Passive while working, quiet while gaming

[lapalazala]

Hi silent PC enthusiasts,

I'm looking to build a new system, that is completely noiseless (preferably passive) while I'm working on it. That means Office applications, browsing, some light graphic design, stuff like that. It should also be capable of running new and upcoming games at 1920x1200 nicely. Some fan noise is acceptable while gaming, but less is better. My computer room is tiny, so any noise is very audible.

These are the parts I have in mind:

CPU: Intel Core i5-4590S (65W TDP)
GPU: Asus STRIX-GTX970-DC2OC-4GD5
Motherboard: Gigabyte G1.Sniper B6
SSD: Crucial BX100 250GB
Fans: be quiet! Silent Wings 2 PWM (1x 140mm for intake, 1x 120mm for outlet, 1x 120mm for CPU cooler). Hopefully the fans don't have to spin up unless I'm gaming.
HDD: ???
PSU: ???

And recycled from my current system:
Case: Fractal Design Define R3
CPU-cooler: Scythe Mugen 2 Rev. B (but replace the fan)
RAM: 12GB of Kingston ValueRAM KVR1333

My main question is about the PSU. I was doubting between the Seasonic Platinum Series 400 Watt Fanless and the Super Flower Golden Silent 500W (also known as Kingwin Stryker). 400W seems more than adequate for this system, but I've read a lot about possible coil whine from the seasonics. That was mostly in posts a few years old, so I was wondering what the current feel is for best fanless PSU. And if the consensus is that fanless is not the way to go for a PSU, I'm open for that. My current system has the Nexus Value 430. That is pretty silent, but still the loudest thing in my case when the system is idling.

Input about the other components is also welcome. For instance, what is a reliable, silent 2 or 3TB HDD? Are there better options for the fans? And is it a good idea to recycle the cooler and RAM?

[QUIET!]

If you are going to have a CPU fan, there isn't much point getting rid of the PSU fan. Without adding more fans, there is nothing else blowing hot air out of your case.

Some PSUs have fan profiles that turn off at very low load, that combined with a low power GPU that also stops its fan at idle should get close to your goal.

I think a GTX960 might be enough for you and easier to silence.

[lapalazala]

Well the idea is that both the case fans and the CPU fans will be standing still during normal operation and only spin up during gaming, other intense operations or very hot days. The Asus GTX970 is supposed to be passive under low loads, so at that point the system would be completely passive. If that's not feasible, hopefully just the 140mm intake fan at low speeds will be enough to get sufficient airflow.

To be honest, I'm still a bit on the fence about the GTX970 vs GTX960. For my last build 5 years ago, I chose a mid-end card (HD 6850) and that provided enough power for enjoyable gaming for years. So the GTX970 would be a huge (and expensive) upgrade. The fact that it runs passive unless it's stressed and some models (Asus and MSI) are supposed to be very quiet even under load, is tempting me to go for it.

I know it's very much possible to run a system without case fans, because my current system had been inadvertently running like that. Apparently the case fans stopped working and I'd been running it like that for weeks, maybe even months without me knowing it. Only when I had some stuttering during a more demanding game than what I had been playing before, did I notice the problem. Of course that system still had a running CPU and GPU fan, so it wasn't passive. But this new build should be a lot more power efficient.

[quest_for_silence]

CPU: Intel Core i5-4590S (65W TDP)

Pointless: pick a Skylake, a Broadwell C or a regular Haswell SKU.

GPU: Asus STRIX-GTX970-DC2OC-4GD5

The MSI Gaming is probably quieter under load (though, as already said, any really good GTX 960 is way more quiet of both).

Motherboard: Gigabyte G1.Sniper B6

Not the best candidate for a silent system due to the somehow inferior BIOS fan control over ASUS, ASRock and MSI (with PWM fans). Otherwise, usually Gigabyte offers good boards.

HDD: ???

The quietest drives around are probably the WD Green 2Tb: do you need more space?

My main question is about the PSU. I was doubting between the Seasonic Platinum Series 400 Watt Fanless and the Super Flower Golden Silent 500W

The SF is IME clearly better, noise-wise (there's also a cheaper 430W one in SF lineup): but with a GTX 960, a BeQuiet E10 400W is IMO preferable, money wise, while with a GTX 970 I'd wait for the freshly released SF Leadex Titanium 550W (probably available under the EVGA branding which also offers some semi-passive 650W Platinum PSUs).

And is it a good idea to recycle the cooler and RAM?

The cooler could suffer a bit with the new, hotter Intel CPUs: a Kotetsu or Ninja 4 may be more performing, temp-wise. With reference to the relevant fan, however, your mileage may vary.

[CA_Steve]

Welcome to SPCR.

Doesn't the R3 have 120mm openings for front and back fans?

CPU: The Haswell S and regular parts follow the same voltage/frequency curve up until the S part maxes out. So, if you don't run applications that max out CPU performance, there's no difference between the two in power use at idle or load. If you do run an application that maxes out the S CPU (like a game), then you'd wish you had the regular or K part. Based on the limited reviews, Skylake doesn't look very impressive...if you do opt for that route, DDR3 1333 RAM may not be optimal choice...and I'd wait until November to do a build to let the bugs run their course.

RAM: You can reuse the 1333. Memory speed vs gaming (and other performance is pretty flat for Haswell). You might lose a few percent on FPS.

[lapalazala]

Hi Luca,
Thanks for your informative response.

Pointless: pick a Skylake, a Broadwell C or a regular Haswell SKU.

