Accessories for Low Noise

[themaster1]

I'm about to "upgrade" my PC because i won't hear any more noise from this darn computer. I got a new a power supply (Hiper Power "low noise) now i'm about to pick a new chassis and a new air cooler for the processor.
One brand seems above the others "Cooler master" but is it really?
I'm not a gamer or anything so maybe some of you are in the know.

I find this chassis interesting for example.I read a test apparently it does what i ask it : reduce the noise (better than other chassis), though the ventilation is kinda crappy.And the price is...insane

For the air cooling i don't know, my processor is a P4 3Ghz motherboard Gigabyte GA-8TRC410MF with a 775 socket so i have to choose wisely i suppose.

Budget is tight, 100€ max for everything


Advices, inputs, stop by's, hello's welcome

[edDV]

The Antec Sonatas are another option. These "low noise" units combat noise with:

Large slow RPM fans for power supply, case and CPU.
In case noise pads.
HDD isolation with slings or suspension.
Low velocity air flow.

These have opposite goals vs. overclocked gaming rigs.

Another type of case is intended for home theater and looks more like an audio component (usually black). These are usually horizontal aspect. The one's I saw at Fry's were on the expensive end of the range.

[Soopafresh]

http://www.quietpcusa.com/

[edDV]

That's what I'm talking about
Expensive home theater cases.
http://www.quietpcusa.com/Home-Theater-PC-Cases-C49.aspx?UserID=6460299&SessionID=9V8C...ubFVngqLdMZDAb

[redwudz]

Heavy steel computer cases are better for dampening vibration and noise than aluminum cases. Lower power CPUs don't generate as much heat so don't need as much cooling or fan noise. Higher powered video cards need a lot of cooling and usually contribute to quite a bit of the noise in a computer. You can also under-clock a CPU and reduce temps and fan noise, along with performance.

My HTPC in a Lian-Li case was virtually silent when I first put it together. The CPU cooler was a four pin PWM fan unit and the fan could be regulated all the way down to a stop. I also used these 120mm case fans which are rated at 17db, very quiet: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811999099 Generally fans that turn between 800 - 1000 RPM are much quieter. Larger fans turn slower, so they are quieter when moving the same amount of air as a smaller fan.

And I used a MB with a on-board video chip. So no fan noise from that. SATA hard drives are usually a bit quieter than a PATA drive and run a bit cooler. Some DVD burners are quieter than others.

Having hard/optical drives mounted in rubber keeps their noise from being transmitted to the case. You can also get rubber pads for the power supply, though quite a few of them now run fairly quiet. I use a couple of ~500W Thermaltake PSs with a 140mm fan that are very quiet.

Placing the PC below ear level helps also. But keep it about a foot off the floor to keep it from picking up too much dust.

Padding the inside of the case with sound deadening helps with aluminum cases, not so much with steel ones. And the padding also keeps more heat inside, so that's a trade off.

You can also use energy saving programs that run from BIOS and those will keep the CPU throttled down producing less heat when you don't need full processing power, then ramp up the CPU power when needed. One I use now lowers the CPU multiplier and CPU voltage, reducing heat and fan noise.

Of course I decided to overclock my HTPC, so now I have moderately low fan noise from the extra heat it's producing. Most of that is the CPU fan. The other fans are fairly quiet.

[themaster1]

Alright, i've taken notes of y'all's advices. I'll go uptown tomorow see if i can find some accessories and the list is long: thermal paste, a decent chassi, a special noiseless hdd enclosure, ventilator.My wallet will be empty as fast as one can count to 1 i can feel it.

[Soopafresh]

Remember that as you remove one source of noise the next noisiest device all of a sudden becomes noticeable. It's a moving target.

[edDV]

I have a near "white noise" Vornado fan always on in the corner that masks the more objectional computer noise. You get used to it.