Best way to quiet down computer

[cssadmin]

Hi,
I have a home-built system, but the fans are extremely loud. What is the best way to reduce the noise of the fans? (I have 2 fans and the power supply fan installed.)
The fans are always on (at the same speed). They are directly connected to the power supply so the motherboard doesn't regulate their speed based on the temperature.

If there are any solutions that can help me, please tell me!

Thank you!

 

[peterhuang913]

buy new "quiet" lowdb fans

 

[Sora]

Lol he's right...buy more quiet fans. My 29dBa fans may seem loud to some people but they don't bother me.

I recommend around 21dBa for a very quiet computer, 25 isnt bad either but the way the dBa formula goes 25-30 isnt just like 1/6th louder but more like 2/5ths due to the weird forumla of it...i don't even understand it.

Yes though get more quiet fans.

 

[ZenOswyn]

Unfortunately, the only real solution is to replace those fans. If you want a really quiet PC, you may want to see how loud your power supply and heatsink are.

 

[Katmandu]

buy new "quiet" lowdb fans

Where from ?

 

[Ethereal_Dragon]

You have to shop around... Look at the fan specs. You will want something with high CFM value (cubic Feet per Minute, volume of air that the fan moves), and a low db value. If you have the option, look into 120mm fans, as they push more air, and are generally quieter.

Might want to look into Panaflow fans (not sure if it's spelled right though...). use Google....

You can also look into a fan controller.....

Your last possibility is to get a different form of cooling. The next step would be water cooling.

 

[Nukem]

80mm
Cooler Master Silent Case Fans 80mm (6 Pack) [SAF-S83-E1] : Performance-PCs.com, ... sleeve it and they will come
92mm
Panaflo L1 Ultra Quiet 92mm Fan Sleeved [FBA09A12L1] : Performance-PCs.com, ... sleeve it and they will come
Scythe "DF series" 92mm Super Silent Fan - L Speed- Sleeved Products Model: DFS802512L [DFS922512L] : Performance-PCs.com, ... sleeve it and they will come

120mm
Panaflo L1 Low Noise 120mm Fan Sleeved [FBA12G12L] : Performance-PCs.com, ... sleeve it and they will come
SCYTHE S-FLEXâ„¢ 120mm 1600 rpm Quiet Fan - Sleeved Products Model: SFF21F [SFF21F] : Performance-PCs.com, ... sleeve it and they will come

Just some quickies... if you go with 80mm the 6 pack is the best bet... I have them and they rock... quiet and push some decent air... but you have to have plenty of slots to put them... ( I have 5 fans in my case)

 

[WorldIndustries]

Nobody mentioned a very important factor... Airflow!

The better airflow you have, the less fans you will need. A case with excellent airflow will only need a few fans. A mid-range system that doesn't get too hot can have as little as one exhaust fan, plus the PSU and CPU fan...


First of all, make sure your CPU fan isn't too loud. If it is, replace it with a Zalman or similar HSF... Make sure it's atleast a 92MM... 80MM fans make more noise and have less airflow!

The same goes for your PSU. They're usually the loudest in older systems. I notice a lot of newer PSU's are really quiet.

As for your case, make sure there are NO stray cables. Keep all your cables/ribbons near the floor/wall of your case, and not out in the open.

If you don't have a lot of dust in your house, you can simply let ventilation (passive air cooling) do a lot of the work.

As of now, I've got a really flimsy cheap case, with zero case fans, just my CPU/PSU fan. The loudest thing in my case is it's hard drive.

 

[atomic tofu]

bah, too few useful info provided to the poster

why connected to psu instead of mobo? Limitations...mobo regulation could be an easy "temp" fix. Temp based on you and situation.

home built system...up to you how much work you want to do right?

rubber grommets...use at the fan screws.
use sound dampening items - ie., panels etc. Can be bought as kits for pcs, or you can just try to look for in hardware stores. Line your case with them, etc.

and of course, the easy way is to buy the lower db fans if you do not or cannot have the mobo regulate them. Bigger, slower, quieter....

 

[M733mhz]

Could just come down to a badly built case. Some cases vibrate with the fans more than others causing annoying noise.