PSU at the top or bottom?

[Octopuss]

Most cases have the PSU mounted at the top of them. Some have it at the bottom though. Is there any benefit in the latter? I always thought hot air raised up, which would make top-mounted PSU more logical. So how is it?

 

[Fourstaff]

Bottom mounted PSU is better for cable management. The amount of benefit due to "hot air rises" is at best a few degrees.

 

[Solaris17]

most good PSU's exaust themselves my corsair hx 1000 has a fan on the bottom and back in from the one on the bottom exaust out the rear. its bottom mounted in my xig so it pulls cold air. i dont think it gets hot really but i think its more efficient personally but im a stickler for airflow.

 

[t_ski]

Two main benefits:

1. PSU fan often intakes from the bottom of the case, drawing in cool air. This results in a more stable PSU.
2. A QUALITY PSU will weight at least 7 pounds, and having it at the bottom of the case lowers the center of gravity.

 

[Fourstaff]

Intake from the bottom is not a very brilliant idea though, it sucks in all the dust.

 

[Octopuss]

Intake from the bottom is not a very brilliant idea though, it sucks in all the dust.

Besides, it has llittle to no room to actually suck the air from. I have Antec P182 and there is like 5mm between the PSU and bottom of the case

 

[jsfitz54]

I'm a PSU on top fan. Cool air comes in the front, down low, sweeps across the mobo and exits out the top rear. Sometimes it's hard to improve on a solid design. That being said, cases have advanced over the plain box with lots of extra fans, side vents, top vents and other improvements.

If your case has many of the improvements then I would say it makes little difference which way you go.

 

[HXL492]

Intake from the bottom is not a very brilliant idea though, it sucks in all the dust.

Most cases that feature a bottom mounted psu usually come with a dust filter

Besides, it has llittle to no room to actually suck the air from. I have Antec P182 and there is like 5mm between the PSU and bottom of the case

Well some cases, like for example the CoolerMaster 690II Advanced comes with enough clearance under the case for air to be sucked in. I guess you would need to pay attention to the design of the case

Overall I would aim for a bottom mounted psu design as it draws cooler air from the outside and usually psu's run 'better' when cooler

 

[twilyth]

I like my Antec 300 with the PSU at the top and with a top exhaust port better than the P180 with the PSU in a bottom compartment.

If you have a PSU with modular cabling I don't think it makes much difference. Having the PSU at the bottom lowers the center of gravity if there is a chance of someone bumping into your rig.

 

[AsRock]

I like the PSU at the top makes no sense to have them by a hot v card. How ever like said some cases have a area on the bottom to allow cool air in.

I would like them start doing the same thing with PSU's at the top. In my case the PSU is at the top sideways and if it was not due to how my PSU is designed i would of made a vent on the right side of the case so it could suck air in.

All though my case at the top is vented and been thinking about making a funnel for it so it can get air from out side just never got around to it lol.

 

[Octopuss]

On completely offtopic note: anyone else pissed at the fact that there are barely anymore cases with green power led and red HDD one?

 

[Fourstaff]

On completely offtopic note: anyone else pissed at the fact that there are barely anymore cases with green power led and red HDD one?

Probably because it is pointless to have them anymore. You can hear the sound when the PC is on, and you will need 10 lights if you want to monitor HDD activity.

 

[Octopuss]

10 lights? How do you mean?
I still like to check whether the PC froze up or not at times by the way (not too often, yeah, but still).
Guess I am old-fashioned too.

 

[Bo$$]

Intake from the bottom is not a very brilliant idea though, it sucks in all the dust.

i have first hand experiance with this, even with a filter, dust is uncontrolable!

 

[Frick]

i have first hand experiance with this, even with a filter, dust is uncontrolable!

Not if you have it hanging 20 cm from the floor.

 

[_JP_]

But if that was the case, wouldn't there be an issue with the amount of air-flow available?

 

[micropage7]

one that is not nice on bottom placed psu is it need longer cable coz usually 24 pins placed on top right of the board so not all psu could acomodate this

 

[AsRock]

I like top better but they do not put the effert in cases like they do with bottom placed PSU's. For example they make a vent for them to draw air from the bottom of the case.

If i had a 120mm fan type PSU i would made the vent my self and it be better at the top or in my case it be at the side or but with my PSU it would have to be a funnel to the top of the case.

So if ya have a 120mm fan type PSU and handy with cutting tools PSU at the top be best as PSU's do get hot and there be less dust possible issue's..

Why the hell would ya want a a 25c-60c PSU by a v card beats me silly lol.

 

[GSquadron]

The cable sometimes cannot reach the bottom one

 

[Octopuss]

I like top better but they do not put the effert in cases like they do with bottom placed PSU's. For example they make a vent for them to draw air from the bottom of the case.

If i had a 120mm fan type PSU i would made the vent my self and it be better at the top or in my case it be at the side or but with my PSU it would have to be a funnel to the top of the case.

So if ya have a 120mm fan type PSU and handy with cutting tools PSU at the top be best as PSU's do get hot and there be less dust possible issue's..

Why the hell would ya want a a 25c-60c PSU by a v card beats me silly lol.

I think there are a few good points in your post but I can't understand a word.

 

[Spectrum]

Originally Posted by AsRock
I like top better but they do not put the effert in cases like they do with bottom placed PSU's. For example they make a vent for them to draw air from the bottom of the case.

If i had a 120mm fan type PSU i would made the vent my self and it be better at the top or in my case it be at the side or but with my PSU it would have to be a funnel to the top of the case.

So if ya have a 120mm fan type PSU and handy with cutting tools PSU at the top be best as PSU's do get hot and there be less dust possible issue's..

Why the hell would ya want a a 25c-60c PSU by a v card beats me silly lol.

I have a bottom mounted psu and it's a good 4 inches away from my card... however i can imagine that with an SLI or crossfire solution that'd increase video card heat a couple degrees.

As for those of you talking about dust... bottom mounted PSUs take in so so much dust... i've got a cm690 and even with a filter... the inside of the psu is covered in dust. the filter is completely covered aswell.

 

[Melvis]

TOP, better for air flow to draw the hot air out (hot air rises after all) Use it as another exhaust fan.

Less build up of dust been at the top over the bottom. (PSU with lots of dust isnt a good idea)

Some PSU wont reach the CPU connector on the board over a top mounted PSU.

Just MHI

 

[neoreif]

My Thermaltake V3 Has a bottom mounted PSU and the case came with a dust filter. Its true for me that bottom mounted PSU's suck more dust cause the PSU's cooling fan draws air directly from the outside and here is where the dust filter comes in. All I have to do is just clean the filter once every month to make sure that the PSU gets ample cold air from the outside. Checked the PSU itself and it seems that minimal dust accumulated through almost 9 months of use. So I guess with a good dust filter, I'd go with a bottom mounted PSU!

 

[qubit]

Intake from the bottom is not a very brilliant idea though, it sucks in all the dust.

Oh, does it! I removed the PSU from my HAF922 the other day and there was a carpet of dust blocking the intake. Gross.

I've cleaned it off course.

 

[uzuhl]

On completely offtopic note: anyone else pissed at the fact that there are barely anymore cases with green power led and red HDD one?

Order your own power cables like these http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00213KDQK/?tag=tec06d-20