Build Advice Quiet PC build for high load, PC concealed in a desk?

[vedgerun]

Approximate Purchase Date: 2-3 months

Budget Range: 3000-4000$ Total

System Usage from Most to Least Important:Primary focus on high-end gaming, specifically Cyberpunk 2077 at ultrawide 3440x1440 resolution with ray tracing on ultra settings targeting above 60 FPS. Secondary use for code compilation workloads. Tertiary for general computing tasks. Must be super quiet.

Are you buying a monitor: No

Parts to Upgrade: Complete new system build required

Do you need to buy OS: No

Preferred Website(s) for Parts:
X-kom parts
https://www.x-kom.pl/g/5-podzespoly-komputerowe.html

Komputronik parts
https://www.komputronik.pl/category/5805/czesci-pc.html

Location: Warsaw, Poland, Europe

Parts Preferences:

• CPU: AMD AM5 platform, preferably 7800X3D or equivalent performer to 14900K with better thermal characteristics
• Cooling: Air cooling only, no AIO liquid cooling due to noise concerns
• Memory: 32GB DDR5 required
• Storage: PCIe Gen 5 NVMe support preferred but not mandatory
• Case: Mid tower with maximum height of 460mm, must fit 3 fans rtx 4090 or 5090, no need for leds all I want is a quiet case at 100% load with good airflow outtake.
• Focus on quiet operation for all components
• Motherboard: Asrock or a good alternative, Lan, no wifi needed
• No Gigabyte / Cheap bad parts please
• Modular PSU
• Must be future-proof

Overclocking: No

SLI or Crossfire: No

Your Monitor Resolution: 3440x1440 ultrawide at 144Hz refresh rate

Additional Comments: My old setup includes a mid-tower case (approximately 450mm height) positioned inside a desk with the back panel removed for airflow. Similar desk placement is required for the new build. Primary concern is achieving silent operation under full load during both gaming and code compilation workloads. Current 14900K is on top of desk as its a Phanteks NV7 tower and I cannot tolerate it's noise.

And Most Importantly, Why Are You Upgrading: Recently upgraded to a high-end system (14900K + RTX 4080 Super) but experiencing significant noise issues:

• Current components:
  • CPU: Intel i9-14900K
  • Motherboard: Gigabyte Z690 AORUS MASTER DDR5
  • Cooling: Deepcool Mystique 360 AIO
  • GPU: Inno3D RTX 4080 Super
  • Fans: 12x Be Quiet Light Wings
  • PSU: Corsair 1000W

Main issue is the AIO pump noise, which is particularly problematic given the desk placement. The pump noise exceeds fan noise even at 100% speed and produces coil whine-like sounds, despite attempts to optimize with fan curves and silent modes. GPU and case fan noise levels are acceptable after tuning. Looking to replace entire system with a focus on maintaining high performance while prioritizing silent operation under full load.

 

[Lafong]

What temperatures do you experience with the current hardware, at idle and under load?

Are you willing to tolerate "high" temperatures in the name of reducing noise?

I guess you are using 12 case fans? Do you intend to use 12 fans on your new build?

Is this PC to be concealed only in an attempt to reduce the noise level...or will it be concealed even if noise is not an issue?

 

[vedgerun]

Idle I've set the pump to keep 14900K at 32-45C once it gets to 45 it turns on and in 3s goes back to 32 yet this is too noisy for me.

High load I have 69-70C max

I'm willing to tolerate high temperatures as long as it remains quite silent,

I do not intend to use 12 fans on new build, anything that will keep pc silent is good so like 3-4 maybe?

It's concealed even if noise is not an issue, I could in theory accomodate more height to fit tower into my desk but I would rather not.

 

[Lafong]

With your current hardware.............have you experimented with allowing temps under load to get into the mid or upper 80s? I'm wondering how much that reduces noise?

Are you OK with mid 80s temps if necessary to reduce temps? I commonly hear about temps of that level and the CPUs are certainly designed to withstand that indefinitely.

Are you satisfied that your current liquid cooler is a good example and not defective in any way? I assume it has been "too noisy" from day one and that the noise issue is not a new development.

Have you reduced case fans from 12 to say 4 as an experiment to see what effect that has on temps or noise?

 

[vedgerun]

I have not yet experimented with letting higher temps under load I might check it out once I get back home. I'm ok with 80s temps it's perfectly fine to me, I'm not satisfied with how my current liquid cooler works it's a first water pump cooler I've had and it's too loud for me maybe others are not but this one is not something I would like to keep I assume that's just how it works from day one, The fans are not really that much noisy even with 12 of them, it's mostly the pump that's hearable during high load, didn't remove any case fans, also my current Phanteks NV7 case doesn't have the glass panel mounted since it came without it.

