In this How To article I will tell you about some simple tips that you can use to make your PC quieter while still maintaining same performa...
In this How To article I will tell you about some simple tips that you can use to make your PC quieter while still maintaining same performance levels.
You will have to agree with me here-
It is easy to conclude that vibrations and high pitched whirring sounds are annoying, for the most part. So my main focus with this article will be these two factors.
Someone said that silence holds great power. And it holds true with Computers too. There is nothing better than a high end PC destroying frames while gaming and rendering and still remaining whisper quiet.
I have seen many people complaining about loud PCs, especially the first time builders. With high hopes they turn on the PC and the moment they load it with heavy stuff, it screams like an engine. Which is discouraging unless the theme of your PC is a engine..
Sources of Noise in PC
Before moving on any further it is important to first know the major sources of noise in a computer system.
It helps in chalking out a better plan for the final resolution.
Fans-
Moving air across the heatsinks and radiators keeps the components cool. Unless you are going for a passively cooled PC, fans are the only source for moving air across the components.
And because fans are mechanical, the rotation of the fan blades will always produce some sounds. Also the grilles and fins on cases and radiators create air turbulence which at high speed creates sound. We will talk more about fans later down the article.
Hard Drives-
After fans, HDDs are the second most common mechanical device inside the system. The spinning platters inside the drive can cause some audible sounds which can get annoying if the HDD is under serious load. And if the HDD is old and nearing the end of its life then these sounds turn into annoying and dangerous clicks.
READ This TOO How to Prevent Hard Drive Failure and Increase Its LifePowered by Inline Related Posts
Vibrations and Weak Case Structure-
Though not common with higher end cases, vibrations can be galling at some times and are quite common with low-end steel cases. These vibrations mostly arise out of a poor chassis or even lose mounting mechanisms.
If the case is not evenly placed on its feet, then too vibrations can leak onto the surface. Hard plastic, weak side panels, lose nuts, cheap mounting mechanisms. all these factors contribute to vibrations.
Water Cooling Pumps-
Pumps are common in enthusiast system with water cooling and are going mainstream with the introduction of AIO coolers. Along with the fans in a liquid cooling setup, the other sound producing component here is the pump. The reason for sounds coming from a pump can be due to air bubbles in the system or a completely bad pump.
Dust-
Over time dust builds up inside your PC case even when you have dust filters and proper ventilation. This dust accumulates over openings and especially near the intake areas and heatsinks. This leads to higher temps and in return higher fan speed to maintain optimum temperatures.
Common Solutions and Tips
Not every step is applicable in every situation. Sometimes a component is inherently noisy because of its design or it may be noisy due to its running age. Still the mentioned steps should cover most of the issues that a user can expect to encounter. Let's dive in then-
Choose the Right Components
To make your PC quieter, the first step is to pick the right components. Every manufacturer's product line has something targeted towards silence computing. If you are going to build a system, then new silent components are more relevant. I will give you a brief overview of the things that makes a component quiet.
Case-
The first thing that you want to do is choose a silent case. This is one of the best step you can take to achieve silence. There are many options out there suitable for both gaming and professional work. Following are some of the features you should be looking in a silent case.
READ This TOO How to Stop PC Fan Vibrations - Quick DIY TrickPowered by Inline Related Posts
Construction Material- A case which is made of heavier material and with a stiff structure will dampen sound more than a case with lighter material. Good quality Steel dampens sound more than aluminium.
Less Opening/Solid Panels- More openings mean more space for sound leakage. So a case with only required openings or cover-able openings is better. Doors or simple magnetic covers are good options.
Sound Dampening- Sound dampening lining on the inside of the case is a must in any quite computer case. Sound dampening foam and anti-vibration pads for mounting locations should be present by default.
Fan control- a PC case and not just silent PC cases should have some form of fan control present. Not every motherboard has tens of fan headers, so some control over the fans right out of the box is always appreciated.
Rubber lined or decoupled feet- This feature is sometimes sorely missed even in high end cases. When your case is filled to the brim then any form of vibration will transfer to the surface and trust me it is very annoying. So rubber lined feet are preferred over plastic ones.
