Silence Is Golden – How to Quiet Your PC (Part 2)
By Mohammad Yousef | July 2004
[Back to Part 1]
If you tried the economic measures I described in the previous part of this
article and still aren’t satisfied, here’s a list of parts that will surely
quiet your PC. The list is sorted according to the estimated cost from the
cheapest to the most expensive.
Case fan: Most manufacturers use cheap noisy fans to exhaust heat from your
case. These fans continuously spin at maximum speed whether the case is hot
or not. You can replace these fans with thermostatically controlled fans.
Unlike normal fans, these are designed to keep noise to a minimum.
Temperature sensors control the fan’s speed as the internal temperature of
your case varies.
Hard drive enclosure (isolation chamber): This encloses your PC’s hard drive
in a sound-proof box. Note that you must have a free 5.25-inch drive bay for
installation.
CPU cooler: Install a specially designed CPU cooler that’s compatible with
your CPU. Try to find a fan with quiet rotary blades and a large heat sink.
Acoustic insulation: This is a sound-absorbing foam that can be easily
inserted into the case and although this is very effective, it can cause
your case to get hotter.
Quiet case: If you build your PC on your own, you could use a special case
that has a quiet power supply, silent fans and lots of ventilation.
Quiet power supply: If your PC is very noisy, one of the most likely
culprits is the power supply and this is why replacing it with a quiet power
supply can yield great results. Just make sure the power supply you buy has
enough wattage to cope with your PC’s components.
