If we’re building PCs here, i wanna hear your opinions on (A)RGB LEDs. 5V, 12V, single color, addressable. MFing Lights.

What’s your preferred amount? Just a few LED fans? Or some RGB RAM sticks? Maybe just on your CPU cooler? Or a single solitary LED strip?

Maybe you’re like me. Maybe you need more. Maybe your build isn’t complete unless everything is glowing and synced. LED strip, LED fans, CPU cooler, GPU, the works. Why can’t a PC be functional and fun to look at?

Or maybe you want no LEDs at all. Maybe you’re a Noctua fan. Maybe you cringe at the idea of PC components that light up more than absolutely necessary.

So let’s hear it. How much lighting is enough? Is there such a thing as enough, or too much for you?

  • @jetAEnglish
    5•9 months ago

    I just want the computer to work. Without any problems. Without extra debugging. Removing lights keeps it simple. Keeps the component simple. Keeps the heat down. Less things to fail.

    • PyroEnglish
      3•9 months ago

      Keeps the heat down.

      Weak LED lights like those produce barely any heat at all, unless you’re talking about fitting an incandescent bulb inside your case?

      • @jetAEnglish
        1•9 months ago

        It’s still excess heat. Especially if you don’t have the computer in a place where you can inspect the lights. It’s just wasted energy. Wasted energy becomes heat.

        It’s extra circuitry, extra power going through the system, extra electromagnetic interference. It complicates a system. That’s fine for people who want it, I’m just listing the reasons why I don’t want it

        • PyroEnglish
          1•9 months ago

          Ah that makes more sense. I feel like wasted energy is a much better reason for not having LEDs than excess heat.

          It almost feels like saying you don’t like a car because of its colour rather than because it eats 3x as much fuel compared to anything else in its class. Both are valid reasons to dislike it, but one is kinda more important than the other.

          • @jetAEnglish
            1•9 months ago

            Wasted energy becomes heat. 100%.

            It’s like not liking a car, that has a cosmetic spoiler on it. It actually slows the car down, unless you’re a high performance track car that needs that extra downward pressure. Most spoilers you see are merely cosmetic. Actually hurting car performance.