Silent PSU recommendation for low powered system...

plonkersaurus · Post by **plonkersaurus** » Tue Sep 06, 2005 9:08 am

Hi, I think i have what would be considered a low powered system...

Pentium M Dothan 2.4ghz
P4P800SE
2 x 512mb DDR @ 333mhz dual channel
1 or 2 x Seagate Barracuda 7200.7 200gb
ATI Radeon 9600XT
EMU 0404
DVD writer

What would be a good silent psu for this system. Im considering a fanless psu but what do you recommend? Im in the UK so most things are available. (Fortran, Silverstone, Seasonic, etc etc). Ive looked on the recommended list, but alot of people here say the good PSU's for a low powered system are different to the ones that are recommended?

Also a case recommendation for the system would be nice as well. I was thinking thermaltake Tsunami, Antec SLK3000 or a Coolermaster Cavalier 3.

Would the Tsunami or Cavalier be quiet? i prefer the look of those, but silence is the priority.

Thanks

teknerd · Post by **teknerd** » Tue Sep 06, 2005 9:58 am

how much are you looking to spend.
if you've got the money i'd recommend a p180 (spcr edition of course

) and an antec phantom 350.
if you are trying to save money an antec slk-3000b and a seasonic 330/380 is the way to go (you only need the 330 but the 380 is like bucks more so you might as well get that).

nici · Post by **nici** » Tue Sep 06, 2005 10:19 am

Maybe the Etasis/Silverstone fanless model? Not heard anything bad about that unit, its about the same price as the Phantom but is only atx 1.3 compliant, not that it makes a real difference. The etatis/silverstone seems to be more relaible in general, though my Phamtom 350 is till running strong after maybe half a year or so and im not expecting it to blow up anytime soon

mb2 · Post by **mb2** » Tue Sep 06, 2005 11:36 am

personally i wouldn't bother with a fanless PSU if u intend to keep the hard drive(s) on all the time.

plonkersaurus · Post by **plonkersaurus** » Tue Sep 06, 2005 11:42 am

Well in the UK the silverstone is about £65, the Phantom 350 is about £110.

I havent found anywhere in the uk that has seasonics lower than 430w for a reasonable price which can be had for £46.

I am looking to spend about £100, maybe a little more... But i would like it silent.

Also are there any alternatives to the asus ct 479 heatsink? even at 5v it buzzes and its a 7cm fan, what do you think i should replace it with? I was thinking maybe a Panaflo 8cm L at 5v or something? and cable tying it to the mounting clips?

The 9600xt has a arctic cooler vga silencer (original rev 3).

plonkersaurus · Post by **plonkersaurus** » Tue Sep 06, 2005 11:46 am

mb2 wrote:personally i wouldn't bother with a fanless PSU if u intend to keep the hard drive(s) on all the time.

why not? are the hard drives that noisy?

My other computer is a Antec Sonata, P4 1.8ghz N/W @2.4ghz with a Zalman 7000, and the original Truepower PSU and its just not silent, but i find if i stop all the fans spinning the hard drive noise isnt really noticable. (seagate 7200.7) mounted on the normal sonata drive rails.

yanukav · Post by **yanukav** » Tue Sep 06, 2005 12:21 pm

great system. do you ever overclocked your cpu ?(ct-479)if you are, your system drow power like normal audio-recording system,and you need to consider strong psu like tagans or enermax.
if not, fortron or silverston fanless psu can be effective for you.if you can find it, i can recommend fortron FSP300-60GNF. this is the only fanless psu that can stand the heat of my country (israel)

plonkersaurus · Post by **plonkersaurus** » Tue Sep 06, 2005 2:42 pm

yanukav wrote:great system. do you ever overclocked your cpu ?(ct-479)if you are, your system drow power like normal audio-recording system,and you need to consider strong psu like tagans or enermax.
if not, fortron or silverston fanless psu can be effective for you.if you can find it, i can recommend fortron FSP300-60GNF. this is the only fanless psu that can stand the heat of my country (israel)

It is overclocked, but it doesnt use any more voltage, and from what ive seen in reviews, overclocking without increasing voltage on the P M doesnt increase power consumption.

So Seasonic 430w, Silverstone (fanless), Fortron (fanless) or what?

I have a feeling the seasonic might be noisy though?

