Relatively Quiet?

A

A-HOL

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Oct 18, 2001
Messages
1,630
Ok so my laptop recently died and I'm thinking of building another desktop. However I'm not really into OC'ing anymore, my biggest concern is that I want it relatively quiet. I stopped using my current desktop because it was so loud. So how loud would a WC setup be to cool a cpu and gpu, say i7 and a 4870x2 or so gpu. I've read that the TRUE cpu cooler is fairly quiet if I went the conventional way, but what about the gpu fan?
 
GPU stock cooling is retardedly loud. That's why I put my GPU and CPU both under water. Much better now. Main problem is the capaciator whine under load from GPUs :[
 
The stock cooler on the 4870X2 is ridiculously loud when doing anything other than surfing the web. It's an unbelievably hot graphics card. That being said, the sole reason I water cooled my system was to get rid of the 4870X2 noise and heat and I was delightfully surprised at how low the temps are and how quiet the system is!

It also depends on how much stress do you plan on putting on that GPU... if you're a gamer or graphics designer or video editor then it sounds like an aerodynamics lab. In short, water cool if you have the money.
 
SuperTroye said:
The stock cooler on the 4870X2 is ridiculously loud when doing anything other than surfing the web. It's an unbelievably hot graphics card. That being said, the sole reason I water cooled my system was to get rid of the 4870X2 noise and heat and I was delightfully surprised at how low the temps are and how quiet the system is!

It also depends on how much stress do you plan on putting on that GPU... if you're a gamer or graphics designer or video editor then it sounds like an aerodynamics lab. In short, water cool if you have the money.
Click to expand...

This explains my reason for watercooling exactly. I was so sick of hearing my 4870x2's fan blasting away at 55% while gaming and now everything is nice and quiet while I browse the internet and while I game. I also have the added benefit of dropping temperatures 20+ degrees. If you can afford it, watercooling is extremely effective and very quiet.

I've got a MCP350 pump (the quietest one Swiftech makes) and Yate Loon medium speed fans running at 7v and my system is very, very quiet. Quieter than a whisper.
 
I have a GTX285 which was annoying me, so I put it on water. I had that running with an XSPC RX120 (optimized for low speed fans sub1200rpms). Then my i7 920 with a Zalman was annoying me, so I put that on water. Now my hard drives are annoying me. Relatively quiet is a vicious cycle man.

On a side note, one XSPC RX360 rad for the GPU(s) and RX360 rad for the CPU (maybe NB/SB HD) with low speed fans might help.

I've seen some guys get away with a Noctua HS for the CPU and Aerocool for the GPU, but watercooling is just too damn fun. Also with enough rads you could probably run all those fans at 5v and not hear a thing.... except for your hard drive, then your GPU capacictors, then your power supply.... etc. You get the idea.
 
easy way out would be to WC your gpu. take the vast majority of the noise out of your build, and most of the heat out of the case. then you can air cool the cpu with a noctua or true just fine. save yourself having to fit a second rad in there. if you arent overclocking the cpu you will definitely be fine on air. might even be able to run it passively. ive seen people run rads passively too. youd just have to see. probably a 360 for the 4870x2 on low speed fans would be fine.
 
ekuest said:
easy way out would be to WC your gpu. take the vast majority of the noise out of your build, and most of the heat out of the case. then you can air cool the cpu with a noctua or true just fine. save yourself having to fit a second rad in there. if you arent overclocking the cpu you will definitely be fine on air. might even be able to run it passively. ive seen people run rads passively too. youd just have to see. probably a 360 for the 4870x2 on low speed fans would be fine.
Click to expand...

Yep, I completely agree with ekuest. This is probably how I should have started, however I knew when I WC'd the GPU I would inevitably want to WC the CPU as well. But, doing just the GPU would eliminate the lion's share of noise and heat.
 
