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Just wondering what you lot think is the biggest influence on making a computer as quiet as possible.
Is it the case? Fans? CPU Cooler? GPU type? PSU? Or a combination of all of them? They can each cost about the same amount, especially if you go for things like Noctua fans and coolers, so wondering which component is most effective.
Recently moved my case from under the desk to the desk top and the constant drone is making me want to make it quieter.
So, what are your thoughts?
Moving parts make noise. You listed fans already, but the CPU/GPU/PSU coolers tend to have a fan(s) on their heatsinks too. For me it's always been the GPU cooler that's loudest, but I'm not so bothered about noise as long as it's not a wind tunnel !
TBH almost all 'enthusiast' gear is rough as a badgers doodar in terms of noise, when the big players (dell etc) can make the same spec much quieter by designing the whole not one part of it.
Don't forget the spinning drives, they cause a lot of vibration and noise as well.
Generally speaking, if you're moving a lot of air, there's going to be noise.
Fast moving air is noisy, so large fans turning slowly will move larger volumes of air slowly, so will be quieter. Unrestricted air flow will be quieter as there will be less turbulence. So design is key, a larger case with plenty of space, larger fans will tend to be quieter. A lager case also gives more room for larger after marker coolers which may also have larger but slower fans.
The downside is the overall size and weight of the final system.
It's easy to find out what's causing yours to be noisy.
Grab something like a biro, something you can wedge into fans.....and stop a fan at a time and notice the difference. You'll probably find one or two which are producing most of the annoying whine and you can target those first.....either slowing the fans down via bios, fan controller or even a resistor (you can buy 3 or 4 pin pass-through cables with resistors soldered in to slow the fan down).
Yeah I get where you're all coming from.
I did think about HDD noise, but if you need plenty of storage it's not something you can do much about, except use 1 large capacity drive instead of multiple smaller ones.
It could be anything vibrating, from moving parts in components, to the case window or the panels themselves. It could just be the way the air flows around a certain part of the PC...
Also, what you find noisy, others barely notice, so it's very subjective.
Basically, mess around until you find the issue and then develop a solution.
I've tended to find in my systems that the graphics card ends up making the most noise out of everything.
It's easy on a build to put loads of effort into finding the most efficient CPU cooler with a pair of 120mm slow moving fans (as Peter said, they'll produce least noise in that configuration), and then you've got a graphics card that's extremely hot under load with just a very small blower fan on it running at huge RPM to dump the heat.
The thing with the graphics card though is that most (is not all) modern GPUs should be damn quiet when on the desktop and should really only ramp up when gaming......and while your gaming a fan shouldn't really effect you too much due to in-game audio.
All valid points, thank you.
I suppose the question I was trying to ask was, can one of the so called "quiet" cases like a Fractal Design Define R5 with its Ultra Silent Design cover up the majority of noise in one hit rather than the individual components.
I know it's not something that has a definitive answer but maybe a general consensus.
A case designed to be quiet may help make loud parts sound quieter than when they are installed in a regular case... but you would probably want to pair a case like that with other parts designed to be quiet as well.
Quiet cases generally have sound dampening material and/or shock absorbing mounts for drives/fans
What makes a quiet system?
Well, design factors as Peterb mentioned. Also, quality components helps. Dpending a little more on 'quiet' fans, good bearings, etc. Some things benefit from sound isolation - moving parts that vibrate are a lit quieter is mounted in a way that the vibration can't be transmitted to other parts of the chassis. At one end of the market, mounting cages with rubber isolators. At the other end, a couple of heavy duty rubber bands. ;)
Another option is dound deadening panels. Sound sound made internally is then absorbed before it gets out.
Yet another option is component choice. Generally, high power components, especially CPUs and graphics cards, generate a lot of heat. So, don't buy such items unless you really need them.
In short, think about WHAT causes noise, and item by item, take steps to deal with it.
Fan filters can make your system louder too - many are only a couple of mm from the fan blades which can result in increased airflow noise. Poor fitting filters can rattle and vibrate too.
True, I just find it to be a bit of a shame when I'm about to hit a silent atmospheric part of a game and the PC sounds like an out of control vacuum cleaner. If you're wearing a headset or there are explosions going off in game all over the place then it's not such a problem, and I've never had any trouble in idle, I agree.Quote:
Originally Posted by shaithis
I found rubber bands (or bungee cord for a stronger alternative) much more effective at reducing drive noise than any rubber mountings or the like. You need sufficient length of rubber/elastic so that it can damp the vibration; too short a distance through the mounting (as is common with rubber mounts) and you still get a lot of transmitted noise.
