silent and efficient pc

tobee · **Posted:** Fri Jan 27, 2012 9:37 am

I'm thinking of building nearly dead silent pc

I'm thinking of :
- fractal design define r3(am happy with my p183 v1+cp-850, but i want to give it a try to fractal this time)
- 1x 140mm akasa 2x 120mm akasa in front 1x 120mm akasa at the back (up to suggestions if you have any) rubber mounts needed? AK-FN062/AK-FN058
- Seasonic X-Series X-760 SS-760KM 760W 160mm long - here is the problem 1. enough clearance for bottom 140mm fan ? 2. is 750W enough power to drive it with 7950 in the future?
- 3x 500GB drives + 64-128GB ssd in future for intel caching or system not sure yet
- z68 mobo leaning toward msi gd65 g3
- i5 2500k or i7 2600k so far price difference doesn't justify i7
- noctua nh-d14
- 16GB corsair or 16GB vengance LP
- msi cyclone 6850
- asus xonar stx
- dvd optionally - hardly needed theese days

kuzzia · **Posted:** Fri Jan 27, 2012 10:23 am

Well, what are your needs`?

tobee · **Posted:** Fri Jan 27, 2012 12:15 pm

First silent(in bedroom) then efficient
I will use it for:
1 gaming/multimedia playback/internet/office apps
2 photo editing lightroom/PS
3 programming in java/oracle etc.

I use 27" display with 2560x1440 so it does require some power for games.
Titles I play(ed) WoW,CS:S,WoT and soon Diablo3 and Guild Wars 2
atm using phenom 665BE with 8GB ram most noisy is GPU(gigabyte 460GTX OC)
temps are 32C CPU/38C mobo/26-34C 4x 500GB samsung drives/39C GPU

this rig will become linux server with some cheap passive gpu.

CA_Steve · **Posted:** Fri Jan 27, 2012 1:44 pm

An i5-2500K stock system with an SSD and an overclocked HD 7970 uses 275W while gaming (via Hexus).

Saw another review with an overclocked i7-2600K and the 7950 -> 320W.

7970 TDP = 190W and 7950 TDP = 150W.

So, the 750W is more than enough. Take a look at SPCR's latest PSU review, specifically the table halfway down the page comparing load power to dBA. There's a handful of power supplies that will be dead quiet at 300W.

tobee · **Posted:** Fri Jan 27, 2012 2:48 pm

according to http://www.thermaltake.outervision.com/Power
It goes to 627W if i5 is overclocked with all those fans drives and 6850. STX takes power from separate connector as well(headphone amp).
They might make some margin for marketing purpose of course but i doubt they add 300W to real needs.
This capacitor aging thing is suspicious as well calculated with 20% with 10% it's <600. Doubt power supply can loose 50% of it's power in over one year unless you buy some 50$ psu rated as 600W.
I might be wrong though. I have meter but i don't have i5 to check it

. Can only check my setup consumption while gaming and calculate difference.

CA_Steve · **Posted:** Fri Jan 27, 2012 3:43 pm

I think they are crazy - you can't get close to it without Crossfire. But, I get near that level of PSU wattage for a different reason...

To see actual use, you are better off ignoring the psu calculators and looking at benchmark reviews for similar builds. Then, find a PSU on the recommended list that has the dBA you want at this load. Add some margin as you like. For a gaming system, I'd recommend a fanned PSU...this will lead to something in the 500-600W range where the fan rpm is low/stopped for your typical loads.

Deucal · **Posted:** Fri Jan 27, 2012 4:31 pm

If you want the new PC to be quiet you have to be VERY careful about your choices in:

1: Graphics card, This is your main screamer. Find one with a cooling solution that is relatively quiet, or get stock and buy a 3rd party quiet cooler option.

2: Your case and CPU heat sink fans. The noctua HS fans that come with that CPU cooler are good. I how ever don't know the case fans you are linking, go for the SPCR tested and recommended fans like Nexes, Noctua and Scythe. http://www.silentpcreview.com/article63-page1.html

3: Why are you putting those 3x500GB HDDs in the new comp? You need the space? You're going to use the old PC as a server, why not keep those noisy drives there and out of your PC room? My main PC is pretty quiet, but only when those damn HDDs spin down -_-

The X-750W is more than enough for what you are aiming for, got one in both my PCs.

i5 vs i7, you need the Hyper Threading? Using programs that use it properly? If no, go 2500K

kuzzia · **Posted:** Sat Jan 28, 2012 3:08 am

If you'd choose a Radeon 6850, and your budget can be stretched a bit further, then I'd suggest you buy a passively cooled 6850 and then strap on a very quiet (i.e. undervolted) cooler on the heatsink. In that way, you are able to control how loud the fan is. This setup also show very low temperatures at load.

tobee · **Posted:** Sat Jan 28, 2012 5:33 am

Quote:

If you want the new PC to be quiet you have to be VERY careful about your choices in:

1: Graphics card, This is your main screamer. Find one with a cooling solution that is relatively quiet, or get stock and buy a 3rd party quiet cooler option.

2: Your case and CPU heat sink fans. The noctua HS fans that come with that CPU cooler are good. I how ever don't know the case fans you are linking, go for the SPCR tested and recommended fans like Nexes, Noctua and Scythe. http://www.silentpcreview.com/article63-page1.html

3: Why are you putting those 3x500GB HDDs in the new comp? You need the space? You're going to use the old PC as a server, why not keep those noisy drives there and out of your PC room? My main PC is pretty quiet, but only when those damn HDDs spin down -_-

The X-750W is more than enough for what you are aiming for, got one in both my PCs.

i5 vs i7, you need the Hyper Threading? Using programs that use it properly? If no, go 2500K

1 playing around with switching stock to custom cooler is out of scope. don't have time for this. maybe passive powercolor with strapped fans or the msi i mentioned would be best choice.

2 Noctuas are pretty laud at 12v but at 40% with speedfan noise is gone. Will consider other fans from the linked article.

3 those are drives i move from old pc 2x500 + raid mirror on two other 500. Will move one 500 to the server along the 2T drive i was using there

I think HT is not so crucial. Compiling 1s longer doesn't hurt

Quote:

If you'd choose a Radeon 6850, and your budget can be stretched a bit further, then I'd suggest you buy a passively cooled 6850 and then strap on a very quiet (i.e. undervolted) cooler on the heatsink. In that way, you are able to control how loud the fan is. This setup also show very low temperatures at load.

good option for <100$ more if you count the additional fans cost i think
think i can afford it

Deucal · **Posted:** Sat Jan 28, 2012 4:58 pm

I never run any fan on 100% :wink:

, always 30-50% depending on noise/cooling requirements. Why buy good fans and have them noisy?

And that 6850 tip is pretty good.

After I caught the quiet bug, I'm way to sensitive to any noise at all from my computers.

ces · **Posted:** Sat Jan 28, 2012 6:53 pm

tobee wrote:

according to http://www.thermaltake.outervision.com/Power
It goes to 627W if i5 is overclocked with all those fans drives and 6850.

That statement just doesn't make sense to me. Would you expand on it. I just don't see how you can get anywhere close to 627W.

tobee · **Posted:** Mon Jan 30, 2012 1:01 am

i picked oc on cpu to 4.2 bd 3hdd 1ssd 6850 additional card with power no option for stx 6fans 140 bottom 2 front 120 1 at back 2 on d14 aging 20% if you want i can reproduce it once more and paste screenshot was not sure about ram i will buy 4*4gb sticks

CA_Steve · **Posted:** Mon Jan 30, 2012 7:16 am

Fyi: Overclocking an i5-2500K or i7-2600K to 4.2GHz adds maybe 30-35W to load power.

tobee · **Posted:** Mon Jan 30, 2012 12:40 pm

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/1933/psuap.jpg

if 7950 tdp ~6970 then we I go above 600W I believe psu working at 80%-100% wattage is not quiet nor safe in a long term

CA_Steve · **Posted:** Mon Jan 30, 2012 1:53 pm

Maybe this is an ESL thing.... Again, you are putting too much faith in that PSU calculator. Your actual load power will be half of that.

tobee · **Posted:** Tue Jan 31, 2012 4:07 am

I will check my current setup consumption.
Enermax Modu 87+ Lot 6 600W would be ok for such setup then?

Beside that scs3 is out of stock currently hope it will change.

CA_Steve · **Posted:** Tue Jan 31, 2012 6:31 am

tobee wrote:

Enermax Modu 87+ Lot 6 600W would be ok for such setup then?

Sure. Also good are the Kingwin STR-500 Fanless or LZP-550, Seasonic SS-560KM or SS-650KM.

HD7950 reviews are starting to hit. Looks like the OEMs are releasing with aftermarket cooling solutions. Price is still outrageous @ $479+.

tobee · **Posted:** Tue Jan 31, 2012 9:16 am

should go down when nvidia introduces new chip or lowers 580 price
I will wait with gpu swap and use old gtx460 untill it gets normal and scs3 version shows or something similar or i get into fps problems.

CA_Steve · **Posted:** Tue Jan 31, 2012 9:52 am

Sounds like a plan. Figure April for Nvidia intro's.

tobee · **Posted:** Tue Jan 31, 2012 1:42 pm

just stressed abit my current rig(965BE with 460gtx 4hdds xonar stx dvd 5 fans on cp-850)
maximum i did get without running furmark PI etc. was 355W
tested for like 10minutes only but should be fine with 600W

CA_Steve · **Posted:** Tue Jan 31, 2012 3:49 pm

Just to be clear on DC load on the PSU vs AC power from the wall..

Your current rig's stress test load power is 355W AC.
- 965BE has tdp of 125W. The i5-2500K is 95W - OC'd without overvolting, it's maybe 125W. - The GTX 460 has a tdp of 150W - same as the 7950.
-> using the existing psu, the new rig would use the same power stressed as the old rig

Now, take the CP 850's efficiency of ~84.1% at 355W AC and you get 249W DC. That's your effective load on the PSU using your stress test.

HFat · **Posted:** Tue Jan 31, 2012 4:08 pm

CA_Steve wrote:

take the CP 850's efficiency of ~84.1% at 355W AC and you get 249W DC.

There's a mistake somewhere.

CA_Steve · **Posted:** Tue Jan 31, 2012 4:38 pm

HFat wrote:

There's a mistake somewhere.

Yep - I just grabbed the numbers from the table. looks like the results shifted a row. Should be 299W DC.

tobee · **Posted:** Wed Feb 01, 2012 12:30 am

So to sum it up you think enermax modu87+ 500W will handle i5@4.2 with 7950? I can't put cp-850 in r3 though if it will be noisier i can swap cases with psu

ps. i live in europe so maybe even higher efficiency @220v

CA_Steve · **Posted:** Wed Feb 01, 2012 3:21 am

The Enermax fan profile is flat to 50% load, then it starts to ramp up. The 500W 87+ version SPCR tested in 2010 showed 11dBA at 250W and then 14dBA at 300W.

It can handle the load. I don't think you'd hear it while gaming as your video card and hard drives will be louder. If you wanted to PSU to not contribute any noise, then get the 600W.

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