Going Fanless

Pixel Eater

Pixel Eater

Limp Gawd
Joined
Oct 25, 2006
Messages
241
I'm building a semi-silent PC and was wondering if it's possible (with a well ventilated case) to support a current generation ATI or nVidia with nothing but a heatsink.

The computer will be running a 2560x1600 30" and used for 3D Modeling and playing 1080p MKV's.

Does anyone know if this Zalman could bolt on to a nVidia 9600? Good idea/Bad idea? Ideas?
 
It is very possible if you set your sights low enough. However, you can always use a fan with very low cfm and it will be virtually silent and cool much better so you can go a little higher.

A good heatsink and a low cfm fan can easily handle the heat generated by a 9600.
 
I'm on the more obsessive side of noticing low cfm fans and not wanting them. I did just notice this Radeon HD 3850. It's getting close to what I'm looking for, though I haven't been an ATi guy since the X800... This is actually a secondary rig, my microATX mini-me, so I don't have to leave my upcoming OC on all day.
 
Accelero S1 fits the 9600T and would be very capable of passively cooling it.

Consider getting a low speed 120mm fan and zip tying it to the heatsink; mine has a 500RPM Scythe attached (can't hear it) and it helps reduce idle temps by 5C.
 
I had missed the Accelero S1 review. It sounds like the perfect solution, with fans I might turn off except under load. People have already fit it in the SilverStone SG03, so it fits my build awesomely. Good call.
 
Just curious: how do you keep your case "well ventilated" without fans? Just keep the sidepanel off? And is your PSU fanless too?
 
I think he meant no _additional_ fan for the video card. I.e. using whatever quiet case fans he already has.
 
Right, the SG03 is a very open case, that can be cooled well enough between one or two quiet 120mms and the psu (outfitted with a quieter 120). My hard drive will be suspended in an enclosure and my video card and cpu will probably be passive except under load. With a Q9300 and a 9600GT, it's going to be alright for a mini-me!
 
If you can hear the fans on your computer, the speakers arent loud enough :) But ya, the hr03-gt or accelero are probably your best option for passive cooling. The 9600 is going to have a rough time running that resolution though, especially with passive cooling.
 
Well, I think I'll arm everything with fans that can go passive ala SpeedFan for the sake of movies, music, and sleeping. Does the 9600 run cooler than the 8600 in general?
 
I just (a few minutes ago w00t!) installed an ECS 8800GT which comes with Accelero's S1. Didn't bother to attach the included turbo module (twin small fans). Been running orthos and rthdribl for 20 minutes and the GPU is at 63c passively cooled! (ambient temp is 26c).
Case is a cheap POS with nexus 120mm intake (1400rpm) and Yate Loon 120mm exhaust (1000rpm), CPU is E2160@2.88 on GA-P35-DS3L

If you intend to drive that 30" you will need 8800GT's power. I'm pretty happy with this card's performance :)
 
There's a review of Gigabyte's fanless 9600GT here.

Putting together a very quiet computer isn't hard if you use the PWM header on the MB for the CPU and case fans, and let the fan speeds be controlled by the BIOS. Arctic Cooling makes a line of PWM controlled case fans that work real well, and they have connectors that let you daisy chain up to 5 fans off a single MB connector.
 
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