New to Silent PCs - Some Questions

[Maelwys]

Greets!

I've been lurking for a while and reading articles and posts about quieting down my aging PC, but I've found a few areas that I'm a bit fuzzy on. So I thought it was time to come out of the shadows and join in.

After reading through the testing stuff here, I've identified my old 300W Enermax PS as a serious noise source, and my case, an equally venerable Coolermaster tower, has more fans than you can shake a stick at. So I'm replacing both of those with an Antec Solo and Corsair 620HX. They should arrive today.

For now, I'm going to dump my existing AGP rig (MSI nForce3 MB, 3500+, Asus 9800XT, 1 SATA HD) into the case, and install a Scythe Ninja in passive to replace the stock ATI cooler. I don't have a lot of money, so my plan is to eventually replace the mobo with an Asus A8N32-SLI Deluxe. I'll also replace my dying 9800XT with something passive or quiet, like a 7600GT. I want to make this thing as passive as possible, but would like to use it for moderate gaming on a 20" widescreen LCD:

So here are some places where I'm a bit fuzzy:

Is the Scythe Ninja in passive enough to cool a 3500+ (and eventually perhaps an X2 4400+) at load, with the 120mm fan in the Solo right behind it?

Can I get away without any 92mm fans in the front of the Solo even if I eventually get a fairly good passive video card?

Does a Nexus 120mm fan come with anything that the Yate Loon 120mm fan doesn't, besides the pretty packaging?

Will the 120mm fan on the bottom of the Corsair 620HX 120mm interfere with the 120mm fan on the back of the Solo?

Thanks in advance for all your help!

Cheers,
Maelwys

[nici]

Is the Scythe Ninja in passive enough to cool a 3500+ (and eventually perhaps an X2 4400+) at load, with the 120mm fan in the Solo right behind it?

Can I get away without any 92mm fans in the front of the Solo even if I eventually get a fairly good passive video card?

Does a Nexus 120mm fan come with anything that the Yate Loon 120mm fan doesn't, besides the pretty packaging?

Will the 120mm fan on the bottom of the Corsair 620HX 120mm interfere with the 120mm fan on the back of the Solo?

1. If you don't live somewhere exceptioally hot, it is enough.

2. Most likely you don't need any 92mm fans, using one would however improve your hdd temps.

3. It has additional molex connectors and it runs at 1000rpm instead of 1300rpm, that should be it.

4. No it won't interfere.

Welcome to SPCR!

[Maelwys]

Installed everything into the Solo + Corsair 620 last night and it's already quieter even with the same components on the inside. Honestly, I didn't expect that much of a difference without replacing any parts, and I am very pleased. And thanks for the very prompt answers nici!

Unfortunately, this 'quiet down the old PC' project has given me a vision of the future: I see more money leaving my bank account soon.

[Mescalero]

Unfortunately, this 'quiet down the old PC' project has given me a vision of the future: I see more money leaving my bank account soon.

I think a lot of people here can tell the same story...

It wold be nice to here if you get away without any intake fans. I've been wondering if I need any intake fans (also in a Solo), too. So HDD temps with ambient temps would be nice to hear!

[Maelwys]

Mesc: I ran some tests today and recorded temps. Ambient temp is 23C. Using just the 120mm Tri-cool on low, my hard drive (Maxtor 250GB Sata) holds steady at 37C during copying and loading tasks.

CPU (3500+) averages 33C idle, 45C under load using a Zalman 7000Cu.

My next step, before my planned upgrade to PCI-e, is to replace the Zalman with a Scythe Ninja and the Tri-cool with a Nexus. Hopefully my temps will improve or at least hold steady and noise will drop.

[Mescalero]

Thanks for those temps! 37°C max sounds really good. I think I won't need any HDD cooling then, even in the summer.

With 45°C CPU temp under load you also have a lot of headroom there to go passive