Here is my current PC:

• i3 2120 (3.3gHz, 65W TDP)
• Hyper 212+ cooler (w/stock fan, 33 idle, 52 load)
• MSI H61M-P21 (micro ATX)
• 4GB Mushkin Essentials DDR3
• PNY GTX 550ti (116W TDP, hot and loud)
• Seagate Momentus XT hybrid 2.5" HDD
• 700W Ultra X-Connect PSU (silent)
• Ultra Grid Case (http://images.highspeedbackbone.net/sku ... 8-main.jpg)
• One generic 120mm exhaust fan hooked up to Nexus fan controller

I am in the process of trying to make it silent. Questions:

[list=][*]Any suggestions for a cheap silent 120mm PWM fan (one for the CPU cooler, one to replace the exhaust fan)?
[*]I plan on getting a cooler and quieter video card. I am looking at the Asus DirectCu 7770 or XFX Double D 7770. Any other suggestions?
[*]Is it worth it splurging on a new case? I am looking at the Fractal Design Mini or R3. ANy other suggestions?[/list]

Most PWM fans from Nexus, Scythe or Noctua should fit the bill for you.

Your best bet for the video card would likely be to fit it with an aftermarket VGA cooler. A new VGA card would be more costly and might end up being just as loud.

The case has an effect on silence, but the components inside largely dictate whether or not the system is silent. I would work on trying to silence the components before upgrading the case.

There's also the PWM from Arctic Cooling. AC F12 PWM, usually cheaper than the competitors and minimum rpm is 300, so can be run very quietly, virtually silent.

Case: As Falkon mentions, the case only has a limited impact on the overall noise level, so this reason alone would not be a good reason to upgrade the case. But do consider the other reasons to buy a new case: the looks, front ports, thermal performance etc.

+1 on Falkon's comments.

Also, the 7770 vs 550ti: about the same performance, just at ~70W vs ~115W when gaming. So, if you don't need an fps bump, then go with an aftermarket cooler. Arctic Cooling Twin Turbo II and Accelero Extreme Plus II are a couple of compatible ones and will easily handleyour card's load. $45 for the lesser.

To be honest, I bought the 550ti as a temporary card until the 600/7000 generation. I'd rather not spend money on a cooler for it because it's slow and temporary.

I can get a CM Silencio 550 case locally, but I'm not sure if the Hyper 212+ would fit inside? I don't think that heat would be a problem for my system with that case, right?

According the CM website the Silencio 550 supports a max CPU cooler height of 154mm, and the 212+ is 158.5mm, so that would be a no.

You would likely need a video card with a blower type fan exhausting most of the hot air out the PCI slot since the Silencio 550 only has a single 120mm exhaust fan at 800rpm. These cards (particularly nVidia) can be quiet, but generally not silent.