Fanless Ivy Bridge system -will it be possible?

[Fjodor2001]

Hi,

I just wonder if you think it'll be possible to build a fanless Ivy Bridge based system (IB CPU/RAM/SSD/BD-RW/heatsink(s)/PicoPSU)? If not, what if you throw in one low RPM 120 mm fan that will be almost quiet?

 

[Idontcare]

With the NH-D14 HSF you can build a fanless sandy bridge system now, so I'm sure you will be able to do the same with IB.

 

[Uhtrinity]

A friend of mine built a fanless solid state system last March. It was based on an I5. However I didn't like the max temps he was seeing. It showed that it could be done, but IMO isn't practical in the long term.

http://www.formortals.com/the-solid-state-pc/

 

[Puppies04]

A friend of mine built a fanless solid state system last March. It was based on an I5. However I didn't like the max temps he was seeing. It showed that it could be done, but IMO isn't practical in the long term.

http://www.formortals.com/the-solid-state-pc/

Would an undervolt/underclock be an option.

 

[podspi]

A friend of mine built a fanless solid state system last March. It was based on an I5. However I didn't like the max temps he was seeing. It showed that it could be done, but IMO isn't practical in the long term.

http://www.formortals.com/the-solid-state-pc/

That looks kind of awesome. My current HTPC is just a standard AII-620 in a micro-atx case, and it gets pretty loud (especially because the thing sucks up dust).


I'd like to go fanless at some point for it, although I'm afraid it would turn into a large fireball...

 

[TakeNoPrisoners]

That looks kind of awesome. My current HTPC is just a standard AII-620 in a micro-atx case, and it gets pretty loud (especially because the thing sucks up dust).


I'd like to go fanless at some point for it, although I'm afraid it would turn into a large fireball...

You don't need fanless for quiet. Just get a large heatsink with controllable fans and it will be pretty quiet.

 

[IntelEnthusiast]

I hear a lot of people using coolers like the Corsair H60 and than an SSD for storage and are running really quite in a HTPC. As far as a true fanless system heck even my laptop with an old Intel® Core™ 2 Duo P8400 at 25w TDP has fans in the case. So I dont know where we would have to hit to be able to get away with a true fanless (no case and no processor fans) system maybe in the 15w or below that we see on some Intel Atom™ processors.

Christian Wood
Intel Enthusiast Team

 

[gevorg]

With the NH-D14 HSF you can build a fanless sandy bridge system now, so I'm sure you will be able to do the same with IB.

This! Alternatively, you can use one of those heatsink cases that connect your CPU to the whole case by some copper pipes. More costly than NH-D14 HSF though, but looks nicer for HTPC.

 

[Lonyo]

I had a single fan setup (CPU heatsink/fan) on a G620T (comes with a crappy little low profile heatsink, even worse than the standard SB heatsinks). No case fan, no PSU fan (I got a picoPSU).

Had a passive HD6450, 2x2TB HDDs, G620T, PicoPSU, 4GB RAM in an mATX case with an mITX mobo.
All worked fine. It was basically silent. The stock fan on the heatsink was running at minimum rpm (~1000). And relatively inexpensive.

Then I added a third harddrive, and it all went horribly wrong and I had to enable the case fan and up the CPU fan speed.

 

[ShadowVVL]

This! Alternatively, you can use one of those heatsink cases that connect your CPU to the whole case by some copper pipes. More costly than NH-D14 HSF though, but looks nicer for HTPC.

nice, Ive never seen anything like this where would you go to get one?

 

[fuzzymath10]

The biggest challenge for going fanless is getting a remotely decent GPU into the mix. You're pretty much stuck with IGPs or similarly slow discrete cards. Even if you could get a faster passively cooled card (as I have attempted with my 4830 and 5750), they are not going to work unless you move all the heat they generate quickly out of the case.

 

[Lonyo]

The biggest challenge for going fanless is getting a remotely decent GPU into the mix. You're pretty much stuck with IGPs or similarly slow discrete cards. Even if you could get a faster passively cooled card (as I have attempted with my 4830 and 5750), they are not going to work unless you move all the heat they generate quickly out of the case.

Which is another reason to wait for 2012 and thus 28nm GPUs.

 

[gevorg]

nice, Ive never seen anything like this where would you go to get one?

Not cheap ($500+ for case+cooling package, plus other nice options. These cases are best to cool 65-95W CPUs like 2500K/2600K, they are probably overkill for 35W CPUs):
http://atechfabrication.com/HTPC_cases.htm

There should be other cases like this too, I think Thermaltake did one for around $300, just google around and look in SPCR.

 

[tweakboy]

You can do it, but I wouldn't OC too much. Keep your eye on the temp. Installing it is crucial. Put thermal paste two line horizontal. and put the heatsink on and make shure its tight fit. First go stock speeds and see what your idle and load temps are.

