Question about case cooling/temps

[Rally Pig]

The last few days ive been checking my CPU/MB temps through the bios after playing:
This is after running CSS/TF2 on high (all graphics settings) and res at 1650/1050 I think for roughly 4/5 hrs straight
CPU=40/42oC
MB=37/38oC

What I have:

Case: Coolermaster Centurion
Processor: Intel core 2 duo E8400
Motherboard: Asrock P45R2000-wifii
Video Card: PNY 8800 GT 512mb
Sound Card: onboard
Power Supply: Coolermaster real power pro 650w
Memory: 4GB corsair XMS 2 (not exatly all 4 gig since i only have 32 bit windows)
HD: 500 GB Seagate Barracuda
HD: 40 gig WD (from my old computer (actually its the third time its been used), just use the programs that are still on there)
OD:Hp dvd 1070i 20x
Keyboard: Cheap wireless
Mouse: Logitech G5
Headphones: Plantronics 777
Monitor: Westing house 22"

Nothing is Overclocked nor is anything going to be over clocked

I was thinking about droping temps a little bit, Put 120mm in front, pretty much just have to screw it in (front is mesh already has 80mm on bottom front which will stay), and MAYBE putting a 80mm Blowhole in the top

But one of the main reasons for me asking is my PSU has 120mm fan on it, when in the case its in the top of the case but the fan blows down into the case (on cpu/mobo/video card) is it worth it to cut a blow hole for that just so it blows that air out of the case?

[Luggage]

Generally,
i) Low temps are always helpful
ii) Front cooling is over-rated; if you already have a 80mm fan up front, you really don't need another one
iii) it's a good idea to not blow hot air on the CPU / mobo

More specifically to your setup, your overall temps are very good!  ~40 degrees is nothing for the CPU; if I remember correctly, the stated max operating temp (Intel specs) is more than 20 degrees over that so I wouldn't worry about more cooling if I were you.  Feel free to google the specs to confirm that my memory is not getting rusty.

[Video_Master]

Power Supplies should not be bringing air into the case, they should be exhausting it out.  So I doubt it is blowing hot air onto the CPU.  The main thing to remember about airflow is making sure you are not putting too much in to what you are exhausting out.

Definately adding the 120 in the front will bring more cool air into the case.  You will need something else to exhaust air out of the case as well.

The best thing to do would be post a picture of your case with the side panel off so we can see what we have to work with.

I am a master at air cooling my systems and I can help you out.  My current setup my proc barely reaches 20 Celsius.

[Video_Master]

Here is what my case looks like and then a picture with how the fans are.  Blur numbers are intake and red are exhaust.

[WidowMaker]

Jesus Video, you got 9 fans in the case. A monkey could have put that thing together and get 20 degrees.

On a serious note, as luggage was saying, 20°C is nothing.

[Video_Master]

Those are just the case fans.  I have fans on the Northbridge, CPU, Video Card as well.

[Rally Pig]

Thats the case i want, depending how good my pay check is this week i might get it, i might wait, the local best buy has one floating around last time i saw it it was kinda hidden, i was only holding off on it right now cause i think its still $190

and i was wrong about which way the psu was blowing air it is in through the pcu and out the back not in the back out the bottom (wow that doesnt sound right)

but those are all the stock fan sizes to isnt it? i know the 120 on the window pannel doesnt come with the case (it has the mounting for a fan but doeant actually have one)

[Rally Pig]

Nvm 100 on new egg lol

[TE | Hypo]

another thing about cooling is FLOW.  F  L  O  W.

make sure that the exhaust fans are at least 4-8 inches from the wall, and the air that gets blown out doesn't go into a dead end with no way out and the UP exhaust is free flow also.  One thing I noticed is you can heat a f'n room with a single computer, so make sure that the room you're in has flow as well.

[Rally Pig]

yea I made sure to do some sort of wire management before i even fired it up when i got it back..

Right now on new egg:

Antec 900 with shipping: $128

Antec Twelve Hundred no shipping with 20% off (offer good til oct 20): $140 

hmmm tough choice lol bout 35ish off reg for that twelve hundred is looking good lol

[Rally Pig]

Now im thinking of just adding a 120mm intake in the front of my case right under my optical drive, i was attempting to read stuff online about moving air through a case, positive and negative air movement and blah blah blah....here is a pic of my case (well not exactly my case just a pic i found online, just put the fan sizes on the pic)
currently there is a 80mm intake on the bottom front of the case, 120mm exhaust on the back, and i guess you could count the PSU? since it sucks air out with a 120mm on the bottom, the front of the case is mesh but has small holes, when you put you hand on it with the system on you can feel air moving through the case slightly:



I have no blow hole or fan on the side panel since its 1/2 Plexiglas, and if you draw a straight line from the top PCI expansion slot all the way across to the HDD cage thats my 8800  GT it stretches that far, more or less the question is can i just add the 120mm in the front with just the current 1 exhaust and 1 intake or do i have to add yet another exhaust fan (room and holes to mount 80mm in PCI expansion slots) ...only reason i ask is i keep reading you want the amount of air coming in to equal whats going out..im sure im thinking to far into this but figure ied ask

[Luggage]

To reiterate my earlier point, you really don't need any more cooling!

To answer your question, best is to add two fans: 1 (in) where optical drives are and 1 (out) where PCI slots are.  This way your case will be a perfect wind tunnel    If I had to choose just one fan, then I would go with the out fan, but that is highly unscientific personal preference since I believe that the hard part is pulling air out of the case at a rapid clip, not putting it in the case (that will just happen by laws of air pressure).

[Rally Pig]

thank you, makes more sense...more out less in...sometimes all i need is a simple answer lol and its hard to find sometimes

[Hitman Smurf]

Fans in the top of the case are awesome since, according to physics, warmer air will rise, so it is exahausted out the top and drawn out by the fan. One of the tricks of air cooling from back in the day was, as Luggage said, to create a wind tunnel with front fans and leave a couple PCI slot place holders out to allow air to flow out the back. Many cases nowadays have slots cut into these placeholders just for this reason.

[Rally Pig]

yea i was thinking about doing a blowhole at some point just sucks cause my case doesn't have one so ill have to drill a hole myself....

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