 

[Lafong]

OK.

Upper level air coolers are circa 160 mm to 165 mm tall, so you need to confirm that any case you use will accept coolers in that height range.

Noctua D15 is a well known high end air cooler, but it's expensive. There are 2 or 3 others at roughly half the price that do an equivalent job. Deepcool and Thermaltake I think are the brands. "Peerless Assassin" is one model as I recall.

I assume you definitely want an AMD CPU on the new build and are NOT willing to put an air cooler on the 14900K for evaluation?

Will you be re-using any of those listed "current components" in the new PC?

 

[vedgerun]

I could buy Noctua NH-D15 chromax.black 82.52 CFM CPU Cooler and put it on my current pc 14900K to see how the temps and general noise would be but all in all in the end I plan to switch to AMD as I'm more used to it and it's less bloatware than intel mobo (apps center, intel me, etc all that crap that install into default win 11 installation I've never had such case on AM4 platform which is why I want to switch to AM5 also from what I can see 7800X3D is 20% better in games while being half the power consumption) which also matters to me, cooler height is indeed a concern for a case although I will check how wide of a case exactly could I fit in my desk later on. I don't plan re-using any of those listed current components in the new PC

 

[Lafong]

Be sure to investigate RAM clearance issues with the D15 cooler.

Noctua web site is very good on helping you avoid any such issues. Lots of documentation about it there.

The D15 has more than 1 variant, so you should easily be able to find one to accommodate your RAM. I suppose you may have to go with relatively low profile RAM, which shouldn't be a problem.

I'm not quite sure how "concealed" this PC will be, so it's up to you to take the characteristics of that exact location into consideration. It may be that the concealment has a noticeable effect on case dimensions, airflow, temps, and noise, etc...so be prepared for some testing.

I think AMD has recently introduced a new X3D processor...a successor to the 7800X3D? I haven't really kept track.

 

[vedgerun]

I've checked and NH-D15 chromax.black 168 mm would fit into Pure Base 500DX as max states is 190mm, I'm unsure about ram clearance yet. I think there is Ryzen 7 9800X3D but I'm concerned about cooling it as it might be too powerful just like 14900K and it would be demanding on air cooler.

 

[dwd999]

Why these cases? How about starting with the BeQuiet Silent Base 802. No windows, no glass, its not going to be seen anyway. And I have 8 Noctua NF-A14x25 G2 PWM Sx2-PP fans in mine. Add in the Noctua NH-D15 G2 cooler and that's probably the best you can do; works fine for me. It also helps to use G.Skill Ripjaws S5 ram for low clearance. You can install the Noctua cooler's front fan 1mm above the ram.

 

[vedgerun]

Unfortunetly BeQuiet Silent Base 802 wouldn't fit in my desk, as it's 553 mm height and my desk concealment space is 460mm height, 350mm wide, 650mm deep, thanks for ram suggestion it fits my needs. The all Noctua setup with smaller fans and 140mm one seems good, does it produce a lot of sound at it's max rpm which is 1200 or 1500?

 

[Lafong]

I run my 3 Noctua fans at 500 to 800; never higher.

Run them as slow as you can that is within your temp limits.

They will run as low as 200 to 300 without stopping.

If they get up to 1500, you might notice them at 4 feet, but it's tough to say if you would find that too loud.

 

[geofelt]

Noctua maintains a list of suitable coolers for various processors. Here is the list for the 14900k:
https://ncc.noctua.at/cpus/model/INTEL-Core-i9-14900K-1762
Here is the list for the 9800X3d:
https://ncc.noctua.at/cpus/model/AMD-Ryzen-7-9800X3D-1842

For either processor, one of the NH-D15 coolers would suffice.
If quiet is your main concern, look at the G2 version.
Here is a review:
https://www.techpowerup.com/review/noctua-nh-d15-g2-cpu-cooler/9.html
The max fan speed on the D15 coolers is about 1500 rpm which is not silent, but still very quiet.

The use of a dozen other fans is going to add to noise.
Three 140mm intake fans would supply the whole case with fresh air .
140mm fans move more air quietly.

 

[dwd999]

For that height you could use a Fractal Design Define 7 Mini which is only 406mm high. The main thing is to get away from any cases with glass.

I run all of my fans at 30 percent approx. 500rpm until the cpu temp hits 80C and then they ramp up to 100 percent at 90C. At full speed all fans make noticeable noise so you have to expect that if your temps get up to near maximum.