Search found 124 matches

by Derek Semeraro
Tue May 01, 2018 7:14 pm
Forum: Cases and Damping
Topic: Core V21, any opinions?
Replies: 5
Views: 7401

Re: Core V21, any opinions?

Silverstone Sugo or Node 304
by Derek Semeraro
Tue May 01, 2018 6:26 pm
Forum: Fans and Control
Topic: How many case fans do I really need?
Replies: 6
Views: 7180

Re: How many case fans do I really need?

Generally, balanced airflow is good overall, but slightly positive is preferable to negative.
by Derek Semeraro
Tue May 01, 2018 6:20 pm
Forum: CPUs and Motherboards
Topic: The i3, i5, i7 rating system is outdated
Replies: 2
Views: 6079

The i3, i5, i7 rating system is outdated

When Intel first introduced this system, it was a simple way to distinguish between their processors. i3's were the weakest and i7's were the strongest. However, the market has changed over the past several years and this rating system now results in consumers that know less about computers to make ...
by Derek Semeraro
Tue May 01, 2018 6:08 pm
Forum: Quiet Prebuilt, SFF and Barebones Systems
Topic: Intel NUC's - Worth It?
Replies: 0
Views: 18916

Intel NUC's - Worth It?

Advantages of NUC's: * They are very compact and portable, more so than most options in the limited ITX market * They are much simpler to build than a regular desktop PC because it's mostly built already. Disadvantages of NUC's: * Performance is inferior to regular desktop PC's, but the price is not...
by Derek Semeraro
Tue May 01, 2018 5:29 pm
Forum: Watercooling
Topic: GPU watercooling?
Replies: 19
Views: 54106

Re: GPU watercooling?

Watercooling a GPU is viable, however, GPU's do not benefit from it as much as CPU's. The cost-benefit of watercooling on CPU's is already not very good, so it's especially not worth it for GPU's.
by Derek Semeraro
Tue May 01, 2018 5:24 pm
Forum: CPU Cooling
Topic: Intel i5-8400 stock cooler vs. ?
Replies: 14
Views: 19455

Re: Intel i5-8400 stock cooler vs. ?

I would assume Intel stock cooler may be quiet (at low-ish loads) but not at higher loads and rarely silent.
by Derek Semeraro
Tue May 01, 2018 5:18 pm
Forum: CPUs and Motherboards
Topic: The idiocy of Intel's T desktop processors
Replies: 16
Views: 23438

Re: The idiocy of Intel's T desktop processors

T processors are for the all-in-one desktop market that seeks to accomodate desktop processors at significantly lower power consumption to achieve a more compact size.

I'm assuming the T version is more expensive because they're selling less of them and it has a higher average cost to produce
by Derek Semeraro
Tue May 01, 2018 5:15 pm
Forum: CPUs and Motherboards
Topic: Ryzen 5 2600 and Ryzen 7 2700
Replies: 8
Views: 9074

Re: Ryzen 5 2600 and Ryzen 7 2700

Yes, the industry is moving in the direction of more cores rather than higher clock speeds. As a result I expect Ryzen chips to have good, if not better longevity, than Intel's. Price is always a consideration. The extra $50-70 one pays for Intel is money could be spending on more storage, quieter c...
by Derek Semeraro
Wed Apr 25, 2018 6:57 am
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: Seeking feedback on a quiet DAW build.
Replies: 28
Views: 15087

Re: Seeking feedback on a quiet DAW build.

Ryzen 5 1600 is a good CPU but the stock cooler is not quiet. Mugen 5 is a good cooler. Also, it doesn't have integrated graphics. If you're not doing any graphical work, you are better off with an Intel CPU that has integrated graphics so you don't have to pay current video card prices. 16 GB RAM i...
by Derek Semeraro
Wed Apr 25, 2018 6:50 am
Forum: CPUs and Motherboards
Topic: Ryzen 5 2600 and Ryzen 7 2700
Replies: 8
Views: 9074

Ryzen 5 2600 and Ryzen 7 2700

The R5 2600 is $200 (6 cores, 12 threads and the R7 2700 is $300 (8 cores, 16 threads). Released mid-April 2018. Both of these second generation Ryzen's are incremental improvements (~+10% better performance) over the Ryzen 5 1600 and Ryzen 7 1700 respectively due to higher clock speeds. These CPU's...
by Derek Semeraro
Wed Apr 25, 2018 6:35 am
Forum: CPUs and Motherboards
Topic: Tips for selecting RAM in 2018
Replies: 2
Views: 4773

