A quieter PC (February 2005 / July 2006)
I am no PC expert and did not spend hours optimising the specification
but I did a fair bit of reading and checking of various 'Quiet PC'
websites and web-shops. For what it is worth this page documents the
result !
Aim
- Faster CPU: (on my old computer, with a 433MHz Celeron and DSL,
the CPU was the limiter for: web-browsing (page rendering under
Firefox), compilation, and starting GNUs).
- Quieter: I use my home PC mostly during the evening in a very
quiet, open plan, house, and I do not like to hear it too much !
Original Parts bought (February 2005)
I had already bought a quieter PSU, but a faster CPU led to a chain of
new hardware :-( (although I am not claiming that I made the
correct/best ones, FWIW, here they are).
Faster CPU -> new socket -> new motherboard -> new memory + new video card !!
Quieter -> new, sound-dampened case + new CPU fan (I had already
bought a new, quieter, PSU)
Case |
Chieftek Dragon 601 Midi Server |
ATX. (Quite a large case, but this is good for
air circulation, and allows space for the acoustic padding inside.) |
Case sound-dampening |
NB-EvolutionEQ Platinum |
ready-fitted to the case by supplier |
PSU |
Q technology, Gold series, QT-02350G |
ATX / 350W / 12cm fan (variable speed) / 11-19dB |
Motherboard |
Gigabyte GA-8I848P-G |
ATX / chipset: Intel 848P / sound: Realtek ALC850 CODEC / Ethernet:
Marvel Gigabit / 2xIDE / 2xSATA / USB2.0 / ... |
CPU |
Pentium 4 / 2.4 GHz |
Northwood core (cooler than Prescott, but still 60W TDP) / Socket 478 |
CPU heatsink |
NB-Badboy P4 S2 Version |
metal finned |
CPU fan |
NB-UltraSilentFan S2 80mm |
80mm / 23-50 m3/h / 11-19 dB / 1000-2000rpm |
Disk drives | 2 x Seagate IDE hard disks / CD-ROM/CD-RW drives /
floppy drive | taken from old case |
Note: Intel's usually quoted TDP ("Thermal Design Power") is not the
maximum like AMD quote see
here for details and a conversion table
Parts UPDATE: Some parts changes (July 2006)
Following advice at Silent PC
Review go for a larger CPU heatsink and a (quieter) 120mm case fan
instead of the 80mm heatsink fan. Also fit a quieter PSU.
For new temperature result see down below.
Case |
Chieftek Dragon 601 Midi Server |
ATX. (Quite a large case, but this is good for
air circulation, and allows space for the acoustic padding inside.) |
Case sound-dampening |
NB-EvolutionEQ Platinum |
ready-fitted to the case by supplier |
Updated PSU |
Seasonic S12 |
ATX / 330W / 12cm fan (variable speed) / ?dB / up to 80% efficient |
Motherboard |
Gigabyte GA-8I848P-G |
ATX / chipset: Intel 848P / sound: Realtek ALC850 CODEC / Ethernet:
Marvel Gigabit / 2xIDE / 2xSATA / USB2.0 / ... |
CPU |
Pentium 4 / 2.4 GHz |
Northwood core (cooler than Prescott, but still 60W) / Socket 478 |
Updated CPU heatsink |
Scythe Ninja SCNJ-1000 Plus |
very large, metal finned, comes with fan, but I run it fanless |
Replace CPU fan with a rear case fan next to the CPU heatsink |
Smartcooler LFM1512E 120mm |
120mm / 70 m3/h / 15 dbA / 1000rpm (more airflow and quieter
than the 80mm fan it replaced) |
Updated Disk drives |
Seagate Barracuda 7200.7 SATA harddisk / Seagate IDE harddisk /
Samsung SH-W162C DVD/CD-R/RW / floppy drive |
replaced the smaller IDE drive with a larger SATA and the CDRW
with DVD. And both much quieter. |
Assemble / test
Easy: just plug / screw it all in place, but taking care not to block
the airflow.
Operating systems:
- Boots first time into Gentoo Linux :-) (later rebuilt for
higher processor spec., sound chip, sensors support).
- SUSE Linux 9.1: installed with minor problems: see my other page various Linux notes.
- Windows 98: finally got it working, except for sound (so far)
(needed for the kids CD-ROMs). (26/09/05: give-up: put together old
standalone PC for the kids.(nice: no more sticky finger prints on my
screen !))
Further testing under Linux:
- Tested as OK so far on Gentoo (but not exhaustively): IDE / ATAPI
CD/DVD burning / Serial ATA (SATA) hard disk / USB / LAN (Marvel 8001
Gigabit) (sk98lin.ko) / sensors (ITE 8712F/ICH5) (see below) /
sound(Realtek ALC850) / AGP graphics card.
Impressions
- Quieter (especially with the CPU fan turned down to 1/2 speed).
- The case fan was superfluous (see Temperature section below).
- A lot faster than the old system (not surprising!)
Temperatures / fan speed (original configration) (assuming calibrated OK)
- Target temperature: Pentium 4 is rated to 71C maximum reliable,
but 40 degrees seems to be an commonly quoted working maximum. (A P4
should slow itself down before it burns out.)
- Cooling: PSU fan + CPU fan controlled by supplied pot. (fitted to case
front) (low end graphics is card passively cooled)
- CPU temperature sensor: built into the motherboard.
- (i2c claims the CPU fan range with the supplied pot. is 1394 to
2083 RPM. BIOS claims approx 1350 to 2083 (value always changing +/-20
or 30))
- (Calibration probably is reasonable: if the PC is off for some
time then when it starts up the temperature measured is the same as
the current room temperature.)
Results:
Room temperature |
n/a |
23 to 25 degrees |
Low CPU usage: surfing, emails, editing |
CPU fan 1/2 speed |
32 to 35 degrees |
Compiling (up to a couple of hours at any one time) |
CPU fan full speed |
45 to 47 degrees |
(Maybe for 24/7 / high load you would need a case fan. But I turn
my PC off when I have finished (max of a few hours).)
It is winter now (2/12/05):
Room temperature |
n/a |
19 to 20 degrees |
Low CPU usage: surfing, emails, editing |
CPU fan 1/2 speed |
29 to 32 degrees |
Compiling (up to a couple of hours at any one time) |
CPU fan full speed |
39 to 41 degrees |
(Note on Temperatures / fan speed sensors)
(Gigabyte GA-8I848P-G mainboard containing a ITE 8712F.)
Using lm_sensors and Kernel modules: it87, i2c-i801, i2c-isa I can
read the CPU temperature and the CPU and case fan speeds.
UPDATE: Temperatures / fan speed July 2006 parts
New parts (fanless CPU heatsink, 120mm case fan). The speed of the
case fan now controlled by my softare (modded version of "lcdproc":
see Matrix Orbital MX212 USB)
(software currently set so that the case fan starts to ramp up when
CPU gets to 40 degrees (i.e. quite conservative) and goes off when it
drops to 37).
Results (October 2006):
Room temperature |
n/a |
22 to 24 degrees |
Low CPU usage: surfing, emails, editing |
Case fan OFF |
32 to 35 degrees |
Compiling (up to a couple of hours at any one time) |
Case fan full speed |
up to 44 degrees |
Larger fans are, as I read, much quieter (for the same cooling
effect).
The hard disks are now the main source of noise (the IDE drive can
be heard just spinning, but the SATA not until it is accessed).
Links
Shops
I bought all the bits from these German web-shops (all gave very good service):
- ALTERNATE GmbH (motherboard, memory, P4 2.4)
- Noiseblocker (dampened case, CPU heat sink and fan, case fan)
- Norskit (Ninja heat sink,
Seasonic PSU (July 2006)) (takes VISA and Paypal)
- ZEG (local shop)
(Smartcooler Fan and SATA drive)
Review Sites
- Silent PC Review
Excellent site reviewing and recommending silent PC kit, and very
active forums.
Alternative CPUs (Feb 2006)
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