Hi, I'm buying GPU for occasional gaming, thinking of GTX 650 Ti Boost 2GB (or something in that price range). Right now, I have "perfect" configuration. I'm using integrated graphics and I managed to keep PC noise under audible level even on full load (two fans under 500 RPM). There are few importa...

I actually still have DIY suspended Quiet Drive, using case of old optical drive and some rubber feet. It's big but it silenced some 7200 RPM Samsung few years ago. Vibration problems were solved, idle noise too (mostly). I don't use it any more, since current HDD is quiet enough for me not to hear ...

Thanks a lot for your answers! It's nice to get some real world info. The usual suggestion among audio production crowd is WD Black, but I installed that drive (2 TB version) in some friend's system and the noise is outrageous! Maybe I'm just spoiled, but I can't imagine having that drive in my syst...

Hi! I currently have WD20EARS in my system, being the loudest part.. but the main problem - it's too slow. I have about 500GB of files (sample libraries) that need faster speeds than current drive and about 700 GB of files that can be transferred on external hard drive or NAS. Can you recommend me F...

Well, I doubt that there's any vibration produced by fans and it was almost impossible to mount fans with them and I didn't bother at all.

Well, one day after my OCD kicked in and I put those grommets back I almost tore the last grommet, putting last fan clip on.

picture?

Running everything off SSD would be very nice and speedy, but I have about 400GB of sound libraries and vst data (Spectrasonics, Native instrumets ecc for orchestral trance madness), and I currently cannot justify buying huge SSD just for that.

I'm sorry, but this is pure overthinking. First of all, prime95+furmark is completely unrealistic test. Second of all, those are PWM fans, with my fan curve. If temperature will change, so will fan speed, exponentially. There's no chance of overheating, since at one point, fan will be spinning at fu...

Update 2: 2 x Noctua NF-S12A Unfortunately exhaust fan started rattling and ticking few days ago, so I had to buy new fan and after testing I chose replace both fans with NF-S12A: http://shrani.si/f/2P/12S/3uwpxVrd/2013-11-14-165357.jpg http://shrani.si/f/2w/7c/13n4IvwZ/capture.png (both fans on CP...

I agree, one or two slow fans won't make much of audible difference. But also, why bother? If temperatures are OK... why?? :lol: Also about those temperatures: I used to be obsessed about them, but for the last few years, I really don't care much anymore. Even if there is faster degradation, effects...

Are those load or idle fan speeds?

I'm not sure what is so tricky, temperatures stay at very healthy levels, but if they were to reach any higher, Fan Xpert will kick in with more and more fan speed. PWM fan has plenty of speed left (from 600-1300 RPM) to cool CPU down. So there's no risk on overheating, everything is automatic. http...

How does the "PWM hub" actually work? Based on PWM signal, it regulates fans with voltage??

I mean run run, prime95 for few hours :lol: Latest tests with NF-S12A, after 30 minutes prime95, completely stock i7 3770; core temperatures barely reach 70°C. One and only rear fan is spinning between 550-600 RPM. I'm planning on adding fan on HR-02 just for hot summer days, so fans won't spin too ...

quest_for_silence wrote:

axee wrote:If you don't plan overclocking, I'm sure that you will be able to run it passively.

I'd love to see it...

If I can run 77W 3770 passive with HR-02 and only exhaust 550 RPM fan, I think he will be able to run 84 W 4770 with 2 intake, one exhaust and PSU fan right above it, right?

Abula tried putting A15 on HR-02, afaik there is no problem, since frame is very similar to stock HR-02 fan. I contacted Noctua about same issuse, they suggested running S12A on heatsink like HR-02: I wouldn't recommend to fit a NF-F12-pwm though, because this fan is optimized for heatsinks with tig...

I haven't seen any reports on how well 3pin versions undervolt, but you can be sure that PWM version can go as low as 300RPM. If you have CPU cooler that requires high PWM speeds (some fans need 60-70% to run), you will be forced to run S12A at higher speeds that's necessary. Compare S12A PWM speeds...

Advice from Noctua support: Since you've already bought a NF-S12A-PWM fan, I would suggest that you try it on the CPU cooler as it is likely that it will provide very good results in this application as well. I wouldn't recommend to fit a NF-F12-pwm though, because this fan is optimized for heatsink...

I'm not "listening" to fans under 500 RPM, I just happen to notice, few days ago, that certain fan (not important) was way quieter on high loads than my old long time loved fan. Old fan was producing "airflow" noise, new fan didn't, without the cost of higher temperatures. Speeds were around 600 RPM...

Mike, I understand that and I'm very grateful for SPCR reviews, but I would like to see how fans perform sub 600 RPM. It's not about motor noise, but airflow noise. Interestingly, some fans produce more "wind" noise than others at the same air flow. For example, I have recently found out that NF-S12...

So in conclusion, all PWM fans should be tested on CPU fan header. If they are not, it's simply unfair comparison. Thank you for review, SPCR, but I think your tests were not done properly.

Well, I'm using CPU fan header for S12A, minimum speed I can set is 21%, which corresponds with 360RPM. If I'm adding heatsink fan, I will use PWM splitter and run all fans from CPU header. So basicly I need fan with similar duty cycle/RPM response curve. I'm not sure who can we blame CHA fan header...

Wow, thank you for extensive report! A15 seems like obvious choice, the only problem are Asus pwm headers. I will probably want to run both from cpu fan header, others simply cannot go that low.. It's really a shame asus does this.. I'm just wondering how the can I run scythe kama pwm at 280 rpm on ...

So I bought S12A PWM and I'm impressed. I can run it at higher speeds than any other fan (500RPM) without hearing it. My only concern are hot days (it can get pretty hot in my studio). So I'm planning on adding another fan on CPU cooler (HR-02 Macho, passive i7), just to be able to run 2 fans at ver...

I must disagree. I own 2 ASUS motherboards ATM (H77 and Z77), and they all have same restrictions. Bios: CPU min PWM speed: 20% Chassis min PWM speed: 60% AI Suite: CPU min PWM speed: 20% Chassis min PWM speed 40% I also have plenty of PWM fans at my disposal, and I can confirm that chassis fans sim...

I agree, ASUS motherboards don't allow chassis run under 40% duty cycle, CPU fan header allows it to drop to 20%. I think is unfair that A15 wasn't tested at all speeds, since Noctua fans have different duty cycle/RPM curves. I hope this will be corrected, this isn't a review I would expect from SPC...

My temperatures dropped 7°C in idle (not really important), running it on 373RPM. They are about 5°C lower on full load at 550 RPM, but that doesn't matter for me. Slipstream was too loud at 500 RPM, but I can't hear Noctua fan at that speeds. My general rule is: if temperatures are in the "safe zon...

I just bought my first Noctua product, S12A. My first reaction: why isn't Noctua more popular on SPCR?? I compared it with Slipstream PWM, probably the most popular PWM case fan around here. It totally blew it away!! First things first, my PC: Define Mini 1 exhaust fan (Slipstream, 350RPM idle, 450-...

Thank you for your answers! Interestingly, my Asus board can only reduce Fractal to 700 RPM (AI Suite), must be "safety" feature to be sure fan turns on. PWM fans go much lower. I highly suggest PWM fans for future upgrades, they are much more flexible, they go down to 300 or even 280 RPM in my case...

Great build, nice to see someone else likes Define Mini :D Couple of questions, if you don't mind: 1) How do you like hard drive cages? Rubber grommets were very hard/stiff in my mini, so I really had to switch from older WD Green HDD to new WD Red drive. I highly recommend it for your next, it's re...