Re: Tips for selecting RAM in 2018

Yes, I agree with all of your points. Dual-channel is generally better for performance. RAM prices will eventually ease, but probably not anytime soon this year; the best solution is to buy as much as needed right now and not buy enough RAM for the next several years.
by Derek Semeraro
Wed Apr 25, 2018 6:29 am
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: Cuboid build (plan)
Replies: 2
Views: 3693

Re: Cuboid build (plan)

Build list seems solid. If you are using a non-overclockable CPU like the i5-8400, you don't need a high-end air cooler because temps won't get high. If you are buying the hard drive now, you can get a 2TB for just a little bit more than a 1TB. A 1070 is more energy efficient (and effectively, more ...
by Derek Semeraro
Tue Apr 24, 2018 5:34 pm
Forum: Power Supplies
Topic: How good (quiet) are modern SFX PSU?
Replies: 19
Views: 34026

Re: How good (quiet) are modern SFX PSU?

They are probably much better than they were 5 years ago. SFX PSU's still suffer from the limitation of 120mm fans needing to spin faster than 140mm fans to achieve the same airflow. Thankfully, in recent years, newer desktop PC components have been consuming less power so smaller power supplies do ...
by Derek Semeraro
Tue Apr 24, 2018 5:28 pm
Forum: Cases and Damping
Topic: Best Silent Mini-ITX PC Cases (2018)
Replies: 4
Views: 25399

Best Silent Mini-ITX PC Cases (2018)

While the sound dampening materials in cases marketed for their quietness help reduce some noise, a build's quietness is mostly determined by what's on the inside. For this reason, this list is more focused on air flow rather than sound dampening materials. Criteria * Compactness * Ventilation * If ...
by Derek Semeraro
Tue Apr 24, 2018 4:40 pm
Forum: Silent Storage
Topic: Storage (In The Next 5 Years)
Replies: 17
Views: 19010

Re: Storage (In The Next 5 Years)

Considering how that companies like Facebook and Instagram probably need millions of high-capacity hard drives to store an increasing amount of information, I'd be surprised if 10-20 TB hard drive aren't coming on the way en masse.
by Derek Semeraro
Tue Apr 24, 2018 4:37 pm
Forum: The Silent Front
Topic: Silent PC Part Recommendations (Mid-2018)
Replies: 6
Views: 20686

Re: Silent PC Part Recommendations (Mid-2018)

Yes, larger cases do allow for more airflow at slower speeds. Of course, power consumption is also a determining factor. If building a PC with an overclocked CPU and high-end video cards, you may need larger case with more/larger fans to have both silence and maximum performance. However, if the bui...
by Derek Semeraro
Tue Apr 24, 2018 4:11 pm
Forum: Cases and Damping
Topic: Core V21, any opinions?
Replies: 5
Views: 7401

Re: Core V21, any opinions?

The V21 has a good unique aesthetic to it, is well ventilated and well-priced. V21 is wide for a compact case, but so is the Air 240.

Personally, I like the design Air 240 was trying to go for, but I've seen videos of it and the build quality seems a little bit cheap for its price.
by Derek Semeraro
Tue Apr 24, 2018 4:04 pm
Forum: Off Topic
Topic: what is more advance os x or windows 10
Replies: 9
Views: 23791

Re: what is more advance os x or windows 10

I will say OS X. Windows 10 received some modern GUI updates a few years ago as part of Microsoft's initiative to rebrand its image and promote Office 365. But since then, there hasn't been any substantial improvement. But it's still an incohesive and incohesive experience. Windows has old programmi...
by Derek Semeraro
Tue Apr 24, 2018 3:37 pm
Forum: Off Topic
Topic: is ecc memory worth for stability
Replies: 10
Views: 19084

Re: is ecc memory worth for stability

I've never had memory failure and I don't observe this to be a common problem, insofar as memory is compatible with the CPU/motherboard, from a reputable brand and not overclocked.

It depends on task being done, but the risk is so low and many apps have some kind of auto-save feature anyway.
by Derek Semeraro
Tue Apr 24, 2018 3:34 pm
Forum: Off Topic
Topic: apple switch again from intel to arm
Replies: 1
Views: 11130

Re: apple switch again from intel to arm

Thinner, lighter, quieter and more efficient is their goal. Apple also seems to have a goal of engineering as much hardware in-house as they can.

