Ok, here's the Cliff's Notes on Silent PC's 101:
Assuming nothing is broke in your system, there is only one thing that really causes noise in a computer system: mechanical, moving parts. That's it. Electrical components such as a CPU, motherboard, lights, etc do NOT cause noise. Mechanics 101.
Now, the mechanical components that cause noise in a computer are almost always FANS. There really aren't other MOVING parts in a computer, since everything is stationary. Fans are the only thing left that create noise.
So, the trick is making fans QUIET. And that will then result in a quiet computer. It's really that simple when you think about it. It's not magic. It's the FANS.
Now, this means that anywhere there is a fan, there can be noise. So therefore the biggest noise culprits are:
-heatsink fan
-case fans
-graphics card fan
-power supply fan
-chipset fans
Chipset fans don't cause much noise unless they're broke. Graphics card fans could be noisy, but that's easy to tell and easy to fix (just buy an aftermarket VGA cooler like the Zalman VF-900). That leaves CPU, PSU, case fans. Ok, now we've isolated the noise, so now we know how to fix it. WOOT!
Having a fan controller to quiet down a noisy fan only stops the degree of noise, it doesn't get rid of it. So, a noisy fan is a noisy fan is a noisy fan. So, in a nutshell you need quiet fans and then your computer will be quiet. A fan controller will help, but a quiet fan doesn't need a controller in most instances.
So, let's finish this and solve the problem now that we understand what causes noise, shall we?
You need to find out which of the 3 are causing the most noise and fix that. Maybe it's your PSU, maybe your case fans, maybe CPU heatsink, maybe all 3. You gotta put your ear inside the and find the SOURCE of the noise.
So here's what you do when you find the noise:
CPU: Zalman 9500 sucks. Sorry, but it's true. They're advertised as quiet, but only at low rpm's. Higher rpm's are not quiet. I know, I own one. I had to mod mine with a different fan to get it quieter. So you can do that or get a different HSF. Best bets: Noctua UH-12F, Thermalright Ultra (with a quiet fan), Scythe Ninja, or any HSF where you can attach your own fan.
PSU: Most PSU's are not quiet. There are only a few that are quiet. To make your current PSU quiet you need to replace the fan, but that voids the warranty. Your call. Otherwise a new PSU is needed. Seasonic is THE BEST for quiet. Dead silent, very efficient, extremely well regarded product. Amazing. And what most people don't know is that a Seasonic doesn't cost much more than a good PSU to begin with. Seasonic S12's are great, the Energy Plus models are even better. Depending on your system's needs, something in the 500w - 650w range.
CASE FANS: Top contenders are Noctua, Scythe S-Flex, Nexus. All are good, all are quiet. But Noctua pushes more air per given decibel of noise. More airflow is always better, and lower noise is preferred. This means that the Noctua fans will be quieter while having more airflow than the other 2 contenders. One fan might push more air, but it will be disporportionately louder as well. The Noctua 120mm @ 1200 rpm fans push alot of air and are dead silent. Simply amazing product. They are more expensive than your normal, loud case fan, but they are actually inexpensive when you look at the project cost and what you're reducing in noise.
So, in conclusion, it's the fans in a computer that make noise. CPU HSF, PSU, and case fans most of the time. Make those quiet, and your computer becomes quiet. Recommended products to make a quiet computer:
CPU: Ninja, Infinity, Noctua, Thermalright....or any other HSF that will let you attach a quiet 120mm fan to it
PSU: Seasonic. Other options exist, but are generally more expensive or not as easily available.
Case Fans: Noctua wins hands down. Scythe and Nexus are also good. Other popular choices such as Yate Loon and Panaflo are no longer the contenders.....their noise levels are much higher per cubic foot of air pushed......they used to be the winners but have been surpassed by the recommended top 3 products mentioned. SilenX fans claim silence but are rebadged fans, do not meet the specifications noted, and have been the subject of an on-going (and PROVEN!!!) deceptive marketing campaign.....so stay away from SilenX.
Hope that clears up Noise Management 101 in a PC
Maybe I should go for sticky status one day by re-writing this LOL.
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram