CPU Fan Advice

MotherMayI · 5 Mar 2008 at 13:04

I have been looking on the OcUK website for a new CPU fan to accompany my IP35-E motherboard and Q6600 processor.

Looking through the OcUK site I have, to be honest, just been confused. I am looking for a very quiet fan, but I am not entirely sure what is 'quiet' in dB etc.

Could anybody point me in the right direction of a cpu fan that would work with my hardware and keep the noise levels to a minimum? The processor is not currently over clocked, however I wouldn't want to completely rule out the possibility of doing so in the future.

rjk · 5 Mar 2008 at 13:08

there are literally loads

i have a thermaltake v1 on my cpu [which is overkill]

its really good and has adjustable fan controllers

i would reccomend an ac freezer pro or something

if your budget allows - perhaps a tuniq tower?

it really does depend on what you are doing - obviously - more overclocking means more cooling etc

Admiral Huddy · 5 Mar 2008 at 15:03

Anything over 30 DB you are going to hear but at some point you will have to decide your objective because it's difficult to get a silent performance PC. Since you have bought a Q6600, I'm guessing you are intending to overclock it to 3.2Ghz at beyond. If that;s the case, the system will speed up the fans to get the CPU cooler. My suggestion is to go for the Atric Cooling Freezer 7 Pro. It's bearly audible over the GTX I have, even when overclocked.

Some decibel ratings:
0 db Threshold of hearing
30 db Whisper
40 db Buzz of mosquito
50 db Normal conversation
70 db Vacuum cleaner
100 db Subway or power mower
120 db Rock concert
130 db Jackhammer or machine gun
150 db Nearby jet plane

Foehammer2003 · 5 Mar 2008 at 15:42

^ nice breakdown!

But nearly all fans describe themselves as less than 30db, even my WC pump, buts i can hear it from far away, or is it the viration simply amplifying the noise?

Admiral Huddy · 5 Mar 2008 at 15:45

The measurement of noise (bels and decibels) is logarithmic. In other words 40 decibels is not just twice as loud as 20 decibels. And, 40 decibels is actually about nine times as loud as 20 decibels. The reason for this is that loudness increases approximately three times for every bel (or 10 decibels). So 30 decibels is three times as loud as 20 decibels. 40 decibels is three times as loud as 30 decibels. This makes 40 decibels nine times as loud as 20 decibels. Loudness itself is quite subjective. What sounds twice as loud to one person may not sound twice as loud to another. To the average human ear, however, an increase of 10 decibels means that the perceivable increase in noise is triple the noise.

taken from another site.

2 fans running at 25dec = 28dec using the Logarithmic Calculation
http://www.jglacoustics.com/acoustics-dc_1.html

Foehammer2003 · 5 Mar 2008 at 15:52

I see, i guess I'd also have to factor in that while 30db is comparible to a whisper that with fans/pumps etc are a constant, therefore that much more noticable.

Then a whisper is often a noise you want to hear or try to hear, and so much more acceptable, a constant drone annoys more and also much more noticable

EDIT: for example music i love will sound great loud, but music i really dont like will sound awful (and too loud) at the same level

Greenlizard0 · 5 Mar 2008 at 19:59

Once you find a level that you *can't* hear then stick to it. Mine is 19db* in a well put together case which would be right next to me. Other people are higher or lower depending on your hearing.

*sort of found that out on an old Zalman case fan.

RichIbizaSport · 6 Mar 2008 at 03:29

http://www.frostytech.com/top5heatsinks.cfm - winner, click on the lastest review they're done and look for acoustic samples/Heatsink Sound Levels, it should show every heatsink they've tested

I went with a Scythe Mine Rev B . I cant hear it and it can easily cool my e6550 at 3.15GHz

nikebee · 6 Mar 2008 at 03:51

RichBaines said:
http://www.frostytech.com/top5heatsinks.cfm - winner, click on the lastest review they're done and look for acoustic samples/Heatsink Sound Levels, it should show every heatsink they've tested

I went with a Scythe Mine Rev B . I cant hear it and it can easily cool my e6550 at 3.15GHz

No Tuniq Tower 120 in that listing?

Having owned a and used Noctua NH-U9F, NH-U12P, the stock Intel heatsinks that come with the C2D's and C2Q's and a Scythe Ninja all in recent builds - I'd definately say the Tuniq Tower is at least on par with a Noctua U12P for noise levels and is easily cooler than the U12P as well.

RichIbizaSport · 6 Mar 2008 at 04:28

I think their test methods are all perfectly legit and equal:

http://www.frostytech.com/testmethod_mk2.cfm

They did review the tuniq: http://www.frostytech.com/articlesearch.cfm?type=keyword&searchvalue=Tuniq&sort=date

not sure why it didnt make it into the top 10. Possibly got replaced by new/better heatsinks?

nikebee · 6 Mar 2008 at 09:48

RichBaines said:
I think their test methods are all perfectly legit and equal:

http://www.frostytech.com/testmethod_mk2.cfm

They did review the tuniq: http://www.frostytech.com/articlesearch.cfm?type=keyword&searchvalue=Tuniq&sort=date

not sure why it didnt make it into the top 10. Possibly got replaced by new/better heatsinks?

Wasn't suggesting otherwise mate, but I still find it hard to believe the Tuniq isn't in their top 10 especially as they've tested it.

There's a few others that really should be in there too, well in my opinion at least. But I have just noticed their disclaimer that the lists are derived from heatsinks they've actually physically tested, and they haven't tested some of the so called "big boys" yet which is fair enough.