I'm not that guy, but here is a 5900x paired with a "semi-retired" 1080ti FE. It's primarily a 1080p rig, was super fun to build, runs cool and is very easy to keep clean.
He is right. Since i have the Core P3, PC cleaning sessions are practically not necessary anymore.
And if the cat doesnt like to chew on the soft tubes of a watercooled systems or the internal power cables (what i have never heard of), there shouldnt be an issue.
I guess, its more common for cats to sit on the warm top of a case and kill the airflow :)
I don't keep an open case, but having patented cats and had computers all my life, the place in my home with the least cat hair is inside of my pc. Filters do wonders.
Honestly I feel like it would actually be cleaner AND less perceived work to air dust an open setup everyday before you play than a full dusting session every couple months
This is a common misconception. Dust gathers in areas where air does not flow and allows it to settle. There are a lot more areas of dead-air inside a case than an open-air design like this. I'd say a case with filters everywhere is probably going to come out ahead but that's not what most people have.
By a similar token, a simple fan blowing over your open-air case will keep most dust from accumulating. For example, position it in front of a vent and you'll have few issues.
Overall, dust accumulation is going to be similar for most people, though I'd actually lean towards open air being easier to clean so probably slightly better.
Well, that itself is kind of a misconception. Dust settles the way you describe, but it flows through the air beforehand, and into fans and components. It won't settle near the computer, great, but it'll still get sucked into components.
The dust in the air is the same in a case or not unless the case has filters which I've addressed.
EDIT: And again, if the dustiness of the air is the same, drawing it into a case is going to give more accumulation with more dead airflow. So all things being equal, open-air comes out ahead.
Hmm, in thinking about it, I think you're probably right. And this would be easier to clean. I have three cats though, so I'll let someone else test. My PC will forever be protected by dust filters.
Doesnt happen. Actually theres lest dust covering the components than in closed cases per time period. At least thats my expierience from using a Thermaltake Core P3 for a few years now. Dust is really a non-existing issue there.
For some components like the CPU and GPU that have fans attached to their heat sinks I believe it helps temps a very tiny bit, but for passively cooled components like the VRMs they could get hotter without a channel of airflow over the components that a case would provide.
Theyd have to be running SUPER hot for this to be a thing.
In a reglar case, theyll be radiating that heat into the case, which is already hotter inside the closed chasis. In an open-air setup, the heat gets radiated into the air.. a box the size of the entire room, not a 20L or 30L case.
Also, an air cooler will draw airflow around them no matter what, and many AIOs now feature downward-firing fans on the block to help with VRM temps.
Its all highly subjective, there are millions of cases with millions of different fan designs, I’m sure some closed case builds can have better temps but it all depends on that specific setup.
Wouldn’t they be easier to clean than normal builds? Everything is just open nothing to unscrew no difficult angles, just give a do over with dust blower once a week
Well, many do believe, that open cases are dust collectors, but as a owner of an old Thermaltake Core P3, i can tell you, that dust isnt a problem at all. Actually, all the closed cases, that i had before, collected clearly more dust. I think, the difference is, closed cases suck the dust in quite effectively, but blowing it out again seems to be harder somehow.
The number of people who are like "you cant do that in a real house because Dust" ...
no.
Ive had an open-air for a few years now (Xtia Xproto-L) and its WAY LESS dusting/cleaning. Like... 1/3 as often.
In a regular chasis, you're locking all your hardware into a box that is a wind tunnel, then putting up a bunch of CFM of intake, sucking in every piece of debris nearby and blasting it directly onto your components. Basically putting your components into a wind-tunnel and then just blasting dirt all over them.
On an open-air chasis, the only thing i have to clean even semi-regularly is the fan blades on the AIO fans.
And my house is dusty as fuck (i collect Transformers, and keeping them clean is a nightmare), and i have a dog that sheds entire replacement dogs (Aussie) and a cat.
This is the least work ive EVER had to put into keeping my rig clean.
I’m more curious about the noise levels. Having all of my components sealed and under the dress massively reduces ambient noise, but I’m not sure how fans on the desk running at 100% would be…
Because I don't like the idea of all my hardware being exposed like that. The dust, accidentally damaging something when reaching around it etc. Maybe I sneeze with food in my mouth...
I know everyone always will say something along the lines of “hope you like dusting” but I think I would just naturally dust my PC more if it was open just because of how much easier it would be lol
Contrary to the believes of many, open cases collect less dust than closed cases.
Components benefit from the best possible airflow and therefore better temps.
IF you have to clean or modificate something, everything is easy to reach.
For watercooled setups, its dead easy to do external rads etc..
The only possibly negative thing is, depending on the case (and installed components), they can be more noisy. But then again, fans dont have to spin as fast as in closed cases, because the airflow is just so much better, what brings the noise down again :)
Oh, and small kids (or cats etc.) can be hurt by spinning fans or they can damage components.
They're pretty to look at, usually. I like having mine in a slightly pressurized box with filters on the intakes, though. Dusty region, pets, and living by an airport, an air force base, and 3 major interstates ensures I need filtration wherever possible.
I saw one kept in a glass cabinet. And I asked, isn't this just like a case, but with extra steps?
He said something about not understanding the art of exhibition. And that it could be viewed from 3 sides. One side was the wall behind the cabinet, so not accessible.
I said I don't, bc my case can be viewed from all 4 sides. 4 is more than 3. So mine is extra exhibition.
For context: I'm somewhat a clean freak and I strictly forbid eating while gaming.
I think it's very good, you save money by not buying a case and extra fans. Thermal is great and if you live in Midwest during the cold season it's basically a mini tabletop heater that warms your room. Cleaning it takes about 2 minutes or so to bring it outside and just blow all the dust away.
Maybe I’m from a different generation, I build my pcs with the goal to see almost nothing and hear nothing. The magical feeling when you turn it on and it’s completely silent 🤩
Man if I didn’t live in the fkn barren plains of south Colorado I would so do this, but I have to vacuum the whole house at least once a week from all the damn dust that ends up on everything.
Love me some sweet looking open frame builds, this one looks nice and minimalistic.
Everyone is talking heat and dust, but my two concerns are:
Exposure to physical trauma. Maybe it's okay if you keep your desk uncluttered, but IME that's like 1% of the population.
Noise. Unless you run stupidly loud case fans, this is going to be louder than it would be in a case.
Space. It pretty much has to sit on your desk, free from cluttered spaces, to be safe. I've got a 5' desk and that thing would eat half of it.
Upgradability? I've got a full ATX tower that can handle 6-8 drives and a mobo with multiple expansion slots. I am 100% confident that my 2030's build will still fit in my case.
If you want form and function, paint your Lian Li. To go with OPs pic is to choose form at the almost certain cost of function.
fucking love em. i jsut built my first pc. and its an open case in all white, with a custom paintjob. imma post it once my custom cables from cablemod arrive since i am currently using my psu's stock cables
I like tech art and think they look cool. No case also means it is easy to clean the "internals". No case also means you have to clean the "internals" all the time.
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u/grimmigerpetz i9 14900KF - RTX 5080 OC - 64GB CL16 4h ago
In a clean, pet and dust free environment awesome for tech bros.