Rubber fan mounts are also very useful for reducing induced vibration from case fans.
Ha ha all this modern technology and the solution could be as simple as an elastic band. I like it.
Agreed. Cheaper, too.Quote:
Originally Posted by Butcher
I guess a lot depends in the exact "rubber" used. Also, some types tend to harden, and reduce in effectiveness, over age. But I tend to use rubber bands. Heavy-ish bands, and usually doubled up, just in case one ... erm .... goes twang.
How are they used?
I've been watching some of the DIY experiments on YT. One guy mounted his GPU fans on a foam layer, it seems alot of noise is created by vibration through metal components. Cost 10p, very quiet! Another guy mounted a huge cooling blade structure to his GPU(very effective at heat transfer). Which got me thinking; why don't they do away with fans, build a case with cooling fins on back and base, say made of aluminium, basically a huge heat sink. Attach all heat producing devices to it, either directly, or via piping. Then they could have a clear perspex top and front(I want to see my components, and have instant access). Also the unit could be effectively sealed, keeping out my pet hate, dust. It seems incomprehensible to me to have dust blowing across circuit boards etc. Next I want to redesign the gaming handset!
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/...pzyso69png.pngQuote:
Originally Posted by Tyrannosaur
I used to do it with that elastic cord you get inside tent poles - camping shops sell it by the metre. Looks similar to the stuff in that pic.
Ah right, so you use the elastic band or cord to suspend the drive. Thanks for the pic.
Streacom make a few cases like this, the issue when i looked into it was component compatibility, the heat pipes can be adjusted but but its not ideal and i think they only recommend low power components.Quote:
Originally Posted by drone567
I'm a big fan of noise dampening foam, not an ideal solution but it certainly helps.
Just checked those out, thanks, but I was thinking massive heat fins(Like on old motorcycle), maybe cast in ali, with air blow holes all along between fins, air from one suspended fan internal, but seperate to components. Did anyone see that design, guy cast his own case in concrete. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iegpwo9SqSg
As many others have said already, it's fans and HDDs.
Generally, the less fans you have, the quieter the system will be.
I would consider my system relatively quiet as I have two case fans spinning at 850 RPM, one as intake, one as exhaust and I've taken the fan off my CPU cooler (Coolermaster V8) as the case fans are enough to cool it.
I haven't used a HDD in years now as they were really loud, especially the 7200 RPM older drivers.
Unfortunately my PSU has quite a loud fan and even on load it's running really cool so once it's out of warranty I'm going to open it up and change the fan as I'm sure running 10 C hotter won't make too much of a difference.
Finally, as everyone else has mentioned, the GPU is the loudest thing in the system when under load. I actually went and bought 3 different R9 280Xs so that I could choose the quietest one under load. All of them were quiet when idle and almost silent. Asus' DirectCU II TOP cooler had the slowest spinning fans along with the coolest temps but Powercolor's TurboDuo cooler had the quietest fans, even when they were spinning faster at 2000 RPM vs Asus; 1500 RPM.
As you can see, I've pretty much sacrificed higher temps for lower noise but everything is running within limits and I've yet to see any problems this way.
What case and fans are you using Ulti?
Just a NZXT S340 with no sound dampening and the provided case fans. If I got a case with sound dampening and Noctua fans then I'm sure it'd be even quieter but it's quiet enough for me in both idle and load cases.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tyrannosaur
My hard drives are louder than my GPU under load when gaming. I used a custom fan curve to keep my GPU quiet as possible, but it does result in pretty poor temperatures (still under 80 though). Then there's the H80i pump, which is super loud.
Old??!!Quote:
Originally Posted by drone567
Crimony, you're making me feel old, talking like that!!
You need to be travelling at (ahem) miles an hour for those to work, though, as evidenced by my 'old' motorcycle...
I still stand by large, slow-spinning fans and would put them in if my own case would take it.
As is, I have nine 120mm fans in my case, but the loudest thing is still the H100 pump unless I turn everything up to full-chat and load the GPU... and even then, it's mostly the noise of the airflow through the grilles, meshes and so on rather than any specific components.
I found it worse under a desk, as there are more surfaces for the airflow to sound off and the general resonance of the machine humming away was amplified by having a structure around it.
I'm just waiting for a NZXT Kraken G10 GPU bracket to test out the Corsair H55 on my R9 280X in both thermals and noise levels but you guys are putting me off with how loud pumps are. :eek:
A while ago I owned the CoolIT ECO CLC and I remember that was pretty loud. I hope things have improved since then.
