Do I need a dust filter at the top of my case?

[Cs342]

I have 2 fans exhausting air out the top of my case (pulling air through a radiator below the fans). I currently have a dust filter on top of the fans. Should I remove it?

[Emkryan]

Yea, all you're doing is restricting air and making it noisy. take them off and switch your rear fan to an intake and filter that

[CoolBeans]

If it is exhausting then no.

[Cheesebaron]

There is not a real need for dust filters at the top of the case as they will just restrict how much air can get out. It is a trade off, of either having some dust getting into your case or getting a very slight decrease in temperatures.

 

The dust getting into your case will mainly be when the computer is off as the fans do not push away the dust. I don't have dust filters at the top of my case, and it is a minimal amount of dust that enters the case from the top. So I wouldn't care much about dust filters on exhaust fans. Intake fans however suck in air and dust and here it would be more sensible to place them.

[StealnDeal]

Yes, as long as those fans are on there's no need for a filter. However if your computer's off you could put the filter back on to stop dust from floating into your case.

[Cs342]

Thanks for the replies. Would the small amount of dust accumulated during off-time be instantly blown away and out through the case once the fans come on?

[Owen]

You don't need filters on exaust fans like everyone else said. Heck, my case doesn't have any dust filters

[extremescouter]

Thanks for the replies. Would the small amount of dust accumulated during off-time be instantly blown away and out through the case once the fans come on?

 

Theoretically, yes. Some dust may get stick on the rad, and you will have to clean that off yourself, but the other dust will either be exhausted out of the case, or get stuck on the fans. 

[Cs342]

So should I still remove the dust filter if dust will get in? Or will there not be much dust buildup at all?

[MG2R]

So should I still remove the dust filter if dust will get in? Or will there not be much dust buildup at all?

If it's an exhaust, there's no need for dust filters. I've been running my pc without side panels on it for the last few months and even that hasn't made my pc into one giant dust ball. If you just make sure that all your intakes are filtered and that you have more air flowing into your case then flowing out (positive pressure), you'll be fine.

[Cs342]

How about the rear exhaust? No dust filter either?

[Galarix]

Doesn't matter where the fan is, as long as it's an exhaust filter is just useless.