Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning we get a small commission if you make a purchase through our links, at no cost to you. For more information, please visit our Disclaimer Page.
Setting up a brand new computer for the first time can be an exciting thing for many people, and it doesn’t matter if it is a machine for business, entertainment, or both. It can be a good feeling knowing that you have a rig that will meet all of your needs, and even exploring some of a PC’s more mundane functions can be a fun adventure.
Although it may seem trivial, the precise placement of a desktop computer’s tower is something that can have important impacts on how you use it in the future. It is normal to place it on a desk, as the name suggests, but many computer owners wonder if they can place it elsewhere.
To that end, we will explore the possibility of placing the computer tower on the floor instead. As we do, we’ll talk about flooring in general, but we will also move to more specific types of flooring that you might have in your home or office.
We will go into some detail as to whether these different types are good or bad for your computer. After this, we can discuss laying the desktop tower in different configurations, and whether it is okay to put monitors or other things on top of the tower case.
Table of Contents
Is It Okay To Put a PC Tower on the Floor?
It can be okay to put your desktop computer’s tower on the floor.
However, as with many things in the tech world, this one would come with some caveats. For example, the type of flooring you have could make a difference. We will get deeper into that topic in our later sections, but some types of flooring can be less than ideal for the health of your PC.
Similarly, it could be easier to make the computer tower dirty on the outside. This is because dust and other debris can accumulate on the floor, a place to which we don’t always pay the proper attention.
Dust on the outside of the tower case isn’t necessarily a problem, but tiny particles might be able to make their way inside the unit as well. If this happens, more debris could start building up inside the PC tower over long periods. You may not notice it, but a big enough accumulation could start to affect the more sensitive electronic circuitry inside the casing of the computer.
Additionally, a heavy excess of dust on the inside could start to interfere with the cooling unit’s ability to do its job.
As the computer tends to heat up when it is performing complex operations, this inability to keep the parts cool could lead to other problems. Desktop parts that overheat could cause the machine to stutter, or it may shut down entirely as a safety precaution to keep things from burning out.
For the best results, it is a good idea for you to make sure that your computer is free of dust particles that could block things or insulate heat. This doesn’t mean that you can’t keep the tower on the floor, but you should clean it regularly.
You may wish to clean it on a schedule that is more regular than what you would do if the case was sitting on top of your desk, too.
If your space requirements are such that you absolutely must place the tower on the floor, you may wish to consider putting it on top of something. In this case, a small, raised platform that can still keep the tower flat might be a good idea. The structure of the platform needs to be able to take the weight of the tower sitting atop it indefinitely.
Therefore, you would want to make sure that the flat surface does not bend or buckle in any way once you place the unit on top of it. This option is something that could give you the best of both worlds, allowing you to keep the case for the PC very near to the floor, but not sitting on it so closely that the materials manage to block any vents the computer might use.
It is still a good idea to place it out of the way, and you may wish to keep an eye on it in order to clean it regularly. For the best ventilation here, choose a platform that is open at the sides and incorporates materials that do not absorb or retain heat.
Can I Put My PC Tower on Carpet?
Generally, most people in the computer world will not recommend putting the PC case on carpet. There are a few problems with doing so, but there are also ways you might mitigate these issues. We will tackle both of these in this section.
For the problems, the two main things you will have to deal with are probably going to be heat retention and dust accumulation.
Some of the same properties that make carpets nice during the cold winter months can make them harmful to desktop towers all year round. Carpets tend to insulate things more than other types of flooring, and that means that they trap heat better than their cousins. This can be bad for a computer in a couple of ways.
First, the carpet may provide too much heat retention for the tower itself. This can depend on the orientation of the case. If the carpet does insulate it too much, it can interfere with the fan’s ability to keep things cool on the inside.
In some cases, the carpet might be fluffy enough to block the ventilation that the fan needs in order to swap out air after it has passed over the parts that need to cool down. This same insulation can also cause the power supply unit to work harder than it needs to, and it could make this part heat up, shortening its life span.
The other major problem with carpet is in how it can trap dust or pet dander. We spoke already about how these things can build up and cause issues for the computer. In order to lessen this risk, it would be important for any users who prefer a floor orientation for their towers to clean or vacuum under the case quite regularly.
Typically, there are some major drawbacks to putting the computer tower on a surface like carpet, but there might be ways you can make it work. If you have a power supply fan that is pointing up, you can try flipping it to the opposite orientation.
Doing so could allow the fan and PSU to stay cool enough to function well. Furthermore, you could try adding another fan on the side of the case to help with more airflow and keeping things cool. We stress that this might not be a fix that would work for everyone, but it is worth trying if you have only carpet in your home and need to put the casing on the floor.
Can I Put a PC Tower on Tile?
Mostly, it should be fine to put your PC case on tile flooring. Some cases come with tempered glass, and it is possible that this glass can shatter if it somehow smacks against the hard tile.
Therefore, you would have to be careful not to bump or knock down the computer case if it was resting on such a floor. As long as the tower remains stable, the airflow on a tile floor should be sufficient for the computer’s needs.
Can I Lay My PC Tower on the Side?
Yes, you should be able to lay the tower of your computer on its side. However, you would have to make sure the hardware in your PC is suitable for this kind of position.
As long as everything inside has secure attachments to the appropriate brackets, you should not experience any issues here. If you know the location of your computer case’s vents, it is a good idea to point them up or out so that nothing will restrict the flow of air going on inside the unit.
Additionally, it is a good idea to make sure that the computer’s motherboard is not facing in a downward direction if you lay the tower on its side. While this isn’t too bad, your graphics processor might start to slide out of its position over time.
Can I Put Stuff on Top of My PC Tower?
It may be hard to organize your ideal setup for the computer tower and the rest of your items. If so, you can consider putting some of the smaller, lighter items on top of the tower. While towers are not necessarily something that developers design with this in mind, many of these cases can be quite robust.
They need to be tough and strong in order to protect the components inside, and that means that they should be able to take some small items that you would like to plug in or keep near the computer. The general rules to remember are that anything you put on top of the tower should not be too heavy or block any vents.
Is It OK To Put a Monitor on Top of a PC Case?
Just like with objects,it might be okay to put a computer monitor on top of your tower. However, if you are going to do this, make a simple test first.
Take the monitor in your hands and place it on the top of the casing lightly and gently. Look at the monitor and the surface of the case closely. If you notice the case start to bend in any way, it is having a hard time taking the monitor’s load, and you should remove the peripheral immediately.
Where Is the Best Place To Put Your PC Tower?
There is no single correct answer to this question. However, you can use some guidelines to help you find the best place for your tower. In any configuration, the best place will be in space you don’t use that is big enough to fit the tower comfortably. It should also be a place that is easy to clean and free of dust, and you should make sure it is not easy to knock it down or bump into it.
Conclusion
The floor under your desk might be some of the perfect space your computer needs in order to thrive out of sight and away from things that could damage it. However, you also have to make sure that it won’t insulate parts too much, can’t fall down easily, and is in an orientation that allows for proper airflow. For these reasons, carpet may not be ideal, but you might have other options.
