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I want to install a new SSD in my desktop PC, which already has 3 conventional HDs in it. The current HDs are installed in the front 3.5" bays, with a 80mm fan cooling them, and I'd rather not install the SSD there, since then there would be 4 disks in a relatively small space. I'm thinking about installing the SSD in one of the 5.25" bays, or even in the floppy disk bay, but then it would be out of the way of the air current that goes through the case and cools it (air enters my case through the front fan, goes through the 3 HDs and exists through the rear vent; obviously, an SSD in the 5.25º bay on top would be "out of the way").

Are SSDs as sensitive to overheating as mechanical HDs? My experience says that with the latter, if they regularly run at 45ºC or above, their life gets shortened. What's the maximum "safe" temperature with SSDs? Can you run them without cooling?

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    Solid-state components are usually more forgiving of temperature extremes than mechanisms such as a hard disk's HDA, but it's hard to say for certain what your SSD can tolerate. To know for sure, you'll need the permissible temperature range (both constant and "never exceed"), which is probably listed in the SSD documentation or online, and you'll need to see what temps it reaches when mounted in each of your various candidate positions. Intuitively, I'd say the 5.25" bay would allow for sufficient convection to be OK, but the only way to be sure is to try it and see. Jul 8, 2013 at 22:08

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Typically no, you will not need any additional cooling for an SSD drive. They use about 1W of power compared to the 6-8W consumed by their spinning counter parts. Less power in = less heat out. Additionally as stated by Aaron miller, check the heat ratings on the SSD itself. I imagine with the addition of the SSD the other 4 spinners will be used less and the overall temp inside your case will drop as a result.

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