For many DIY enthusiasts, the pursuit of “quiet” has always been a goal. We often receive inquiries about silent graphics cards, peripherals, or even full system solutions. Playing on a computer in the quiet of the night, without noise disturbances, is indeed a great time to clear one’s mind. So, how should one go about building a silent PC?
The maximum platform must be silent: Choose a silent case
When it comes to building a system, the first consideration is the platform that houses all components—the case, which must take into account the need for silence.
Often, a side panel with tempered glass design means that the case panel is not well sealed, as they rely more on gaps and tolerances to install the side panel, making it easier for users to remove it. This allows more noise to escape.
In contrast, cases that use traditional screw installation methods, combined with rubber damping washers, can reduce the vibration noise of the side panels. Many silent PC cases also come with various noise-reducing measures. For example, the inner panels may be equipped with multiple layers of special sound-absorbing and damping materials to lower the overall noise level of the machine.
Therefore, it is best to choose a silent case with noise reduction features, such as better sealing and sound-absorbing materials, to prevent internal noise from leaking out and disturbing the surrounding environment.
The fan is the biggest source of noise
Nowadays, adding more fans is not only for cooling but also for aesthetics. The large fans supporting ARGB lighting effects are the most visually appealing and least expensive elements (after all, GPU coolers with ARGB are expensive). However, if fans focus only on aesthetics or cooling (maximum RPM), it can lead to noise control issues.
When choosing silent fans, one factor is the type of bearing. Broadly, computer fan bearings fall into two categories: sealed bearings and ball bearings, which are further subdivided into various improved types.
Sealed bearings have a simple structure with an outer sleeve coated in oil. The inner space is filled with oil, making them initially quiet, but over time they can accumulate dust, the lubricant can heat up and evaporate, leading to increased friction and vibration, and consequently, more noise.
However, many technologies developed from sealed bearings have good noise performance, such as hydraulic bearings (liquid-sealed). Here, I recommend magnetic levitation bearings, where the rotor and stator do not touch, resulting in low load and excellent noise performance when combined with hydraulic sealing techniques.
The Corsair ML series belongs to magnetic levitation bearing fans
The other category, ball bearings, whether single or double ball, or various new material ball bearings, primarily focus on high performance and long life, but their noise performance is generally not as good as improved sealed technology.
If possible, choose 140mm or larger PC fans, as they can move more air at lower RPMs, achieving cooling requirements while reducing noise.
Control fan speed
Another point is the fan interface. If it’s a modern motherboard fan interface, it supports intelligent speed adjustment functions such as PWM, and even has a zero RPM stop function, which naturally reduces fan noise. Even if you have an older motherboard, you can install a third-party fan controller to intelligently control fan speed.
A controller added for general case fans, but it will increase cable management difficulty
However, if you use fans powered by traditional IDE hard drive connectors, though cheaper, most run at a constant speed or cannot achieve stepless intelligent speed adjustment, leading to increased noise.
Use power supplies with intelligent start-stop technology
In a desktop computer, besides the CPU cooler and case fan, another significant source of noise is the power supply.
If we purchase a high-quality power supply made with good materials, it will not have a high actual load, resulting in lower heat and quieter fan operation. Additionally, choosing models with zero RPM and intelligent start-stop technology is crucial, as they can maintain low speeds or even shut off the fan under low load conditions, thus avoiding noise unless temperatures are too high or loads are too heavy.
Corsair, Antec, Be Quiet!, Seasonic, SilverStone, Cooler Master, SeaSonic, and many other manufacturers produce high-quality, low-noise power supplies.
Be Quiet!’s noise reduction technology has a good reputation among the DIY community
Pay attention to hard drive noise reduction
Mechanical hard drives, while being a low-cost, high-capacity data storage option for many, also contribute significantly to noise and vibration due to the mechanical arm that moves the read/write head and the high-speed spinning of the platters. Hard drives with 7200 RPM or higher speeds (like SAS drives) produce even more noise due to vibrations transferring through the hard drive’s mounting.
If you want the utmost silence, it’s best to avoid them and choose a good solid-state drive (SSD). SSDs have no moving parts, making them completely silent during operation, and they are optimized for faster data transfer rates.
If you must use an SSD, ensure that the hard drive mounting brackets in the case have vibration-damping washers; if not, consider using third-party vibration-damping brackets instead.
Some third-party hard drive mounts use a floating design with damping pads to reduce hard drive operating noise
Add sound-absorbing materials
The last method to reduce internal PC noise is to isolate the noise within the computer structure. There are several materials specifically designed to absorb sound waves that can be used inside the computer case to absorb sound waves and prevent them from bouncing around.
For this, we need small-sized sound-absorbing foam pads, with higher density being better, as the heavier the material per cubic meter, the stronger the absorption capacity. Then, you must cut the foam pads to fit the case and stick each piece to the sides and top of the case, leaving gaps for proper airflow.
Proper cable management and regular maintenance
Many friends think that cable management is only for aesthetics, but the labor and time spent on building can increase significantly. If aesthetics are not a concern, and the machine is for personal use, then it doesn’t need to be perfect.
In fact, correctly laying out cables within the PC case can increase fresh air flow and reduce hot air buildup; lowering the required fan speed, thereby reducing noise levels. If cables are tangled, they can obstruct other components and block airflow, causing the system to overheat; to cool adequately, fans are forced to run at higher speeds, generating more noise.
Thus, paying attention to proper cable management is also a factor in reducing overall system noise.
Due to the changes in airflow within the PC case, a lot of dust can accumulate on internal components, especially on the fan blades. Over time, this dust can hinder the fan’s rotation, leading to various noises and friction, so it is essential to regularly maintain and clean the computer, at least once every six months.
Editor: Xiong Le
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