Noiseless Highend Office PC

[Liquiadeux]

As it happens so frequently these days, my old man's computer is in the autumn of life and so I've come here to straighten out the last kinks in its replacement. Some particulars:

• Purpose: Regular use; office, browsing, and to a lesser degree video editing. No gaming. The computer needs to be small and as noiseless as possible given the performance. Overcloking only if it's 'free'. Needs to be ordered and built ASAP.
• Budget: None, but there's no need for bleeding edge. I think we're willing to pay almost anything to keep it quiet though.
• Parts: Will all be ordered in Denmark. For an overview on available supplies see www.EDBPriser.dk.
• Setup: Dual monitors each running at 1920x1200 in Windows 7 Ultimate. The only part we'll be keeping is the graphics card, a Matrox M9120 Plus LP - though if you argue an upgrade makes sense that's possible too.

As for the actual components, here's what I'd like your comments on:

CPU Core i7 I7-2600K ($404)
Motherboard ASUS P8H67-I DELUXE B3 Revision ($187)
RAM Mushkin 2x4GB 1333 CL9-9-9-24 1.5V ($109)
Main HDD OCZ Vertex 3 Series SSD 120 GB ($380)
Storage HDD Samsung Spinpoint F4EG HD204UI 2 TB ($106)
PSU Seasonic X-400 Fanless ($185)
Keyboard Logitech Wireless Illuminated Keyboard K800 ($108)
Case Antec LifeStyle SOLO ($132)
Optical drive Samsung Super-WriteMaster SH-S223C ($24)
Speakers Bose Companion 2 Series II ($150)
CPU Cooling Scythe Ninja 3 SCNJ-3000 ($50)
Case Cooling 2x Nexus 92mm Real Silent Case Fan DF1209SL-3 ($28)

Total excl. VAT $1492

Thanks guys 🙂

 

[frostedflakes]

You'll need to get an H67 board if you intend to use the i5-2600K's onboard video. If you just plan to use a discrete card, though, that P67 board will be fine.

To be honest I think that seems like serious overkill for an office machine and there's probably a lot of places you could save money if you were interested. For example if you don't plan to OC, no need to get a K series processor with unlocked multi. 2500 might also be better value than the 2600. Or maybe consider an Athlon II X2, something like that would be a pretty nice CPU for an office machine IMO, although for CPU intensive stuff like video encoding the Intel Sandy Bridge chips would leave it in the dust.

400W is plenty. NH-C14 is designed to blow downward. I have the NH-C12P SE14 (similar cooler, but is smaller and only uses one NF-P14 fan instead of two) and wouldn't consider it silent even with the ULNA. Not that it's loud, it's pretty unobtrusive but even with the lowest noise adapter the fan still spins at ~800RPM and is audible. I'm not sure how picky you are about noise, but if you want something truly inaudible you'll probably need some slower spinning fans. Maybe check out the Scythe Gentle Typhoon or S-Flex, I think they sell 120mm models that spin at about 500RPM which should be very, very quiet.

Also you might consider suspending the hard drive to further reduce noise.

 

[WildW]

While I realise it's good for longevity, is an i7 2600K really a sensible choice for a machine that will be running Office and Internet Explorer? If you're really worried about keeping it as cool and quiet as possible, there are 65W and even 45W quad core CPUs out there, rather than 95W ones. A little slower but with an SSD and with such a light workload, you don't "need" the absolute fastest. Your choice of course =)

And yes, a quality 400W PSU is plenty.

 

[Zap]

To answer your PSU questions, what I will be recommending below (coupled with the HDD/PSU/ODD you listed) will probably draw under 50W most of the time.

Core i5 2500K would be as good of a choice. It is the same CPU except without HyperThreading and 100MHz or so slower. Note that even if not overclocking, the K version has double the graphics cores of the other chips. I mention this because I will be suggesting that you use integrated graphics. The new Sandy Bridge integrated graphics supports some super accelerated encoding/transcoding for video work.

