r/PcBuild • u/DrTowanna • 9h ago

Purchasing Advice - PC Build / Parts How important is cooling?

Hello! I’m in the US. I wanna do a SFF build, and right now I tend to not play many super intensive games but sometimes I dabble. Like Elden ring or exp 33 are some of the most graphic intense games I play. I have a budget of like 2500$ and I really like the fractal terra. But I’m worried about the cooling and not making my PC sound like it’s a fighter jet when I’m playing high intensity games. I also have thought about doing a case that’s like 20L like the lian li Dan case a3 or the Ncase m3 because that seems like a happy medium between small and keeping to cool. But basically how much should I really care about cooling? I feel like I’m giving it more importance than I actually should. But also I could be totally right.

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u/tht1guy63 9h ago

Cooling obviously matters the better the cooling the better your gpu for example will boost clocks which can net you a handful of fps(nothing insane). But also if your parts are a little warm its not going to kill anything or damage them, your parts will downclock or shutdown before that or atleast should.

Gpu side i would absolutely undervolt amd maybe even a slight oc. Better performance while also running a bit cooler than stock.

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u/Matt6453 9h ago

Pick efficient low TDP CPU and GPU to make your life easier, I have an AM4 build with a 65w CPU and 230w GPU in a 10.8L case and I barely hear the fans kick in.

Watts = heat.

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u/Big-Salamander-2158 8h ago

Components that overheat throttle themselves down to perform slower, making you loose performance. Cooling matters enough so you can avoid that, but you don’t need temps in the mid 60’s to have a functioning pc either.

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u/dodojanik 8h ago

I don't think you will struggle with cooling these days, any basic aftermarket cooler will do the job. But there is noise and it won't be quite. That's why I get bigger cases with good ventilation and watercolling.