My First SILENT PC!!

xxkrnxstylezxx · Post by **xxkrnxstylezxx** » Sun Dec 19, 2004 3:03 pm

I'm building a system and I've made my choices about ordering these after alot of research (unless someone has something better).

New, slightly revised list...
- MSI K8N Neo2 Platinum
- Heatsink for Northbridge (either zalman or alpha, whichever fits)
- AMD 64 3000+ 939pin
- Zalman CNPS7000B-CU HSF
- Silverstone Temjin TJ06 with -Side Window
- BFG 6800 oc (already have)
- Zalman VF700-cu
- Seasonic Super Tornado 350watts
- 2 x Crucial PC3200 512mb ram (already have)
- Creative Soundblaster Audigy 2 ZS Gamer's Edition (already have)
- NEC 3500a DVD RW
- Sony Floppy Drive
- Seagate 7200.7 160gb PATA hard drive

- Dell 2001FP
- Logitech Z-5500

So i'm hoping this system will be very quiet, probably not silent tho. I'm spending $250 extra just to make the computer quiet, so it better work...

Oh, and I'll undervolt the two 120mm fans to 7volts, and probably remove the 80mm fan (loud according to review)

Any suggestions?

acaurora · Post by **acaurora** » Sun Dec 19, 2004 7:02 pm

I have the BFG 6800 Ultra... and I have actually talked to a few people about the NV Silencer 5... they say it isn't really that much of an improvement. Personally I've gotten used to the cooler, the sound is pretty smooth. Loud, don't get me wrong, but still smooth. And since I listen to music a lot, and the rest of my computer is quiet that's the only noisemaker, so I'm used to it.

xxkrnxstylezxx · Post by **xxkrnxstylezxx** » Sun Dec 19, 2004 8:47 pm

Hmmmm...thats not good

Are there any quieter coolers for the 6800?

would either a Zalman ZM80 or Thermaltake Schooner fit it?

Post by **MikeC** » Sun Dec 19, 2004 9:27 pm

The TJ06 needs its 80mm fan replaced with a quieter one. With at least 3 fans to control in that, you may want to get yourself a multi-fan voltage controller.

Agreed re AC VGA NV5 cooler -- the new gen AC VGA coolers are not great compared to the first gen. The Aerocool VGA cooler, which is passive, might be a better choice -- if you can get some airflow across it. Also, with the Aerocool, watch out for concave HD base. If it is bad you may want to exchange or lap it.

Personally, I'd go for a Samsung SP16XX HDD, because the seek noise is lower, but if you get lucky with one of the new China-made Seagate 7200.7 PATA and find a way to suspend it in the TJ06, you'll be laughing.

Also, unless you are sold on the TK06, consider the new Antec SLK3000, which combines the best of the 3700 AMB and BQE in a case without a PSU -- so you can get your own. It's actually a very quiet-friendly case that probably needs no mods at all to be perfetly fine for most folks. It's relatively cheap, too.

BTW, not sure where's your extra $250? You'd have to get almost all this stuff anyway for a good system wouldn'y you? The only thing really "unnecessary" appears to be the AC-NV5, which is only $30-35.

xxkrnxstylezxx · Post by **xxkrnxstylezxx** » Sun Dec 19, 2004 9:41 pm

well I already have a Segate hard drive I'm going to use, so I cant buy a new one.

I guess I can replace the 80mm fan with an Arctic Cooling one I already have here (it's very quiet)

Are you talking about this VGA cooler? So this would work with the 6800?

Isn't the TJ06 a better case? I really like the look of this case, so I was going to spend the extra money. Would the SLK3000 be a better choice?

Well i guess maybe not all of the $250. Basically the case, PSU, heatsink, vga cooler - they're more expensive cause they're quieter. I would probably have kept alot of it stock if I didn't want quiet.

So with the aerocool VGA, and a new 80mm fan, will it be a quiet system? What fan controller would you recommend, maybe something like this?

Thank you for the suggestions

Slaugh · Post by **Slaugh** » Sun Dec 19, 2004 9:42 pm

I don't know if it's a better solution to the NV5, but Zalman have a new VGA cooler, the VF700-Cu. It support every Nvidia cards except PCX ones.