If you get an H67 chipset motherboard you can use integrated graphics. For what he's using it for, he won't notice a difference. Only thing is that the H67 won't let you overclock much (up to 3.7GHz?) BUT if you want it quiet, then perhaps leave it stock. The integrated graphics support dual monitors, but you may need adapters since most boards will have DVI and HDMI, unless the two monitors supports those ports. If you don't use the add-in card, that's less power used, less heat created.

You can try to find super low voltage RAM. I've seen RAM advertised as low as 1.25v. I've used 1.35v DDR3 on an Asus P8P67 (normal ATX version) and it seemed to automatically pick up on the voltage. If there isn't much cost difference, I would highly suggest the lowest voltage you can find. Again, less heat created, less power used. If there isn't a huge price premium then I don't see any downsides.

For case, I would highly recommend the Solo over the Mini P180. Even though the Solo is normal ATX, the Mini P180 is so big that they are almost identical in physical size. The Solo was designed for being super quiet. It comes with noise reducing liners pre-applied to the major steel panels and you have the option of using HDD suspension which makes drives super quiet. It also uses a filter for the front fans to keep the dust out. If using this case, remove the included 120mm exhaust fan and use two 92mm intake fans (see below). The front panel also blocks direct noise from the fan, while retaining reasonable ventilation characteristics.

For CPU cooling use the Scythe Ninja 3 SCNJ-3000. Do not use the included fan.

For fans use two of the Nexus 92mm Real Silent Case Fan DF1209SL-3. These go in front of the case, thus making full use of the fan filters. Use the included soft silicone fan mounts. Use a Zalman Fanmate or similar fan controller to reduce the fan speed if necessary (you can use a splitter to run both fans off one controller). Here's a review of these fans. They are recommended by Silent PC Review.

Such a build as I listed should be inaudible in a normal setting (AKA not in an anechoic chamber) from arm's length away. The only moving parts would be the intake fans, the HDD and the optical drive (when in use). The HDD will be damped by the suspension and the fans damped by the silicone fan mounts. All air going into it will be filtered (remember to clean it occasionally).

 

[mfenn]

This isn't quite the right forum for "noiseless". Check out SPCR for that. Quiet, now that we can do!

I would not bother keeping a Matrox card around. Get an H67 board and use the Sandy Bridge IGP, it's really quite good for non-gaming purposes.

For the PSU, a 400W is really about three times what you need. It really is quite spendy though. Since you're going to have at least three other fans in the system, I would strongly consider a very quiet PSU like the S12II 380W.

Finally, Vertex 3 and ASAP don't quite mix. 😉

 

[Liquiadeux]

Thank you everyone for elaborate and insightful replies. I will try to address them chronologically.

While I realise it's good for longevity, is an i7 2600K really a sensible choice for a machine that will be running Office and Internet Explorer? If you're really worried about keeping it as cool and quiet as possible, there are 65W and even 45W quad core CPUs out there, rather than 95W ones. A little slower but with an SSD and with such a light workload, you don't "need" the absolute fastest. Your choice of course =)

And yes, a quality 400W PSU is plenty.

Duly noted. I too thought the CPU was overkill, but my old man refuse to buy new computers without going for the complete blowout. The price difference is negligible enough that I'll concede that argument and focus on keeping things quiet, as that's what he'll notice (or rather: not notice).

If you get an H67 chipset motherboard you can use integrated graphics. For what he's using it for, he won't notice a difference. Only thing is that the H67 won't let you overclock much (up to 3.7GHz?) BUT if you want it quiet, then perhaps leave it stock. The integrated graphics support dual monitors, but you may need adapters since most boards will have DVI and HDMI, unless the two monitors supports those ports. If you don't use the add-in card, that's less power used, less heat created.

Since we already have a graphics card I wonder, what are the advantages of integrated graphics? The Matrox card is passively cooled, I should add.

You can try to find super low voltage RAM. I've seen RAM advertised as low as 1.25v. I've used 1.35v DDR3 on an Asus P8P67 (normal ATX version) and it seemed to automatically pick up on the voltage. If there isn't much cost difference, I would highly suggest the lowest voltage you can find. Again, less heat created, less power used. If there isn't a huge price premium then I don't see any downsides.

On the Danish market at least the price of 1.35V @ 8GB is actually tripple that of 1.5V. Think that's a tad too much.

