Help me select parts for a quiet gaming (<2004 games) SFF
Posted: Mon Dec 18, 2006 3:32 am
This topic just keeps on changing. My original request was for help putting together a miniITX machine capable of playing games from around 2004 and earlier, which would also be quiet. It was a pipe dream, and I was considering just asking for help putting together a standard mid-range quiet machine, but flyingsherpa has clued me onto using mATX and trying to lift some of Bluefront's modifications.
I know nothing of mATX, but it looks exciting. If you know anything about the specification, could you help me (admittedly clueless when it comes to selecting components) put together a quiet SFF machine capable of doing well running games of only-barely-yesteryear? I could especially use help figuring out what will fit.
I apologise. I'm sorry. Please, forgive me. I'll do anything to make up for it. Oh God, what have I done!?
It's another "Build my new PC for me" thread.
I know you'll be tired of them, but allow me to explain. I've been reading these forums for around a week now, and quite frankly I don't understand the finer points of building a new rig. I don't know what makes a component good or bad and what power supply I'll be needing, let alone how to go about the business of silencing. I have built all my computers to date myself with no troubles whatsoever, but somebody else has always picked the parts for me. I'm not too lazy to read the FAQs, or to do my own homework. Try as I might, I just don't get it. So, please, I come to the good people of SPCR for aid.
Help me select parts for a quiet miniITX solution with decent gaming capabilities.
Why miniITX? I travel a lot, and hauling around my current goliath of a PC is a nightmare. Space is also limited in my apartment, and would very much like something that can simply sit atop my desk. Though a laptop may be more suitable, I have no love for them whatsoever. MiniITX really seems like the way to go here. Sexy Factor is a bit of a plus, to boot.
Why quiet, and how quiet? As I said, space is limited. This computer will be in the room I pretty much spend my entire home life in, and that room isn't particularly large. I would like this PC to be on all day for file sharing, and don't want to hear it running while I'm trying to do some work. Noise reduction is really, really important. I can't use my current PC for any considerable length of time because the whining of the fans is driving me nuts, and even causing ringing of the ears. I can hear the bloody thing through a closed door. I would give anything for sweet silence.
How powerful? This machine would be mostly used for Internet usage and watching movies. However, I do play the occasional PC game, but no particularly new ones. The only "new" game I play with frequency is Final Fantasy XI, a game from 2003 running on an aging port of a PlayStation 2 engine. I'm quite looking forward to Team Fortress 2 and Portal, but wouldn't mind playing them on "bloody ugly" settings if that's required to make a quiet rig.
I have already selected a case, the Psile. These forums have a thread on it. The Psile case matches my furnishings perfectly, pushes all the right buttons and, though it isn't cheap, comes with a DVD+R drive to lessen the blow. It also comes with an 80mm case fan that purports to be quiet.
Other than that, I simply don't know what I should be looking for. Despite dozens of hours of research I don't know what components to pick. How should this be cooled, and just how quiet could it possibly be? The budget is flexible, as I will be selling my old rig for a little extra funding and don't mind saving up if the best solution is out of reach for a while.
Again, I apologise for starting another "Do my work for me" thread. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
I know nothing of mATX, but it looks exciting. If you know anything about the specification, could you help me (admittedly clueless when it comes to selecting components) put together a quiet SFF machine capable of doing well running games of only-barely-yesteryear? I could especially use help figuring out what will fit.
I apologise. I'm sorry. Please, forgive me. I'll do anything to make up for it. Oh God, what have I done!?
It's another "Build my new PC for me" thread.
I know you'll be tired of them, but allow me to explain. I've been reading these forums for around a week now, and quite frankly I don't understand the finer points of building a new rig. I don't know what makes a component good or bad and what power supply I'll be needing, let alone how to go about the business of silencing. I have built all my computers to date myself with no troubles whatsoever, but somebody else has always picked the parts for me. I'm not too lazy to read the FAQs, or to do my own homework. Try as I might, I just don't get it. So, please, I come to the good people of SPCR for aid.
Help me select parts for a quiet miniITX solution with decent gaming capabilities.
Why miniITX? I travel a lot, and hauling around my current goliath of a PC is a nightmare. Space is also limited in my apartment, and would very much like something that can simply sit atop my desk. Though a laptop may be more suitable, I have no love for them whatsoever. MiniITX really seems like the way to go here. Sexy Factor is a bit of a plus, to boot.
Why quiet, and how quiet? As I said, space is limited. This computer will be in the room I pretty much spend my entire home life in, and that room isn't particularly large. I would like this PC to be on all day for file sharing, and don't want to hear it running while I'm trying to do some work. Noise reduction is really, really important. I can't use my current PC for any considerable length of time because the whining of the fans is driving me nuts, and even causing ringing of the ears. I can hear the bloody thing through a closed door. I would give anything for sweet silence.
How powerful? This machine would be mostly used for Internet usage and watching movies. However, I do play the occasional PC game, but no particularly new ones. The only "new" game I play with frequency is Final Fantasy XI, a game from 2003 running on an aging port of a PlayStation 2 engine. I'm quite looking forward to Team Fortress 2 and Portal, but wouldn't mind playing them on "bloody ugly" settings if that's required to make a quiet rig.
I have already selected a case, the Psile. These forums have a thread on it. The Psile case matches my furnishings perfectly, pushes all the right buttons and, though it isn't cheap, comes with a DVD+R drive to lessen the blow. It also comes with an 80mm case fan that purports to be quiet.
Other than that, I simply don't know what I should be looking for. Despite dozens of hours of research I don't know what components to pick. How should this be cooled, and just how quiet could it possibly be? The budget is flexible, as I will be selling my old rig for a little extra funding and don't mind saving up if the best solution is out of reach for a while.
Again, I apologise for starting another "Do my work for me" thread. Any help would be greatly appreciated.