Cable management - Does it impact cooling performance?

[iPolymer]

10 hours ago, Drazzilb said:

Depends on where the dust is and how bad. If dust is clogging up your Rad then yes. If dust is in the corner of the case then no.

Just honestly depends on how bad the contamination is. 

So I just have to keep the few fins clean than and I'm good?

[Drazzilb]

18 hours ago, iPolymer said:

So I just have to keep the few fins clean than and I'm good?

Generally, you want to keep your system as clean as possible. Not just the Rad. However, keeping the surfaces of the heatsink, the graphics card, the fans, the hard drives and the Rad. is the very minimum I'd do. However, I tend to keep my system as clean as I can. Blowing it out with an air compressor every 6 months or so, ensuring to use the compressor far enough away not to damage the components (I'd recommend a can of compressed air if you don't have a compressor or don't feel comfortable using it on your system. Just ensure your using it in short bursts and not upside down). You can gauge this time frame based on where you live and how dusty your environment is. I happen to live in a fairly dusty climate (west texas). An over abundance of dust on any components will seriously degrade its ability to dissipate heat (heat is the biggest killer of components). Even smaller components you don't think about such as caps and smaller chip sets. 

[testarossa47]

Suggestion for another video: What happens when you only have intake fans / only have outtake fans?

Do temps go up/down?

[Zodiark1593]

Really need to tidy up the cables in my case a bit better. Technically speaking, they are all out of the way of any airflow, but with an adapter used for my GPU, and a mediocre non-modular PSU with just barely enough length on the CPU 8-Pin to reach across everything else, it was a bit of a fight. Eventually, I zip-tied an entire set of cables and stowed it on the bottom for later use (provided I don't replace the PSU by then). The case itself is also relatively limited in cable routing options, most notably, lacking a grommet for the CPU 8-Pin cable.

 

I don't have a clear side-panel on my case, so it isn't like anyone is going to peek inside, but the thought of the semi-rats nest on the very bottom and back tray (especially with how I crammed the adaptors back there) is really making me consider a proper modular PSU. With enough length (or an extender), the 8-pin CPU connector can be routed behind and along the top without major issue.