Silent i4790k build, asus z-97a, low profile
Posted: Sun Aug 02, 2015 3:14 pm
Hello SPCR community
I want to build a PC that will sit in the living room for A/V use under my TV, using a USB DAC, Stereo amplifier and of course speakers.
I started already a thread over in The Silent Front Forum, where we discussed Silent PC Vs. Passively cooled PCs. I came to the conclusion to ditch the idea of using a Streacom FC10 Case in favor of a Silent PC design, using fans.
The components I already have:
Mainboard: Asus Z97-A (ATX)
CPU: Intel i7-4790k
RAM: 4x8GB Crucial Ballistix Sport DDR3-1600
SSD: Samsung 850 EVO 500 GB
I might also buy the SOtM tX-USBexp and SATA filter, although I'm not quiet convinced if it really might help getting better sound from the SSD through the USB to the DAC.
What I'm missing is a PSU, a case and cooling.
I won't be using a GPU since I won't play games from the couch, but I might consider it (my components surely allow it)
If playing MKV's or other Full HD Videos require a GPU, please let me know. For almost 10 years I'm using a laptop only, so I'm quiet out of business regarding big PC hardware.
Case
The most important issue for me is the case. Since it will sit in the living room, and I don't live by myself, it has to have a Wife Acceptance Factor. She is a designer and very very sensitive to "machines", so this makes the choice even harder....same goes for speakers, it's just not easy
I was in the beginning looking at something like the Streacom FC10, it is very appealing, but since I ditched the idea of a fan-less system, this case became obsolete. They have another model, the F12C, but since I'm ditching the fan-less idea, I'm open for other cases/designs/concepts. I't would be nice to find a silent silver or white box, not black or gunmetal. So a sleek, silent and stylish PC that looks like an Audio Component, or a small lower tower that, well, doesnt look like an oldschool big machine lol
I read the R5 Article on this site and really liked how cases developed until today, although I wouldn't consider it an eye catcher.
PSU
I don't really understand much about PSUs, or how much power I would need. This certainly changes drastically if I would choose to use a GPU.
I saw some fan-less PSUs over here and on other sites, but if the case absorbs enough noise this might become unnecessary also.
Cooling
Well, since I'm ditching the complete fan-less design idea, I guess I could use some big heat-sink/fan combination. Would it make sense to use a heat-sink only? Or to have the fans only to work when they are needed? I'm open for advice
optional: GPU
open for advise
Thanks
Edit: I just realized that HDplex just released a new case, the H5 2nd Gen, that supports a CPU up to 90W TDP, and my i7 has 88W. The fan-less ideas rise up again
I want to build a PC that will sit in the living room for A/V use under my TV, using a USB DAC, Stereo amplifier and of course speakers.
I started already a thread over in The Silent Front Forum, where we discussed Silent PC Vs. Passively cooled PCs. I came to the conclusion to ditch the idea of using a Streacom FC10 Case in favor of a Silent PC design, using fans.
The components I already have:
Mainboard: Asus Z97-A (ATX)
CPU: Intel i7-4790k
RAM: 4x8GB Crucial Ballistix Sport DDR3-1600
SSD: Samsung 850 EVO 500 GB
I might also buy the SOtM tX-USBexp and SATA filter, although I'm not quiet convinced if it really might help getting better sound from the SSD through the USB to the DAC.
What I'm missing is a PSU, a case and cooling.
I won't be using a GPU since I won't play games from the couch, but I might consider it (my components surely allow it)
If playing MKV's or other Full HD Videos require a GPU, please let me know. For almost 10 years I'm using a laptop only, so I'm quiet out of business regarding big PC hardware.
Case
The most important issue for me is the case. Since it will sit in the living room, and I don't live by myself, it has to have a Wife Acceptance Factor. She is a designer and very very sensitive to "machines", so this makes the choice even harder....same goes for speakers, it's just not easy
I was in the beginning looking at something like the Streacom FC10, it is very appealing, but since I ditched the idea of a fan-less system, this case became obsolete. They have another model, the F12C, but since I'm ditching the fan-less idea, I'm open for other cases/designs/concepts. I't would be nice to find a silent silver or white box, not black or gunmetal. So a sleek, silent and stylish PC that looks like an Audio Component, or a small lower tower that, well, doesnt look like an oldschool big machine lol
I read the R5 Article on this site and really liked how cases developed until today, although I wouldn't consider it an eye catcher.
PSU
I don't really understand much about PSUs, or how much power I would need. This certainly changes drastically if I would choose to use a GPU.
I saw some fan-less PSUs over here and on other sites, but if the case absorbs enough noise this might become unnecessary also.
Cooling
Well, since I'm ditching the complete fan-less design idea, I guess I could use some big heat-sink/fan combination. Would it make sense to use a heat-sink only? Or to have the fans only to work when they are needed? I'm open for advice
optional: GPU
open for advise
Thanks
Edit: I just realized that HDplex just released a new case, the H5 2nd Gen, that supports a CPU up to 90W TDP, and my i7 has 88W. The fan-less ideas rise up again