For case, I would highly recommend the Solo over the Mini P180. Even though the Solo is normal ATX, the Mini P180 is so big that they are almost identical in physical size. The Solo was designed for being super quiet. It comes with noise reducing liners pre-applied to the major steel panels and you have the option of using HDD suspension which makes drives super quiet. It also uses a filter for the front fans to keep the dust out. If using this case, remove the included 120mm exhaust fan and use two 92mm intake fans (see below). The front panel also blocks direct noise from the fan, while retaining reasonable ventilation characteristics.

For CPU cooling use the Scythe Ninja 3 SCNJ-3000. Do not use the included fan.

For fans use two of the Nexus 92mm Real Silent Case Fan DF1209SL-3. These go in front of the case, thus making full use of the fan filters. Use the included soft silicone fan mounts. Use a Zalman Fanmate or similar fan controller to reduce the fan speed if necessary (you can use a splitter to run both fans off one controller). Here's a review of these fans. They are recommended by Silent PC Review.

Such a build as I listed should be inaudible in a normal setting (AKA not in an anechoic chamber) from arm's length away. The only moving parts would be the intake fans, the HDD and the optical drive (when in use). The HDD will be damped by the suspension and the fans damped by the silicone fan mounts. All air going into it will be filtered (remember to clean it occasionally).

Awesome advice man. I definitely see going for Solo rather than Mini P180. One question though: if I understand correctly the Scythe Ninja 3 SCNJ-3000 doesn't support socket LGA1155? The only options I have for Sandy Bridge are Noctua NH-C14 and ZALMAN CNPS 5X, and although I'm a huge fan of Notcua neither of these have been reviewed as exceptionally quiet. What should I do?

This isn't quite the right forum for "noiseless". Check out SPCR for that. Quiet, now that we can do!

I would not bother keeping a Matrox card around. Get an H67 board and use the Sandy Bridge IGP, it's really quite good for non-gaming purposes.

For the PSU, a 400W is really about three times what you need. It really is quite spendy though. Since you're going to have at least three other fans in the system, I would strongly consider a very quiet PSU like the S12II 380W.

Finally, Vertex 3 and ASAP don't quite mix. 😉

I had a look at the S12II series, but neither of them are fanless and neither are modular. I like fanless and modular! And like with Zap, what do you reckon are the advantages of sticking to on-board graphics.

 

[JBDan]

Zap's advice is great. Another HSF option for you is to get the CoolerMaster 212+ and swap it's fan out. It's cheap and a great performer. That is what I did with a Scythe 1200RPM (also rec by spcr) and I use speedfan to control it. Speedfan can go a long way in making your PC inaudible in normal ambient conditions. I use it to control all my fans (3) just make sure the mobo has the fan headers to accommodate what you want. It can be set to ramp fans up when things get toasty like when ambient temps go up in summer. Scythe also makes an 800rpm fan if you didn't want to bother with the 1200rpm version and controlling it with speedfan.

For the SOLO I would put one 120mm Scythe on the rear and one on the 212+. I wouldn't bother with intakes honestly, but do note that this creates a negative pressure scenario in your case therefor you will have to open her up and blow dust out every now and then depending on its environment. Some people would rather not do this, but I don't mind as generally the best air cooled setups are configured like this.

Put simply, for 120mm fans to become what I consider "inaudible" in a good quiet case like the SOLO they need to be run @ ~900rpm or below. Since I OC to 4.6 I got the extra 300-400rpm to keep things cool. With EIST, no OC, and the Scythe 800rpm you ought to be golden. Their fans aren't cheap, but worth it imo

Fan: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835185005

 

[mnewsham]

Integrated graphics on SB is probably on par with your GPU but you use less power (its integrated on the CPU) this will mean more airflow (no gpu to get in the way), and less power usage. your PSU argument is kind of pointless, you have fans in the case and on the CPU getting a quiet PSU instead of silent makes sense it WON'T be louder then the CPU fans or case fans and it saves money while keeping components cooler (it will expel heat). And as to the CPU cooler any socket 1156 cooler fits sandy bridge socket 1155.

