Good CPU coolers and Case Fans?

[Davidh373]

Hello all!

I'm on a real mission now to make my computers quiet (not silent of course) and run cooler. My computer in my room (Gaming in Sig) makes things very hot on top of it being hot up there already. I'd say ambient temperature is around 85F in the Summer. The workstation downstairs (Workstation in sig) doesn't effect temperature (central air keeps the basement like a refrigerator) but it is extremely loud. I'm thinking about a Hyper 212+ for both rigs, as well as Scythe fans (heard they were quiet) for the cases. I'm also wanting to start switching over to SSDs, but that isn't really in the cards for the next few months.

So here is what I was thinking exactly:

Antec 300

Coolermaster Hyper 212+ - $29.49 + $2.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835103065

Scythe Sliptream 140 800RPM (Top Fan) - $13.99 + 3.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835185156

Scythe 120 1200RPM (Front and Back Fans) - $13.99 + $3.99 x 3
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835185058

Total: $104.40

Thermaltake Element S

Coolermaster Hyper 212+ - $29.49 + $2.99

(Top Fan) 230mm I can't find another 230mm fan...

Scythe 120 1200RPM (Front and Back Fans) - $13.99 + $3.99 x 2
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835185058

Scythe Sliptream 140 800RPM (Back Fan) - $13.99 + 3.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835185156

Total: $104.40

To split up the cost a little over time I'd like to get the top fan, back fan, and CPU cooler for the Gaming build first, since it roasts me in my room. What do you guys think? Is the Hyper 212+ cool and quiet? Are Scythe fans cool and quiet like 'they' say? Can you guys point me to a 230mm case fan?

Thank you for any advice you guys have.

 

[Puppies04]

since it roasts me in my room

Erm sorry to tell you this but adding more/better fans to your computer won't alter how hot it makes your room. The amount of heat generated will be the same. Will you be able to drop your CPU temps, yes. Can you alter the laws of phisics, no.

 

[Davidh373]

Erm sorry to tell you this but adding more/better fans to your computer won't alter how hot it makes your room. The amount of heat generated will be the same. Will you be able to drop your CPU temps, yes. Can you alter the laws of phisics, no.

Well, if the heat is dispersed faster and circulated more, then it should. Decreasing the temperature at which something runs should also reduce it's maximum heat output yes? Just like my ceiling fan circulates the air and cools the room off. The same principle would apply to this, yes? If there is less heat created, and more surface area on the CPU cooler for it to be stored, it should reduce the heat spilled into the room. Correct me if I am wrong though.

 

[Puppies04]

Fans "cool" you by evaporating moisture from your skin. The don't make the air any cooler. Adding a higher number of fans to your case could actually increase the temp of your room by a few hundredths of a degree as you have more motors running (which create heat) and are also asking your psu to pump out mor power (which creates more heat). If moving large quantities of air could simply negate heat build up every server room in the world would just be a massive self contained wind tunnel instead of an airconditioned room.

 

[Blue Shift]

Decreasing the temperature at which something runs should also reduce it's maximum heat output yes? ... If there is less heat created...

The same amount of heat will be created. The amount of heat created by the parts in your computer is directly correlated with the amount of power (in watts) your machine consumes. You can lower this number by eliminating mechanical hard drives and optical drives, switching to a newer CPU and/or one with a lower TDP, downgrading your video card, or buying a highly efficient power supply.

On the other hand, in situations where the ambient temperature is high it is easier for your components to overheat and get damaged. That's what improved cooling could help you with.


PS. I live in the south as well, and know your pain.

 

[Davidh373]

My build is already pretty energy efficient, and the GPU was just upgraded to be more efficient. I see what you're saying though.

My gaming build has no intake fans. I just looked in my case and there is one in the back and one on top. I would like to change that for obvious reasons. So the issue is are the Scythe fans I picked out good? I will probably get the fans and cooler regardless, because I also want my PC to last.

Also, I still want to make my build downstairs quiet. Obviously that Velociraptor makes a lot of noise, but so does my CPU fan, and from what I can tell the case fans. Like I said, I'd like to replace the velociraptor, but that's out of my budget at the moment.

