New Build - Silent but deadly !!

[Pazza]

Hi all,

I have the chance to build myself a new PC. I already have the accessories, Dell 24" monitor, hard drives etc..

What's important to me is silence! I hate noisy PC's. So, I put this together - what do you think?

Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 G0 SLACR, Kentsfield Core, Socket 775, 2.40 GHz 1066MHz 8MB Cache - £115
Gigabyte GA-EP45-DS3, iP45 Express, S775, PCI-E 2.0x16, DDR2 1066/1200/800, SATA II, ATX - £77
Sapphire HD 4850 Toxic Edition 512MB GDDR3 Dual DVI HDTV Out PCI-E Graphics Card - £155
4GB (2x2GB) Corsair TwinX DDR2 XMS2 Dominator, PC2-8500(1066), 240Pin, NonECC Unbuffered, CAS 5, EPP - £80
Scythe Ninja-CU Full Copper Heatsink with Quiet Fan *Limited Edition* - £43
650W Be Quiet Dark Power PRO BN073 Modular PSU 87% Eff - £99

All this comes to just below £600 which is just about what I want to spend.

Any futher suggestions? I am not really big into games, so the gfx card is more than enough for the few times I do play games. I do alot of photo editing via photoshop and now getting into video editing HD as I got a Canon HF10 now

EDIT: revised spec here> http://forums.hexus.net/hexus-hardwa...ml#post1496260

[ikix]

If you are wanting a silent pc your biggest problem will be the graphics card, find a afterstock cooler for it that you can run passivley or chuck a nice big fan on. For the price it might be a better option to get the 4870 link (only £20 more, and will last much longer).

You could get away with a cheaper/less powerful power supply, maybe the corsair HX620 link

You also dont need that speed RAM as the processor won't need anything that fast, this should do a bit better and help reduce some costs link

[Pazza]

I see your point on the PSU, thanks.

But the reason I chose the Sapphire HD 4850 Toxic Edition was because it was modified to run cooler/quiet and more capable of being overclocked to nearly match the 4870 if required. If I upgrade to the 4870, surely this would need a modification to run cool/quiet etc. and add another £50 or more to the cost!

The memory - am I wrong to think the processor/mobo/memory combination all run at 1066fsb? that's why I chose that particular combination. What reason would it be better to run memory at 800fsb? I'm not to up on this sort of thing!

[staffsMike]

You are wrong yeah, the RAM's real FSB is multiplied by two to achieve that figure. The CPU is multiplied by 4.

So the 1066MHz CPU is actually 266MHz and the PC8500 is actually 533MHz.

The most you will ever need for the Q6600 in light of this is PC6400 (800MHz.. 400MHz real) which is enough for the Q6600 to run at 3.6GHZ

The power supply you have picked is fine but you don't need all that power. The 550W version of it will be more than enough as will the corsair 520W HX or enermax 525W Modu82+ all of which are the best choices, which one you choose is up to you

If you got a standard HD4850 and changed the cooler to an arctic cooling accelero (£15) and an undervolts yate loon (£5) attached to it, you will have superior quiet cooling and it will run about half the temps it does with the stock cooler. It will also work for the HD4870

[Pazza]

ahh! I uderstand it now ref. memory etc..

Any comments on the mobo selection?

[Koolpc]

I am like you. I hate a noisey PC! Can't hear mine much. sitting under the desk and i can just about hear it!! Have a Corsair 520w PSU. Superb!! Best i have ever had for reliability and quietness. Got a Zalman heatsink and fan on graphics card, can't hear that. Hard drive is on foam, so silent too!! Using a Thermalright heatsink with 120 fan on CPU, again, quiet! Does the Mobo have a fan on the northbridge? Mine has a passive heatink.

[ta2]

You seem to be missing the most important part of a quiet computer - the case. If you can afford it, I would have to say the P190 is the ideal choice. Dual layer side panels for noise dampening, 200mm side fan (bigger fan = less RPM = quieter), dual 120mm top fans (same reason). It's VERY expensive though.

http://www.3dgameman.com/content/view/8956/48/

I have an Antec "Nine Hundred", which has a similar cooling system (200mm top, up to 3x150mm and 1x120mm), but doesn't have the noise dampening. However, it's *A LOT* cheaper. Also in the series are the ultra-cheap "Three Hundred" and the more expensive "Twelve Hundred". It's the most quiet PC I have built since the Pentium3 days.