Your fine if your load goes to even 80's celcius. The CPU will still work, @ 85c or 100c the computer shuts off to prevent damage.. gl

 

[ElFenix]

Would an undervolt/underclock be an option.

the 2400S is already underclocked/undervolted compared to the 2400. really it shouldn't be called a 2400, more like 2200 (2.5ghz with 3.3 ghz turbo, actually turbos higher than the 2310 but what's 100mhz these days?).



edit: the 2400S review on SPCR is not good for it. basically, it's enough slower than the 2400 that it actually consumes more power to accomplish the same task. undervolting a regular 2400 gets you most of the power efficiency (the 2400 was only drew 15 watts more and idled the same) but none of the speed penalty.

 

[ElFenix]

nice, Ive never seen anything like this where would you go to get one?

here's an ITX case in that same vein.
http://www.silentpcreview.com/HDPLEX_H3.SODD

 

[lehtv]

Fanless PC isn't really that smart since a PC with low-RPM fans will be practically silent. E.g. passive CPU heatsink, passive PSU, but two-four downvolted case fans, e.g. these at 5V. Practically inaudible but at the even a small amount of airflow will help temps in an otherwise passive system.

 

[ElFenix]

technically fans are passive too
read that in my AP physics class and i'm sticking to it. has something to do with not actually moving heat, just blowing air around. or inability to work against a temperature grade. or something.

 

[lehtv]

Hmm. Fanless heatsinks move heat, but don't move air. Does that mean they're not passive...? [/philosoraptor]

 

[TestSpecimen]

I built my dad a miniITX build this summer that only had the PSU fan in it. Specs were a i7-2600K cooled with a passive Thermalright AXP-140, ASRock H67M-ITX, 8GB G.Skill Sniper RAM, Intel 160GB X-25M G2, Corsair HX520W, all in a Lian-Li Q07B case. The only fan in it is the PSU fan facing the AXP-140. It's pretty much silent in use, idle temps around 30-33c. I went with the 2600K because it only cost me $145, so I figured why not? I did disable Hyper-Threading and Turbo-Boost though, it was making the right side of the case a tad warm to the touch. Granted this build wouldn't suffice for gaming though...

 

[Concillian]

You want a couple fans anyway. Air needs to move. Just get QUIET fans.

Go to SCPR (silentpcreview.com) and find some fans they like. The fans will likely be expensive, but they will be quiet. So quiet you likely will not be able to hear them. Don't cheap out on the fans. Manufacturer claims for quiet and / or silent cannot be trusted, believe SCPR and get GOOD fans you know will be without resonances or ticks. The frequency and "quality" of the noise a fan makes is important in making it imperceptible, so dB ratings aren't enough.

A fan like this on top of a passive VGA cooler plus a fan on a 120mm tower heatpipe cooler (coolermaster 212, xigmatek 1283, etc...) will be near silent and allow just about any CPU / GPU you want.

There is a world of difference in available options for CPU and GPU between no airflow and a slow 700 RPM silent fan.

 

[dma0991]

I'd get a Thermalright HR-02 which is sold as a passive style heatsink and it should perform well on a stock CPU given that your case has sufficient airflow to push the hot air out. You could use the Scythe GT as a exhaust fan but they're difficult to find and expensive.

 

[Fjodor2001]

Thanks - lots of good advice and inspiration!

I'm considering building two Ivy Bridge based systems. One desktop PC and one HTPC:

* Desktop PC
-Intel Core i5-3500K
-8 GB RAM
-250 GB SSD
-Mini-ITX motherboard
-No GFX card (use IGP)
-BD-RW
-PicoPSU+PowerBrick, or optionally silent PSU
-Connectors Front: Multi-card reader, BD-RW, audio in/out, USB
-Connectors Back: Standard motherboard connectors

* HTPC:
-Low TDP IB CPU (e.g. Intel Core i3-3100, or perhaps even a mobile IB model, or the lowest rated IB Pentium model)
-4 GB RAM
-80 GB SSD (media is stored on server on Gigabit LAN)
-Mini-ITX motherboard
-No GFX card (use IGP, unless IB cannot do 23.976 Hz video properly)
-Optionally TV-card with CA module
-BD-R
-PicoPSU+PowerBrick, or optionally silent PSU
-Connectors Front: BD-R, USB
-Connectors Back: Standard motherboard connectors, TV-card cable jacks and CA module slot

I like the idea of building really small systems. So a case that looks like a MacMini or http://www.silentpcreview.com/HDPLEX_H3.SODD that ElFenix suggested would be nice. If such a small case does not have external heatsinks, do you still think it will be possible to build the systems fanless? Or will I have to get at least a PSU with a fan, or a low RPM 120 mm fan?

Also, do you think all of the above will fit in such a small case? My biggest worries are how to fit the multi card reader (requires 3.5" slot?) and BD-RW in the desktop PC, and the TV-card and BD-R in the HTPC.

 

[Fjodor2001]

I just found out that Ivy Bridge will support DDR3L RAM (i.e. low voltage RAM). I wonder how much power that will save if the system has 2x4 GB or 2x8 GB RAM?

 

[greenhawk]

I wonder how much power that will save if the system has 2x4 GB or 2x8 GB RAM?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DDR3_SDRAM

looks to be 15% lower power for the ram, but then IIRC I think ram is generally in the 5W range. So, not expecting it to make a huge difference in a fanless setup.