We're kicking off the New Year with a bang: A Promotional Giveaway in Jan 2003 with lots of fabulous prizes for quiet computing. Our goal is simple: to increase SPCR traffic and to promote makers & sellers of quiet PC products. Check under Announcments in SPCR's Forums.

A review to slip in under the wire in 2002. This is quite the quiet feature, everyone: a dual-fan controller with more features than even YOU've dreamed about. It makes quiet fan control a cinch even for neophytes. For now AOpen may be THE mobo for silent PCers! Check out the AOpen SilentBios/Tek - AX4GE Max motherboard review.

OverClock Intelligence Agency has posted their review of the SwiftTech H20-8500 Series Liquid Cooling Kit. Requiring only an 80mm case exhaust fan and an empty 5 1/4"e; drive bay, the SwiftTech seems ideal for those with smaller cases. Overall, the OCIA review is positive. The SwiftTech H20-8500 looks like a promising solution for those who are seeking high performance combined with low noise.

Michael Greene first boxed and watercooled his 1.4G Athlon system, then upgraded to a XP2000+ with three 5-gallon pails of water, ran into mold, and finally found the perfect solution in an all-copper Chrysler radiator for $5 on eBay. Michael's PC watercooling and quieting story.

Antec, the biggest case & PSU brand in the US, moves towards quiet computing with the new Sonata case and True 380S power supply. Piano black finish, noise-reduced PSU, 120mm case fan, unique case flow, grommets for HDD mounting -- how do they all add up? A 2-for-1 review: Antec Sonata Case / PSU and Antec True 380S PSU

Antec, the biggest case & PSU brand in the US, moves towards quiet computing with the new Sonata case and True 380S power supply. Piano black finish, noise-reduced PSU, 120mm case fan, unique case flow, grommets for HDD mounting -- how do they all add up? A 2-for-1 review: Antec Sonata Case / PSU and Antec True 380S PSU ...

This non-descript PSU from High Power (Sirtec) was apparently ranked #2 for low noise in a roundup of 18 competitors by CT Magazine in Germany earlier this year. How does the HPC-300-102 fare on the SPCR test bench?

The as-yet unreleased Antec TrueControl 550 is a perfect PSU for overclockers obsessed with control and a need for very high power. It has every control tool you can think of and the ability to deliver huge amounts of tightly voltage-regulated power. Is it a good choice for the quiet computing enthusiast? Read our comprehensive review.

The Zalman 6500Cu and 6500AlCu, the Thermalright AX478 and the stock Intel P4 HSF are reviewed with a quiet, low airflow Panaflo, using our "compare-heatsinks-not-fans" approach. Again, reduced airflow testing of heatsinks provides some surprises. Our first P4 HS roundup review.

Attractive (but big) tower PC cabinets by new startup Plasmic described as "revolutionary PC furniture, designed to bring unmatched noise reduction, physical protection of the PC, and unique aesthetics to the modern office environment." A new stylish and secure variation on the old box-it-to-shut-it-up idea. Shipping weight could be a cost issue, especially from Denmark to anywhere outside of Europe.

"So far I have been unable to enjoy these audio and video files in the comfort of the living room... I don't want a big noisy PC whirring away in the living room." So Fiona built a complete, compact media PC with EPIA M, G-Alantic case, and ATI Remote Wonder.

From the people who brought you Q-Technology comes a new PSU called the Nexus NX-3000. The new model is claimed to be 5(!!) dBA quieter than the quietest fan-equipped ATX/PS2 power supplies. Yet with high efficiency and fan intelligence, it is supposed to stay cool with good airflow under high loads. We agree. It's the quietest fan-cooled PSU we've encountered to date, and it delivers power with aplomb.

SilentPCReview's first system review, an XP2000+ based model from ARM Systems in California. The quiet PC market is still mostly dominated by component makers and marketers; there are only a handful of quiet system integrators. With 3 years of experience selling noise-reduced systems, ARM is a veteran. If you'd rather avoid the hassles of DIY and have a real warranty with onsite service, a custom-configured Stealth PC by ARM Systems (1.7 to 2.8 GHz models, P4 & XP) is definitely worth considering.

Aike sends in news of Xbit Labs' coverage of the new Shuttle XPC SB51G barebones PC featuring i845GE core-logic that can take advantage of the Hyper-Threading technology provided by the latest Pentium 4 3.06GHz CPU.
Mikell tells us about a new Goldenfield atx power supply with a single 120mm fan that looks like a cool and quiet power supply. It certainly has potential, with the huge fan and wide open vent.
And Rick was wandering around the Castronic web site and found a new mini-itx case, mini CheckerCube-129, with 2.6"x 8.5"x 9.7" (tiny) dimensions. There are vent holes punched all around the unit. which is designed for fanless operation. Looks promising, but does require a slim CD and a slim hard drive.

The EPIA-M series, driven by the new VIA CLE266 chipset, is designed to tackle a different market segment than the original EPIA series. The video, audio and I/O enhancements in this second generation Mini-ITX board allows VIA to position the EPIA-M series for a home entertainment PC. Does it meet VIA's objectives? Is it quiet? Does it really work as an entertainment PC?