Computers have become louder due to their aggressive cooling systems, leading to a demand for quiet computers. While no computer is truly silent, some are designed to blend in with ambient noise. Fanless computers and hand-picked components can create a quieter system, but trade-offs between noise and cooling must be made.
Computers have become part of our daily lives at work and at home. They’ve gotten sleeker, faster, and more powerful, and along the way, they’ve gotten louder, too. The average computer incorporates an aggressive cooling system consisting of multiple electric case fans, a power supply fan, a central processing unit (CPU) fan, a BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) chip fan, and, in most cases, a video card fan. Systems with two processors or a set of graphics cards have even more fans. All of these fans create a constant noise, which has led to a growing demand for a quiet computer.
The term silent computer is a recognized misnomer, as nothing is silent except empty space. The atmosphere carries sound or pressure waves, so we are always surrounded by some kind of ambient noise. The wind, the birds in the trees… even our breath creates noise. A quiet computer is rather better described as a computer that doesn’t make enough noise to distinguish itself from the background noises of its surroundings. It’s a computer that can go unnoticed.
Because every environment is different, and hearing acuity fluctuates between individuals, one person’s quiet computer may not be quiet for another. This makes it difficult for industry to produce a “quiet computer” per se, although there are some special fanless computers designed to be very quiet. Quiet computers of this type feature fanless cases that resemble massive vented heat sinks and incorporate components that can be passively cooled. Once silent flash drives are available to replace turntable technology, these computers would probably satisfy anyone in terms of decibels generated. They are, however, quite large and considerably more expensive than your average system.
Alternatively, some people choose to build a less expensive quiet computer by hand-picking components that can use passive heat sink cooling inside standard, well-ventilated cases. These components are usually among the best in their class without being state of the art. Quiet power supplies are plentiful, but usually cost more than the standard model at the same wattage. Aftermarket passive heat sinks or special fans for CPUs, BIOS chips, and graphics cards are often used in silent computers. Fanless graphics cards with factory passive heat sinks are also available.
To keep cases cool on a quiet computer, several slowly rotating fans provide a trade-off between noise and cooling. Fans must be positioned correctly within the case so that internal heat is expelled, while cool room air is drawn in. While computers can’t be completely silent, for those who want a quiet computer, there’s a lot of room for improvement over the standard configuration. If you’re willing to sacrifice some time and money, a much quieter system may be yours.
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