PC too noisy! Need tips getting it quiet.

[McPhee]

I built my computer back in August and for the most part im happy with it, apart from one thing. It's way too noisy!

My specs are as follows:

Case: Antec Nine Hundred
CPU: AMD X2 BE-2300
Mobo: Biostar TF560 A2+
GPU: Sapphire x1950 XTX
RAM: 2GB OCZ ATi Certified
HDD: Samsung Spinpoint
DVD: Samsung SATA
PSU: Corsair HX520

All with stock cooling.

So far im thinking about swapping out the fan on the GPU with an Arctic Cooling S1, but im a little nervous about doing this. How tricky is it? And will i need the turbo module?

For the CPU im a bit stuck. I did look at the Scythe Ninja, but it's too expensive and likely way more than i need to cool that processor. Any recommendations in the £10-£15 region would be welcome, going up to £20 if it's passive/silent.

Any other suggestions on getting it quieter are more than welcome

P.S. Im also after a height adjustable stand for my Samsung SM941BW, if anyone can shed any light on where to find one it'd be more than welcome.

P.P.S. Just an afterthought here before i break my mobo: will sticking duck tape over a couple of LEDs harm the board in any way? They're turning the light inside my case an annoying shade of purple...

[Max Tractor]

Some quiet case fans, a64 freezer for the cpu. Have you tried some blu-tak on the leds?

[staffsMike]

I think I would still get the ninja simple for the noise (or lack there of) I use one on my athlon 5000+ for that reason even though it doesn't need it.

There is the scythe mine which is a tad cheaper.

Changing the GPU cooler isn't too terrible usually. Just take your time with it and make sure you do it as per the instructions

After that I would assume if all the 900's fans are on low it will be very quiet.

[MSIC]

So far im thinking about swapping out the fan on the GPU with an Arctic Cooling S1, but im a little nervous about doing this. How tricky is it? And will i need the turbo module?

Changing the GPU cooler is usually quite easy, i've not used that particular Arctic Cooler but it usually only involves a screwdriver and a table. Turbo module???

For the CPU im a bit stuck. I did look at the Scythe Ninja, but it's too expensive and likely way more than i need to cool that processor. Any recommendations in the £10-£15 region would be welcome, going up to £20 if it's passive/silent.

Arctic Coolers are brilliant, get this for £11.

Any other suggestions on getting it quieter are more than welcome

Try having a read of this: Silent PC Review. It might be a bit overkill and techy, but is very good. You appear to have bought good stuff generally though, from a noise point of view (case good, CPU great, Hard drive great). If i've googled your motherboard correctly, there is also no fan on that so again good. Do you have your case fans spinning quickly or set to lower settings?
Also, how close to your case is your head generally?

[Blitzen]

Best thing for an Antec Nine Hundred is to turn ALL the case fans down to their lowest setting.

The case has excellent airflow so 'low' is the only setting required.

[McPhee]

This close:


Hence why the noise is annoying me.

Have you tried some blu-tak on the leds?

Great idea! Cheers for that one

I think I would still get the ninja simple for the noise (or lack there of) I use one on my athlon 5000+ for that reason even though it doesn't need it.

There is the scythe mine which is a tad cheaper.

I would if it wasn't for the amount of stuff im ordering. Im away to spend about £100 on parts, so the Ninja is pushing it a bit, i was kind of hoping there was a £15-£20 alternative. Maybe i'll skip the CPU heatsink and buy a Ninja when i have the cash?

After that I would assume if all the 900's fans are on low it will be very quiet.

Yup, all on low.

Turbo module???

This thing: Computer hardware and software at amazing prices, available online from Scan Computers UK

It's basically a pair of thin fans that clip on to the S1 to aid cooling. I'll probably just order it anyway, it's only £5. The trick seems to be finding the S1 in stock, Overclockers have them but at £18.79!

Arctic Coolers are brilliant, get this for £11.

How quiet is the Arctic Cooler? It's silence rather than performance im after.

Try having a read of this: Silent PC Review. It might be a bit overkill and techy, but is very good.

Very helpful site, thats where i heard about the S1. Elastic Hard Drive Suspension is a crazy idea!

If i've googled your motherboard correctly, there is also no fan on that so again good.

Thats the right mobo, yeah. I bought it because it was supposedly a good board to combine with my CPU, a few people got clocks of over 3GHz! Unfortunately i can't get it over 2.5

Cheers for all the help!

[donkiddik]

Hi, you could change your case fans for these :-
Computer hardware and software at amazing prices, available online from Scan Computers UK
nice and quiet with a decent airflow.

[Sprite]

Instead of the turbo module you could just zip tie a 120mm fan to the S1, results with it are pretty good.

[Lucio]

It might be worth switching the case fans for some quieter models, there's plenty of choise out there. Personally I have CoolerMaster red LED 120mm fans which are really quiet.

The next step is to try a new CPU cooler, yes many are expensive, but they're worth it. Personally I like my BigTyp 120VX, it's quiet, fairly easy to fit and does a good job at cooling the chip. At £30ish though it's not for everyone.

[McPhee]

Well i might be able to afford a Ninja after all, just got a bargain on my mouse! Logitech G5 for £30

I think i'll look at case fans another time, they're drowned out by the GPU at the moment so i can't really tell if they are too loud. No point replacing perfectly good fans

[staffsMike]

no point changing the antec fans until you have sorted the main cause of the problem. Tri-Cools on low are pretty damn close to silent.

[pp05]

Have a look at vortex cooler for CPU. I've seen a few reviews of this saying you cannot hear it - not suprising when it's rated 2200rpm max.

[MSIC]

This close:

Understood. Any chance of moving it a little, or not really? Sound ( as measured in db) generally falls dramatically with fairly minor distance increases, and the pitch of it can often be muffled by a little something separating the emitter & ear (ie a desk).

How quiet is the Arctic Cooler? It's silence rather than performance im after.

The AC for the CPU is one very, very quiet fan. Put it this way - i can't hear mine because of the noise from my fairly quiet hard drive spinning normally. Oh, and just to be really picky (sorry) it's quiet that you are after, not silence. Silence is an absolute with no qualifying needed. Quietness is a measurable and variable issue.

no point changing the antec fans until you have sorted the main cause of the problem. Tri-Cools on low are pretty damn close to silent.

Agreed. I have 2 Tri-cools in my case, and as said, i can't hear them above the noise of my hard drive (which is pretty much the only thing that makes noise generally in my system).

Edit: Just need to add that I use Speedfan to slow down my CPU fan a little. A really, really great utility that took a more than a couple of minutes to learn and understand, but worth it.

Edit again: Now this post over at [H]ardOCP forums is looking pretty cool and useful.....

[McPhee]

I've put this on hold for now, it's nigh on impossible to find an S1! Some places have them, but at a premium.

Im gonna hold on the CPU cooler too, theres no point making that silent if the graphics card is still doing it's hoover impersonation!

Cheers for the help guys, i'll save this thread for whenever Scan get the S1 back in stock.

[amjedm]

Wondering if one of the solutions in the following thread could do the trick for the graphics card?

http://forums.hexus.net/graphics-car...d-cheaply.html

[Webby]

For Graphics card cooling you can look at the Thermalright HR03 probably a touch expensive mind by the time you add a fan its looking at £25+ (depending on fan).

CPU cooler wise the Ninja is a good choice but look at the Thermalright Ultima 90 pair it with a quiet 120mm fan and you wont even know its there! Will cost ~£28 including a quiet fan so similar to the ninja and its quite a bit smaller.

Or for ~£200 you could put in a decent water cooling kit But that may be a touch on the extravagant side!