Advice on small, powerful, but quiet HTPC

[JoeCool]

Hello Everybody

I am trying to build a silent HTPC. Fanless being apparently quite difficult to achieve, I am trying to build a product which will be as silent as possible.

The second problem I have is that space under my TV is limited and I need a box as small as possible.

And of course, with all that, the most powerful HTPC possible.

Am I asking the impossible ? Maybe... but here below are two possible configurations that I am thinking about, and I'd be grateful if you could tell me what you think about them.


First is the smallest box, my prefered because of its size, but I am wary of the FAN of the PSU, which apparently is of the noisy kind :

- Enclosure : SilverStone SG06, with integrated PSU (FSP300-60GHS)
- MB : ZOTAC GEFORCE 8200 - ITX WIFI
- CPU : AMD Phenom II X4 905e
- Radiator : SilverStone NT06-E
- Front fan : Noctua NF-P12-1300
+ a slim BR/DVD drive,
+ a double digital tv tuner PCIe board (fanless),
+ memory, etc...

Any idea to make this configuration even more silent ?

The second configuration is the following, which I have been told should be quieter than the first, but bigger in size :

- Enclosure : SilverStone GD04
- PSU : Corsair HX 520W 
- MB :  ASUS M4A785TD-M EVO 
- CPU : AMD Phenom II X4 905e
- Radiator Big Shuriken incl. fan
- Right side fans (positive pressure) : 2 x Noctua NF-P12-1300
+ a standard BR/DVD drive
+ a double digital tv tuner PCIe board (fanless),
+ memory, etc...

On other forums, I have been told that the Corsair is very nearly totaly silent, same for the BigShuriken, and the Noctua fans.

Any idea to make this configuration even more silent ? Which of the two is the more silent one ?

Thanks !

EDIT : I should have mentionned it but it will be a SSD drive in both cases

[ces]

Please confirm, does the SilverStone GD04 use a standard ATX power unit?

[JoeCool]

@ces

Please confirm, does the SilverStone GD04 use a standard ATX power unit?

Apparently it does, their specs on their home-page says that it supports standard ATX size.

Now, I've found the review of the Seasonic X-650 on Silenpcreview and it is quieter than my original choice, so my choice will go for the Seasonic X-650.

Silverstone also came out recently with the updated version of the GD04, the new GD05. I am still trying to figure out if its configuration would make it easier to replace my current choice of cpu cooler (Scythe Big Shuriken) with a bigger but fanless cooler.

[maalitehdas]

My suggestion: H55 micro ATX with i3 530 and its onboard graphics. Very low heat generation, very small system and easy to cool.

[wkeller]

H55/i3 in very SFF: See my setup and picture in topic "Fanless PSU for i3"

[JoeCool]

@maalitehdas

Thank you for your input

The Phenom II X4 905e is a low consumption CPU (thermal design power = 65W)

The Core i3 has a TDP of 73W

So we should already have a low heat generation system (on paper at least).

The question really is how to cool it in the most efficient and silent way.

Thanks