minipc shuttle ss40's heatpipe quiet enough?

The forum for non-component-related silent pc discussions.

Moderators: NeilBlanchard, Ralf Hutter, sthayashi, Lawrence Lee

Post Reply
Sonarcade
Posts: 20
Joined: Sun Aug 11, 2002 3:26 pm

Post by Sonarcade » Mon Aug 12, 2002 2:32 pm

I looked at this article
<BR>
<BR><!-- BBCode auto-link start --><a href="http://www.tomshardware.com/howto/02q3/ ... index.html" target="_blank">http://www.tomshardware.com/howto/02q3/ ... ex.html</a><!-- BBCode auto-link end -->
<BR>
<BR>and saw that the heatpipe feature might be interesting to review in terms of volume since it's claimed to be quiet. Also do you guys think the price tag on these things ~$370 USD is worth a mobo, integrated non-agp video, lan, and the case? I don't know but I'm excited. <IMG SRC="modules/phpBB_14/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif">
[addsig]

Dru
Patron of SPCR
Posts: 154
Joined: Sun Aug 11, 2002 3:26 pm
Location: Gilbert, Arizona, USA
Contact:

Post by Dru » Mon Aug 12, 2002 2:32 pm

I would probably buy one of those for my next PC (in about 6-12months) but perhaps when they release the P4 version (because my current system is an Athlon and AMDs run much hotter than P4s in general).
<br>
<br>I do have a server running 24/7 that is a slim PC. I wasn't looking at having it silent. The quietness just came with the system without my expecting it (I wasn't obsessed with Quiet PCs when I bought it). I just needed a server which would run Linux as a web and ftp server. It only has a 850mhz Celeron but it's fine. I bought it after reading about it at the link below:
<br>
<br><!-- BBCode Start --><A HREF="http://www.vboston.com/DepressedPress/C ... CSabre.cfm" TARGET="_blank">Sabre Slim/Quiet PC</A><!-- BBCode End -->
<br>
[addsig]

Bertrand
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Sep 22, 2002 2:35 am

Post by Bertrand » Sun Sep 22, 2002 2:53 am

It's not silent but definitively quiet (low noise with a medium-high pitch). In fact, you have to choose your CD drive carefully so you don't introduce a noisy component!

The heatpipe cannot be reviewed independently of the system. If integrated graphics are objectionable, you should consider the Intel version SV51G which has an AGP slot (beware of GPU fans!)-- but integrated graphics should be good enough for 2D. The aluminium case of the AMD version SV40G is, IMHO, much nicer than the plexiglas case of the SV51G.
The price tag is in line with the quality...

Dru
Patron of SPCR
Posts: 154
Joined: Sun Aug 11, 2002 3:26 pm
Location: Gilbert, Arizona, USA
Contact:

Post by Dru » Sun Sep 22, 2002 9:10 pm

Oops! I just noticed my URL link above is broken. Here's a good one:

http://www.vboston.com/DepressedPress/C ... /Index.cfm

Ralf63
Posts: 30
Joined: Sun Aug 11, 2002 3:26 pm

Post by Ralf63 » Sat Oct 26, 2002 1:20 am

Subjective statements about quietness can sometimes bee very misleading. Especially if the reviewer really only cares about overclocking and maximal performance anyway. One reviewer stated for example that the original blowdryer fan on the Creative Geforce-4 TI-4600 card was "quiet". Everything is relative I guess.

I dont know how quiet those barebone systems really is - it would help a lot if the reviewer had mentioned the rpm-value of the heatsink-fan. Also the fansize and rpm-value of the PSU-fan, and if its thermo-controlled or not. Maybe you can check it out with the PSU-manufactor? Anyway, you can do something about the heatsink-fan by opting for the easy-to-cool INTEL Northwood 1.8Ghz. Then you get enough performance, but is given better margin to replace the original heatsink-fan with something slower and quieter. Remember that the original fan must be powerful (and noisy) enough to also cool a NW 2.53Ghz CPU - or even faster.

As for the value and cuteness of those little barebones, I agree. They sure look great.

GamingGod
Posts: 2057
Joined: Fri Oct 04, 2002 9:52 pm
Location: United States, Mobile, AL

Post by GamingGod » Sat Oct 26, 2002 7:11 am

I would think tha tit would be harder to cool a small pc like that (hence more noise) so why not just get a normal case with lots of slow moving fans? Im sure in a year or two all cases will be mini but right now i wouldnt get one.

Red Dawn
Posts: 169
Joined: Fri Oct 04, 2002 11:46 am
Location: Stockholm

Post by Red Dawn » Sat Oct 26, 2002 3:18 pm

The idea behind small PC's is that they are easy to move around (lan for instance is a joy with one of these compared to a normal case) and are very easy to 'hide away' in normal use, ie. they don't take up much space.

A lot of people (myself included) like them, I've lived with the grey standard cases for years, and I'm beginning to get tired of them.
Maybe, and just maybe, the next computer I will put together will be a really small one, but that depends on my funds, otherwise I would have already built one!

By the way, I saw one of those shuttle cases with a 120 mm. fan at the back, blowing outwards on the extended heatsink, but that may just have been a mod. I didn't take a closer look. It does prove that it is possible though. :)

Syphon869
Posts: 47
Joined: Sat Oct 19, 2002 8:07 am

Post by Syphon869 » Sat Oct 26, 2002 5:28 pm

Nice little computers...perhaps a bit too small for proper airflow.

Kinda odd that MicroATX boards have been on the market for years yet no one has done anything like this with them. Overall, I would actually prefer MicroATX form factor over all these propietary designs. I can pick up a well-equipped SktA board with an AGP slot and 3 PCIs for under $50.

And with only one media drive, I would go straight for a DVD/CD-RW combo drive - you never know what you're gonna need when you're not at your own desk!

Post Reply