Dilemma...A64, SFF, silent, within $950....can it be done?

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RTF
Posts: 11
Joined: Fri Jul 23, 2004 4:04 pm

Dilemma...A64, SFF, silent, within $950....can it be done?

Post by RTF » Fri Jul 23, 2004 4:28 pm

Yeah, I'm going for it all :lol:

I've been looking at barebones kits...the closest match I can find is the new Soltek EQ3801. It has all the features I want, and the SFFtech review of it gave it a rating of 51dB at 12" using noisy parts, but I don't know what that translates to at the 1m and silent parts SPCR would use. I'm planning on using the quieter/less powerful parts and putting it under my desk, which will also help keep down the noise, but I won't really know until I order the thing :( If I went with this I would get a 2800+ and Barracuda IV, and use a passively-cooled video card and the stock fans with Arctic Silver 5 to bring the fan speed to the lowest possible point..

Also, I don't really like the vent design Soltek has going there. I really think that an external PSU would be better, but they don't seem to be offered for A64s. Would I be able to replace theirs later?

I can hold out for about another month before school starts. Any new products coming by then that might help?

RTF
Posts: 11
Joined: Fri Jul 23, 2004 4:04 pm

Post by RTF » Fri Jul 23, 2004 7:31 pm

Actually, now that I've looked a little bit more at Shuttle's option, I think I'd go with the SN85G4V2. They added the ICE system to that one, making the PSU the only significant noise source. I'm not brave enough to try modding the fan in there :oops: but I imagine I could do something to dampen it...

sthayashi
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Post by sthayashi » Sun Jul 25, 2004 1:06 pm

I don't believe it is possible to have an A64 SFF machine that is silent without doing some considerable modification.

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