First silent build

[eperdos]

I would build a silent pc, keeping few of my older components and adding new ones:

I will keep:

CPU - i5 4690 (non K)
MB - Asrock H97 Pro4
RAM - 2x4GB HyperX Beast @1600
HDD - 1x500GB @7200 & 1x1000GB @7200 Seagate
DVD-RW - Asus
Monitor - Dell P2414H FullHD

I will buy:

Case - Fractal Design Define R5 (non windowed) + 1 Fractal Design Dynamic GP-104 (for a total of 3 - 2x front intake & 1x rear exhaust)
PSU - Corsair RM750X
CPU Cooler - Scythe Kotetsu
SSD - Samsung 850EVO 500GB
GPU - between gtx1070 and rx480 (witchever will prove the best option around late july, considering money/performance/noise/heat ratio)

Any considerations? Component advices? After build advices? Thanks!

 

[PotatoHead32]

Hmmm. Consider maybe buying a Passively cooled PSU? they are pricey though. Also, the HDD's will make a considerable amount of noise when at load, I'd Recommend switching to SSD's, but then again that is also pricey.

 

[eperdos]

Psu is passive until around 350w load. Hdd will be used for file storage only. All system and programs go to ssd.

 

[VincentP]

The corsair RM750 is not great quality, especially for the price.
It makes tier 3 on this list:
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-2547993/psu-tier-list.html

I would suggest the Seasonic X 650 instead. It has a hybrid fan just like the RM series, but much better quality.
650W is plenty for your build.
If you want to spend a little more, the Seasonic platinum 660 is a little more efficient and will handle a higher load before then fan kicks in.

The case is good. When I was looking to build a quiet PC I choose the Silverstone FT02. It is very quiet, but the top vent allows a little noise out from the graphics card fan. Using the R5, you will want to use the supplied covers for the top and side vents.

I can't remember if this case has a fan controller or just relatively quiet fans. Using a fan controller to limit fan speed or choosing quiet fans with relatively low airflow can really help with noise when the machine is idle, but make sure you have enough airflow when running at load or your GPU fan will become very noisy.

Choosing the right graphics card is important too. The RX 480 isn't aiming to compete with the GTX 1070, it is a lower range card. With either card though, look at reviews for the particular model you want. I have found the Asus Direct CU cards good for noise.

 

[Nick_50]

The two noisiest parts in my old PC were the mechanical HDD and the PSU.

For a silent build PC you need a PSU that is fanless or has some sort of eco mode so the fan doesn't spin up at low load/temperature. You said yours does which is good but look at the PSU tier guide in these forums for the quality of each one.

My HDD was actually the noisiest component, unless it has some sort of spin down option then it may ruin all the hard work you are doing in trying to make the rest of the system as quiet as possible. For a silent PC SSDs are the way forward.

If you are willing to buy a 1070 then seriously consider the 480, you may be able to buy another 500gb SSD with the money you save.

For a GPU make sure you pick one with zero fan running at low load.

If you do these things and use good quality case and CPU cooling fans you can make a practically silent PC which only gets louder when you push it hard.

 

[eperdos]

My chosen PSU is not RM but actualy RMx, a newer model that gets positive review from johnnyguru himself. Everybody aknowledge RMx series is as good as RMi, accept it doesn`t have the digital interface for monitoring and the fan is of a lesser quality, nonetheless silent. Practically, from the electronic and electric point of view, RMx is identical to RMi, at least as I understand from reviewers. And RMi is tier 1. In my region, Seasonic x-650 or x-series 650w are priced around 40$ more than RM650x. I wait for your oppinion on RMx PSU.

HDD will be only for file storage, so no noise from them while working or gaming. Still, I plan adding 1 TB ssd when prices will go lower. But I DO consider buying 480, if it offers good fullHD (over 60fps) performance.

 

[VincentP]

My chosen PSU is not RM but actualy RMx, a newer model that gets positive review from johnnyguru himself. Everybody aknowledge RMx series is as good as RMi, accept it doesn`t have the digital interface for monitoring and the fan is of a lesser quality, nonetheless silent. Practically, from the electronic and electric point of view, RMx is identical to RMi, at least as I understand from reviewers. And RMi is tier 1. In my region, Seasonic x-650 or x-series 650w are priced around 40$ more than RM650x. I wait for your oppinion on RMx PSU.

HDD will be only for file storage, so no noise from them while working or gaming. Still, I plan adding 1 TB ssd when prices will go lower. But I DO consider buying 480, if it offers good fullHD (over 60fps) performance.

I can see a review for the RM750x, and it looks very good.
My only concern is whether this carries to the RM650x.
In the older models, the RM650 and RM750 were made by different manufacturers.

Corsair is obviously trying to improve quality anyway, so maybe the RM650x is as good as the RM750x.
The CS models seem to be an improvement on the older CX models as well, although still not great.