Quiet case fans?

n4styn4t3

n4styn4t3

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Just finished building my new computer. It's awesome but the fans make it sound like a jet engine. I'm using the two fans that came stock with my Coolermaster HAF case. Any options for quieter fans that won't sacrifice that much temp wise?
 
Doublecheck and make sure you plugged the fans into the right place on the motherboard (the ones that connect to it). When you plug it into the wrong one, the motherboard can't control their speed and they go full blast. I've done this once or twice on accident.

If it's not that, then I couldn't personally recommend any as I rare ever have to switch out fans.
 
I have a HAF and mine are pretty quiet. I also have people tell me how quiet it is when they visit. I'm still using the stock fans and it's pretty damned quiet.

Are you sure the sound is coming from the case fans and not the CPU or GPU fans?
 
I made the mistake of a antec 1200 case and while it cools good, it sounds like big ass fan. sort of sucks when i try to do voice recordings and i pick up all that buzzing noise :)
 
Case design matters a lot. The ThermalTake I used for my last home build is probably great for a low-end gaming rig but sucks for a machine that is active 24/7 in my bedroom. Lots of stupid LEDs on the fans that are remarkably bright and not one but two fan mount grills on top so all of that photonic goodness illuminates the room if I don't cover it

I really wish I'd spent the extra $30 for the Ante Sonata case I used in my sister's last machine. Perfectly quiet and no bright LEDs with the front door closed. For my modest purposes I don't need a great deal of cooling, so that ThermalTake was just not a good choice.

Which isn't to disparage ThermalTake. I recently got a chance to build a new Core i7 2600K system in one of their uber-deluxe $300 cases. They also sent a monster 850W PSU to go in it and some other goodies tot he guy I was helping on his review. Bloody amazing design and quality. Still noisier than I'd want for a machine to be running while I sleep nearby it was like I'd imagine it feels like to work on one of those supercars on Top Gear.
 
[quote name='epobirs']Case design matters a lot. The ThermalTake I used for my last home build is probably great for a low-end gaming rig but sucks for a machine that is active 24/7 in my bedroom. Lots of stupid LEDs on the fans that are remarkably bright and not one but two fan mount grills on top so all of that photonic goodness illuminates the room if I don't cover it

I really wish I'd spent the extra $30 for the Ante Sonata case I used in my sister's last machine. Perfectly quiet and no bright LEDs with the front door closed. For my modest purposes I don't need a great deal of cooling, so that ThermalTake was just not a good choice.

Which isn't to disparage ThermalTake. I recently got a chance to build a new Core i7 2600K system in one of their uber-deluxe $300 cases. They also sent a monster 850W PSU to go in it and some other goodies tot he guy I was helping on his review. Bloody amazing design and quality. Still noisier than I'd want for a machine to be running while I sleep nearby it was like I'd imagine it feels like to work on one of those supercars on Top Gear.[/QUOTE]

So buy some fans that don't have lights on them. Problem solved.
 
Which isn't to disparage ThermalTake. I recently got a chance to build a new Core i7 2600K system in one of their uber-deluxe $300 cases. They also sent a monster 850W PSU to go in it and some other goodies tot he guy I was helping on his review. Bloody amazing design and quality. Still noisier than I'd want for a machine to be running while I sleep nearby it was like I'd imagine it feels like to work on one of those supercars on Top Gear.
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The i7 2600k is not a supercar, if you want to relate this in terms of cars, the 2600k is like an EVO and STI; good decent power that anyone can afford. Want supercar computer, that's where the 2011 SB-E chips are for, with 3 or 4 gpu setup. Just helped built a sweet triple 680 rig for one of my clanmates; He's sad though because he can't get water blocks for them yet.

As for LED fans, you can disable LED's fairly easy on most models. They are powered by the 5v rail, the fan motor is powered by the 12v so in theory you can disable them; either that or just replace the fans if you don't want to mess with them.


OP: what HAF case do you have? I'd look at either a simple fan controller to help mitigate noise levels with cooling when idling if the noise is coming from the fans;

either that or replace your 120/140mm fans with ball bearing/Hydro-Dynamic type fans that should help reduce overall annoying noises from the motor compared to the cheap sleeve designed fans that most cases come with. Cougar makes some really nice fans that are very silent, but still push a large amount of air; very pricey though. Scythe would also be on the top of my list for high end fans, but again, pricey.

You can also look at the cheaper Rosewill 2 Ball or Hydro Dynamic fans; which are a good bit cheaper and just as quiet, although they may not push as much air as some other fans that use similar motor's. Still, I recommend them as they are more or less 1/2 the price of similar products.
 
I have the 912 HAF and my two 200mm fans are at barely noticeable "humming" sound. The real question is what kind of PSU does the OP have?

Or better yet, maybe the mobo has the fans set to full blast?
 
[quote name='j-cart']I have the 912 HAF and my two 200mm fans are at barely noticeable "humming" sound. The real question is what kind of PSU does the OP have?

Or better yet, maybe the mobo has the fans set to full blast?[/QUOTE]

Corsair 430 something. And like I said maybe its just me not being used to computers anymore. Since my HP laptop (which was loud as shit) died all I've been using is my iPad and my girlfriends MacBook.
 
well then yeah, the ipad and macbook aren't exactly noise generating devices; although they do like to heat up quite a bit and burn your gonads.
 
Noctua fans are great although some object to their color.

There are quite a few quiet fan brands out there, silent PC review has info on a lot of them.
 
Oh, and stay away from Silenx; they suck. They fudge their audio level specs. Silent PC is a good source and they do some great comparisons; they were the ones that ripped Silenx a new asshole.
 
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