 

[Davidh373]

This machine is way overkill. If I can recommend 3 things, it's to cut the storage drive, drop down to an i3, and drop ram down to 4GB. That is of course if you aren't handling a whole town's financials in one excel spreadsheet...

EDIT: Don't get the companion 2's. I bought $40 Creatives that are actually better for WAAAY less.

 

[mnewsham]

This machine is way overkill. If I can recommend 3 things, it's to cut the storage drive, drop down to an i3, and drop ram down to 4GB. That is of course if you aren't handling a whole town's financials in one excel spreadsheet...

:thumbsup:

 

[mfenn]

The price difference is negligible enough that I'll concede that argument and focus on keeping things quiet, as that's what he'll notice (or rather: not notice).

What's in the Danish water that makes a 50% cost difference "negligible"? 😱

I had a look at the S12II series, but neither of them are fanless and neither are modular. I like fanless and modular!

I believe that I covered the former when I said "For the PSU, a 400W is really about three times what you need. It really is quite spendy though. Since you're going to have at least three other fans in the system, I would strongly consider a very quiet PSU like the S12II 380W.".

As for the latter, it's a non-issue because the S12II (a) doesn't go overboard on the number of cables and (b) you're not buying a tiny case where modularity actually matters.

You may like fanless and modular PSUs, but I don't think that that's a good reason to mae your father spend twice as much on the PSU.

And like with Zap, what do you reckon are the advantages of sticking to on-board graphics.

Lower power, lower heat, QuickSync, better driver support for features like video decode acceleration.

 

[Vic Vega]

No reason to spend Intel money on this office PC which occasionally does video editing. A $160 AMD X4 will be more than enough.

 

[Zap]

Another thought on the PSU is with the right setup (Sandy Bridge CPU, IGP, no more drives than 1x each SSD/HDD/ODD) then you can use something like a PicoPSU if you can get them. The best ones to get seems to be the blue "wide voltage" models, and then use a 19v notebook power brick. You can couple it with a mini ITX motherboard and use a tiny case like the Lian Li PC-Q07 (again if available to you). Use the PicoPSU instead of the normal PSU, and use the Ninja heatsink.

Since we already have a graphics card I wonder, what are the advantages of integrated graphics? The Matrox card is passively cooled, I should add.

As others have said, less power drawn, less heat made, similar end performance.

Awesome advice man. I definitely see going for Solo rather than Mini P180. One question though: if I understand correctly the Scythe Ninja 3 SCNJ-3000 doesn't support socket LGA1155?

AFAIK version 3/3000 supports 1156, which is identical to 1155. Similar with AMD, the AM2/AM2+/AM3 all mount the same and 754/939/940 all were the same too.

Zap's advice is great. Another HSF option for you is to get the CoolerMaster 212+ and swap it's fan out.

The 212+ is great for being inexpensive and widely available, but the Ninja should be a LOT better for super quiet operation. The fins of the 212+ are really close together, meaning it needs more forced airflow than the Ninja.

For the SOLO I would put one 120mm Scythe on the rear and one on the 212+. I wouldn't bother with intakes honestly, but do note that this creates a negative pressure scenario in your case therefor you will have to open her up and blow dust out every now and then depending on its environment.

That was the purpose of suggesting to take out the rear fan and use intakes, to keep air nice and filtered.

No reason to spend Intel money on this office PC which occasionally does video editing. A $160 AMD X4 will be more than enough.

It will also draw more power and create more heat, thus requiring more cooling, plus the chipset draws more, plus the Intel 12 core IGP in the K series outperforms AMD IGP.

 

[Liquiadeux]

Just wanted to say that the computer is built and is absolutely nutty. I haven't managed to figure out where to adjust the speed on the two frontal intake fans, but other than that it's just a beast. My old man couldn't be happier.

Thanks!

 

[mfenn]

Just wanted to say that the computer is built and is absolutely nutty. I haven't managed to figure out where to adjust the speed on the two frontal intake fans, but other than that it's just a beast. My old man couldn't be happier.

Thanks!

Glad you both like it! You can always do the 7V mod as a last ditch way to slow down the fans.

 

[Zap]

:thumbsup: