Top or bottom mounted PSU?

HorizonXII · Aug 3, 2013

Ok, so i will soon be buying a new case because of previous problems with a graphics card and size issues and was wondering whether i should buy a case that has a bottom mounted PSU or a top mounted PSU.It should be noted that my current case has a top mounted PSU and i was also wondering if any type of Power Supply can be mounted at the top or bottom of a case. Replies are very appreciated

mauller07 · Aug 3, 2013

i prefer top since your psu is not vacuuming the floor while your pc is on.

JackNaylorPE · Aug 3, 2013

Most cases today are bottom mounted. PSU makers started pushing this direction in order to avoid having heated air from GFX cards and CPU migrate up to the PSU air inlet.

Sn1992-1361850 · Aug 3, 2013

look to update u
for best thermals a bottom mounted supply is the best as it does not involve any sort of interference in the case airflow and does not add heat as when it is bottom mounted the air is sucked from the bottom of case and exhausted from the back of the case

its the best option that is why in every high end case a bottom mounted psu is there

and most cases comes with feets so no vaccum

mauller07 · Aug 3, 2013

vacuuming in the uk means hoovering in america etc.

i didn't mean a pressure vacuum being created under the psu lol.

Sn1992-1361850 · Aug 3, 2013

i can understand that but it would not be a prob

there is a reason that all high end and latest cases are having bottom mounted psu
if the problem u tell was there the designers in the companies wudnt be fools designing bottom mounte psu

Sn1992-1361850 · Aug 3, 2013

i can understand that but it would not be a prob

there is a reason that all high end and latest cases are having bottom mounted psu
if the problem u tell was there the designers in the companies wudnt be fools designing bottom mounte psu

mauller07 · Aug 3, 2013

saying that but a lot of high end cases still hardly come with air filters so it can be a good idea but also badly implemented on a lot of cases.

Sn1992-1361850 · Aug 3, 2013

its not like that mate

Dark Lord of Tech · Aug 3, 2013

I prefer bottom and fan facing down , and buy cases with that option.

HorizonXII · Aug 6, 2013

The question still stands though, my current case had a top mounted PSU and i was wondering if i bought a case with a that has space for a bottom mounted PSU, will i be able to fit it. Overall i'm asking if any type of PSU can be fitted at the bottom or top of the case?

The two cases i'm stuck between:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Antec-GX700-Midi-Tower-Case/dp/...
OR
http://www.amazon.co.uk/CiT-Vantage-Gaming-Audio-Reader...

Sn1992-1361850 · Aug 6, 2013

Yes no problem
U can mount any atx supply at the bottom

rounakr94 · Aug 6, 2013

Plus a bottom mounted PSU makes the inside of your case look sexy

HorizonXII · Aug 6, 2013

Thanks for the help everyone

Just one more thing, i am planning to buy this case http://goo.gl/CLwi9F and i was wondering if any type of motherboard will be able to fit inside it?

Dark Lord of Tech · Aug 6, 2013

Motherboard Compatibility
Standard ATX, microATX, Mini-ITX

HorizonXII · Aug 6, 2013

Thank you very much for the help everyone! What case would you guys recommend, need a professional view

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Antec-GX700-Midi-Tower-Case/dp/B00AW68H6G#productDetails
OR
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B007TAT4P6/ref=noref?ie=UTF8&psc=1&s=computers

Dark Lord of Tech · Aug 6, 2013

ANTEC

Dark Lord of Tech · Aug 6, 2013

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

Case: Zalman Z12 Plus ATX Mid Tower Case (£56.66 @ CCL Computers)
Total: £56.66
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-08-06 18:06 BST+0100)

Features:

Up to 5 system fans available to cool down the system efficiently

Maximizes the air flow keeping the HDD and the system cool.

Supports bottom PSU installation for effective cooling of PSU and inner space of case

Side Acryl Tuning provided for users to view the interior.

Front USB ports, audio socket, power button, reset button & top USB.

Dust filters on the bottom and front prevent dust from entering

3in1 Adapter Tray is provided for installing FDD / 3.5" HDD / 2.5" HDD/SSD.

Luxurious interior with black coating finishing touch.

Place smart phone, external hard drive on the stand next to the USB port for convenient charging and connection.

Easy for installations and maintenance. 290mm VGA card can be installed.

Anti-vibration Rubbers on the bottom of the case and the PSU installation area offer the vibrations free Quiet PC Environment.

Up to 7 PCI slots scalability secured.

Space provided at the back of the M/B Plate to install the 2.5" HDD/SSD.

HorizonXII · Aug 15, 2013

Hey guys, So i have decided to buy the Antec GX700 case and was also thinking about buying a new power supply to support the graphics card i will be installing and was wondering if everything would fit and work well together.

The case: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Antec-GX700-Midi-Tower-Case/dp/B00AW68H6G#productDetails

The power supply: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Corsair-Builder-Series-Modular-Certified/dp/B00ALYP208/ref=sr_1_12?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1376571319&sr=1-12&keywords=corsair+psu

The graphics card: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nvidia-GeForce-Graphics-Express-Dust-Proof/dp/B0084LE1XY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1376575230&sr=8-1&keywords=asus+gt+630

Dark Lord of Tech · Aug 15, 2013

Yes , all good choices for your specs.

Great fit!!!!!!!

HorizonXII · Aug 15, 2013

And the type of motherboard does not matter for any of the components? I'm only asking all these questions because I've had bad experiences with buying separate parts before

rayi23 · Sep 28, 2014

Sn1992-1361850 :

look to update u
for best thermals a bottom mounted supply is the best as it does not involve any sort of interference in the case airflow and does not add heat as when it is bottom mounted the air is sucked from the bottom of case and exhausted from the back of the case

its the best option that is why in every high end case a bottom mounted psu is there

My problem with this arrangement is that if you put the computer on a rug that is not plush, it may impede the air flow. They often do not put much in the way of raising the case up more. So I would put something down like a stiff board or something. I would rather see the power supply on top with ventilation on top of case but generally this is the trend now to put power supply at bottom. This bottom design also means that your CPU power supply cable must be longer. I just put together a build using OCZ 600 watt and needed a power supply extender for CPU power supply cable to reach over the video card to the the motherboard CPU power connector. It is kind of messy to have to reach all the way over the far left side which has been my experience lately. But with the extender I can route it all the way around the board making it a little more organized looking. but thanks for the nice diagram. I was wondering whether to have the power supply face the inside of case or bottom. In previous builds the power supply fan always faced the inside of the fan on top oriented powers supplies. I also noticed your placement of the top fan was right above the CPU. I put it in the middle but don't know if I need to change it. I was kind of easier placing it in the middle of the top of the case.

and most cases comes with feets so no vaccum

JackNaylorPE · Sep 30, 2014

Sn1992-1361850 :

While I agree that bottom mounts are preferable, have to add some qualifiers to your reasoning and caution against "absolutes"

1. Dust on the floor / desk most will be "vacuumed" up into the case in this position.

2. There is no "interference" in air flow in either case

3. Heat exits a PSU in multiple ways ... heat will radiate from the PSU cover

4. Some case shave separate thermal chambers which totally isolate the PSU from the rest of the box.

5. The Phanteks Enthoo Pro locates it behind the Motherboard on bottom....air intake is thru the side and out the back The Phanteks Mini XL mounts it in a thermally isolated chamber on the top, again intake thru the side and out the back. Best mounting in video below

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1nPVLuWFNo

Top or bottom mounted PSU?

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