Due to the overwhelming array of options available on the market, building a PC can be a challenging undertaking. However, designing a quiet PC is more challenging, especially if you’re considering more expensive hardware for gaming and streaming. We’ll break down which components you should pay attention to in order to help you design a quiet PC, as well as other ways you may keep your PC quiet.
Table of Contents
Choosing Quiet PC Parts
Fans
Utilizing bigger, quieter fans is one of the simplest and most straightforward ways to design a quiet construction. Larger fans can operate much more quietly than smaller, faster-spinning ones because they can move more air at lower RPMs.
GPU and CPU Cooler
Air coolers, graphics cards, and case fans all operate on the same principles. Since there aren’t many current GPUs or CPU cooling that can handle intense workloads while also being passive, look for ones with sizable, silent fans.
Custom Liquid Cooling Loop
Whatever way you look at it, liquid cooling outperforms air cooling in terms of cooling efficiency. However, the quietness of liquid cooling depends on the components it utilizes. Liquid cooling systems also include pumps in addition to fans mounted to the radiator to ensure proper heat transfer between the warm liquid in the loop and the cooler surrounding air. This implies that your computer now has yet another possible source of noise.
Having said that, if you want to use liquid cooling for a quiet PC build, you should think about creating a custom liquid cooling loop with a sizable radiator and numerous fans to reduce noise. Be aware that creating a custom loop requires more patience and ability.
All-in-one (AIO) liquid coolers are more affordable and practical than specialized loops, but they also tend to become noisier over time than air cooling systems. This is a result of the custom loops’ lower fluid content, higher-RPM fans, and possibly louder pumps. While you can easily swap out the original fans on an AIO for quieter ones, you are still constrained by the cooler’s capacity and the pump it comes with.
On the other side, custom cooling loops perform significantly better than AIO coolers, enabling you to build a quieter liquid cooling arrangement. In addition to having more liquid coolant than AIOs and air coolers, which results in better thermals, they also let you pick a quieter pump.
A bespoke cooling loop is obviously far more expensive and difficult to put up. But if you prefer silence to convenience and are willing to put in the time and effort to set up a thorough bespoke loop, it’s undoubtedly the greatest approach to reduce noise levels.
Quiet PC Case
You should choose a casing that is suitable for a quiet build while assembling a PC. Restricted airflow cases and high airflow cases are two different types of quiet cases. Cases with restricted airflow lessen noise by limiting airflow and placing vents where less noise escapes.
On the other side, high-airflow cases provide a more open design and make use of the additional airflow to provide superior thermals. Cases with more adjustable airflow choices, silent case and component fans, and cases that keep components cool can keep your components cold enough to prevent fans from ramping up loudly.
Temperatures have a tendency to rise in circumstances of restricted airflow, which can stress components and result in thermal throttling. Open air cases, on the other hand, provide better thermals but are more prone to sound leaks. Additionally, high-airflow cases, unlike restricted flow cases, will not help to reduce other unpleasant sounds like coil whine, even though quiet fans can help lower fan noise to inaudible levels.
Quiet Power Supply
Another typical noise source is power supply. But aside from choosing a quiet power source, there isn’t usually anything you can do to make them operate more quietly. A quality power supply with a high efficiency rating will help you achieve a totally silent build by reducing the amount of wasted energy that produces heat.
SSDs or Quiet HDDs
The hard disk used to be a typical and inevitable source of noise inside a computer. You’re no longer restricted to spinning rust, though, because to the status of PC storage nowadays. There is scarcely any reason to use traditional hard drives in a modern design, especially if you want a quiet PC, as internal SSDs continue to get cheaper while getting larger.
However, you should choose a silent hard drive at the very least if you happen to require more storage than a few terabytes and don’t have hundreds of dollars to invest on a larger SSD. A decent 5400RPM drive is important to consider for bulk storage because higher RPM drives, like fans, typically make more noise. To further lessen hard drive vibration within the PC chassis, think about installing rubber anti-vibration grommets.