Silent/inaudible PSU

[Nidget]

I'm looking for a silent/inaudible PSU for my new build.

Fractal R4 case
i5 3570k CPU (aim is to moderately OC)
Noctua D14 Cooler
16GB Crucial RAM
7950 Vapor-X, potential to Crossfire in future
128GB SSD, 1TB WD caviar Black, 2x2TB caviar Green
Blu-ray/DVDRW combo drive
3.5" hotswap drive bay for backups

I currently have an OCZ StealthXStream 500W psu but it is louder than I would like but I may retain in the interim

My front runners for replacement are the Be Quiet Dark Power Pro 750W or the Seasonic x-750 but I am open to other recommendations or suggestions for more effective or better value PSU's

Thanks in advance

 

[scragnoff]

Hi Nidget!

SilentPCReview did an article on this: http://www.silentpcreview.com/Recommended_PSUs

 

[TheBigTroll]

I'm looking for a silent/inaudible PSU for my new build.

Fractal R4 case
i5 3570k CPU (aim is to moderately OC)
Noctua D14 Cooler
16GB Crucial RAM
7950 Vapor-X, potential to Crossfire in future
128GB SSD, 1TB WD caviar Black, 2x2TB caviar Green
Blu-ray/DVDRW combo drive
3.5" hotswap drive bay for backups

I currently have an OCZ StealthXStream 500W psu but it is louder than I would like but I may retain in the interim

My front runners for replacement are the Be Quiet Dark Power Pro 750W or the Seasonic x-750 but I am open to other recommendations or suggestions for more effective or better value PSU's

Thanks in advance

kingston ram here is cheaper
http://us.ncix.com/products/?sku=78420&promoid=1026


better SSD
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820171740&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID=

cheaper hard drive. i never see any point of a caviar black. if you are looking for speed, seagate is faster and quieter
http://us.ncix.com/products/?sku=70854&promoid=1302

i also dont see the point of 2 2tb green drives. the more drives in a system, the more noise. if you need that much storage, id suggest a 3tb drive like this
http://us.ncix.com/products/?sku=66009&promoid=1302

you cant hotswap on a R4. not without modding

case here is cheaper.
http://us.ncix.com/products/?sku=75051&vpn=FD%2DCA%2DDEF%2DR4%2DTI&manufacture=Fractal%20Design

as for the psu, either get this
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817116011&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID=

or this. this one has silent fan operation mode where the fan does not start up until under 20% load. i cant open the link as of now but if you can, click the tigerdirect listing. you can price match th psu at us.ncix to save on the shipping
http://pcpartpicker.com/part/xfx-power-supply-p1750bbefx

 

[ram1009]

You want a high performance computer> High performance components make heat> Heat needs to be removed by fans> Fans make noise. These are simple, unavoidable truths. I've built a couple of high performance rigs in the past couple of months and the sound levels are amazingly low without my even trying to achieve that. If you're really *THAT* sensitive to noise I suggest ear muffs or long cables or both. Having said all that, I do believe in oversize PSUs for a variety of reasons, none of which involve noise levels. However one of the rigs I built recently uses a Seasonic 1050Watt. It's fan runs on low if at all mostly (IMHO) because it's running at approximately 50% of capacity. This might be a useful by-product for you.

 

[leandrodafontoura]

Friend, my recomendation is the Cooler Master Silent Pro. I have a absolutly no noise PC and this PSU doesnt make sounds. Most people on this forum only care about getting cheap parts or best specs and they have no idea what a silent PC is.

Again, the silent Pro is no noise. Its not the case of a PSU making low noise. Its the case of a PSU not making noises at all.

 

[smorizio]

as ram has said an over size power supply has to work less hard then one that close to the max output. the less load on a power supply the cooler it runs. also look at power supply with a lot of open grill. help in airflow moving out of the power supply.

 

[odiervr]

i have 2 PC power and cooling Mk III silencers. I have not heard either one yet (over a year).

Not enough power for your crossfire, but I highly recommend this PSU if you decide against c/f.

Good Luck !!

 

[Nidget]

Thanks for the responses so far, I should have pointed out that the Case, Mobo, CPU, RAM, graphics card and cooler are en route already (I'm in the UK but shopped around)

SSD, HDD's etc will be lifted from my current build, as will 2x120mm Noctua and 2x140mm noctua case fans.

Appreciate your comment ram1009, I had considered running cables through the floor to the cellar. This is a living room media/gaming PC and the only time I hear it now is when it's idling in the far corner of the room.

All I can hear is the PSU, if I stop the fan it the PC makes noise but I struggle to hear it. hence the logic of a semi fanless/no fan at idle PSU.

Does anyone have experience of Be Quiet PSU's? They're meant to be big in Germany but seem quite new to the scene and don't yet have the reputation of someone like Seasonic.

 

[TheBigTroll]

its generally that the GPU makes the most noise. if you have a poor quality PSU, obviously its the loudest

 

[JustLurking]

I have the Seasonic x-750 and it's definitely quiet.

The manual actually mentions that it's not broke if you don't hear the fan, because it only spins up after a certain load is reached (or something like that anyway).

I apparently don't reach that load with an i3 oc'd to 4ghz and a 7950. YMMV.

HTH.

 

[Headbomb]

I also have a Seasonic X-750W. It is silent. The fan can never be heard in my HAF 922 case. I would highly recommend it.