While fans and hard drives are two of the three greatest culprits as far as noise is concerned, I've always found the case to be the third. A well designed, well built case will ensure that drives and fans can operate without generating much noise, while a crap case can effectively scupper any and all efforts to build a low-noise system.
I've never had a case, out of maybe 25 or so, which didn't need some judicious application of at least a little gaffa tape or rubber damping material in order to perform optimally and some have sounded much like a Morris Marina after three decidedly careless owners no matter what was done to them.
By choosing your case wisely you can save yourself lots ans lots of work later on (if you're after a low-noise system) - specifically by looking at smart solutions for hard drives, fans and whatnot. My own system has a total of 14 fans and 22 hard drives and after adding a little gaffa tape all I can hear, regardless of work load, is a weak, low-level hum. And that's without elastic bands, bungee cord or any such remedies.
*Can* be...Quote:
Originally Posted by Ulti
AIOs are not as good as custom water loops, but better than most air coolers.
Some are noisier than others. Mine is an older model, for example.
I'd really only care if the noise disrupts my gaming and movie-watching.
I know most of my noise is accumulated - I sit about 2 feet away from my case and while each component is pretty quiet even on full chat, the combined sound of 13 fans and the pump all hurling air through and resonating around my fairly open case does stack up a touch... but again, I only care when it's 2am and the Mrs cannot sleep through it. She actually complains more about the clicketty-clack of my ham-fisted late night typing!! :D
I think the worst noise is inconsistent noise. Like my PC now, fans are spinning but on every rotation it clicks. Driving me bonkers.
But anyway I think the worst would be your GPU fan. I once had a reference HD 7870 and boy it was loud. I switched over and the whole system "magically" went silent.
But actually the worst noise would be the current noise you get used to. I don't think it matters how much you damper or silence a system it will never be quiet enough until there is no running parts. My obsession over noise has adjusted to what I used to call "silence". Now its just loud :P
Isolate the noise or run slower running parts (slow fans, 5200RPM HDD + SSD, liquid cooling etc). Expensive really.
Hey Ulti just wondering what card is that? The reference model? As I noticed you mentioned ASUS and Powercolor. I am looking at the Kraken to tune this 290 down so would be interesting to see its compatibility with custom PCBs (not sure how it mounts).Quote:
Originally Posted by Ulti
Thought I would take some of the advice mentioned earlier in this thread and experiment with disconnecting/stopping certain components one at a time.
Seems the biggest culprit of noise for me is the mechanical HDD's - once they were not running the system noise was a lot better.
I also stopped the CPU cooler (stock AMD) and all the high pitched noise disappeared making it a much more pleasant tone, even with the side panel off.
I'm going to sell the Asus one back out even though it runs cooler as it's a little louder so I'm keeping the Powercolor. The Kraken should be able to mount on 99% of GPUs as it's simply a round bracket around the chip and that area is usually bare anyway. You then just mount the CLC to the bracket I believe and the round bracket is also attached to a little 92mm fan which is raised so it won't get in the way of things on the board. That fan is for cooling the VRMs etc.Quote:
Originally Posted by mikeo01
I still haven't received my Kraken G10 yet though as I got it off eBay so I'm just going from what I've read in reviews. My Corsair H55 has been sitting here for a week now looking lonely and waiting to be used.
If it's the stock cooler, especially the one without the copper heatpipes and base, then yep, they got pretty loud. If your case allows, having a tower cooler with a slow spinning 120mm fan will keep CPU core temps under 50 easily most of the time and still be quiet. My CM V8 wasn't designed to be fanless but I use it fanless anyway and it keeps my CPU under 60 on games and it's only things like the Intel XTU or Prime95 that can stress it to 70 but I would say that's still safe as no games or other program will stress the CPU that much.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tyrannosaur
And yes, HDDs are pretty loud! SSDs are still pretty expensive though when compared with HDD but for me, they were the loudest in idle state as they would spin away when I was just opening files so the premium for SSDs was worth it for me.
Cheers Ulti, I did buy a tower cooler a week or so ago but unfortunately it wouldn't fit with my memory. (see my thread about the Bequiet Slim). With the prices of some of the coolers out there compared to other components it got me to ask the question and find other peoples views about what makes a quiet system.
As Ulti mentions, you definitely ought to swap out the stock AMD cooler for one with 120-140mm fans if your case allows. That'll make a huge difference, as you've already discovered.
