Discussion N1 Idle Noise: AIO, Air, or Custom Loop?

[Paragon]

I ordered an NCASE M1 and I am looking to build a computer that is relatively quiet at idle and still has good temps when gaming ( noise is less important as I wear headphones ).

I am looking at my options for cooling and luckily M1AF has some good guides out there. One thing I could not find was noise levels at idle between
1) an air cooler such as the C14S
2) an AIO like the Kraken X53 with Noctua fans
3) a custom AIO that could expand to a custom loop down the road such as the Barrow pump combo + Radiator w/ Noctua fans

I was wondering if people that have tried these combos can comment at the noise at idle. I understand there is a performance trade-off with air cooling I just want to know if the options are quiet at idle.

Thanks peeps

 

[ermac318]

Something that won't get captured in simple charts with db levels is the kind of noise that gets made. One thing about any water cooling solution (AIO or custom loop) is that you must have a pump running at all times. Depending on the kind of pump, how much air is in your loop, what orientation its installed in, etc can affect the sound that it makes. Some people find pump noise to be more annoying than some fan noises, although fan noise can be all over the place and varies from fan to fan (40mm fans make a much higher pitched sound than a 140mm fan).

If your main concern is idle noise, you don't just want to solve for the quietest but also the kind of noise that is least distracting/most pleasing to your ear.

 

[Paragon]

That is a good point, different fans are more pleasing than others for sure. It probably comes back to the human audibility curve and how lower frequency sounds are harder to hear, that's also why pump noise might bother some people so much. Essentially what you are saying though is that I just have to give each one a listen though.

 

[ignsvn]

I ordered an NCASE M1 and I am looking to build a computer that is relatively quiet at idle and still has good temps when gaming ( noise is less important as I wear headphones ).

I am looking at my options for cooling and luckily M1AF has some good guides out there. One thing I could not find was noise levels at idle between
1) an air cooler such as the C14S
2) an AIO like the Kraken X53 with Noctua fans
3) a custom AIO that could expand to a custom loop down the road such as the Barrow pump combo + Radiator w/ Noctua fans

I was wondering if people that have tried these combos can comment at the noise at idle. I understand there is a performance trade-off with air cooling I just want to know if the options are quiet at idle.

Thanks peeps

I don't have M1 but as a comparison:

I'm using CCD MI-6, a 6.7L case (build log in my signature). Processor is i5-4670 non K, a 84 watt CPU. Cooler is Noctua NH-L12 non-s. CPU cooler fan running at around 900 RPM. I have one 80mm slim case fan running at around 800 RPM. I live in SEA which means tropical climate, around 27 C now at home without aircon.

My computer is on my desk, like 60 cm (2 or 3 bananas) from my head.

It's virtually silent at light works: office, programming, web browsing. Modern CPUs use reasonably low power & produce low heat for these light loads.

Hope it helps.

 

[ermac318]

That is a good point, different fans are more pleasing than others for sure. It probably comes back to the human audibility curve and how lower frequency sounds are harder to hear, that's also why pump noise might bother some people so much. Essentially what you are saying though is that I just have to give each one a listen though.

I think if you did a poll you'd find most people prefer very low fan noise to a continuous pump.
In theory, an air-cooled solution can be quieter since you can actually idle the fans if you so choose. You should never stop the pump, though.

 

[Paragon]

I think if you did a poll you'd find most people prefer very low fan noise to a continuous pump.
In theory, an air-cooled solution can be quieter since you can actually idle the fans if you so choose. You should never stop the pump, though.

I think that pumps can also be near-silent at idle as well. My apartment definitely has some noise pollution so it makes it even better. For example the NZXT Kraken can go as low as 800 RPM, the same thing with a PWM pump in a custom loop. At idle you probably dont even need that much flow for cooling either.

 

[lodger]

I ran a Noctra U9S. for about 6 months was great for temp but you could hear it. the fan used to ramp up and down all the time . depending on the CPU usege . It was not over loud .

Till i changed to a X53 now the computer is completely silent at idel. and only just noticeable at full CPU load..

But then there is the graphics Card. and i can only say jumbo jet springs to mind.....

I have started ordering parts to full custom loop and get the Graphic under water as its soooo Loud.

 

[paulesko]

The pumps I can compare are the ekwb ddc and alphacool dc-lt. I can assure you that an air solution will always be more silent (if that makes any sense) that any water solution, because I doubt that any other pump is significantly different noise wise than the alphacool dc-lt...

Anyway, the dc-lt is very very quiet at low rpm, but you will hear it over a 600 rpm noctua without a doubt. And a couple of 12 cm fans at 600 rpm or so is all you need to cool down a pc at idle.