Suggested-
PC Fans-
I am a "Fan" of high quality PC Fans
The pre-supplied fans on most cases are average performers in terms of acoustics and airflow. Very few cases have good fans supplied by default but these cases tend to be expensive. If you can go for a big expensive case then this is the best you can do.
But for those who can't, should know what makes a good fan. You can call this the "Fan Triangle"-
READ This TOO How to Solve Problem of Slow Internet in Windows 10Powered by Inline Related Posts
For Example- A 120mm fan can push 45CFM of air at 1200RPM. A 140MM can push the same amount of air at 1000RPM.
So what fan should you choose for a quiet PC?
Try to get a larger fan like a 140mm if your case supports it. They are bit expensive compared to the 120mm fans but will be quieter.
Same goes for the air coolers. Always go for the largest cooler that you can get for your case and the budget. It will keep your components cooler without ramping up the fan speed at frequent intervals.
Storage
HDDs are infinitely louder than SSDs.
The most common storage device in the system - the Hard Drive is also one of the noisiest. Especially the older drives. The fast 7200 and the insane 15K drives scream at their maximum speeds. They also lead to vibrations if the case is weak.
There is not much you can do to make you hard drives quieter. You only have the option of going for a low speed drive, so there will be a compromise between low performance or low noise.
The other option is going for a Solid State Drive (SSD). They will cost you more but will be completely silent and performance gains will be tremendous.
Suggested- http://desktoprigs.in/choosing-a-hard-drive-short-guide/
All in One Coolers
All in coolers (AIOs) or closed loop coolers are great for performance. But without any proper calibration they can get louder. Fans can spin at a higher speeds, the pumps can create noise.
A high end air cooler will always be a tad quieter than a liquid cooling solution but will perform lower or on par with AIO coolers.
My only suggestion here would be to go for the biggest and the best cooler in your budget. The larger surface area will help you control temperatures without higher noise.
With the component selection done let's see what other things that you can do to make you PC quieter. Hit the next button for more-
Pages: 1 2
You will have to agree with me here-
A noisy PC is BAD!
It is easy to conclude that vibrations and high pitched whirring sounds are annoying, for the most part. So my main focus with this article will be these two factors.
Someone said that silence holds great power. And it holds true with Computers too. There is nothing better than a high end PC destroying frames while gaming and rendering and still remaining whisper quiet.
I have seen many people complaining about loud PCs, especially the first time builders. With high hopes they turn on the PC and the moment they load it with heavy stuff, it screams like an engine. Which is discouraging unless the theme of your PC is a engine..
I will discuss what are the major sources of disturbance, how to eliminate them and also some other tips and tricks to make your PC quieter.
Sources of Noise in PC
Before moving on any further it is important to first know the major sources of noise in a computer system.
It helps in chalking out a better plan for the final resolution.
Fans-
Moving air across the heatsinks and radiators keeps the components cool. Unless you are going for a passively cooled PC, fans are the only source for moving air across the components.
And because fans are mechanical, the rotation of the fan blades will always produce some sounds. Also the grilles and fins on cases and radiators create air turbulence which at high speed creates sound. We will talk more about fans later down the article.
Hard Drives-
After fans, HDDs are the second most common mechanical device inside the system. The spinning platters inside the drive can cause some audible sounds which can get annoying if the HDD is under serious load. And if the HDD is old and nearing the end of its life then these sounds turn into annoying and dangerous clicks.
READ This TOO How to Prevent Hard Drive Failure and Increase Its LifePowered by Inline Related Posts
Vibrations and Weak Case Structure-
Though not common with higher end cases, vibrations can be galling at some times and are quite common with low-end steel cases. These vibrations mostly arise out of a poor chassis or even lose mounting mechanisms.
If the case is not evenly placed on its feet, then too vibrations can leak onto the surface. Hard plastic, weak side panels, lose nuts, cheap mounting mechanisms. all these factors contribute to vibrations.
Water Cooling Pumps-
Pumps are common in enthusiast system with water cooling and are going mainstream with the introduction of AIO coolers. Along with the fans in a liquid cooling setup, the other sound producing component here is the pump. The reason for sounds coming from a pump can be due to air bubbles in the system or a completely bad pump.
Dust-
Over time dust builds up inside your PC case even when you have dust filters and proper ventilation. This dust accumulates over openings and especially near the intake areas and heatsinks. This leads to higher temps and in return higher fan speed to maintain optimum temperatures.
