BTW (sorry if this is off topic) does anyone know how long AS5 and Ceramique can be stored on the shelf (without hurting their effectiveness)?

Oh, interesting. :oops: In that case, you probably need to use fairly small fans, probably 60mm ones, which are usually whiny. There is one 60mm fan on the SPCR Recommended list that you can check out, though. That said, I don't think a fan on the RAM will do much for overclocking but will add much ...

If you don't suspend or enclose that hard drive, I don't think the system can be silent. Would you consider a 2.5" HDD and perhaps get away without such treatment?

RAM: 2x512MB of premium RAM, not sure what kind yet but I will want active cooling, not sure what to do here Active cooling on RAM? :? Do you mean RAM with heatsinks (passive cooling)? Anyway, I agree with MonsterMac that you could benefit from an XP-120 for overclocking (not sure about a Nexus for...

I would go for AMD for the same reasons stated by others. This is coming from another AMD fan.

Very, very nice, Longbow.

How's the Pioneer DVD drive working for you? I heard it's pretty quiet.

I am very late to this thread, so I don't know if somebody has posted this information already. But here goes... The Chaintech 7KJD (hybrid AMD/VIA chipset for Socket A Athlon/XP) mobo that I have allows a maximum -0.100V undervolt in 0.025V increments from a default that seems to be 2.1V :shock:, a...

Consider the SLK3000B, which improves on the 3700 and lets you choose your own PSU. I think the Seasonic S12-380 is a good fit for your system, and the XP-90 (with a suitable fan) is a cheaper alternative to the XP-120 and performs nearly as well. For the motherboard, consider one with an ATI Xpress...

I know you are looking for the most reliable fanless PSU, but I think a good fanned PSU will be more reliable than any fanless one. After all, the fan is good insurance! Perhaps you should consider a PSU with a large, low-airflow fan, such as a Seasonic S12.

L3thal,
Very nice rig! Did you use the stock Antec TriCool fan for any length of time? If so, how does it compare (on the low-speed setting) to the Yate Loon?

Thanks!

A very nice build. Those SilentDrives make me rethink my previous thought that three 5.25" bays are enough. Apparently I need more!

I recently read a review of a Sapphire X700 Pro card on Maximum PC that seems to have an Artic Silencer preinstalled. The reviewer didn't like the fact that it took up a total of THREE slots!

While the PM probably gives higher FPS in games when maxed out, I finally concluded that I want A64 because of the integrated memory controller and possibly 64 bit extensions. I think I would enjoy this more in the long run rather than 10 FPS more in some game. What makes you come to that conclusio...

If it's not a special SmartPower PSU, it should be this one: http://www.antec.com/us/productDetails.php?ProdID=26450 Yes, the fan is at the back. I was commenting that TruePower units are Antec's premium PSUs, and that the SmartPower is its budget line. I believe they use better components on the TP...

Good find. It looks to be an improvement over the original Sonata (I really like the door that can open 270 deg.). However, I think the inclusion of a power supply is not a good move, especially with a SmartPower one instead of the original TruePower, albeit with a higher 450W rating. Still, I like ...

I don't know if anyone has already posted a link to this review of the S12-330, but here it is: http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=article&item=166&num=3 It's not a very in-depth review, neither one tailored to acoustics, but it does give you an idea of how it compares to the S12-430 reviewed by ...

Cheap and quiet? I don't know, but maybe you're asking too much. Personally, I wouldn't go with anything cheaper than an Antec Solution Series case (SLKxxxx). I have one (SLK3700AMB) and am pretty happy with it, save for its heft, flimsy front door, moderately loud PSU, and slightly misaligned mothe...

I have never heard anything negative about Seagate. They lag behind a bit in performance, but they've always gotten the reptuation of being very quiet and reliable. Well said; same thoughts here. FWIW I have a couple of Seagate drives (Barracuda IV and 7200.7) that have yet to die on me. Read here:...

That's probably because the CPU has its own duct and is isolated (cooling-wise) from the rest of the system. And how hot is the videocard? Not very, I suppose?

You must be talking about the stock Athlon XP HSF. I've tried this...it works fairly well (I got the adaptor at CompUSA). However, the fan will be farther away from the heatsink and CPU and thus must work harder (i.e. spin faster) than if you have one right on top of the heatsink. So cooling efficie...

Talk about computers heating up rooms. I have an AXP 2200+ with the stock HSF and it gets to ~52 C under load (when I'm playing games). Ironically, it's the most powerful and coolest-running system of the three I have. Even at those temps, I'm forced to stop gaming for the sake of my ventilation.

Well, according to Anandtech, the 1.5ghz Banias had a TDP of 24.5 watts. The 1.8 ghz A64 is 35W. If you put the A64 @ 1.5ghz, then it's under 30 already without any vcore drop. So I think it's REALLY close. You have to remember that the Dothan chips are .09 nano, so perhaps AMD can match that 21W f...

It seems dead to me (excuse the pun).

What's that for anyway?

This new variation of the SLK1600 has a larger 120mm rear fan, more powerful 350-watt PSU, and comes in beige and black. Here is the black version: http://www.antec-inc.com/us/pro_details_enclosure.php?ProdID=91654 Might be a good, smaller alternative to the SLK3700AMB/BQE or 2600AMB/2650BQE. Though...

I've done business with Axion (well, there's an Axion retailer near my house--no shipping!) and I can't say anything negative about them.

Thank you for the corrections. It looks suitable for the P160.

This accessory doesn't do anything for silence, but it keeps your HD cool without fans!
[/url]http://www.antec-inc.com/us/pro_details ... =75011[url][/url]

I would say A64 has the edge in performance, but the Pentium M is more efficient in terms of heat output. I would personally go with A64, since desktop boards for the Pentium are not plentiful (most are industrial boards).

RLiu818 wrote:I think the quietest fan at 12v in my experience is the stock antec fan that comes with the 3700BQE case.

The stock fan on the SLK3700AMB is the only 120mm fan I have, but I don't think it's particularly quiet (nor particularly loud). It does cool well, though.