A Silent PC Case

As some have said in previous posts, having holes in the case doesn't help much with keeping it silent.

That is a misconception. Tests done by SilentPCReview show that a silent fan makes more noise if it has to move air through a fan shroud VS fully open.

I've done a bit of reading and I'm thinking of getting the Antec P-193 and the Hyper 212 Plus cpu cooler. My pc isn't under hectic load the whole time, it's the idle noise I'm wanting to be a silent as possible. What do you think?
It'll be loud compared to silentPC standards but not as loud as a stock Intel cooler so an improvement I guess.

Hyper 212 + is pretty loud but I'm used to not being able to hear the computer at all even if I listen for it.
 
Holes does not infer they are for fans.

True enough but my PC isn't any more silent with the case cover on VS off. If you can hear it with the cover off then the cover will hardly transform a dustbuster into a silent pc. I leave the cover on more for hard-drives and the DVD-RW than the fans.

Those mats I have in my PC help most with the DVD-RW really but helps a little for the HD. Doesn't help AT ALL for fans.
 
Remember, holes doesn't mean fans. Holes can be any holes/gaps/spaces/mesh etc..

Fans are indeed quieter when they are mounted in a "hole" without a grid/mesh. Logic.
 
Thanks for the specs, gosh not many fans in your pc...

If you read my previous posts then you'll see that I have already been trying to make my computer in my current case as silent as possible.
My hdd's are already mounted on rubbers in the hdd bay. I organized the cables neatly the first time I built it, so airflow is fine, but it's still loud.

As some have said in previous posts, having holes in the case doesn't help much with keeping it silent. And I think thats part of the problem with my case. There are holes for 2x fans on the side panel, 2x on the top (none of those 4 used), and the whole of the front is basically one big hole.

So I think in my case a case that helps dampen the noise would be a good starting point for me.
I will also be getting a bigger cpu fan, which is hopefully quieter than the stock.

If you are into the area of experimentation: try blocking the unused grills with some cardboard / plastic or similar. With any luck - apart from dropping the noise - it should improve the case's internal airflow.

And if you are intending to replace your case anyway, try removing (i.e. cutting away) the grills that cover your existing fans ... :)

Finally, try visiting http://www.sybaritic.co.za/ and doing a search on 'Nexus'. It will give you an idea on some of the sound reduction accessories available .
 
Hey no, not scrapping it!! Will just be putting old pc back. I'll give that a try though (not the cutting)... :)

Turned my pc on this morning and heard a terrible noise from the coolermaster 120mm exit fan, it sounded like it was grinding something up. oh well im just glad there wasn't a worse problem. (fan noise level is the same as before though)
 
Just get the nzxt h2 case. Best value for money in the silent market.

Best value, I found it priced @ shy under R3K. Hardly value. Anyone who pays more than R1K on case is out of their minds IMHO.
 
Best value, I found it priced @ shy under R3K. Hardly value. Anyone who pays more than R1K on case is out of their minds IMHO.

More expensive cases do offer several things the cheaper ones do not
Aluminium construction (lighter)
Better cooling for multiple GPU setups
Space for large motherboards
etc
 
My PC is super loud! Need to consult the experts :)

I need a cheaper option for a PSU, 500 - 600w must be ultra quiet.

The Silent Pro M600 is recommned on this thread is over 1k

http://www.coolermaster.com/product.php?product_id=4199

Ayone recomend something that wont break the bank , cheap vs quiet.

Thanks

Honestly don't think you need to spend that much, depends how quiet we are talking? If you want dead silent then you should be looking at a hybrid fan design PSU where the fan is off until reaching a certain load (Corsair AXxxx (Seasonic X-xxx)), or even a fanless PSU...

But that said, even an entry-mid quality branded PSU (Corsair CXxxx) could be silent enough...
 
Antec take their slient cases seriously.

After some less-than-stellar reviews on SilentPCReview.com they asked Mike Chen (the founder of SilentPCReview) to assist them in designing a new case. The result was the P180, the first of their three-chamber cases.

I have an Antec P180 sitting on my desk less than a metre from my left ear ... the only time that I can hear that it was running is when I switch off the machine.

Thanks, I got the P193.. Thanks for all the replies everyone!
Well my pc case has been so silent, I admit I kinda forgot about this awesome thread! So here's some feedback..

The case is very quiet. When I turn it on at the plug, I don't even hear it go on. When walking into the room, I don't hear it either. The only time I really hear it, is if things are dead silent in the middle of the night, or I am listening hard for it, or if starts number crunching.
When lanning, it's usually the quietest in the room! (see specs below)

The case fan quality is excellent. The Hyper 212+ fan was rubbish, I think it's bearings or whatever it uses were DOA, so I put one of the antec case fans on the heatsink.

Only downside is this baby weighs almost 30kgs with all my stuff. Be prepared for a workout if going to a LAN!
 
What are you powering that needs 600W of power?


Thought that was the standard these days. Ive got old PC stuff, not an enthusiast ... Core 2 , Asus P5QC , 8800GT. Case is about +10 years old, I just want to have the PC on and be able to sleep at night :)

Thinking of the cheapest way to to go silent -

Coolermaster Silencio 450
Thermalright HR-02 , fanless design
Coolermaster Silentpro 600w
 
Thought that was the standard these days. Ive got old PC stuff, not an enthusiast ... Core 2 , Asus P5QC , 8800GT. Case is about +10 years old, I just want to have the PC on and be able to sleep at night :)

Thinking of the cheapest way to to go silent -

Coolermaster Silencio 450
Thermalright HR-02 , fanless design
Coolermaster Silentpro 600w

Spend some time on SilentPCReview.com, including the reviews and the forums. You soon learn where to spend your money, i.e. where you will get the most bang - sorry, silence - for your bucks :)
 
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