Re: Cooling my comp
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Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 737
aficionado
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aficionado
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 737 |
In order of impact, it would depend on what you have in there now. The stock fan on an AMD retail chip is significantly louder than an 80mm fan on an after market heat sink for an OEM chip, for example.
Why don't you tell me the specific things we're working with here. Are you using the retail heatsink with your P4? See if you can figure out which model of PSU you're using as well.
That Radeon probably has a tiny little fan running at very high RPM's. You aren't hearing it right now over the other two fans and the CPU cooler, but it will drive you nuts when you get them quiet. Zalman makes a passive heat pump that will make zero noise for that cooler.
An L1A at 21dB is pretty hard to hear. Additionally, if you're not overclocking, you may not need that much cooling. Download Motherboard Monitor and try to set it up. It will let you use the system's temp sensors to monitor your CPU and case temps from within Windows. Pull the two fans and see what the temp difference is. So long as you stay under 60 degrees for a full load on the CPU, you'll never have a problem with cooling. Above 60 is when I start getting uncomfortable.
A good enough heatsink for your CPU to allow for a low flow fan like the L1A will run you $35 or so. Pair it with a Panaflo and you're golden. Pulling the two case fans in favor of a Panaflo, or better yet nothing, will make a difference as well for not much money. The Zalman cooler for your vid card is in the neighborhood of $12 I think. The most expensive upgrade would be the PSU. A True350 from Antec is around $50 I think.
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Re: Cooling my comp
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Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,041
connoisseur
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connoisseur
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,041 |
Overclocking is fun but after 2 years on my Intel 700 overclocked to 966 and at one time 1000 something and the GeForce2 GTS overclocked to 400/oh I forget the other number ... one day the machine start GPFing and even after I brought down all the setting to defacto both the CPU and Vid card has not worked to its 100% no crash capacity. Since then that machine has been buggy. I don't know the life expectancy of a normal CPU but overclocking CPUs and Vid card does lessen the lenght of expectancy on the product. As fun as it is I have wasted LOTS of time that I will never get back. Time that could be better spent snowboarding, mtn biking, walking with the fiancee.
With the ever dropping prices of CPUs I would rather spend $200 on a higher priced faster CPU than spend it on a $200 water cooler setup for my CPU. Why do you need all that extra processing power that will need extra cooling (extra noise) while a cheap integrated CPU on motherboard (VIA C3 processor 800Mhz - 1 Ghz - only a good heatsink needed) can easily power a DVD/CD player, video card with hardware MPeg decoding, sound card (digital out). Hell even a Pentium 2 can power that stuff.
I got a VIA mother board and VIA C3-800mhz for like $130 canadian. Powered it with a ANTEC 375W power supply and I don't even hear any sound. The damn computer CD player spinning makes more sound!!!
http://www.via.com.tw/en/viac3/c3.jsp
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Re: Cooling my comp
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Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 23
hobbyist
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OP
hobbyist
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 23 |
Thanks for your help Semi!
I've already ordered a pair of the panaflo L1A's, so that should take care of a significant portion of the noise. As for the CPU, its just a stock OEM intel socket 478 fan with the heat sink that came with. I think I'd like to replace with the following Zalman:
http://www.directron.com/cnps5500cu.html
Finally, the power supply is a L&C 350w ATX job. I've looked around on the internet and found that while you can pick on up for about $25, I've seen a few reviews that have said its actually reasonably quiet. So I may just let it alone for the moment. Plus, I've never dealt directly with either the power suply or CPU fan, how hard are they to replace?
Also, thanks for the tip on the Motherboard Monitor, I'll definitely check it out
-Josh
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Re: Cooling my comp
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Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 737
aficionado
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aficionado
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 737 |
In reply to:
With the ever dropping prices of CPUs I would rather spend $200 on a higher priced faster CPU than spend it on a $200 water cooler setup for my CPU.
I agree entirely. CPU prices have dropped so much that it's not really worth it if that's your sole reason for doing so. I'm considering it simply to quiet my machine, but I have a feeling replacing the video card cooler will take away much of the sound.
If all you're doing is the things you mentioned, it's all very much over kill indeed. I still use my home rig for simulations at work once in a blue moon, and, having grown up on Nintendo, I'm still a gamer at heart.
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Re: Cooling my comp
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Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 737
aficionado
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aficionado
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 737 |
Do a search of Ars for that Zalman model. I've never played with that one and my own rig is AMD based so I don't much pay attention to the threads on P4 cooling. I know quite a few people are happy with their Athlon cooler though.
You should also consider the Alpha:
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProduct.asp?description=35-112-003&depa=1
And the Thermalright:
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProduct.asp?description=35-109-009&depa=1
Once you get the CPU cooler replaced and the system fans in check, listen to the results. If it's still too loud, pull the side panel off and try to localise the noise. If you have a sound meter laying about from your HT tune up, that might help you identify the source if it's too loud to be specific. A high pitch noise will likely be the Video card. ATi has used relatively good fans on their latest models but it still may be bothersome to you. I'd recommend a passive solution with something like the 9000 as it's not a terribly hot card to begin with. Beyond that, you'll have to consider more creative approaches.
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Re: Cooling my comp
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Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,041
connoisseur
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connoisseur
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,041 |
Semi:
When you used your water cooled solution did you ever get the condensation problem when you closed the lid of the box or did you leave on side open. I was going to try that approach a year or two ago but I heard some issues on condensation specially on very hot days.
If anyones is interested I used ot used this site for computer modifications.
overclockers.com
http://overclockers.com/tips1064/
I also thought sometime ago they made liquid nitrogen cooled cases.
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