Update: I just installed the two aforementioned Noctua fans a few minutes ago. Let's just say I don't have to worry about noise any more. Right now, I can hear the low rumble from the city (and I don't really live in it). That's pretty damn good. I actually can't hear the computer over the noise in ...

I can't really recommend anything yet, as I'm not sure how well my solution will work out. I'm going to use the Scythe Kaze Master. About the pressure, using fans with more tightly packed fins also works. Right now, I already have a couple of 500/700 RPM Noctua fans laying around (not meant for this...

I'm currently waiting for my fan controller to arrive. Already have a couple of 120 mm Noctua fans ready.

Does that card use the exact same cooler?

If so, can you share how you got the plastic casing off?

I went and got another one. The same card. It does not have the same irritating modulating low frequency sound. This one has a constant low frequency sound. It's better, though. The fans seem to work OK. It even reports lower temperatures at idle (probably not actual variations, though). This one st...

That might be plain wrong, actually. Maybe your card is defective (cooler not having full contact with GPU maybe?) My airflow is OK, but I wouldn't say it's stellar (it's a silent system, after all, all I can hear is the graphics card). At boot it's at under 10%, but after some ordinary use right no...

I'm sitting comfortably at 30 degrees at well below 10% The auto speed actually lowers the fan speed to well below what Afterburner can manage, so it's not so much the air flow or the fins cutting air that makes the noise, it's the ball bearings. They just sound like horrible quality fans. Panning f...

Rotten, check here: http://www.overclockersclub.com/reviews/asus_gtx570_directcu2/2.htm It seems it's quite doable to remove the cooler. I'm more skeptical when it comes to the fans, not sure what to do about them. Since this beast of a card takes up 3 slots, it makes me wonder if it would work the...

Hi, for replacement coolers I would take a look at: Accelero xtreme plus II Thermalright Shaman The Accelero claims GTX570 compatability and I've seen threads people talking about fitting the Shaman sucessfully to GTX570. "doveman" has a thread about fitting the Accelero to HD6950, not the right ca...

Right, it's obviously possible to get it off, the thing is: how, and is it doable without damaging it; and: what kind of connections are we talking about on the board? Is it comparable to the board the OP has?

Well, company is comfort.

Have you removed it and looked at it yet?

This sounds exactly like what I think I need to do. I just bought an ASUS GTX 570 DirectCU II card, and the fans are horrible, even when it's idling. I figure I'm going to try to replace them with two 120 mm Noctua fans, but I need to know if the plastic "shielding" is removable on this card, but I'...

Yeah, like I said, it's a non-issue.

I think I'll go with this setup, unless I find the perfect case, and I'm guessing I won't.

Can't wait to get the SSD's. Close to total silence.

Protection: non-issue. Looks: non-issue (ie. it looks better than 90% of the cases out there, imho). Do you have any specific cases in mind that has a horizontal design, and has an useable air-flow with just the 120mm on very low RPM (or a 140mm) that doesn't cost an arm and a leg? BTW, the video ca...

I've been wondering. If the goal is a silent PC, why even have a case? The last months I've been running a rig that soon will be my studio rig (for recording sound). The only thing that makes any noise to speak of is my HDD. This will be replaced by a SSD drive in a couple of months, making the only...