Post by **MikeC** » Sun Dec 19, 2004 10:09 pm

One is coming into the lab, so you'll see a review here probably by early Jan. Without having it in hand, here's my prediction about the new Z. vga cooler:

1) It should cool very effectively. Almost all recent Z. hs have been very good performers

2) The fan might not be as quiet as we'd like -- it's been so since the very first Zalman fan, so... However, it should be able to get quieter with a fanmate, quieter than an AC because there will be no plastic housing to rattle.

acaurora · Post by **acaurora** » Sun Dec 19, 2004 10:14 pm

I can imagine you got a giant neon sign that's wrapped in sorbothane so as to reduce the buzz of the light -

THE LAB

nbac · Post by **nbac** » Mon Dec 20, 2004 3:14 am

I'm certainly impressed by it's performance.

Just to clarify: when I say inaudible at 5V, I didn't mean I couldn’t hear it,
just that my other quiet components produce more noise.

xxkrnxstylezxx · Post by **xxkrnxstylezxx** » Mon Dec 20, 2004 7:11 am

Thanks for the replies.

The VF700-cu sounds good.

Any recommendations about a fan controller?? how about this zalman

http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductde ... 6813999251

nbac, did you get your Zalman here?. Only place I could find.

nbac · Post by **nbac** » Mon Dec 20, 2004 8:29 am

No, from a local store in Sweden...

xxkrnxstylezxx · Post by **xxkrnxstylezxx** » Mon Dec 20, 2004 9:02 am

hm..so with the Zalman VF700-cu, quiet 80mm fan, fan controller, my system should be pretty quiet, right?

tay · Post by **tay** » Mon Dec 20, 2004 11:55 am

Grr.... This comes out just after i pick up zm80C. Although I only paid $17.

To xxknrnxxxxxxxxxryslexxxxxxxxxxxxxxx :

Yeah you have the basics of a quiet system in the components mentioned.

One knock against the Antec 3000 for me is the lack of front audio/firewire. It may be a nonissue to you in which case it is a good "value" choice. Pick what you like though, the TJ-06 has its own set of advantages.

xxkrnxstylezxx · Post by **xxkrnxstylezxx** » Mon Dec 20, 2004 8:29 pm

great...I guess I can order now and hope for the best

xxkrnxstylezxx · Post by **xxkrnxstylezxx** » Mon Dec 20, 2004 11:41 pm

hmm now im wondering if I should just get a Antec slk3000b...much cheaper.

But the fan controller would be a problem, and it looks plain..choices choices..

xxkrnxstylezxx · Post by **xxkrnxstylezxx** » Tue Dec 21, 2004 8:11 pm

well i bought an Antec SLK3000b instead...cause it's so much cheaper. Only problem is I don't know if the fan controller will fit inside the drive bay door.

Sleeper · Post by **Sleeper** » Tue Jan 04, 2005 2:08 pm

xxkrnxstylezxx wrote:I'm building a system and I've made my choices about ordering these after alot of research (unless someone has something better).

Any suggestions?

Yes, is 350 watts enough?
Both your CPU and Video card use a lot of watts, so I heard.

Perhaps you should consider 400 to 450?
Can anyone confirm this or am I talking though my hat?

Beyonder · Post by **Beyonder** » Tue Jan 04, 2005 3:45 pm

350 watts is plenty and then some for the above system.

Perhaps if the system was dual cpu, with some monster video card(s) and a plethora of hard drives, you might want more.

Other than that, the above system probably draws very little, especially if that A64 is a Winchester.

Slaugh · Post by **Slaugh** » Tue Jan 04, 2005 4:06 pm

Sleeper wrote:Yes, is 350 watts enough?
Both your CPU and Video card use a lot of watts, so I heard.

If it was a cheap power supply like those "Deer", maybe not. The key here is to choose a good quality power supply. The power supply he chose (Seasonic Super Tornado) is a good one with a good efficiency, so I don't think he'll have any problem at all. I have myself a 350 watts PSU which is enough for my Athlon64 3400+ and my Radeon X800XT... and overall, it's pretty much the same config...

Check these pages and you'll see that power consumption is not that bad...

My First SILENT PC!!

My First SILENT PC!!

Re: My First SILENT PC!!