Common Solutions and Tips
Not every step is applicable in every situation. Sometimes a component is inherently noisy because of its design or it may be noisy due to its running age. Still the mentioned steps should cover most of the issues that a user can expect to encounter. Let's dive in then-
Choose the Right Components
To make your PC quieter, the first step is to pick the right components. Every manufacturer's product line has something targeted towards silence computing. If you are going to build a system, then new silent components are more relevant. I will give you a brief overview of the things that makes a component quiet.
Case-
The first thing that you want to do is choose a silent case. This is one of the best step you can take to achieve silence. There are many options out there suitable for both gaming and professional work. Following are some of the features you should be looking in a silent case.
READ This TOO How to Stop PC Fan Vibrations - Quick DIY TrickPowered by Inline Related Posts
Construction Material- A case which is made of heavier material and with a stiff structure will dampen sound more than a case with lighter material. Good quality Steel dampens sound more than aluminium.
Less Opening/Solid Panels- More openings mean more space for sound leakage. So a case with only required openings or cover-able openings is better. Doors or simple magnetic covers are good options.
Sound Dampening- Sound dampening lining on the inside of the case is a must in any quite computer case. Sound dampening foam and anti-vibration pads for mounting locations should be present by default.
Fan control- a PC case and not just silent PC cases should have some form of fan control present. Not every motherboard has tens of fan headers, so some control over the fans right out of the box is always appreciated.
Rubber lined or decoupled feet- This feature is sometimes sorely missed even in high end cases. When your case is filled to the brim then any form of vibration will transfer to the surface and trust me it is very annoying. So rubber lined feet are preferred over plastic ones.
Suggested-
How to Choose a PC Case
PC Fans-
I am a "Fan" of high quality PC Fans
(no regrets)!
The pre-supplied fans on most cases are average performers in terms of acoustics and airflow. Very few cases have good fans supplied by default but these cases tend to be expensive. If you can go for a big expensive case then this is the best you can do.
But for those who can't, should know what makes a good fan. You can call this the "Fan Triangle"-
- Fan Use- It simply means where the fan will be used. Radiator fans are different compared to case fans. Radiator fans are pressure focused whereas case fans are airflow focused. Radiator fans are usually a tad louder than airflow fans.
- Fan Speeds- For the same fan size- Higher speeds, more airflow, more noise. Period. Cannot get more simpler than that.
- Fan Size- Just by changing the size, you can bring some significant change in sound levels. A larger fan pushes same amount of air at lower RPM, which means lower sound levels.
READ This TOO How to Solve Problem of Slow Internet in Windows 10Powered by Inline Related Posts
For Example- A 120mm fan can push 45CFM of air at 1200RPM. A 140MM can push the same amount of air at 1000RPM.
So what fan should you choose for a quiet PC?
Try to get a larger fan like a 140mm if your case supports it. They are bit expensive compared to the 120mm fans but will be quieter.
Same goes for the air coolers. Always go for the largest cooler that you can get for your case and the budget. It will keep your components cooler without ramping up the fan speed at frequent intervals.
Storage
HDDs are infinitely louder than SSDs.
The most common storage device in the system - the Hard Drive is also one of the noisiest. Especially the older drives. The fast 7200 and the insane 15K drives scream at their maximum speeds. They also lead to vibrations if the case is weak.
There is not much you can do to make you hard drives quieter. You only have the option of going for a low speed drive, so there will be a compromise between low performance or low noise.
The other option is going for a Solid State Drive (SSD). They will cost you more but will be completely silent and performance gains will be tremendous.
Suggested- http://desktoprigs.in/choosing-a-hard-drive-short-guide/
All in One Coolers
All in coolers (AIOs) or closed loop coolers are great for performance. But without any proper calibration they can get louder. Fans can spin at a higher speeds, the pumps can create noise.
A high end air cooler will always be a tad quieter than a liquid cooling solution but will perform lower or on par with AIO coolers.
My only suggestion here would be to go for the biggest and the best cooler in your budget. The larger surface area will help you control temperatures without higher noise.
With the component selection done let's see what other things that you can do to make you PC quieter. Hit the next button for more-
Pages: 1 2