 

[greenhawk]

If the fans are on the way out, then that will cause extra noise.

Also, if the cooler is dirty, it will have the fan working harder than it needs to.

If the fan is set to full speed (best cooling) in the bois or windows, then the fans will never slow down to be quite (so extra noise). Changing the fans to "thermally controlled" can help at the cost of the CPU getting hotter.

As to fans making the room cooler, that has been covered and in short, does not help.

As to the v'raptor, no idea why yours would be noisy, my power supply's fan is louder than mine. Sure your case does not need it's screws re-tightened? Any moving item will loosen them over time allowing the case to "rattle" given noise that is not needed. Cheap cases also have this problem.

As to the question about the new fans being better, no idea. But if the old fan is dieing, anything is better. I just stick to the low RPM / large fans with the only preference being ball-bearing fans (sleaveless ones start quieter IIRC, but wear faster). I also perfer fans that thermally control themselves for the case/drive coolers and standard fans for the CPU (so the motherboard can control it better).

 

[Davidh373]

As to the question about the new fans being better, no idea.

Both cases have the default fan configuration, with default fans (Antec Tricool in the Antec 300, whatever Thermaltake one's in the Element S).

As to the v'raptor, no idea why yours would be noisy, my power supply's fan is louder than mine. Sure your case does not need it's screws re-tightened? Any moving item will loosen them over time allowing the case to "rattle" given noise that is not needed. Cheap cases also have this problem.

The case is not cheap and screws remain as tight as they were. The drive is almost 3 years old now and was refurbished when I got it. It's been that loud since I got it.

As for the fans, they are on/ off. There are no fans plugged into the controller on either motherboard.

EDIT:

I am not having any mechanical problems or technical difficulties, I just wish for my computers to run cooler/ quieter. I would to know what is a good CPU cooler, and what are good quiet fans that will perform well.

 

[mfenn]

Your choices look fine to me and should be quite a bit quieter. Just make sure that you have enough clearance for the 212+. I know that the 300 will be fine, not sure about the Thermaltake.

 

[Gigantopithecus]

Your choices look fine to me and should be quite a bit quieter. Just make sure that you have enough clearance for the 212+. I know that the 300 will be fine, not sure about the Thermaltake.

Element S will house a 212+ without issue.

 

[Davidh373]

Your choices look fine to me and should be quite a bit quieter. Just make sure that you have enough clearance for the 212+. I know that the 300 will be fine, not sure about the Thermaltake.

Yeah, the Element S is a mid-tower, but it is much larger than the Antec 300. My main concern now is clearance on my RAM. Ripjaws were $100 for 16GB on newegg for one of their shell shocker deals. It seems like there is a lot of space with the default cooler (it is also massive) so what do you guys think?

 

[Gigantopithecus]

I think superfluous RAM heatsinks are not that difficult to remove!

 

[Davidh373]

I think superfluous RAM heatsinks are not that difficult to remove!

How would I go about that is it were to come to that?

 

[stahlhart]

How would I go about that is it were to come to that?

Just figure out how they were attached at the factory, and undo it. Or do what that one guy here did to the Vengeance sticks with the Dremel.

 

[Patrick Wolf]

Since your workstation is in a cool room the main goal there is noise reduction. But 1st thing is determining what's making noise. If the fans, you'll need quiet, usually low RPM one's. 1200 RPM for 120mm fans is usually not very quiet when used as a case fan; <1000 usually is. And if that 470's fan speed isn't capped that's probably fairly loud.

Since the gaming rig is in a warm room basically the same applies here because the more fans you have, the warmer the room will get (how much warmer depends on much CFM they move). So low RPM fans are also needed. Course if your system is unstable due to heat, you'll have no choice but to use fans that move more air. Though I don't think that'll be an issue with your rig. You could actually remove fans if the system is stable as-is. Best thing to do of course is get more efficient components, but that's big money.

 

[Davidh373]

Sorry Pat, I accidentally hit the 'Quote' button instead of 'Quote selected text' and it erased like a whole page of typing, so I may seem a little short with you.

1200 RPM for 120mm fans is usually not very quiet when used as a case fan; <1000 usually is.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835185057

800RPM low enough?

if that 470's fan speed isn't capped that's probably fairly loud.

