...or will a muzzle be better?

[JaydenChris]

My computer sounds like an airplane taking off and it's buggin' me. I've decided not to go the liquid cooling route but instead replace old parts with "silent" ones.

Here's what I've got right now:

Asus P4C800 Deluxe
P4 2.6C - OC'd to 2.8 (stock HSF)
1GB (2x512mb) Kensington Hyper X PC3200
ATI 9000 All-in-wonder
240GB (2x120GB) Seagate HHD 7200rpm
DVD-Rom (generic)
DVD+/-RW Lite-On 811s

1 80mm Intake fan (front)
1 80mm Case fan
2 80mm Exhaust fans (rear)

Here's my game plan:

Replace stock HSF with a Zalman CNPS7000A-Cu Link
Replace all 80mm fans with Enermax ball bearing fans Link
Add a Zalman VGA heatpipe cooler to my videocard <a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=35-118-210&amp;depa=0">Link</a>[/L]
...and FINALLY replace my PSU with an Enermax Noisetaker 420W Link

I really appreciate any suggestions and/or comments to my decisions.

TIA!!

 

[Pilsnerpete]

Those are all very good choices. However, my personal preference would be Panaflo L's instead of Enermax fans. Your video card isn't really a workhorse, so you could go with something a little less expensive there (if that's a concern at all).
I've heard good things about Enermax psu's, but never owned one. Always gone with Antec or Sparkle, the latter being my favorite.

IMO

 

[Todd33]

The $5 fanmate would make your stock video fan almost silent if the connector is right,

 

[Cerb]

What case is it?
Definitely get Panaflo Ls. The Enermax ones aren't bad, but do have more noise.

 

[JaydenChris]

Thanks for the responses...

(I have a Raidmax case bought through newegg.com w/ a 420w PSU)

I'll look into the Panaflo's

 

[thomsbrain]

panaflos are pretty much the best for noise, as far i've seen (heard).

 

[heartsurgeon]

stop overclocking (the speed diference seems miniscule anyhow)
get rid of at least two of the fans. (can you switch to one 120 mm fan?)

what on earth do you need so many fans for?

i've got a dell that has one fan (ducted over the processor), one fan in the power supply..
esentially silent.

got the ati 9200 series (no fan!) vid card (i'm not a gamer)

absolutely quiet.

try one large ducted fan over the processor (you can buy these...they look like a clothes dryer duct tube)
consider a fanless vid card...ahhhhh you can hear yourself think again.

i built a computer with my son...antec case with three antec fans...sounded like the airport runway...
diconnected one fan..much quieter.

may disconnect another one if the temperatures stay low..

 

[oldfart]

Yeah, too many fans. I can never understand why people think they need so many case fans. I run a P4 2.6 @ 3.3 GHz with 1 Panaflo L1A case fan. Ditch all the case fans except for 1 exhaust. That is a good start. If it is still too loud, I have a few more things to try.

 

[JaydenChris]

Originally posted by: oldfart
Yeah, too many fans. I can never understand why people think they need so many case fans. I run a P4 2.6 @ 3.3 GHz with 1 Panaflo L1A case fan. Ditch all the case fans except for 1 exhaust. That is a good start. If it is still too loud, I have a few more things to try.

What about the front intake? is that necessary?

 

[oldfart]

Originally posted by: JaydenChris

Originally posted by: oldfart
Yeah, too many fans. I can never understand why people think they need so many case fans. I run a P4 2.6 @ 3.3 GHz with 1 Panaflo L1A case fan. Ditch all the case fans except for 1 exhaust. That is a good start. If it is still too loud, I have a few more things to try.

What about the front intake? is that necessary?

Not really. Exhaust fans move air out of the case. That air has to be replaced. Intake takes care of itself.