New build - silent PSU? Seasonic too noisy..

PSUs: The source of DC power for all components in the PC & often a big noise source.

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gromitee
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Jan 14, 2014 11:38 am

New build - silent PSU? Seasonic too noisy..

Post by gromitee » Tue Jan 14, 2014 12:12 pm

Hi,
Long time reader, first time poster..
I've just built my first computer since core 2 duo was new on the market and I'm trying to build as silent as an air-cooled mITX build can be. I'm using a Cooltek U2(http://www.cooltek.de/en/cubes/u2/90/u2) case modded to fit a 140mm fan in front, Noctua P14 fans all around and all is well. Except. The PSU I got from my old computer is getting a bit old, and though there's nothing wrong with it(it's actuallly the most silent part of the computer) I'd like to get a new, modular, PSU because there just isn't enough space for all the cables. Price doesn't matter. It needs to be quiet and since the case pulls air from inside the case I suspect passive is out of the question.
I've tried two brand new PSUs so far:
beQuiet pure power 630w - fan made incredible annoying clicking noise (result of double ball bearing fan?)
Seasonic Platinum 660w - fan motor makes way too much noise in normal mode (dead silent in hybrid mode, but the fan's bound to start some time)
I'm incredibly disappointed by the Seasonic - I can't believe a 7 year old PSU makes less noise..

Now, I'm turning to the experts for advice here before I go and order another PSU. I've got the following on my shortlist:
beQuiet Dark Power Pro 550w
Enermax Platimax 500/600w

Does anyone have real world experience with these PSUs? All I find are reviews that give them praise(this site and jonnyguru seem to like them). No reviews mention the clicking or the fan motor on the others so I'm getting more than a little sceptical when I read noise tests. Further, does anyone have any other PSU to recommend?

As a side note, if I get the beQuiet there will only be 4-5 cm depth left in the case for the cables. Is this enough?

Thanks!!

Abula
Posts: 3662
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 12:22 pm
Location: Guatemala

Re: New build - silent PSU? Seasonic too noisy..

Post by Abula » Tue Jan 14, 2014 3:15 pm

Silent you will only get in a falness setup, and even then electrical ciol noise or whinning might be previewed by the end user, try to check if you can find Super Flower Golden Silent 500W Fanless, SPCR reviewed the rebranded versions and both came out really good, Rosewill Silent Night 500 Platinum 80 Plus and Fanless PSUs: Kingwin Stryker STR-500 & Silverstone ST50NF

gromitee
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Jan 14, 2014 11:38 am

Re: New build - silent PSU? Seasonic too noisy..

Post by gromitee » Wed Jan 15, 2014 2:31 am

Abula wrote:Silent you will only get in a falness setup, and even then electrical ciol noise or whinning might be previewed by the end user, try to check if you can find Super Flower Golden Silent 500W Fanless, SPCR reviewed the rebranded versions and both came out really good, Rosewill Silent Night 500 Platinum 80 Plus and Fanless PSUs: Kingwin Stryker STR-500 & Silverstone ST50NF
Thanks for replying! I'm not going for total silence - I can live with the 'whooosh' that come from my P14s @ 650RPM. What's bothering me is clicking or any mechanical noises. On the two I've tried so far electrical noise hasn't been an issue. That would in any case only be an issue if it's present in idle and light load. My GPU makes some crazy electrical noises during gaming but that's fine :) Those fanless PSUs seem pretty good, but I don't think I'm able to get them in Denmark, and the PSU may have a fan as long as it's silent. Silent as in putting the ear next to the PSU and barely hearing the fan. That's the noise level on my trusty old one and that's what I expect from any new ~£100 PSU..

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