Well sounds like water cooling is the way. So I'm looking at a Cosmos S case, I'm pretty sure I could get a double rad in the top, maybe a triple?? And I know I could fit a single on the outside of the rear. It was suggested above to get 2 triples to do both CPU and gpu, however this has to be all in the case, except if I put the single in the back. I'm thinking I could run from the pump -> cpu -> single rad -> video -> double/triple

Does this sound like it would work OK?
 
A-HOL said:
Well sounds like water cooling is the way. So I'm looking at a Cosmos S case, I'm pretty sure I could get a double rad in the top, maybe a triple?? And I know I could fit a single on the outside of the rear. It was suggested above to get 2 triples to do both CPU and gpu, however this has to be all in the case, except if I put the single in the back. I'm thinking I could run from the pump -> cpu -> single rad -> video -> double/triple

Does this sound like it would work OK?
Click to expand...

How serious are you about WCing? I don't remember if the Cosmos S can fit a triple without modding, I know TJ07 (unholy expensive but you'll never need another case again + it can fit a quad + a double at the bottom), ATCS 840, HAF 932, Lian-Li's can all fit a triple rad at the top without any modding
 
Last edited:
Yeah I was gonna also suggest the ATCS 840. Same price / weight as the Cosmos S and fit triple rad up top no problem.
 
I have the Cosmos S and it'll fit a triple up top without mods. MCR320 and XSPC RX360 will fit without modding. It won't fit a Thermochill radiator without modding.
 
Well would the single & triple work out? Would a single / double not be enough? If I need the triple up top I could go with the 840
 
A-HOL said:
Well would the single & triple work out? Would a single / double not be enough? If I need the triple up top I could go with the 840
Click to expand...

Better to go triple + double. I have a triple up top, and an incoming MCR220 for the HDD bay for my double. Right now my triple can handle my OCed Q9550 + 4870x2 but it's not like the greatest temps, probably 60 on load on the GPU, 50 on the CPU. Once I give it some extra raddage, or maybe even put the 4870x2 on the MCR220 alone, I'll see better temps.
 
What Fans do you guys suggest that will flow enough air but still be quiet?
 
A-HOL said:
What Fans do you guys suggest that will flow enough air but still be quiet?
Click to expand...

Low or medium yate loons from Petrastechshop.com (SPECIFICALLY FROM HERE) or the Scythe S-Flexes. I have a couple of the F S-Flexes since I got them for a killer price (8 dollars per fan) so my system uses all S-Flexes.
 
I have a triple MCR320 in the top with Scythe S-Flex fans. I have a second MCR220 in the drive bays. With this setup I have only room for my optical drive and the drive cage. So if you have card readers and other drive units, this setup wont work for you. I have the MCP655 pump.

I have Noctua fans for my exhaust fans in the Cosmos S.

My temps are 30-35 cpu and gpu is mid to high 30's idle and load neither get much higher then high 40's under load. Cooling my NB in the CPU loop as well.

I have my 940 at 3.6 and stock on my 4878x2.

I like this setup. Nice and quiet and keeps things really cool.
 
OK, so yea I lied, I'm seing some numbers people are getting out of the 920... I'm most likely going to OC.
 
Then you'll definitively want a triple rad for the CPU though I think a double could possibly handle the load. A triple is usually most ideal for graphic card loops just due to the sheer amount of heat generated by graphic cards these days.

Like I said before, i have an oced Q9550 + 4870x2 on a single MCR320 running S-Flex "F" fans so your mileage may vary. I do plan to add a MCR220 to the loop though.
 
you can still air cool and OC. on the 920 you can hit up to 4.5ish on air i think. the more important things are your mobo, ram, and OCing skills. if you do that then you will need a decent amount of airflow. if you decide to WC the cpu too, then i would agree that 5x120 might do it, but 6x120 total should be what youre aiming for.
 
ekuest said:
you can still air cool and OC. on the 920 you can hit up to 4.5ish on air i think. the more important things are your mobo, ram, and OCing skills. if you do that then you will need a decent amount of airflow. if you decide to WC the cpu too, then i would agree that 5x120 might do it, but 6x120 total should be what youre aiming for.
Click to expand...

