[EricJB]

I was just wondering if the shroud that came stock on my original heatsink was needed. I have an Antec Three Hundred case with ample airflow (Two fans blowing in, two fans blowing out). Here's what the heatsink looks like.



The only issue I have with this shroud is it kind of hogs the area around the exhaust fans in my case. The heatsink sits in the top rear of my case and has a case fan directly to the side of it and directly above it. Just kinda seems like it's moreso disrupting my case airflow than anything else.

Thoughts? Thanks.

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Howdy:

That shroud is dedicated to keeping adequate airflow around your CPU so it doesn't overheat.

If you want to chance overheating your CPU and ending up with heat related problems, take it off. As for me, I wouldn't.

Murray

[Murray S.]

Howdy:

That shroud is dedicated to keeping adequate airflow around your CPU so it doesn't overheat.

If you want to chance overheating your CPU and ending up with heat related problems, take it off. As for me, I wouldn't.

Murray

[Neil Jones]

It's usually not needed, you can take it off and things should be okay. Keep an eye on system temperatures though, just in case.

[EricJB]

Of course I don't want to chance overheating my CPU, man, that's why I'm here. I understand it's there for a reason, but I've moved my components into a much larger case with more fans which means better airflow. I could see why the shroud was needed in the smaller case (Gateway 506GR) but my question was is it needed in a case that has better airflow?

The old case that this heatsink came with only had one fan in the back exhausting and just a vent in the front. The new case has a 140mm fan on the top and a 120mm fan in the back exhausting, then I have a 120mm fan on the front and one on the side taking air in.

I'm just wondering if that shroud is doing more bad than good, considering where the heatsink sits right by those two exhaust fans.

Thanks.

[Neil Jones]

Take it off and see what happens. You can always put it back on later.
Many of these shrouds are found in branded computers where they line up with ventilation shafts on the side of the case. If the computer ends up having to be re-cased at a later date and the shroud isn't on a spring, it may have to come off anyway.
Providing there's a fan on top of the heatsink that stays there without the shroud, it should be okay.

Edited by Neil Jones, 26 July 2009 - 03:17 PM.

[EricJB]

Thanks, Neil.