You may also want to take a look at Zalman. They make very quiet PSUs, HSFs and VGA coolers.

http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductId=683701
http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductId=369640
http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductId=614468
http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductId=683702

At the end of the day more noise means colder, less noise means hotter. The main thing is copper + low RPM fans.


P.S. You didn't mention hard drives - they make a fair bit of heat and it you have many of them for use in RAID like me, that menas lots of heat. My Nine Hundred has 6 hard drives in, and my E8500 runs at about 54C at full CPU load, and around 58-59 after the 8800GT starts spewing out out.

[Pazza]

Ref. the case, I already have an Antec P180 and I am going to reduce my hard drive down to 1x 500gb for now until a good priced SSD based one is out - I am installing all other hard drives in my server which will be stored somewhere out of the way.

I also spotted that there is a Arctic Cooling Accelero TWIN TURBO. Maybe one of these with the HD4870?

[Koolpc]

No need to get a case with dampening panel etc etc. You have a nice case.

[rufeo]

You seem to be missing the most important part of a quiet computer - the case. If you can afford it, I would have to say the P190 is the ideal choice. Dual layer side panels for noise dampening, 200mm side fan (bigger fan = less RPM = quieter), dual 120mm top fans (same reason). It's VERY expensive though.

That case may be a bit overkill.... I've got the P190 and whilst I do love it, there are some things which I don't particularly like.

First off the advantages, the side panels do seem to make a difference to noise. The 200mm side fan is great as you can run it on low and still get good airflow without much noise, but that comes at the expense of a huge hole for sound to travel out of the case. The dual top fans are 140mm not 120mm, which also let you run them on low for the same reason. The case is huge! I've got a gtx260 in there at the moment and still got alot of space between the end of the dar and the upper hdd cage.

Disadvantages, the 200mm fan goes into the case by about 5cm. this means that any cpu coolers you put in there has to be 120mm or less in height, this is my biggest gripe. Almost all the good air coolers are the tower type and most of them are over 120mm. The case comes with two psus as standard, this might be good for the OP since he/she wouldn't have to buy another one. Lastly this thing weighs alot! mine with everything in there weighs over 20kg!

I agree with ta2 that the spec is missing a quiet case..... I'd recommend the lil' bro, the p182, as it does have so many hole for sound to leak out and its a lot cheaper..... but if you need the space then consider the p190

EDIT: just saw the OP post what case he has, damn my post took so long to write...

[ta2]

No ned to get a case with dampening panel etc etc. You have a nice case.

The P180 has noise dampening side panels.

[Koolpc]

The P180 has noise dampening side panels.

But still no need to go and buy a new case though!!

[Pazza]

I will buy a new case, but not for me. I will take my current stuff out of my P180 and put into a cheaper case to pass onto my sister

So, having already got the P180 (which does not have side fans); I don't really need to buy another expensive case.

Edit: Unless there is a really good alternative to tempt me

[staffsMike]

I'd stick with the P180 tbh, it's a great foundation for a silent build, it's what I use for mine (P182.. but near enough lol)

[amjedm]

No need to get the Ninja Copper. The Ninja Rev B and newer version 2 are just as good I believe. Not worth spending that much to get an extra 2c. Check the reviews on SPCR.

My main PC is in an Antec P180. I wasn't too happy with the HD noise (Samsung T166 160GB) even though at the time it was supposed to be a quiet HD so I bought a Scythe Quiet Drive. The QD is on foam in the lower chamber (HD cage removed) and I can't hear the HD (thank God).

[staffsMike]

My western digital AAKS is inaudiable in the P182, not sure how different the P180 is.

The Ninja does come with a far better fan than the rev b but the Version 2 has a slipstream so that is the one to have if you can find it.