SPCR

X-650 PSU. First, is modular OK, or is it bad for some reason? Second, I am hoping the fan will hardly ever come on as I usually do not stress a system much.

I know 650 might be a bit overkill, but I like the quality and the silence factor.

The case already has 2 fans and I just may try the passive cooler thta some are using with this. I am thinking of a i7 860 which has a lover TDP of 95. I am even thinking that if the top fan is too loud I could disable it and still have good ventilation/cooling.

My video card will be passive and nothing too fancy at all. Simply do not need video power, no gaming except for Solitaire.

My goal is to have a fast, silent, and rock solid dependable system. IO also have an Intel 160 G2 that I will be putting in. And I am using the Giga-byte ud2 matx board.

Dave

Yes, that will be overkill, just like the i7 860 for a system that won't be stressed much. The fan will hardly ever come on for that system, so silence shouldn't be an issue.

I'd suggest a lower end cpu, such as an i5 or perhaps one of the new i3/i5 systems with integrated gpu's that are set to launch January 7th.

Any PSU over 400W is more than enough. But IMO, the X-650 is the best PSU you can buy. Whether it is worth the $$ is something only you can decide. Yes, 650W is overkill, but the efficiency even at low power levels is still outstanding, and the fan will basically never turn.

The only downside to modular is the cost. I have completely switched to modular supplies because I value the flexibility and ease of installation. Again, whether it is worth the cost is up to you.

Thanks. I certainly do not mind spending a little more to get alot more reliability/piece of mind. I am also looking at the new Nexus R5300 530 which is also modular. And supposed to be wicked quiet.

As I sit here typing it still amazes me how quiet my current rig is. SSD really helps. The only noise seems to be coming from the chip fan, which is ducted. The PSU fan seems to be off.

One of them, not sure which, does speed up/turn on a bit when things heat up.

From a noise point of view, this will be a very challenging build. You can say what you want about Dell, but they have, for a long time, made some very quiet computers.

I have a theory that this is at least partially responsible for their success. Sort of a "slipstrem" silent computer. They did not brag about how quiet they were, they just went and delivered a quiet product.

A friend, who is not into silent computing as re we, could not help but comment on how quiet his new Optiplex 380 was. I crawled under his desk and stuck my ear in the thing, and yep, that thing was QUIET

So, I guess the real question is: Can Bell beat Dell? Yes, my last name is Bell

Dave

Yes, the fan not coming on much is a part of my very sneaky plan I am very interested in a CPU with integrated video. However, I also want more power than my current core2Duo 2.13 as there are times when I get this puppy cranking pretty good with multiple programs running, etc.

Do you have any sources that will give me some info on these new chips? I am also not well versed in the difference between i5 and i7. Hitting Google now.

ecidious wrote:Yes, that will be overkill, just like the i7 860 for a system that won't be stressed much. The fan will hardly ever come on for that system, so silence shouldn't be an issue.

I'd suggest a lower end cpu, such as an i5 or perhaps one of the new i3/i5 systems with integrated gpu's that are set to launch January 7th.

OK, I now have a basic understanding of the CPU's. Micro Center is selling/giving away the i7-860 for $229. So in many cases, the i5 is not even cheaper. And they both have the same TDP.