic peice, either you have the aformentioned garbage hotbox case or you have an airflow case but you are lacking fans or improperly configured fans

[OddOod]

2 hours ago, Somerandomtechyboi said:

Sidepanel is used to lower temps in properly designed cases

I know that this is true for stuff like servers with rack cases, but I've never seen any data for it on consumer PCs. Do you have any sourced data where someone has done experimentation showing this is the case? My impression was always that the best temps were open bench

[john50049]

Just beware. I did that very same thing and destroyed an RX580 GPU. Boy did that hurt my pocketbook.

[Mark Kaine]

On 4/4/2022 at 3:36 PM, shoutingsteve said:

Yes, safe until you're actually doing something intensive.

accidentally spilling a bottle of any random fluid into your pc... FTFY!

 

nah, op, its never safe, just because a lot of people do this because they can't figure out their cooling situation doesn't mean it's safe.

 

 

On 1/19/2024 at 3:58 AM, john50049 said:

Just beware. I did that very same thing and destroyed an RX580 GPU. Boy did that hurt my pocketbook.

 case in point lol 

 

[shoutingsteve]

18 hours ago, Mark Kaine said:

accidentally spilling a bottle of any random fluid into your pc... FTFY!

 

 

I mean, if we are including the unforeseeable, then it's not safe to even plug it into the power outlet.  The utility pole outside your house could have the wrong  transformer placed during routine maintenance and suddenly you're getting 277 volts instead of 120.  But answering the original question with regards to dangers not avoided by implicit common sense: I stand by my answer of it is important to have proper cooling with the side panel on as other components are suffering with it off.

[Mark Kaine]

9 minutes ago, shoutingsteve said:

mean, if we are including the unforeseeable, then it's not safe to even plug it into the power outlet.

it's not unforeseeable,  its very likely...

 

a better comparison would be plugging it in your garden outlet... sure it might be "safe" until it rains or whatever... its inherently unsafe and not "unforeseeable"

 

the fluid thing is also just one of many things you're just asking for to happen without side panel... what about pets, kids... unwitting visitors etc, all "unforeseeable"? 

[shoutingsteve]

On 1/22/2024 at 9:56 AM, Mark Kaine said:

it's not unforeseeable,  its very likely...

 

a better comparison would be plugging it in your garden outlet... sure it might be "safe" until it rains or whatever... its inherently unsafe and not "unforeseeable"

 

the fluid thing is also just one of many things you're just asking for to happen without side panel... what about pets, kids... unwitting visitors etc, all "unforeseeable"? 

Wow... you're really caught up on this point.  The guy was asking if it is safe in a specific regard: heat damage.  Everyone has agreed that it isn't a good idea, you're just

[OddOod]

On 4/4/2022 at 9:12 AM, Vishera said:

Why does it ask me to sign into a Google account?

I do not understand at all
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