[el_matt0]

noctua noctua noctua. ive had my fair share of experience trying out different fans (and having various fans totally fail on me) and noctua has by FAR impressed me the most. im quite a computer fanatic, build my own desktops etc, and i currently run 5 noctua 120mm fans. based on stats comparing them with other fans im pretty sure the noctua fan's design pushes out far more volume of air while remaining FAR more quiet than other fans. definitely go with noctua id say IMO

 

[mojo]

To be honest, if you need high airflow, you really need to rethink your cooling configuraton.

A moderate system can be entirely cooled by two 120mm fans running at 5V, and a higher power system by three. You might also want a fan for the HDDs. At 5V, Panaflo, Papst and Yate Loon fans are silent from 1m away. I have 5 fans in my system, and the ultra-quiet HDDs are the loudest thing. When I push the power button, there is no sound, the only way I know it's on are the lights.

 

[Herbal]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mojo /img/forum/go_quote.gif To be honest, if you need high airflow, you really need to rethink your cooling configuraton. A moderate system can be entirely cooled by two 120mm fans running at 5V, and a higher power system by three. You might also want a fan for the HDDs. At 5V, Panaflo, Papst and Yate Loon fans are silent from 1m away. I have 5 fans in my system, and the ultra-quiet HDDs are the loudest thing. When I push the power button, there is no sound, the only way I know it's on are the lights.

Pretty much covers it all. You may also find Yate Loon renamed as Nexus (re-wound motor equivalent to around 10v Yates).

The Yate Loon/Nexus can be run at full 12v and you'll not know they are running. I have a watercooled system with 3 120m Pana's on a rheostat which cool a massive heatload and make no noise.

Not that I'm a guru on fans or anything...but I hang out with the guys at O-CuK and let's just say we know what we're on about when it comes to fans.

80mm fans are really hoping for 'high' CFM and low noise. Again though...stick with something from Yate/Nexus or Pana's. Pretty much all the specs provided by manufacturers are way over-exaggerated and should not be used as a basis of purchase - better to look at user reviews.

 

[daveip]

120cm yate loons running at 7-10Vs is the way to go (80cm fans are bunk tbh)

built an intel conroe system around a p180 case .... virtually silent with yateloons in there running at 7v and overclocked to over 3GHz on air alone. don't go by the manufacturers sound ratings as they all measure the sound rating a different way. and do get a fan controller. they're worth it.

 

[hardnrg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arainach /img/forum/go_quote.gif All 80mm fans are loud. I reccomend moving to a PSU with Active PFC and a 120mm fan. Enermax makes some stunning ones that are essentially silent.

wrong.

there are plenty of silent 80mm fans... I reviewed the Noctua 80mm fan and you can NOT hear them above a distance of about 50cm in a totally silent room, pointing directly towards your ear

Noctua NF-R8, 31.2 CFM @ 17dB(A)

the SilenX IXP-54-14 is also a fantastic choice, 32 CFM @ 14dB(A)

I have a PCP&C 510 SLI/Express PSU... it is one of the best power supplies in the world, the only better ones are higher spec PCP&C psus... possibly Zippy, but certainly not Enermax

 

[cyberspyder]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ry_goody /img/forum/go_quote.gif www.silenx.com for the purpose of quiet PC fans there really isn't a better option, they are awesome fans

Don't start. SilenX fans are BS. No, they don't push 90cfm at 14dba. DO NOT TRUST THEM

 

[user18]

Better if you could replace the PSU with one that has a 120mm fan. Seasonics are quite good. Nexus 80mm fans are among the quietest, but they don't push a lot of air. It's better to get larger fans than have several small ones. I have several Nexus 80mm fans in a SFF. Even though they are spec'd at <20db, the combination of the noise from both fans are a lot more noticable than just one individually; kind of like ocean waves combining I guess. I would get a single 120mm if I could, but it doesn't fit in the case. If you can get away with using less fans, do it.

 

[hardnrg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cyberspyder /img/forum/go_quote.gif Don't start. SilenX fans are BS. No, they don't push 90cfm at 14dba. DO NOT TRUST THEM

their most powerful fan claims 90 CFM @ 18 dB(A)... while that is hard to believe, a 120x120x38 fan is the *most* likely to be virtually silent, and also provide a large amount of airflow...

my 120x120x38 Panaflo M1A's push 86.5 CFM @ 35.5 dB... so it's not totally unfathomable that the SilenX small hub, extended blade design is more efficient and can achieve the same airflow at a lower speed (1400rpm vs. 2100rpm)... but yes, you're right 14 dB(A) sounds ambitious

 

[003]

SilentX and a few of the other mentioned brands here simply out and out lie about the actual specs. Check out SPCR, I have learned a good deal from it. The SilentX fans are actually decent, but overpriced, and nowhere near the advertised specs, and do not beat out Nexus or other fans of the like.

 

[Kaluminati]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arainach /img/forum/go_quote.gif All 80mm fans are loud. I reccomend moving to a PSU with Active PFC and a 120mm fan. Enermax makes some stunning ones that are essentially silent.

Nope. My noctua and nexus fans are near dead silent.

 

[bperboy]

You all are overthinking this entire thing! Just get a Koolance water cooling unit! Problem solved

 

[Kaluminati]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bperboy /img/forum/go_quote.gif You all are overthinking this entire thing! Just get a Koolance water cooling unit! Problem solved

Heh, those things can be a pain to setup, and some require a lot of changing of the water. Plus there's always the risk of frying your pc

But in all honesty, if I had the money, I'd get a nice water cooling setup myself hehe

 

[KimbaWLion]

When you want Quiet along with cooling and amazing warrentees? You JUST have to check out Arctic Cooling.

http://www.arctic-cooling.com/fans2....9&data=2&disc=

That meets your demands, I BELIEVE, and has FLUID bearings and a 6 year warrentee. I own a ton of the Pro 2L blue ones and they are dead quiet too. Give a look you WILL want....

 

[Gilly]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kaluminati /img/forum/go_quote.gif Heh, those things can be a pain to setup, and some require a lot of changing of the water. Plus there's always the risk of frying your pc But in all honesty, if I had the money, I'd get a nice water cooling setup myself hehe

if your not an idiot then there isnt a problem. the 1200w unit isnt as good as his PC power and cooling anyway. wattage doesnt mean anything. his solution will work, just as mine does

 

[mojo]

You should not need anything like that amount of airflow from a single small fan anyway. The trick is to have things arranged so that air is directed where it is needed, and cool air flows in with hot air flowing out.

Look at these examples of well cooled, quiet systems:

http://www.silentpcreview.com/forums...hlight=nsk6500
(scroll down and note that the CPU can actually run fanless, all fans at low speed / 5V)

http://www.silentpcreview.com/forums...ic.php?t=39865
(simple, elegant, quiet)

Note how unobstructed airflow is in both cases. Air clearly flows from front to back. Low air resistance and cool air mean low speed/CFM fans work more than adiquately.

As for the best fans, read SPCR. Yate Loon (also branded Nexus) are the kings of 120mm fans. For 92 and 80mm, Panaflo or Papst. 120mm is the preferred way to go. Forget adaptors too, got for components with native 120/92mm fan support.