Cooling all over

[billdcat4]

Planning to get a midrange box soon. I dont have much experience with different cooling systems so I could use some advice.

CPU is e4300, I plan to OC later to 2.4 or 2.66ghz, case is the Lian Li PC-7A Plus II or maybe the Antec P180. GPU is the eVGA 7900GS.

Since my system is relatively low-heat, my priority is noise reduction while still maintaining cool temps.

My current choice for the CPU cooler is the ZALMAN 9700 for $58 at Newegg or the Sunbeam Tuniq Tower at Xioxide.com for $52. If the Zalman 9500 LED goes down in price, then I will go for that.

The Lian Li case has mounts for two 120mm fans. I plan to replace these fans later. My current choice is two of the Silverstone FM121 120mm manual controlled fans, which cost $16 apiece. An alternate choice is two of the Noctua NF-S12-120 fans for $20 each at Xoxide.com .

For the GPU Im going for the Zalman VF-900 for $37 at the egg.


If anyone has any experience with these products please write in.

 

[apt403]

SCREW THE FM121!!! They dont push nearly as much air as Silverstone says, only about 80cfm from what I hear. You can get the same thing with much cheaper fans. The PC-7 is an awesome case, I have the PC-7B, the black model. The Tuniq Tower is really the way to go, a 9500 cant hold a candle to it and i know for a fact that it'll fit in a PC-7.

 

[stefx]

I'll second that.

 

[billdcat4]

SCREW THE FM121!!! They dont push nearly as much air as Silverstone says, only about 80cfm from what I hear. You can get the same thing with much cheaper fans. The PC-7 is an awesome case, I have the PC-7B, the black model. The Tuniq Tower is really the way to go, a 9500 cant hold a candle to it and i know for a fact that it'll fit in a PC-7.

I dont need that much airflow, Im going for less noise.

How is the Tower on noise? Also is the P180 noticeably quieter than the PC7? I assume that If I get a quiet CPU cooler (tower or 9500/9700) a quiet gpu cooler (vf900) a pair of quiet 120mm fan (NOCTUA) and a quiet PSU (Seasonic S12 Energy Plus 550w) the only part making noise will be the optical drives and the HD.

Which of these drives is the quietest: WD 250gb SE16, or the Seagate 320gb 16mb?

What is a good quiet optical drive. A couple months ago I bought a Lite-On SHM-165S but its way loud. So I just use the Lite-On for burning and the Teac one from my dell for reading.


Does anyone want to contribute on their experience with these products and their noise output?

9500/9700 vs. Tuniq Tower vs. Arctic Cooling
FM121 vs. Noctua

EDIT: The Arctic Cooling cpu cooling system is down to $40 on Newegg. Any comments on the systems noise?

 

[apt403]

The fan on the Tuniq is dead silent. When the fan is turned down to 1000-1200rpm I cant hear it, at full speed (2000rpm) its louder, but still pretty quiet. The fans that come with the PC-7 are pretty quiet too. I have them hooked up to my psu directly through the 3 pin to moltex converters that come with the case, so there always running at full speed. If I put my headphones on (nothing playing, there just on my head) the noise will be completely drowned out.

If you want a quiet psu get an Enermax Liberty, just like the other fans in my case I can barly hear it. The modular cabling is nice too.

If those two hdds are both 7200rpm there shouldnt be buch of a difference between them, noise wise. I would get the Seagate drive since it has more storage space, although i do perfer Western Digital drives...

 

[billdcat4]

Ive got a friend with an Arctic Cooling sys. He's got his Pentium D 805 OC'ed to 3.7ghz with it. He says its very quiet.

Why should I get the Tower over the Arctic Cooling?

 

[apt403]

Probably should have asked this sooner, but which arctic cooling hsf are you talking about?

In the end it doesnt really matter, the Tuniq Tower is in the top 10 best aircoolers, the others being (in no order) the Coolermaster GeminII, the Thermalright Ultra 120, Thermalright Ultra 120+, Scythe Infinity, Asus Silent Knight, Zalman 9700, Thermaltake Big Typhoon, and common sence tells me to add the IFX-14 as well, since its pretty much just two Ultra 120's stuck together with larger heatpipes. I know im missing one, but, eh.

Im assuming your talking about the Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro, since its the best cooler Arctic Cooling has to offer, and while its a powerful cooler, the Tuniq Tower is better, simple as that. If you use a Tuniq you'll get lower temps then if you used a ACF7P.

 

[billdcat4]

Yea the Pro. But is it worth the extra cash to go for a Tower since Im not OC'ing much anyhow?

And how is the 9700 in terms of cooling and noise?

 

[apt403]

Well, if you decide to oc a little higher later on down the road you'll have some more room. With a Tuniq you can hit alteast 3.2ghz stable on an E4300, thats not going to be nearly as easy on an ACF7P. Plus, lower cpu temps means a longer life span.

The 9700 is a pretty good cooler, although not as good as the Tuniq. There generally overpriced, but it seems they've been getting cheaper lately. Cant comment on how loud they are.

Between the 9700 and the Tuniq get the Tuniq. Between the ACF7P and the Tuniq, get the Tuniq.

