silentpcreview.com - Everything about Silent / Quiet Computers

Scythe Katana 3: Same slant, new version

Fri, 3 Jul 2009 19:20:59 +0000

Katana 3 is one of Scythe's most economical models. Among the giants and skyscrapers of the brand's extensive lineup, it stands out by being relatively small, light and inexpensive. But Katana 3 supports every current socket, including 1366 for Intel i7.

CNPS10X Extreme: Zalman's Extreme Makeover

Thu, 2 Jul 2009 12:20:20 +0000

The CNPS10X Extreme is Zalman's first conventional tower heatpipe cooler. It weighs a hefty 920 grams, and comes with an integrated fan and fancy fan controller, as well as mounting hardware for all current AMD/Intel sockets, even LGA1156. Is it extreme enough to be competitive with the top models from Thermalright, Scythe and Noctua?

DFI LanParty JR 790GX-M3H5 mATX Motherboard

Sun, 28 Jun 2009 12:20:35 +0000

The DFI LANParty JR 790GX-M3H5 is a mATX AM3 motherboard utilizing the AMD 790GX chipset. DFI is known for the high level of BIOS controls to satisfy overclockers, but it's also an asset for silent PC enthusiasts.

Silverstone Fortress FT01: Positive Pressure Case

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 22:26:28 +0000

The Fortress FT01 is Silverstone's second uni-body case with lots of other notable features. Low-speed 180mm fans, positive air pressure design, foam-dampened panels, and grommet-mounted hard drives all make this an interesting case for the silent power PC builder.

Intel Q9550S: A Greener Quad Core?

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:20:47 +0000

Intel markets the Q9550S quad core processor as an energy efficient variant of the Q9550. Our comparison seeks to answer two basic questions: Is the Q9550S' power savings enough to justify its much higher price, and how does it compare to an undervolted Q9550?

Zotac IONITX-A: An ION / dual-core Atom Mini-ITX Board

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 12:20:13 +0000

Zotac is the first to market with a real flesh-and-blood ION motherboard, the IONITX. The version under review, the IONITX-A, is a mini-ITX board with an embedded dual-core Atom processor, Nvidia's ION GPU (based on GeForce 9400M) and a comprehensive feature set. It promises to be an all-in-one solution for small, energy efficient computing with versatile multimedia capability including full 1080p Blu-ray playback.

Samsung F2 EcoGreen HD502HI: Silent 500GB 3.5" HDD

Sun, 14 Jun 2009 05:43:16 +0000

Single-platter drives are the quietest, according to conventional engineering wisdom, but this truism is not always borne out in reality. The Samsung F2 EcoGreen 500GB desktop drive is a triumph for conventional wisdom.

Lenovo ThinkCentre M58p Eco USFF: Green Corporate SFF PC

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 19:49:37 +0000

Rated Gold (read: super Green) by EPEAT, the Ultra SFF M58p is a modern corporate PC from Lenovo. Lean and mean is what we expect, and hopefully quiet, too. A matching Gold (yup, read Green again) monitor, the ThinkVision L1940p LCD monitor is part of our review package.

AMD Phenom II X2 550 BE & Athlon II X2 250

Fri, 5 Jun 2009 12:20:34 +0000

AMD's newest processors, the Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition and the Athlon II X2 250, priced aggressively at $102 and $87 respectively, are aimed squarely at the bread and butter value segment of the desktop processor market. We take a look at their non-gaming and energy efficiency performance, and compare them against likely Intel competitors.

Asus M4A78-HTPC/RC: A Complete HTPC Solution?

Mon, 1 Jun 2009 00:20:18 +0000

The Asus M4A78-HTPC/RC is one of many AM2+ motherboard based on the 780G chipset. Asus has thrown in a few extras to differentiate it from the crowd - as you can guess by the model number, the board is aimed specifically at the HTPC market.

Single Moving Part PC in Silverstone TJ08

Sat, 30 May 2009 18:46:15 +0000

Another month, another silent PC. This time, in a handsome presentable case with just one moving part: A 120mm fan spinning at 500rpm. The SMPPC combines an Intel X25-M 80GB SSD, a Cool'n'Quiet AMD Athlon 64 2X processor, high efficiency DC/DC power conversion and DIY modding on a heatpipe heatsink in a Silverstone TJ08 for a system that is immeasurable even in an 11 dBA anechoic chamber.

Coolermaster Sileo 500: Quiet ATX Midtower Case

Wed, 27 May 2009 12:20:28 +0000

The Sileo 500 is a departure for Coolermaster, the company's first case designed expressly for silent PC enthusiasts. How well did CM cover the fundamentals of quiet computing in this modestly priced case?

Antec P183: The P182 Gets More Air

Mon, 18 May 2009 00:20:11 +0000

The Antec P183 is an update of the iconic P182. At first glance, the two cases look very similar, but the P183 has much improved intake ventilation and a redesigned bottom chamber to accommodate Antec's new proprietary CP line of power supplies (as well as longer ATX units).

IC Diamond 7 Giveaway

Fri, 15 May 2009 17:34:23 +0000

Not the kind of diamonds that might have glittered in your mind, but... Innovation Cooling is giving away 100 syringes of IC Diamond 7 Carat thermal compound to SPCR forum members. In return, Innovation Cooling seeks test data on how well the thermal compound performs in your system. Check out the details here.

Zotac GeForce 9300-ITX WiFi: Good Things Come in Small Packages

Thu, 14 May 2009 00:20:12 +0000

The GeForce 9300-ITX WiFi is not just Zotac's flagship product, it is THE flagship product for mini-ITX. This is the board that small form factor enthusiasts have been waiting for — a mini-ITX motherboard with full support for Core 2 processors (including high TDP quad cores), good quality integrated graphics, a PCIe 16X expansion slot, and wireless connectivity. On paper, the board has no rival.