What do you mean by pointless? Are there little real world benefits for a lower TDP CPU? (edit: Ah, CA_Steve explained it while I was writing this post)
I'm afraid Skylake would mean a more expensive CPU, Motherboard and RAM (because I would want to go DDR4 if my platform supported it ), so I don't think I will go for that.

The MSI Gaming is probably quieter under load (though, as already said, any really good GTX 960 is way more quiet of both).

The review I read measured the Asus 970 as slightly quieter and I heard more rumours of coil whine for the MSI, but it's probably a coin toss. If I decide for the 960, it will be the MSI.

Not the best candidate for a silent system due to the somehow inferior BIOS fan control over ASUS, ASRock and MSI (with PWM fans). Otherwise, usually Gigabyte offers good boards.

Good to know. I found it very hard to find good info on what motherboard is good for a silent build. The reason I went for the Gigabyte instead of a comparable Asrock board, is that the Gigabyte had all 4 pin fan connectors whereas the Asrock had 3 pin connectors for the case fans.

The SF is IME clearly better, noise-wise (there's also a cheaper 430W one in SF lineup): but with a GTX 960, a BeQuiet E10 400W is IMO preferable, money wise, while with a GTX 970 I'd wait for the freshly released SF Leadex Titanium 550W (probably available under the EVGA branding which also offers some semi-passive 650W Platinum PSUs).

Thanks, I wasn't aware of the 430W Super Flower and I will take the BeQuit under consideration.

[lapalazala]

Doesn't the R3 have 120mm openings for front and back fans?

It does, but I was planning on using the bottom spot for intake, which supports 140mm fans, and not place a fan on the front.

Thanks for the clarification on CPU power-usage.

[quest_for_silence]

The MSI Gaming is probably quieter under load (though, as already said, any really good GTX 960 is way more quiet of both).

The review I read measured the Asus 970 as slightly quieter and I heard more rumours of coil whine for the MSI, but it's probably a coin toss. If I decide for the 960, it will be the MSI.

I can't help about coil whine (though a GPU whining is a probably addressable issue if you have some modding skills), about the overall fan noise you're probably right, the Strix is sligthly quieter (1dB according to TPU) with fans on Auto.

But an SPCR-inspired rig wouldn't use the Auto setting: talking about a card tested by both SPCR and TPU, the ASUS Strix 960, as you may have noted SPCR certified a much more quiet level, which was obviously not comparable with TPU findings (incidentally TPU stated the GTX 960 just 2dB quieter than the corresponding GTX 970, so not that much quieter), but which is nonetheless interesting because it's about 6dB lower than the (SPCR recorded) Auto setting figure, and that happens just manually adjusting the fans speed.

So, with reference to custom fan curves, the MSI GTX 970 run at load noticeably cooler than the Strix GTX 970 (63*C vs 71°C according to TPU), so it likely has a larger headroom to dial the fans down.
Take also note that, with reference to the smaller GTX 960s, it's quite the opposite (the Strix has a light thermal advantage over the Gaming).

The reason I went for the Gigabyte instead of a comparable Asrock board, is that the Gigabyte had all 4 pin fan connectors whereas the Asrock had 3 pin connectors for the case fans.

Unfortunately you can't rely upon the number of pins: most of 4 pin mobo headers are "fake" PWM ones, they are just mechanically compatible, you have to check their BIOSes and their manuals looking for more info (that is true even for ASUS, ASrock and MSI). Besides, a PWM setup won't add any real advantage, quietness-wise.

[lapalazala]

Unfortunately you can't rely upon the number of pins: most of 4 pin mobo headers are "fake" PWM ones, they are just mechanically compatible, you have to check their BIOSes and their manuals looking for more info (that is true even for ASUS, ASrock and MSI). Besides, a PWM setup won't add any real advantage, quietness-wise.

Ah, that means more research in to motherboards (I hate researching motherboards). You are right that PWM doesn't have advantages over voltage control, if everything goes right. But when fans are set to spin at very low speeds, they tend to not spin up at all when they get older and dirtier. This is why my case fans stopped working in my current system. This problem should be a lot less likely with PWM than with voltage control.

[quest_for_silence]

This problem should be a lot less likely with PWM than with voltage control.

I don't think so.

[lapalazala]

Thanks for all your input, I've changed my shopping list substantially based on this:

CPU:Intel Core i5-4460
Motherboard: ASRock Fatal1ty B85 Killer; Spitting through the manuals of several comparable boards, this one seems to have the best in-bios (well, uefi) fan control and a choice of 3pin and 4pin (true PWM) fan headers.
GPU: GTX260 (not sure whether it will be the Asus or the MSI); You guys convinced me I can't justify buying a 360,- euro GPU for my incidental gaming, when a 210,- one will do fine.
PSU: Super Flower Golden Silent 430 Watt;
HDD: WD Green WD20EZRX 2TB

Now I just have to decide the brand of the GPU, do some final research in to fans and I can start ordering.

Edit: hmm, the Super Flower seems to have a long delivery time, there is a chance that might convince me to go for the be quiet! Straight Power 10 400W after all.

[quest_for_silence]

Edit: hmm, the Super Flower seems to have a long delivery time, there is a chance that might convince me to go for the be quiet! Straight Power 10 400W after all.

Just for your information: you should be able to pick the SF from CaseKing.

[CA_Steve]

GPU: GTX260 (not sure whether it will be the Asus or the MSI); You guys convinced me I can't justify buying a 360,- euro GPU for my incidental gaming, when a 210,- one will do fine.

I hope you meant GTX960 vs GTX970 because the GTX 260 is rather ancient.