That is an idea, but before I turn down the fan on the 470, I'd like to move more air through the case. It runs at 79+C right now during short gaming sessions. One night after a long 3D modeling assignment, I saw it was at 97C (yikes!!!). Since I'm moving into a large scale project right now, I'm not comfortable with turning down the fan until I'm absolutely certain I can keep the temps decent. I'm probably going to be putting it through day long work for a semester, and then a solid two weeks of rendering... <.<... I'm probably going to allocate the same amount of rendering to the gaming build and to a few friend's computers as well.

I remember turning it up in Afterburner and I kind of got an idea for what it sounded like. I don't think that is the primary cause of all the noise. I'd say CPU fan > Velociraptor (grinding and whizzing during writes) > GPU > 230mm top fan.

Course if your system is unstable due to heat, you'll have no choice but to use fans that move more air.

Here is the thing about my gaming rig. I just got it as a Christmas present last year. It's been roughly 6 months and I just got a 6850 for it up from a 9800GTX and 8GB RAM. Thing is, I would like for it to last me 3 years the way it is now. I might need a GPU after around two years, and might get an SSD just for the handy fast boot times. I want to take care of both my computers though, so they last as long as they can. I would rather have my computer be a little loud, and the room be a degree or two hotter than deal with my components being cooked to death.

Currently, my Antec 300 has no intake fan, which is the first thing I want to get now that I've noticed/ remembered it doesn't. I would also like to get a CPU cooler so it has a lil' longevity.

Now my workstation is where I'm primarily concerned now, because I'm finally getting performance I like. I had 1.65v OCZ memory in there since it's birth and boy would it do all sorts of weird stuff! I used to randomly lose video signal after post. It would happen like once every other day. It would freeze up, blue screen occasionally. Now with the new RAM I've used it for 4 days straight without incident (fingers crossed lol)

Anyway longevity > fringe benefits like Db level and room temp (sigh). A CPU cooler looks to cost ~ $35 and might not make a ton of a difference, but it will provide me with peace of mind, as will the $15 fans. Since I'm getting the performance I seek from both of them, I love them now and want them to last, ya know? They are like my babies lol.

 

[Patrick Wolf]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835185057
800RPM low enough?

Yeah, that'd probably be near silent. Though people perceive noise differently so a 1000-1200 RPM fan may seem really quiet to you. You could check the model numbers of your current case fans that you find too loud and see what RPM they run at. I'm no fan expert so it's not a set rule that higher RPM fans are "loud" or noisy; it depends on the fan, but that's what I've observed. They provide better airflow, but with modern components you don't need gobs of cooling. Truthfully, your rigs could last many years without any case fans. Course with your gaming cards and cases it's a good idea to have the basic stuff: front intake and rear/top exhaust.

The 470 does kind of suck cause it runs hot so it's not the best card for long rendering sessions and noise, but still shouldn't die prematurely due to heat as they're designed to last (or at least should be) through even worse conditions than yours.

I assume you're using the Intel stock HSF so yeah, a better/quieter CPU cooler is a must.

I'm looking for new case fans myself and found these interesting.
http://www.enermax.com/home.php?fn=eng/product_a1_1_1&lv0=4&lv1=32&no=108

 

[Davidh373]

I'm looking for new case fans myself and found these interesting.
http://www.enermax.com/home.php?fn=e...&lv1=32&no=108

Unfortunately they are out of stock on newegg right now. Those look awesome!

 

[Patrick Wolf]

Unfortunately they are out of stock on newegg right now. Those look awesome!

Pretty sure they won't be coming back to newegg. I think buy.com has best price (or directron w/ USPS shipping). Not sure I'd trust circuitsnthings...
http://www.google.com/products/cata...IoTpaRLoumsALLoqQ7&ved=0CE4QgggwAA#scoring=tp

Also Thermalright's X-Silent fans are supposed to have a good balance of noise and CFM. I'm using the 140mm for top exhaust and even at max it's pretty darn quiet, though I'd like it a bit quieter. The fan control on my new mobo should take care of that. But I'd still like to try the Enermax's.