Summary
The heat is real this summer, but that doesn’t mean it should hold you back from gaming; there’s nothing better than being able to hide out on a sweltering summer afternoon and enjoy some gaming. However,gaming PCsare not fans of the heat at all, and unless you areprepared for high-performance use in the heat,PCs can quickly overheat, lose performance, and even damage components.
Thankfully, with some clever tips and more consistent maintenance, you’re able to keep gaming even through the hottest summer days.
5 Steps To Keep Your Gaming PC During The Heat of The Summer
Keep The PC Out of Direct Sunlight
This might seem common sense to some, but it would surprise you how many gamers accidentally place their PCs in direct sunlight. Whether you first setup the PC at a different time of year or weren’t considering the sunlight when you set up your gaming desk, sunlight can sneak up on you and cause unnecessary heat.
However, if getting your PC out of the sunlight puts it in a position that comprises the airflow, like the carpet or right against a wall, you might have to make some compromises to get the best of both worlds. The PC sitting on your desk or at least off the ground, especially if your room is carpeted, is more important than a little bit of sunlight hitting it.
If your only available space for your gaming setup is near the window, consider having the curtains or blinds closed throughout the day to reduce the heat in the room and let the computer breathe a bit.
Spot-check Case Fans More Often
Case and cooling fans have become much more reliable since the 2010s, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t flawless, especially when the temperatures get pretty high. As a general rule of thumb, you should start making fan checks a more common occurrence, at least once every couple of weeks.
This fan check can be in-depth or just a cursory glance occasionally. However, if you use the more of the glance method, every once in a while, you should take off the case panel and check every fan, even the cooling fans on GPU heatsinks and power supply fans.
Dust More
As with most things, dust is the enemy of gaming PCs. If enough dust builds up, fans can clog and not properly move around the air inside the case. This just chokes the rest of the case fans of fresh air, no matter how clean they are.
While the first round of dusting might be quite the chore, if you haven’t dusted in a while, after creating a more consistent dusting schedule, it becomes a much quicker process that can be done within a couple of minutes. Imagine just taking two minutes to dust your entire PC instead of taking 15 minutes to wipe layers of dust off of fan blades and go through two cans of air before you are done. The dream is within reach if you are willing to be consistent with dusting. Consider grabbingan electric dusterto make the task even easier and more eco-friendly than using duster wipes or canned air.
Use A/C If You Have It
A/C is not always an option, but it is worth turning on while gaming if you are lucky enough to have it in your house. Keeping the room around you cooler makes the PC run cooler and makes the overall gaming experience more enjoyable.
If you are without A/C during the summer, you can pick upa portable A/Cfrom most hardware and big-box stores. These are better for smaller spaces than large houses, so putting the unit in the same room as your gaming PC for the biggest difference is the best way to go. However, they are a pretty significant drain on energy, so you will probably see a bump in your utility bill during the summer months.
Use a Larger Case For Your System
If, after these steps, you’re able to still not get on top of keeping your PC cool, it is probably worth looking into a larger case. While small form factor cases are all the rage nowadays, they severely limit the number of case fans you can install and, in turn, limit the amount of airflow your components have access to.
Larger cases like mid-towers and full-towers, on the other hand, give your components a ton of room to breathe and way more room for case fans. With more space, the high-heat culprits like the CPU and GPU have room to spread out and take in fresh air. Whether air-cooling or water-cooling your setup, a case that provides consistent airflow is critical to keeping your PC cool all year, especially in the summer.
Related Products
Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM Premium Cooling Fans
The Noctua NF-A 12x25 PWM fans use some revolutionary manufacturing advancements to achieve maximum performance with minimal noise. Constructed with Noctua’s Sterrox liquid crystal polymer material, the NF-A 12x25 PWM fans boast a tip clearance of just .5 mm. The end result is a 12V 2000 RPM fan that maxes out at a 22.6 dB(A) noise level.The Noctua NF-A 12x25 PWM fans are versatile enough to serve case builders well as traditional chassis fans or to complement liquid cooling systems.
ARCTIC P12 120 mm Case Fan
The Arctic P12 isn’t out to win any performance or aesthetics awards, but it doesn’t have to either. Its value proposition is delivering acceptable performance without breaking the bank. The fact that it does so while exceeding performance expectations while selling for under $6 a pop does, however, tip the scales considerably in its favor.
Lian Li O11 Dynamic EVO XL
The Lian Li O11 Dynamic EVO XL is a full-tower all-white PC case with a smart design. The case allows users to reverse the chassis, meaning the tempered glass will face the right way if the PC is kept on either the left or right side of the setup. There is integrated RGB lighting and a seamless tempered glass side that flows almost seamlessly into the front panel. The Lian Li O11 Dynamic EVO XL can accommodate up to a 420mm radiator next to the motherboard and the same at the top or front using the included bracket. A full-sized GPU that’s up to 450mm can also be used in this case.
Fractal Design North XL
The North XL by Fractal Design features a large and sophisticated design, suitable for a vast majority of living spaces, so long as there is enough vertical space to properly display this elegant beast. Offering a wide range of chassis fan and radiator compatibility up to 420 mm, the North XL is a magnificent option for both water-cooled and air-cooled PCs.
FAQ
Q: Do PCs run hotter in summer?
PCs don’t inherently run hotter during the summer, but the surrounding heat can significantly increase the temperature inside the PC. For the best-case scenario, you want the room your PC is in to be under 85 degrees Fahrenheit, but lower temps will always be better.
Q: Why do gaming PCs get so hot?
Everything in a PC produces heat, from the SSDs and RAM to the primary heat-generating components, such as the GPU and CPU. This is because many of these components push the hardware’s performance limitations, and as electricity flows through these components, the transistors inside produce heat as a by-product.
