Sorry, but I just can’t deal with a big, bulky PC on my desk. I’m already juggling a pair of 27-inch monitors, a couple of boxy Bluetooth speakers, a full-size mechanical keyboard, and the occasional connected laptop. Cramming a PC case next to those other components is just too much. But putting your PC beneath your desk comes with its own set of problems, as my colleague Dominic Bayley learned the hard way.
Let me cut to the chase: I’d never put my PC on the floor without a stand. Many makes and models are available on Amazon, but I settled on this Syba floor stand, which costs a reasonable $17.
Ben Patterson/Foundry
Why does a PC under a desk need a stand? Even if your PC case has its own feet (which have an evil tendency to fall off), your system will be just millimeters away from the floor—and that means dust, hair, bugs, and spider webs, all conspiring to block your PC’s airflow intake.
The situation gets worse if your floor is carpeted. Even low-pile carpet can clog a PC’s air vents, and as your CPU and GPU heat up, they’re prone to throttling. That’s especially bad news for gamers.
One more threat to consider for PCs on the floor: moisture. My office is in the basement, and we’ve had our fair share of water seepage over the past few years. Even less than an inch of water could be enough to short-circuit your on-the-ground PC’s power supply.
I’ve purchased three of these nifty floor stands—one for each of the PCs I’ve built—and they’ve served me well over the years. The stand itself is best described as a plastic, X-shaped bracket with an adjustable width between 6 to 10 inches. The bracket feels thick and sturdy; I’ve never had any concerns that my PC was in danger of tipping out of the stand.
Ben Patterson/Foundry
A set of casters is included. With those installed, the bottom of your PC would be a good 4 inches off the floor—high enough to keep your system’s air intake vents clear even on high-pile carpet. (I choose not to use the casters, and my PC is still roughly 2 inches off the floor.)
Even if this exact floor stand for your PC isn’t to your liking, there are plenty of alternatives on Amazon. And trust me—you need something for your PC to sit on if it’s going under your desk, unless you like the idea of dust bunnies cozying up to your graphics card.