Zdez Zaphareon
New Member
My opinion would be, don't cheap out. Make a solid product anyone owning a surface would say "I need this now". Anyway cheers mate, hope to see its final form.
Custom Fan - Get More From Your SP3!
- Thread starter Cothek
- Start date
Its a great effort, but my opinion is that if I have to go to this extent, then I really just bought the wrong device and I should have just bought a proper laptop to start with. I in no way need this or anything of the sort now or soon. This is not why I bought the device. I'd have got the absurdly cheaper sp2 if I was in that much of a need for power in the form factor. It just makes me think of all those people with their camera lenses attachments for their iPhone that make them think they've suddenly got a high end device suited for the task. I'm not going to sacrifice what is has going for it to fail at trying to rectify what it doesn't. Do in now need to attach a usb hub if I want to plug a controller into it for the increased gaming experience? If I needed power, id buy power, not a sp3
Zdez Zaphareon
New Member
Well I have both a gaming rig and an sp3 and I don't get what's so Wrong in adding things to your personal machine if that's what you want. If you don't like it or don't plan on using it, don't go telling everyone that they made the wrong choice buying an sp3. Not everyone can afford a top of the line gaming rig and an sp3 like I do, maybe there's someone who really needs this attachment because it's their only machine.
OP
Cothek
Active Member
I hope this response is not taken as angry or upset because I am neither, but confused and concerned.
I don't understand posts like this...really what is the point? I appreciate your opinion and respect your choice but what are you trying to say? That I'm wasting my time? Or worse that I'm an idiot for doing this? I know that may be extreme but please think of how a comment like this sounds to me or the people who do want it. Criticism is welcome but at least make it constructive.
I am not forcing anyone to buy this nor do I want to. My goal as a member is to promote this community and provide them with something that I have spent my own time and money on to make their SP3 better. The goal of this thread is to promote people hacking/modding their SP3 to get more from it and unfortunately comments like this work against all those things.
Please don't take this personally hughle because you are not the first to post in this vain as this is more to the community as a whole.
Telstar1948
Active Member
Personally, I don't have a heat issue with my SP3 because it doesn't seem to have the "bug" that some few do where just doing ordinary work with it causes it to heat up and the fan to run full out. I think most SP3's do not have this "bug," which is really a defect of sorts. Keep in mind those posting such issues are probably only a small percentage of SP3 owners since mostly only those with an issue seek forums for help and end up posting their SP3 problem.
Having said that, then, due to the form factor, there are those owners doing heavy-weight work on their SP3 that causes it to heat up and the fan to run as fast as it can. If you're following my drift here, I'm talking about two different issues: one is a defect pure and simple, while the other is a limitation of the technology with heat dissipation in the SP3's very thin form factor.
I believe that if someone wants to game and/or do heavy, intense work that causes the CPU/GPU to really "spin" and produce a lot of heat, then there's a choice: get another device of a different form factor or do what you can to cool the SP3 through whatever method works for you. I realize I'm spelling out the obvious here.
My choice is I won't worry about my personal use and office use with my SP3 because, so far, heat & a runaway fan isn't a problem...BUT, if I decide I'm going to do some gaming or work that's really CPU/GPU intensive, I'm going to stick a fan on that sucker to cool it down. In fact, I've got a USB Artic Fan on order. When I get it I'm going to stick it in the closest USB connector on my Dock because any gaming or other intense stuff will be done at my desktop setup where the Dock is.
Like I said, I have no intention of using a fan unless by my own activity I run into that thermal wall that the SP3 form factor has, and then I'll use the fan. Either way is good for me.
Having said that, then, due to the form factor, there are those owners doing heavy-weight work on their SP3 that causes it to heat up and the fan to run as fast as it can. If you're following my drift here, I'm talking about two different issues: one is a defect pure and simple, while the other is a limitation of the technology with heat dissipation in the SP3's very thin form factor.
I believe that if someone wants to game and/or do heavy, intense work that causes the CPU/GPU to really "spin" and produce a lot of heat, then there's a choice: get another device of a different form factor or do what you can to cool the SP3 through whatever method works for you. I realize I'm spelling out the obvious here.
My choice is I won't worry about my personal use and office use with my SP3 because, so far, heat & a runaway fan isn't a problem...BUT, if I decide I'm going to do some gaming or work that's really CPU/GPU intensive, I'm going to stick a fan on that sucker to cool it down. In fact, I've got a USB Artic Fan on order. When I get it I'm going to stick it in the closest USB connector on my Dock because any gaming or other intense stuff will be done at my desktop setup where the Dock is.
Like I said, I have no intention of using a fan unless by my own activity I run into that thermal wall that the SP3 form factor has, and then I'll use the fan. Either way is good for me.
malberttoo
Well-Known Member
There are probably a lot of SP3 owners that would like to have (but not MUST have) the option to do a little heavier gaming on their machines once in a while. If this cooling fan gives them that ability, where before they did not have the option, I see only positive things about that.
