Silent NCase M1 - Please help me spec an almost silent PC

rcodi

SFF Gamer
Aug 5, 2017
176
165
For Cooling, I like Noctua so I am thinking:

SILENT COOLING (Help Please):

GPU:
2 x NF-A12x25 for the deshroud gpu (intake?)

CPU:
NH-U95 with an extra fan (intake) for cpu

Any other fans needed if there are mesh sides? OUTTAKE?

I run a U9S Chromax in mine and have another 92mm on the back of the case for exhaust. You could do a 120mm mounted on the filtered side bracket above the PSU for CPU intake.
 
  • Like
Reactions: SilentSniper

SilentSniper

Caliper Novice
Original poster
Nov 10, 2020
27
1
Check out M1AF build guide, he does a great job explaining everything.
Personally I'll be using the Asetek 645LT as rear intake with two NF-A9x14s + deshroud and two NF-A12x25s as bottom exhaust. I'm going mess with blocking off the sides with sound deadening or tempered glass to try and reduce noise further if temperatures are reasonable. Though I'll be using a 5600x instead of 5900x so you have a lot more watts to cool :). I'm guessing those side fans will be helpful for your situation, but if you can keep them under max 50-60% speed they shouldn't add much if any extra dB, though more of a lower hum that get from Nocuta's.
This was a very interesting read. Thanka. One big problem for my build is the card is a 2.2 slot which he says is problematic in a deshroud.

Any ideas here?
Is there perhaps some sort of extentions I could use?
If not is it a bad idea to zip tie the noctuas to the heatsink/gpu?
 
Last edited:

elvendawn

Average Stuffer
Nov 12, 2020
60
27
I suspect you can make up the space gap with plastic or metal sleeves under the fans and longer screws with washer and nuts to secure them to the case while bringing them closer to the heatsink. Zipties might be jenky, but if they get the job done... if you do though you might look into a way to prevent gpu sag. I had a Raijintek Morpheus II with two NF-A12x25s attached a card for a while that sagged pretty bad, I just used a twist tie through the back of the card tied up to a higher point on the case to keep it from sagging and it worked fine.
 
  • Like
Reactions: SilentSniper

jeff8407

What's an ITX?
New User
Jan 2, 2021
1
0
SilentSniper, I am bumping this thread a little bit.

Here's my experience.

I have the V1 version of the case. A silent computer was may goal.

I have tried or upgraded at least a dozen times. I have tried air cooling--single and double fans, push or pull configuration (Noctua 9, Dark Rock TF, AIO 140,,, AIO 240mm--push and pull). I have tried slim fans on the bottom--push and pull. I have tried a small Noctua fan on the rear---push and pull. I have tried mounting the AIO on the side and bottom of the case. The coolest configuration was using 6 fans--two slim fans on the bottom, two fans on the CPU cooler, one on the back blowing in, and one mounted on the top, venting out. The 6 fan set-up was only 2-3 degrees cooler than the two fan set-up I currently run. I have tried the AMD1800x, 3800x, 3950x, Zotac Mini 1080, Gigabyte reference 2080, and a Gigabyte Aorus RXT 3080 water cooled.


Here is my quietest:
3950X
Dark Rock TF with twin 140mm fans--pushing out the side of the case. Outer fan only kicks on above 50C, the inner fan is always on and set to silent with a low speed adapter--my temps are running 36C as I am typing. They max out at 78-82C when I stress test.
3800C14 memory--I run it at 3733C14 due to the Infinty Fabric.
The graphics card is the loudest portion of the build--try for one that will run fanless when not gaming. Currently I am running an Aorus 3080 water cooled that was damaged and I replaced the radiator with a 92mm all copper and Noctua fan.