Never Buy One Of These

External cooling fans for your Nintendo Switch Dock, Xbox One, or PS4 are NEVER a good idea. Not only are they completely unnecessary, they could even make your device HOTTER. If your console is overheating, send it in! Or maybe you just THINK it's overheating...

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[reanimated]

3:38 "Get a different dock"

don't get a third-party dock if you value your Switch's life

[HeyNiso]

I've never bought a game console fan ever...

Because that'd be Human Trafficking.

[danielharman]

Incorrect. Air blowing onto something actually does cool it down. For example imagine a piece of metal sitting in air that is a lower temperature than the metal. The metal heats up the air around it to equalize the temperatures. When air blows past it, the heated air around the metal is taken with it so that the metal will then Cool quicker with cooler air surrounding it.

[BErNzproductions]

I am engineer in electronics and heat dpes affect the consoles even if you dont notice, because the more heat the more the integrated circuits degrade.

[kash]

The misinformation in this video is so strong I feel compelled to restate some of the comments:

1. You won't "definitely notice" if your console is running hot. Newer components "thermal throttle" reducing performance instead of dying/incorrectly rendering.

2. Circulating more ambient air into a console, when done correctly, results in a cooler operating temperature which can increase performance of components that are throttling

3. Heat dissipation in computers is heavily dependent on airflow direction, pressure and CFM. Not wanting to get too technical here, but fans and blowing air is completely relevant to heat dissipation in computers and consoles

[johnnyquest]

Just talked for 8 minutes but no actual tests or thermometer differences on consoles themselves 🤦🏻‍♂️

[AmyGrrl]

I kind of want him to prove they don't work other than saying they don't work. Actually open the console and install a bunch of temperature sensors inside. Then monitor the temperatures with and with the cooler. I do think he is most likely correct. However I would prefer a more in depth analysis about how the coolers work when attached to a console.

[GraveUypo]

another case of extrapolation from one's own situation to everyone else's.
go live in a tropical / equatorial country and say that again. sometimes you get a 20c headstart on everyone else from idle temperatures. believe it or not, consoles are not made to operate at 40c room temperatures. i don't use these on my consoles, but i can clearly see situations where they would help.

btw, 1:47 was joke, right? please tell me it was. in case it wasn't, here are some reasons where increased airflow helps cooling a system:
- as more air passes, it effectively increases surface area for all components, specially the heatspreaders, since they are making contact with more air in the same amount of the.
- it moves air in and out of the system faster, which means that not only the hot air gets pushed out faster, but it also means it doesn't let the heat accumulate as much inside the casing.
the compound effect of those means it makes contact with more air, and that air is cooler on top of it. how can it NOT get cooler than with a slower airflow? the only way for that would be if the cpu was somehow below ambient temperature, which isn't very likely. so think for a bit before making a video.

one more thing, the serial fan configuration isn't optimal but it works... i have one of those fans on my laptop and it decreases full load temperatures by a whooping 30c. yep, 30 fucking degrees celcius. simply because the external fan has a MUCH higher airflow rating than the internal one, and thus moves more air through the system faster. which again proves my previous point.

sheesh. stop spreading misinformation. you had a valid point in saying these are preying on the fear of a problem that isn't there with very few exceptions, but everything else you said was garbage.

[SSLP]

“It isn’t built like a computer” except that it is a computer and it is built exactly like one, albeit much more compact like a laptop. It isn’t supposed to get hot and getting to certain temperatures is just as bad for it as the BIOS protection forcibly cutting power to the main board. It’s fine for it to be a bit warm but not hot, the switch for example will average around 15 degrees Celsius from its automatic off temperature. It’s never good to run anything electronic at high temperatures for extended periods ever, even if it’s several degrees below the point it turns off.

[SteamPoweredFox]

How can you say air flow only cools humans because of evaporation and then go on to explain how a CPU's metal heat sink works? And what do you think happens when exhaust fans displace hot air from a system? Do you think air isn't pulled in from other places? Do you think the inside of your console is a completely airless vacuum?

[LazyBunnyKiera]

Oh Wulff Den, your entire video was based on air flow, but left out air pressure, and resistance/restriction.
The vent mesh on the top of a 360 for example restricts air flow. Since the fans blow out, it'll be limited by how quickly or easily air can be sucked into the system's other vents. Slapping a fan on an intake vent to push air in will help compensate for the restrictions.

It's why PCs have both intake fans AND fans blowing outwards. IE Push/Pull configurations.
That said... that 360 fan that slaps on top of the existing fans was pretty silly.
As for the switch, a dock with a fan on it that cools the back of the unit would be good too. Since it does radiate heat out of the back shell.
And lastly, you said "so long as it's working, heat isn't a problem." but just because it isn't a problem now, doesn't mean it doesn't have lasting affects. Over time it could warp solder joints, warp plastics, and break down components. So just because it works now, doesn't mean it's good enough.

[Napster]

Keeping your temperatures lower WILL increase the lifespan of your console.. or any computer component.. Adding another fan to a console in line with your other fans WILL INCREASE the suction/ pressure of the air going threw the console. This can be VERY helpful on consoles with restrictive vents. like the Switch and PS4
THIS GUY IS WRONG saying that air moving faster over components and internal coolers isin't helpful. Im shocked at the like to dislike amounts showing so many people that actually trust this uninformed guy.
If you want to buy a fan to help keep your console cool GO FOR IT. most of them (not all) will help your console live longer.

[jessef]

I bought a USB desk fan and put it about 6" behind my switch and took the back door off my dock...temps never exceed 29C blowing air on computer parts DOES cool it down...who woulda thought

[Astryx]

except in this video you're wrong, and its doesn't take a scientist to tell you that more airflow/air pressure will reduce temperatures its just common sense.

[Flakisx]

As a electrician that worked on helicopters, I rather have as much air cooling as possible than bare minimum for electronics so yes even that fan that goes on the switch helps circulate cooler air helps out.

[schmlif]

My game took over 10 SECONDS to load, must be overheating.

[SyedHousein]

My Nintendo Switch keep getting hot and shutting down while playing long sessions of Xenoblade Chronicles 2. I bought that dock fan and it actually worked. But after watching this video, all I had to do was rip off the back door of the dock. lol

[thorodinson]

When they were big for the 360, I heard those external fans were actually contributing to them overheating. My friend bought one and his xbox got the red rings, he was able to send it back and get a new one. Put the cooler on it and he got the red rings on it as well within a couple weeks. After that, got a replacement and didn’t use a cooler again, and no issues

[xLTxVEGAx]

Honestly the best way to get sufficient cooling isn't targeting the fan that's preinstalled. Id recommend replacing the craptastic thermal paste they use to mass produce the consoles. The original thermal paste is like a rubbery coating over the cpu die, it's supposed to be more of a paste. When the thermal paste dries up it loses it's heat conductivity making the cpu hotter and making the temp sensor ramp up the fans to max speed. Thermal paste replacement will not only increase heat dissipation but it will help extend the max life of your fans and console. Now if you're afraid of taking your console apart then the only thing I could recommend it making sure it's in a well ventilated area.

[SolaireFlair]

I think the Switch is a special case here where this could actually be beneficial. As we all know, the Switch has a lovely little warping issue from extended use in docked mode on more demanding titles like Breath of the Wild, so keeping that puppy even just a little bit cooler could alleviate the problem in the long run. Just because the Switch isn't experiencing performance decreases from the heat it outputs doesn't mean there aren't any side effects.