Zdez Zaphareon
New Member
Oh and cothek when you have a finalized "product/prototype" would you mind selling me one, I'd really like to push the limits a bit further and is there a way we could maybe change the fans to Idk a noctua (the really small one) to improve on the life of the device.
Geek.Verve
Member
Haters gonna hate. Some people just confuse simple difference of opinion with one being right and the other wrong.
Nice work on the mod, Cothek.
Great work Cothek. I'm sorry I didn't reply to you on the Microsoft forum until now, I love your idea. I was going to run the test with my Arctic USB fan as soon as I saw your post, but during that time was a heat wave that caused 90 degree F ambient temperatures, so I decided to wait until it got a bit cooler. I'll post one here when I get the time.
Regardless, aiming it is a bit of a pain and you seem to get slightly better results from the perfect angle, so even at $50+ I would be willing to try your design. I just have two questions and one comment. First, I see the notch for the USB in your design. Does a USB cable being plugged in stabilize the attachment and allow it to stay on even at the sharpest upright kickstand angle? Also, I don't see a notch for the display port. Is that port still accessible when the duct is attached?
Edit: I apologize for this next bit. I didn't take my advice and am restating information that has already been discussed earlier in the forum. Read at your own risk.
Finally, my two cents worth. Instead of going through all the trouble of attaching a battery pack to the back of the Surface, don't forget that there is a USB port on the Surface's power brick that is perfect for powering fans like this. As the Surface's battery is horrible while pushing the CPU I always have it plugged in anyway when doing anything that would require a fan, so I just plug it directly into the 1A USB port on the charging brick. I use a Razer Orochi mouse, so if I really wanted to use the fan without plugging in my surface I would just use the internal USB (or the usb passthrough in my USB to Ethernet) to power it and run my mouse in bluetooth mode instead of USB.
Regardless, aiming it is a bit of a pain and you seem to get slightly better results from the perfect angle, so even at $50+ I would be willing to try your design. I just have two questions and one comment. First, I see the notch for the USB in your design. Does a USB cable being plugged in stabilize the attachment and allow it to stay on even at the sharpest upright kickstand angle? Also, I don't see a notch for the display port. Is that port still accessible when the duct is attached?
Edit: I apologize for this next bit. I didn't take my advice and am restating information that has already been discussed earlier in the forum. Read at your own risk.
Finally, my two cents worth. Instead of going through all the trouble of attaching a battery pack to the back of the Surface, don't forget that there is a USB port on the Surface's power brick that is perfect for powering fans like this. As the Surface's battery is horrible while pushing the CPU I always have it plugged in anyway when doing anything that would require a fan, so I just plug it directly into the 1A USB port on the charging brick. I use a Razer Orochi mouse, so if I really wanted to use the fan without plugging in my surface I would just use the internal USB (or the usb passthrough in my USB to Ethernet) to power it and run my mouse in bluetooth mode instead of USB.
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Here, for those of you who didn't see my post on the Microsoft forums a month ago about the Arctic USB fan and have questions about the under $10 alternative:
Fan running off of a USB extension plugged into the 1A USB port on the Surface power brick to keep the Surface's USB port open.
Alternative with fan running straight off of the Surface. Nice because it doesn't need to be adjusted when moving the Surface around.
I have not had a problem with the goose neck bending back over time even after a couple hours, but I did notice that this is only effective if the ambient temperature is under 85-90 degrees F. When ambient temperatures get around there, the SP3 will throttle regardless. I noticed because I live in a desert climate where electricity (and air conditioning) is extremely expensive and has to be used sparingly. I wonder if the duct fan and its perfect angle to the SP3 could deal with the ambient temperature better, but I'm not keeping my hopes up.
Fan running off of a USB extension plugged into the 1A USB port on the Surface power brick to keep the Surface's USB port open.
Alternative with fan running straight off of the Surface. Nice because it doesn't need to be adjusted when moving the Surface around.
I have not had a problem with the goose neck bending back over time even after a couple hours, but I did notice that this is only effective if the ambient temperature is under 85-90 degrees F. When ambient temperatures get around there, the SP3 will throttle regardless. I noticed because I live in a desert climate where electricity (and air conditioning) is extremely expensive and has to be used sparingly. I wonder if the duct fan and its perfect angle to the SP3 could deal with the ambient temperature better, but I'm not keeping my hopes up.
OP
Cothek
Active Member
To answer your questions Justin6, the black thing with the smiley face is not a batter pack but a usb hub and yes the power port has a USB plug but when I use the power cord the brick is not close enough to use.
Currently the SP3 Duct does cover the display port but I am working on a version that gives access to both ports.
Also, if you or anyone with the Arctic fan can post a XTU GPU and CPU stress run for 10-20 min that would be sweet.
Currently the SP3 Duct does cover the display port but I am working on a version that gives access to both ports.
Also, if you or anyone with the Arctic fan can post a XTU GPU and CPU stress run for 10-20 min that would be sweet.
