$4500 PC Build - Silent and Powerful?

Which is it? Tell me! Fractal something something? Happy to have no windows and no lights.

Also. It'll be housing something pretty gamery, 3080ti or so, equiv. CPU, so I guess a important start would be the best GPU for silence too.

Basically I want a very much quiet PC, plays the games very well. An added bonus would be a very clean set of USB outputs into some Audio equipment. But I can sort that out externally if need be.

 

The most silent case is the one with no moving parts in it.

Also, on a properly setup PC, the noise depends on the temperatures, because low temperatures = lower fan speed required = lower noise. A bad case with no airflow will cause the temps to rise which will mean more RPM required = more noise. A better case with more airflow will have lower temps which means less RPM required = less noise.

Not much has changed since I did my research on my build from my sig (although I opted to get high speed fans at the expense of having fans with higher low-speed noise), there are a few cases that you could go with but the trend towards not having any closed side panel option makes it easy to just recommend the Meshify S2 again.

For a "regulation" silent PC you are looking at a setup like:
Case - Fractal Meshify S2 (closed side panel)

Case Fans: Noctua NF-P14s Redux 1500 PWM (3 front, 2 top, 1 rear) or the Noctua NF-A14 PWM Chromax if you want a black model (A14's are $10 more than the already expensive Redux models but are slightly better fan design + not grey).

GPU: The Asus TUF 3080 TI is said to be the quietest of the 308x series cards. Using a good fan curve and undervolting with afterburner will also keep heat down and ensure it only ramps up speed when you're gaming on it, if you're comfortable with using programs like that.

GPU (AIO): Forgot these exist . EVGA and ASUS both make AIO models but stock can be hard to find the EVGA hybrid 3080ti AIO is in stock at Scorptec for $2370 right now.

CPU Cooler (AIO): If you want to go for an AIO, the EK Elite or EK AIO 360s or Arctic Liquid Freezer 2, in the 360 form factor. Any of those will perform, in terms of noise, they wouldn't ramp up unless you're doing a heavy workload but the Arctic 2 maxes out around 1800 RPM vs the EK AIO which can run as high as 2150 RPM (being significantly louder).

CPU Cooler (Air): A big hunk of metal like the Noctua NH-D15.

Both Air & AIO CPU coolers will require a bit of tweaking of your fan curves to maintain the level of noise you're comfortable with.

PSU: Be Quiet Straight Power 11 850w Platinum or Corsair HX 850 Platinum. Note that Corsair's default cables are kind of shit, so I'd consider getting a sleeved pack (either from Corsair's line, or a compatible Cablemods pack).

Thermal Paste: Coolermasters new Cryofuze is really good to keep CPU temps lower = less fan RPM.

 

Pretty much what mack said. Except strix WCed GPUs also the quietest too. Premium dollars though.

 

This is awesome info. Thank you. Happy to try an AIO, i'll build it myself as that's an enjoyable project. PSU I usually go for the best Seasonic, or have the last 5 times or so, but happy to change if something else is better. I know if I go big, it often doesn't even spin the fan.

Happy to adjust fan curves. The stock fan curve program for my current Asus board sucks though. I have afterbruner but aren't using it to its full potential i'm sure.

Don't mine the extra coin if its worth it. Only buy a PC every 4 years or so, and its a work write off. Is the 3080ti the pick of the cards?

 

The seasonic models I'd recommend are basically out of stock or massively price gouged.

 

First run through just clicking items.

Zero idea on the correct motherboard, ram, case etc.

Doesn't need to be the 30% extra just because models. Ideally the quality and value, but doesn't need to be cheap cheap, models.

 

Also don't mind which PC store.

I guess also, Re: case, something with exceptional airflow and add quality silent fans will be just as good as some close in case with sound deadening etc?

And any case ideally to have accessible filters on any intake fan. Sits under the desk, cops a bit of dust

 

First thing the SSD in that list is a special version for PS5's, I'm not sure how they'd fit into a regular PC. So change that to the regular version. You could also consider getting a 970 Evo instead and then with the savings you could get another 970 evo in a lower capacity as a boot drive, so you have more total capacity.

Another note is you won't need that many fans if you're using AIO's. The AIO's have their own fans included and swapping them out for case fans like you have isn't recommended, because those cases while great as a case fan, don't have the high end speed that AIO's can need to push in the heaviest loads. In that case, with both GPU & CPU AIO, you really only need one or two fans depending on what sizes the AIOs are, you will have one in the rear, and then you might add one to the bottom of the front if your front AIO is 2 fan size.

That AIO isn't one of the ones I'd use. But that's your choice. It probably isn't going to be that bad. You should check out any reviews for it though and see how it performs, I'm not familiar with it.

Kinda, but cases with a solid side panel (especially if you add deadening foam to the panel if it doesn't have it) will muffle rather than eliminate, and anecdotally, they work to soften the sound. The Meshify S2 has a lower removable filter. The front has the ability to remove it for cleaning, but it has a foam filter as well which is kind of a pain to clean. The top panel has the same foam but it's much easier to remove.

 

Meshify 2 or this?

https://www.bequiet.com/en/case/2049

 

Amended.

Still wouldn't mind dropping it $500-700 overall. Any worthwhile savings can be made in there without much compromise?

 

could save a few hundred bucks by going DDR4 and could save nearly a grand by going for a 3080ti that isn't so offensively overpriced: https://evatech.com.au/product/6827/colorful-igame-rtx-3080-ti-advanced-oc-12g

 

That is a big price difference.

I just want quiet. If its air cooled thats fine, but needs to have good fans/heatsink setup. Mabye there is a good happy medium? A quality air cooled one for 2000-2100?

 

that colorful one is a great model tbh - its no gigabyte eagle basic bitch model!

 

Could you pull the shroud and fans off and zip tie some better noctua fans on or something ?

Sweet price...

 

Stick 3 of these on it and its still only a $1800 card.

https://www.mwave.com.au/product/noctua-nfa8-80mm-chromaxblackswap-pwm-fan-ac29743

 

This with the $1700 3080ti and see how it goes. Wrose case strip it and slap some Noctuas on it.

Total then $4370

Ram I just chose one.
Mobo I just chose one that came in a list of "best" boards.
PSU chose as per recommendation above.
CPU much of a muchness at that level I guess. i7 better than the i5 by much?

 

Really not a good idea.

Also the case you've got in there (dark base 700) has godawful airflow, GamersNexus did a review on it (5 years ago when it first came out) and it came dead last for case noise because you can't run the fans at a low speed because the lack of airflow causes the internals to heat up, which means your AIO (if you top mount it) will be using hot air from the case and thus will not provide good temps, and if you front mount it, the lack of airflow means it won't be effectively blowing over the radiators so the fans will have to spin faster (ie, loud) to draw more air.

 

Have since changed to the Silent 802. Gamer Nexus liked it. Solid side but will do mesh front? And change all fans to Noctua.

And have gone back to just air cooled, trusted Noctua D15.

 

The Meshify gets good marks. Apparently filters pita to get out and clean.

802 they are easy to.

But can use either. One review says the 892 with solid front panel cuts noise and raises temps 3 degrees, which isn't that much.

 

TBH I don't see much difference between the Noctua and the much cheaper Arctic P14 PWM...

This case is apparently quite good too:

be quiet! Pure Base 500DX RGB Tempered Glass Mid-Tower ATX Case, Black $99 + $7.99 Delivery (Free SYD C&C) @ Mwave - OzBargain