It will be interesting to see how ARM processors handle professional tasks, but a well-made ARM processor can handle most consumers needs overall.
by Derek Semeraro
Mon Apr 23, 2018 11:49 pm
Forum: The Silent Front
Topic: Silent PC Part Recommendations (Mid-2018)
Replies: 6
Views: 20686

Silent PC Part Recommendations (Mid-2018)

For friends that ask what I would recommend in 2018. Entry Level CPU: Ryzen 3 2200G or Intel i3-8100 Cooler: Be Quiet Pure Rock Slim SSD: 250 GB (Crucial MX500) RAM: 8 GB (2666 MHz) Fans: Be Quiet Pure Wings 2 Power: Bitfenix Whisper 450w Case (ITX): SilverStone Sugo SG13B-Q Case (MATX): Coolermaste...
by Derek Semeraro
Mon Apr 23, 2018 10:42 pm
Forum: CPU Cooling
Topic: Optimal price range for CPU Coolers.
Replies: 4
Views: 5246

Optimal price range for CPU Coolers.

In CPU temperature benchmarks from reviewers, I've seen minimal differences between higher end air $70-90 low-noise coolers such as Noctua NH-D15 or Be Quiet Dark Rock Pro 3 compared to a mid-range low-noise cooler such as the Scythe Mugen 5 ($45). While it seems that all 3 of these quiet coolers ar...
by Derek Semeraro
Wed Apr 18, 2018 5:33 am
Forum: CPU Cooling
Topic: Tips for Installing an Air Cooler
Replies: 0
Views: 12408

Tips for Installing an Air Cooler

This can be a frustrating part of PC building for many beginners, particularly with vague instruction manuals. 1) Install the RAM before the cooler. Also, you may want to connect the cables from the power supply onto the motherboard before installing the cooler because it may be a lot more difficult...
by Derek Semeraro
Thu Mar 22, 2018 11:27 pm
Forum: Site Feedback
Topic: is SPCR dead due to technology advances?
Replies: 43
Views: 87513

Re: is SPCR dead due to technology advances?

I think the decline of this site's popularity happened for several reasons: 1) Less people use desktops 2) Increased energy efficiency = less noise 3) Improvement in quality of PC parts (in aggregate) 4) Improvement of quality control of PC parts (the companies that offered inferior products went ou...
by Derek Semeraro
Thu Mar 22, 2018 11:18 pm
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: PC upgrade/downsize to m-ATX
Replies: 5
Views: 5145

Re: PC upgrade/downsize to m-ATX

While M-ATX is smaller than ATX, it's maybe only a 20% improvement in compactness at best.

If you want a machine that's truly a downsize worth your time, go for the ITX. The Fractal Design Nano S is good.
by Derek Semeraro
Thu Mar 22, 2018 9:54 pm
Forum: Cases and Damping
Topic: Tips for selecting a case (2018)
Replies: 4
Views: 12724

Tips for selecting a case (2018)

Generally, larger cases are better for silence than smaller cases because more (and larger) fans are allowed and there's more airflow to be had. However, it depends on the power consumption of the system. If you are not using a video card, Mini ITX should be, as the build won't get overly hot anyway...
by Derek Semeraro
Thu Mar 22, 2018 9:21 pm
Forum: Fans and Control
Topic: Important tip for selecting/installing fans.
Replies: 1
Views: 3807

Important tip for selecting/installing fans.

You want a motherboard with fan pins that allow for them to be controlled with software. For silence, controlling fan speeds is important so that they can be made to spin slower. Some motherboards have one fan connection that is controllable and one connection that isn't. In this situation, you may ...
by Derek Semeraro
Thu Mar 22, 2018 8:47 pm
Forum: CPUs and Motherboards
Topic: AMD Ryzen APUs (Raven Ridge)
Replies: 5
Views: 11120

Re: AMD Ryzen APUs (Raven Ridge)

You're right. Upon looking at more benchmarks, the Ryzen's are significantly better graphically than the i3-8100. Both Ryzen APU's seem to be almost at the level of a GT 1030, which retailed at $70 and is $100 now due to the GPU shortage. This won't be enough for enthusiast standards, but it can sti...
by Derek Semeraro
Thu Mar 22, 2018 8:31 pm
Forum: Power Supplies
Topic: You may not need as much wattage as you think.
Replies: 30
Views: 59726

Re: You may not need as much wattage as you think.

Are power meters cheap enough to justify buying them just to test a power supply. In that case, if a builder is uncertain, maybe they should just spend $10-20 more on a power supply with 100 extra watts. Most power supplies today have at least 350-400 watts. If you don't use a video card, this is mo...
by Derek Semeraro
Thu Mar 22, 2018 8:22 pm
Forum: Notebook Systems
Topic: what makes the macbook air so quiet?
Replies: 14
Views: 71377

Re: what makes the macbook air so quiet?

Macbook Air's entire body is made of aluminum. The laptop chassis itself is one giant heatsink that transfers heat from inside the chassis to the air outside of the chassis.

This helps reduce dependence on a noisy fan.