Post by **MikeC** » Tue Sep 06, 2005 3:09 pm

Your HDDs will be the loudest components. They are not very quiet. The Seasonic you mention is the quietest fan-cooled PSU $ can buy. Period. It is extremely quiet and will stay that way with such a low power load. In fact, you would do fine with a S12-330. The Silverstone PSU appears to be more reliable than the Phantom. The Antec is the best case you've listed; the others all have much poorer airflow -- but maybe you don't need much.

plonkersaurus · Post by **plonkersaurus** » Tue Sep 06, 2005 3:19 pm

MikeC wrote:Your HDDs will be the loudest components. They are not very quiet. The Seasonic you mention is the quietest fan-cooled PSU $ can buy. Period. It is extremely quiet and will stay that way with such a low power load. In fact, you would do fine with a S12-330. The Silverstone PSU appears to be more reliable than the Phantom. The Antec is the best case you've listed; the others all have much poorer airflow -- but maybe you don't need much.

do you think i could get away with not having any case fans if i got the seasonic? I dont think the S12 330 is available here (UK), is the 430 a suitable replacement?

When you say the hard drives arent quiet, do you mean when seeking or just rotational noise?

Post by **MikeC** » Tue Sep 06, 2005 4:41 pm

plonkersaurus wrote:1) do you think i could get away with not having any case fans if i got the seasonic?

2)I dont think the S12 330 is available here (UK), is the 430 a suitable replacement?

3) When you say the hard drives arent quiet, do you mean when seeking or just rotational noise?

1) Maybe, but generally speaking, a very quiet 120mm fan will be the same as no fan, acoustically, yet be far better cooling-wise. So I don't see the point of fanless... except in cases where that margiinal noise of the fan is audible. Unless you are using a suspended notebook drive, this will not be the case.

2) yes

3) Both. The 7200.7s are just not that quiet. Mind you, they keep changing, and it's been nearly a year since I listened to one, so maybe they got better. I'd still say they will be the noisiest things in the case. If you suspend them, perhaps they will be inaudble. Depends on the rest and your ambient.

plonkersaurus · Post by **plonkersaurus** » Tue Sep 06, 2005 4:45 pm

MikeC wrote:
plonkersaurus wrote:1) do you think i could get away with not having any case fans if i got the seasonic?

2)I dont think the S12 330 is available here (UK), is the 430 a suitable replacement?

3) When you say the hard drives arent quiet, do you mean when seeking or just rotational noise?
1) Maybe, but generally speaking, a very quiet 120mm fan will be the same as no fan, acoustically, yet be far better cooling-wise. So I don't see the point of fanless... except in cases where that margiinal noise of the fan is audible. Unless you are using a suspended notebook drive, this will not be the case.

2) yes

3) Both. The 7200.7s are just not that quiet. Mind you, they keep changing, and it's been nearly a year since I listened to one, so maybe they got better. I'd still say they will be the noisiest things in the case. If you suspend them, perhaps they will be inaudble. Depends on the rest and your ambient.

Thanks

I hope this is useful to other people and not just me!

still the seasonic s12-430w is £46
the silverstone fanless is £66, so for that little bit more would it make sense to go for the fanless?

Even though it may not be much help now because of the hds, it would give me a good basis if i wanted to go further later down the line?

mrzed · Post by **mrzed** » Tue Sep 06, 2005 6:14 pm

IMO, fanless for PC's is usually just for bragging rights. Most people's homes have an ambient noise background that would drown out very quiet PC components. As Mike says, the fan in the Seasonic, plus perhaps one other Nexus 120mm fan at 5-7v will cool a low powered system very well, never ramp up, and be effectively inaudible. If I was you, I'd save the money and get the Seasonic and be happy that I have one of the quietest, best quality PSU's money can buy - regardless of price. Fanless just isn't that big of a deal.

plonkersaurus · Post by **plonkersaurus** » Wed Sep 07, 2005 2:54 am

Ok cool, Seasonic it is, Ill order one of those. Now is an Antec Sonata case good enough? that way i can switch the new computer into that, and get a pretty case for the older one, so i least i have a pretty computer!

Either that, or ill just get an SLK3000?

plonkersaurus · Post by **plonkersaurus** » Wed Sep 07, 2005 5:25 am

ok, the seasonic just went up in price £20! (for the 430)

Ive changed my mind and am now going for a Silverstone fanless psu. Its cheaper.

yanukav · Post by **yanukav** » Thu Sep 08, 2005 12:04 pm

again, i realy think you need to consider fortron fanless power supply (almost never fail on every test on the net - i cant say that about silverston)
if you want a realy nice case try lian-li`s. the price is high but you get what you pay for. allso nexus breeze is allmost silent case, with two 12cm fans (realy good ones) good air flow and looks.
i have lian-li pc-v1000b and i think it is a realy good case. the constraction realy nice and massive, and considering the air-flow its allmost silent. and the dividing inside the case is realy helpfull with fanless psu (it will get hot only by itself).