Gandalf, My employer (Broadcom) designs ICs, and we have looked at SOI. We own two Opteron systems and they dissipate comparable heat to our Xeon 2.6 systems, thought not quite up to the 80.6 watts specified on AMD's web site. For reference, Barton's max is 76.8 watts @ 2.2GHz, while the P4 has a TD...

Don't forget, the Athlon64 is based on the current Athlon core, but is able to take better advantage of it thanks to the on-die memory controller (which normally consumes power and dissipates heat in the northbridge--and will now do the same on the cpu); the same core at higher ipc means more work, ...

DryFire, The 9600 Pro replaced the 9500 Pro. The 9500 Pro chipset has been discontinued. You can read a review of the 9600/9600 Pro right here ; as you can see, it outperforms the 9500 Pro in some games and benchmarks, but not in others. For my computer, I just ordered the 9700 from Newegg.com for $...

Neither of the above cards are silent. The fans on both products put out an irritating, high-pitched sound not altogether unlike that heard from a delta fan. If you want a quiet PC, you will need to replace the heatsink (i.e. with a Zalman) or choose a different card. The upcoming 9600 (NON-PRO) boa...

Could the above isolation feet be the same thing as the Adhesive-Backed Load-Rated Soft Bumpers (bottom of page) on the McMaster site, with an added felt tip (also at above link)? From McMaster, these rubber "bumpers" are 86 cents, $2.43, and $4.71, depending on the size of the bumper. But it looks ...

70 for the smartdrive is pretty heafty but then again who here got 30 dollars worth of fan isolators "just in case"

Hahah I just bought $80 worth of insulation and isolators from McMaster! That's enough to last me several lifetimes, I think.

The Sony DRU-510 was just released. It's like the DR-500 in that it does both DVD+R/DVD+RW and DVD-R/DVD-RW formats, but the 510 does 4x writing in every format (including DVD+RW and DVD-RW), whereas the 500 does not. I am personally waiting for the 510 to launch in a black version for my Antec Sona...

Does anyone know where I can get these case vibration isolation feet sold by QuietPCUsa for cases at a lower cost?

Here are some pics from the QuietPC site:

Almost 22" deep, that's a bit much for my tastes.

Almost 22" deep, that's a bit much for my tastes.

Keep in mind that the FPN version (intended for Europe) is much louder than the PN version. Newegg.com sells the quiet 300w version of this model, while XP Direct sells it in a 350w version. XP Direct is currently out of stuck but will be receiving more of the 350w units in about 10 days.

Where can I buy a black Sunbeam rheobus? SVC is out of stock in black.

What RPM does the L1A use at 5V?

Both of my 120mm L1A's start just fine at 5V. I've never tried them on the 3.3V line but if I get some time I just might. My Enermax rheobus only goes down to 5V, no lower. I've read conflicting reports on the Enermax rheobus. Some say it will only go down to 1000rpm, while others say that it will ...

Yes, I would very much like to see a head-to-head, ExoticPC vs SilenX SilenX review.

People on other forums have replaced the fan on the Abit with the Zalman, but it requires some modification, as you can see right here. Basically, it requires that you cut three pins off each corner of the Zalman.

Which pre-made rheobus controllers (supporting down to 5V) will fit behind the closed door of the Antec Sonata?

Rod,

Are you saying that the Zalman 6-fan controller fits behind the door of the Sonata?

Some of you mention isolators. What isolators are you talking about? Are you referring to mounts for fans, or actual isolators placed under the case?

What's involved in swapping out the fan in the TruePower 380S with a M1A? Does the TruePower use a standard fan connector inside the power supply? Is it a matter of just unplugging one fan and plugging another in? Or do I have to do some soldiering?