The only thing I dont like about the Tuniq Tower are (or maybe is...) the mounting screws that come with it. At first I thought the screws were one peice, but after the head of one popped off (the manual for the Tuniq is avalible on there site, you'll understand what flew off after you see the screws.) and flew across my room one day while I was cleaning my computer I learned that the head is just glued to the shaft part. My ghetto fix was just to super glue the peices back together, but the glue hardened before I could push the head back on all the way. So know I need a new screw. Instead of ordering a replacment from Tuniq im going to use machine screws and wingnuts, a much better mounting system.

My advice to you, if you get a Tuniq take the mounting bracket in with you to a hardware store and get some better quality screws, its a cheap mod, dont worry (4 wingnuts and 4 machine screws should only cost a buck or two.).

Oh, and make sure the machine screws are atleast 1 1/2" long.

 

[stefx]

Yea the Pro. But is it worth the extra cash to go for a Tower since Im not OC'ing much anyhow?

And how is the 9700 in terms of cooling and noise?

The 9700 is more expensive and cools a little less than the Tower

 

[billdcat4]

I think Ill go for the ACF7 Pro. Its really easy to install, you dont even have to take out your mobo it installs just like the stock cooling.

Its also cheaper. I dont need a massive tuniq tower in my case, Id rather stick with simplicity.

 

[apt403]

The clip things are a pain to install, you have to put an insane amount of force on your mobo to mount the thing. Before I got my Tuniq Tower I figured I would try out the stoch hsf for a while, but I gave up trying to install it since even the full weight of my body pressing down on the hsf wasnt enough, I thought I was going to break my mobo. A screw mounting system like on the Tuniq Tower or Scythe Infinity is much easier to install.

 

[billdcat4]

The clip things are a pain to install, you have to put an insane amount of force on your mobo to mount the thing. Before I got my Tuniq Tower I figured I would try out the stoch hsf for a while, but I gave up trying to install it since even the full weight of my body pressing down on the hsf wasnt enough, I thought I was going to break my mobo. A screw mounting system like on the Tuniq Tower or Scythe Infinity is much easier to install.

Idk I mounted a Pentium D stock HSF a couple months ago and it was impossibly easy. You were probably doing something wrong.
So my friend replaced that stock HSF with an ACF7P without even removing his mobo. He said it was real easy.

idk

 

[proof]

The Noctua fans are, hands down, the BEST case fans you can get.

 

[billdcat4]

The Noctua fans are, hands down, the BEST case fans you can get.

Their HSF is supposed to be quite good as well. Problem is that it costs like $65. Also Xoxide has the ACF7P for $25

 

[proof]

FrozenCPU has them for $58 and $19.75 respectively. And my Noctua HSF is the best HSF I have ever used.

 

[billdcat4]

FrozenCPU has them for $58 and $19.75 respectively. And my Noctua HSF is the best HSF I have ever used.

Its still kinda $$PRICEY$$



Its seems kinda against the whole point of going with the whole Noctua thing for quiet and buying two ROARING CHeetahs. Are they really that loud? How are they overall

 

[utaka95]

After using the Zalman 9500 I can vouch for it not really being quiet. Western Digital and Samsung Spinpoint hard drives usually are the quietest. For quieting down that dvd drive you could try Nero Drivespeed or one of the other cd-dvd speed control programs - set it to silent and your dvd drive will stop screaming at you when you try to watch a movie. As far as fans go, Silentpcreview tested 'em and found the Scythe S-flex 120mm fans were just as quiet as noctua's. I use the 800 rpm model in my Antec, and it is totally inaudible. They recommend speed controlling the 1200 or 1600 rpm model, though. 1600 rpm or 800 rpm. Last you really can't beat the Seasonic PSU's for being quiet - my 380 is pretty much dead silent.

 

[billdcat4]

After using the Zalman 9500 I can vouch for it not really being quiet. Western Digital and Samsung Spinpoint hard drives usually are the quietest. For quieting down that dvd drive you could try Nero Drivespeed or one of the other cd-dvd speed control programs - set it to silent and your dvd drive will stop screaming at you when you try to watch a movie. As far as fans go, Silentpcreview tested 'em and found the Scythe S-flex 120mm fans were just as quiet as noctua's. I use the 800 rpm model in my Antec, and it is totally inaudible. They recommend speed controlling the 1200 or 1600 rpm model, though. 1600 rpm or 800 rpm. Last you really can't beat the Seasonic PSU's for being quiet - my 380 is pretty much dead silent.

Yea, that 9500 makes a lot of noise. Im still going for the noctuas though.
My primary choice for hd is a WD and my secondary is a Seagate.
Thanks a lot for the tip on quieting the dvd burner.

 

[utaka95]

After building an HTPC and not being able to hear people whisper in a movie I became insane about quiet pc's. Now I have 2 machines that people are surprised to see that it's actually "on" when they bump the mouse.

 

[billdcat4]

After building an HTPC and not being able to hear people whisper in a movie I became insane about quiet pc's. Now I have 2 machines that people are surprised to see that it's actually "on" when they bump the mouse.

Hmm, what cases, HSFs and fans do you use?

 

[utaka95]

Antec TX640b - Zalman 7000 alcu, turned all the way down - Scythe 800 rpm fan.

Silverstone Lc-20 - Same hsf - Artic cooling's new rubber suspended 80 mm fan (not as quiet as I had hoped).

Sorry I gotta get busy before it's time to go home.

 

[proof]

The Cheetahs sound like a plane taking off when they start up but after that they are okay. They are totally worth the noise though.