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VERIFICATIONS TESTS
The system came with Windows Vista Home Premium installed, with these settings engaged:
- Minimal Power Management
- S3 Standby mode (20 minutes delay)
- Asus "Q-Fan" thermal fan speed controller enabled
Temperature, noise and AC power consumption were measured under various loads in ambient conditions of 11 dBA and 21~23°C. These tests were performed mostly in SPCR's anechoic chamber, as shown below.
Acoustic testing was done in the anechoic chamber, which has an ambient noise level of just 11 dBA.
|
|
Activity
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CPU
|
GPU
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HDD
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SPL
dBA@1m
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AC Power
|
|
standby
|
-
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-
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-
|
silent
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1~2W
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|
idle
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32°C
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46°C
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33°C
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15
|
64W
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GPU load
ATITool
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45°C
|
83°C
|
33°C
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15
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80W
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CPU load
Prime95 x2
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56°C
|
49°C
|
36°C
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15
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96W
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full load
(ATITool and Prime95 x2)
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56°C
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83°C
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36°C
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15
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106W
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All the temperatures were modest, well within safety limits. The measured SPL never changed, and this reflects the subjective experience: The computer always sounds the same. The noise can be described as a barely audible hum. A bit of muted clicking noise is also audible when the hard drive is seeking. Atop the desk, even just 2' away from one's head, it's difficult to hear when there's any other noise. Greater than 3' distance, you have to work to hear it.
The following recording, made in the anechoic chamber with a lab reference audio recording system, lets you hear the sound for yourself. The original was made as 24-bit / 88 kHz WAV files with a high
resolution, lab quality, digital recording system inside SPCR's
own anechoic chamber (11 dBA ambient), then converted to LAME 128kbps
encoded MP3s. We've listened long and hard to ensure there is no audible degradation
from the original WAV files to these MP3s. They represent a quick snapshot of
what we heard during the review.
The recording starts with 7s of room ambient, followed
by 8s of the product's noise. For the most realistic results,
set the volume so that the starting ambient level is just barely audible, then
don't change the volume setting again while comparing all the sound files.
Anitec SPCR SilenT3 MP3 recording - 15 dBA@1m
This system is the quietest commercially built system we've tested or heard, by a small margin. The use of the laptop drive, is probably the single biggest factor in achieving this result.
In High Ambient Temperature
Because the speed of the PSU fan is thermally controlled, a check was made of acoustics at a much higher ambient temperature, to simulate hot summer conditions. A 900W radiant space heater was placed about two feet diagonally in front of the PC and left for nearly an hour with full load testing ongoing. When a thermometer placed at the front of the PC read 30°C, measurements were recorded, as shown below.
|
Hot 30°C Ambient Testing
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|
Activity
|
CPU
|
GPU
|
HDD
|
SPL
dBA@1m
|
AC Power
|
full load
(ATITool and Prime95 x2)
|
58°C
|
86°C
|
40°C
|
17
|
107W
|
There was a slight increase in the PSU fan speed, but the overall noise barely increased, neither subjectively nor by SPL measurement. Temperatures remained perfectly safe. It wasn't possible to achieve higher ambient temperature in our lab, but it's safe to say that in hotter weather, the PSU fan may speed up more and the whole system may get louder. In such weather, you probably wouldn't spend much time in front of your computer.
Note: Anitec Computers also offers this system without any operating system for those who already have their own.
Summary
The SPCR SilenT3 by Anitec Computers works exactly as intended. It is highly capable and virtually silent.
Anitec's page for SPCR SPCR SilenT3
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