4.5 on air is extremely unlikely even with Delta leaf blower fans. The amount of heat that chip puts out at that frequency and the required voltage would push a TRUE120 or Megalahems to its limit. 4GHz maybe, but 4.5, no way unless your chip is incredibly good and you don't mind 60dB+ fans.
 
im not saying thats what he should aim for, just saying that ive heard of it done so he shouldnt be worrying about air not being adequate. most people arent looking for an OC above 3.8 or 4, which is (relatively) easy to obtain with an i7 920.
 
I'm not worried about air being adequate or not... but OC'ing on air certainly is NOT relatively quiet.
 
hm. i figured with a high speed fan getting 4.5 or so, then with a good hsf then you should be able to get decent temps at around 3.8 on air with low speed fans. im not sure since i dont have a 920. they get hot, sure, but they can take it. the ifx-14 for example would do it super quiet with 3 low speed fans. a true could probably do it adequately with 2.
 
My machine is barely audible sitting on my desk behind my monitor. The furnace makes more noise. TRUE with a Scythe SFF21F. Even with Prime or LinX running it's quiet. If I fire up a game it gets loud quick though.
 
RCGodward said:
My machine is barely audible sitting on my desk behind my monitor. The furnace makes more noise. TRUE with a Scythe SFF21F. Even with Prime or LinX running it's quiet. If I fire up a game it gets loud quick though.
Click to expand...

If I fire up a game, my system stays the same ;)

Minus the capacitor whine on my 4870x2 :(
 
RCGodward said:
My machine is barely audible sitting on my desk behind my monitor. The furnace makes more noise. TRUE with a Scythe SFF21F. Even with Prime or LinX running it's quiet. If I fire up a game it gets loud quick though.
Click to expand...

Certainly, but your CPU is running at 3.8GHz, not 4.5GHz. The heat output is increased BIGTIME from 3.8 to 4.5GHz, necessitating a higher fan speed.
 
soulesschild said:
If I fire up a game, my system stays the same ;)

Minus the capacitor whine on my 4870x2 :(
Click to expand...

I've got the same power supply and I think that's where the whine is coming from. It only happens for me when I game in full screen, or use Furmark in full screen. If I run any game or Furmark in a window that's inside my screen then I don't get any whine. I think it's a known issue with the power supply... or maybe I'm wrong. :confused:
 
SuperTroye said:
I've got the same power supply and I think that's where the whine is coming from. It only happens for me when I game in full screen, or use Furmark in full screen. If I run any game or Furmark in a window that's inside my screen then I don't get any whine. I think it's a known issue with the power supply... or maybe I'm wrong. :confused:
Click to expand...

It's the graphics card. Common problem. Normal, but annoying.
 
dealmaster said:
Certainly, but your CPU is running at 3.8GHz, not 4.5GHz. The heat output is increased BIGTIME from 3.8 to 4.5GHz, necessitating a higher fan speed.
Click to expand...

when the OP decided to OC after he said he wasnt going to, i figured him for a 3.6-3.8 type of guy. not a push--to-maximum type of guy. thats why i suggested air. i agree, if he wants it silent at load, or if he wants to take it to 4.5 then yes he should WC. if he wants to go to 3.8ish, which is a very respectable OC and plenty for almost any user, and have it silent when hes asleep, then a TRUE with a good fan will do fine.

at that point OP a hsf will cost as much as a decent water block, but you dont have to buy another $50+ radiator. and most importantly, you dont have to mod your case because putting more than one rad into almost any case is a huge pita.
 
soulesschild said:
It's the graphics card. Common problem. Normal, but annoying.
Click to expand...

I replaced a 8800GTS with a GX260 and started getting the whine while under load. Sounded very much like it was coming from the CoolerMaster 600 psu. I replaced it with a PCP&C 750 and the whine went away. I'd say check the psu.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top