How many of you leave the your case sides off? (Open Air?)

Do you leave your case open?

  • Yes

    Votes: 18 8.7%

  • No

    Votes: 144 69.2%

  • Sometimes

    Votes: 39 18.8%

  • You still use a case?

    Votes: 7 3.4%
  • Total voters
    208
Closed. Its only left open if work is progressing slowly. My sff was open for a few weeks with a HDD hanging out. Temps and dust are better if its closed up, that and it just looks cleaner.
 
never, i have a fan in the front of my case, 2 on top and 1 in the back (all 120's) i have no need to take my sides off.
 
I leave mine off simply because I am too lazy to finish making the acrylic side panel. Both my CPU and GPUs are watercooled though so perfect airflow isn't as important to me.
 
I was formerly running open air, but I got a Corsair Air 540 last month and now I'm closed again
 
Depends if im working on it or forgot to close it or trying diff drives, etc. Sometimes it's off for a day, a week a month, other time it's always on :D

how's that for an answer ;)
 
Usually closed. Work PC used to be open for accessibility. Now that its in a nice case its closed. Helps with noise too! I do have two test benches mounted vertically though. Just motherboard trays on a board.
 
Benchtable type of cases are by far the best for air cooling, and you don't need any additional fans.
I've been through many types of cases, water cooling, but ended up going back to open air case (dimastech).
It is simple and effective, not only shows whole rig better than any case with even the best window, but provides great cooling with minimal amount of fans.
 
Winter, always closed.

Summer in texas, with 3 monitors going near by in a small room and ambient temps creeping to 75f + ill usually pull a side just out of habit.

Honestly it really should not be needed if the case is decently setup.
 
I leave it on. Better temps with it on. I know how to setup air flow in cases. If you have worse air flow with the side panel off, you're doing it wrong.
 
I leave mine off for the last few years. Easier to test parts without have to open the case up.
 
Leave mine open most of the time, except when going to a LAN....
 
Occasionally leave the side panel off, live in the desert, it gets hot here. But mostly leave it off when tinkering with the insides, swapping hard drives, video cards, etc. Otherwise too much dust and the panels are on.
 
I honestly only ever have my side case off when I am testing, cleaning, or trying to troubleshoot any possible problems. Otherwise it is pointless IMO to have the fans you have in there if you do not have a good flow of air. Leaving your case open, if you use a case, would defeat the purpose of using the case IMO.
 
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