How cold is too cold?

[BootlegUsher]

So with air cooling the goal is to lower air temperature as much as possible so the components run better. However, is there a limit to this before the components get too cold?

For example, if you put your computer outside and had -20 degree air running through it, would you have unbelievable performance or just freeze up and break?

[MarkOne]

the problem is the humidity, if you make your computer run outside, the water in the air will not condense in the PC, but if you take air from outside and cool your PC inside with it, you have chance the humidity in the hot air of the apartment condense in the case, unless you make sure it's air tight and only air from outside reach the inside of the case.

[Dr_BenD_over]

Commercial electronic components generally aren't spec'd to run below 0ºC.

[Arinoth]

If you want to ruin your pc parts sure go right ahead, otherwise you do not want to do this. Moisture in the air (you know, rain/snow) would get into the pc and basically short/fry everything leaving you with a cold shell of a pc.

[Sushi Warrior]

CPU itselft can go to -100 to -200C, but the HDD and DVD drive would have some serious issues past -20C I would think. Fans also may start to fail below -20C, but I really can't say as I have never tried it before. My advice? Keep it above -10C and you're good, that has been done many times before.

[lowfat]

If you can keep the HDD warm and the rest of the system dry then keep it as cold as you want.

[Jake_HT]

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