[SOLVED] Peace and quiet...Building a silent rig

[BruceMW66]

Greetings. I'm trying to build a quiet rig and feel I've hit analysis paralysis. I've picked up a couple of major components at Newegg, i7 12700K cpu and a 3070 TI in the Shuffle, so now feel like I'm committed! Below are the details...

Approximate Purchase Date: There is no firm timeline

Budget Range: Willing to spend if there is value

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming (RPG/FPS), music (listening/arranging), video (streaming/home movie editing), surfing

Are you buying a monitor: Yes, but not immediately (current monitor is Asus ROG PG278Q)

Parts to Upgrade: Mobo, RAM, Primary HD, Cooler, Case
Do you need to buy OS: Yes

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Newegg

Location: Charlotte, NC

Parts Preferences: Reputable brands

Overclocking: Not initially. Maybe in the future. Not a priority for me

SLI or Crossfire: No

Your Monitor Resolution: 2560 x 1440 native, refresh 144

Additional Comments: I’m looking for a quiet rig. I don’t need nor want RGB. Just not my thing. I like a simple case that’s quiet. Will probably need to replace case fans. I have a NAS for home network files and I’m currently connected by LAN. I think Bluetooth and wifi is pretty standard on mobos now but everything seems built for RGB excessiveness. Updated home network to Netgear Orbi AX4200 WiFi Mesh System (RBK752) and have a lot of devices on so I like being wired but would like a wifi backup.

I’ll be building around an i7-12700K and 3070 TI card that I was able to get at Newegg.

I have two SSDs…SAMSUNG 950 PRO M.2 2280 256GB PCI-Express 3.0 that I use for holding Windows and a boot drive and a Samsung 850 EVO 1TB 2.5-Inch SATA III Internal SSD for storage. I’m wondering if I should upgrade here and use these drives in my NAS? I’m unsure, but having the extra storage and speed would be nice for the NAS. Are dedicated drives even a thing anymore?

And Most Importantly, Why Are You Upgrading: I’m really tired of my case noise and it’s been 5-6 years since I last built so I have a bit of an itch to do it again. But my rig fails the Windows 11 upgrade.

At the end of the day, I don’t want to here my computer humming like the engines of the Enterprise. When I’m listening to music, I’d like to not have to use headphones (unless the family tells me too!) I want good connectivity, and I don’t need a bunch of flashing lights.

I don’t know if DDR5 is worth the added expense but willing to consider since I’m already upgrading. I’ve looked at some boards from Asus and Gigabyte but nothing stands out as THAT’S THE ONE. The closest has been the Aorus Z690 Master but it’s an EATX so a little longer than ATX and since the case is a major component for me, not sure. And while it has 10GB ethernet, we don’t have that service capability. I’d only be able to use it for NAS and be one wifi in a house with dozens of devices.

I need some guidance and this forum and site have always been useful resources. Much thanks.

 

[BruceMW66]

And forgot to add the PSU. This is what I currently have but not sure if with todays components I need to upgrade here too:

Rosewill Quark Series 750W Full Modular Gaming Power Supply

 

[geofelt]

Noise comes from fans turning at high rpm.
With the graphics card, you are already committed to some amount of noise.
The best way to reduce graphics card noise under load is to feed it a good supply of fresh air. Underclocking the card is an option too.

How close to your ears will the pc be located??
On a desktop, you are going to hear it.
But, on the floor behind a desk, any sounds will be minimized.
There are remote consoles that would allow you to place the pc some distance away. Such consoles would handle power on, reset, audio, and usb. Here is a 48" example:
https://www.amazon.com/PORSTA-Computer-Button-Desktop-Remote/dp/B08GFM9GBB
You can buy a longer extension cable.

Your psu is platinum rated and should not power on the fan under normal loads.

Your 12700K will not run overly hot unless you are overclocking and fully loading the 20 threads.
About the best and quietest cpu cooler would be the noctua NH-D15 or NH-D15s.

Selecting a case will involve a tradeoff. If you have two slow turning 140mm fans as intakes, they will not normally be noisy.
You can get a case with two 200mm front intakes.
If the front grill has large holes, you will cool better, but get more noise.
You will also get more dust.

 

[BruceMW66]

Thanks, no noise is an ideal that is likely unattainable so trying for reduced noise as much as possible. Will do my best to keep it minimal.

 

[geofelt]

You might want to look at silentpcreview.com.

SPCR Homepage

Silent PC Review THOUGHT LEADERS IN EFFICIENT, SILENT, STATE OF THE ART COMPUTERS SINCE 2002 Latest PC Posts News By Charlie Noon January 20, 2023 Components By Shaun Conroy January 19, 2023 PSU Buyer’s Guide By Shaun Conroy January 19, 2023 Gaming Monitor Buyer’s Guide By Charlie Noon January...

silentpcreview.com

I might look in particular at their forums.
As a warning: Once you start down the quiet path, there is no end to it.

And, the more I think of it, there is no longer a real need to have the pc at your fingertips unless you need a dvd.
Placing it a few feet away effectively reduces the noise you hear.
Consider that option.