Modern hard drives are actually not very loud at all; the noise is generally created in the interface between the drive and the case structure. As the drive platters spin vibrations are created and if the drive isn't decoupled from the chassis those vibrations will propagate to the entire case. The simple solution, if your case will accommodate it, as to buy a drive cage with noise/vibration reducing measures. Lian-Li make some excellent cages which are almost silent and no doubt other brands have similar products.
Yep, going to look at getting another CPU Cooler soon and look at the various HDD solutions, maybe even the elastic band idea.
I did try to put together a quiet system; Fractal case with foam on panels. Xilence fans(stock ones, horrendous), Corsair H80. It is pretty quiet, like a humm! Mostly fan noise as air comes out of case. No offence to old bikes, still got Guzzi T3, not quiet, thankfully!
Out of interest, has anyone tried the after market sound dampening foam you can get?
I have, about 4 or 5 cases ago. Today, with larger fans which create far less noise (80mm was still the standard when I foamed up that particular case) I really don't see the point. It wasn't all that effective either, although it did take the edge off the high-pitched whine that all high performance fans had back then. It certainly wasn't even close to being worth the added expense and hassle.
The main issue I've had after switching to 120/140mm fans has been to limit vibration noise propagation throughout the chassis, which has been the main noise problem in my last 2-3 builds. Foam and such would help with that as well, but gaffa tape is so much easier to use, rather a lot cheaper and all you really need (if the case is otherwise decent quality).
As most people have said
All about the combination of Case, Fans, Air flow and graphics card.
They are the things to look at first and then you should be happy with the results if you get all that in order.
What the hell GPUs are y'all running, that are so noisy, anyway?
My 780 Lightning is whisper quiet even during benchmarking and the only time I really hear those fans is when I manually turn them up past 85%!!
Well with HDDs, 9x 120mm fans and a pump, I doubt you'd hear anything over those. ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Ttaskmaster
I once had a pair of 4890s in Crossfire which hit 115 degrees. They were, erm, noticeable.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ttaskmaster
I've never heard my current GPU work, nor the previous one. In fact I can't remember off hand if I've ever owned a really noisy video card. 22 hard drives and 12 fans on the other hand....
There's some interesting comparison charts showing RPM Vs sound level from fans, anything from 10-35 db. I think the foam insulation does work, as I can only hear fans, and very little internals. I can see this could get obsessive, where my stethoscope. I think you'll find it hard to beat the guy with the heat sinks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZoX7glIAS4
I can turn the fans down, ya know...! :secret:Quote:
Originally Posted by Ulti
I have a Lamptron FC6, so I just dial the rpm down until each fan is hush-hush.
If I switch them all off (or just to ultra-low), the noisiest thing in the case is the H100 pump, followed by the HDD, then the PSU, then the 780L. Apparently there's an SSD in there too, but I've certainly never heard it....! :lol:
One of the bestest ever mods to my joystick has always been a couple of elastic bands around each axis mechanism - Has worked since the 80s and still applies today!Quote:
Originally Posted by Tyrannosaur
If everything was that simple, we'd be really happy people!
I've been pleasantly surprised by the responses to this thread. Rather than the spend more approach I was thinking or maybe hoping cause we all like new stuff, on the whole it's been much more about home made tweaks that you can do yourself.
Buying in the parts is the initial fun but once you've got everything, the last thing you want is to buy it all again - especially if the solution costs 30 seconds of your time.
I have a £40 OCUK voucher, but there's nothing I actually need/want right now - I'm busy configuring the stuff I have and cracking out the Dremel to mod everything
my major noise is the graphics card but cant get a watercooler for it and isnt worth building a rig on it
I did watch a YouTube video by TastyPCTV where she set it up so all the fans only start when the system gets to a certain temperature. Under normal load the system was silent but under heavy load the fans would kick in and keep the temperatures in check.
Well I've ordered myself a new CPU cooler by Phanteks so I'll see how that helps over my current stock AMD cooler.
Should work wonders, knowing how noisy the stock AMD coolers can beQuote:
Originally Posted by Tyrannosaur
Got the new cooler on Friday and installed at the weekend. So much better. The new 140mm fan runs at 500rpm where as the stock fan was 1500rpm and getting about the same temps. Makes such a big difference and definitely something to spec on a new build.
Also while I was tinkering I decided to give the elastic band/bungee thing a go with the noisiest HDD I have. Moved it from the HDD cage to a 5.25" bay and suspended it from there. That also worked amazingly well. Now can't feel any vibrations through the desk and HDD noise has reduced to hardly anything. So thanks to all that made me aware of that trick.
Basically you want silent fans or fanless cards, and an SSD drive, and you will be almost whisper quiet at that point, with probably just the psu fan making a tiny amount of noise.