Silent PC Build - Suggestions Please!

[T-CM11]

Corsair CP-9020180-NA RMX Series RM850x 80 Plus Gold Fully Modular ATX Power Supply

850W without a high end graphics card = OVERKILL

I went with this based on stats posted earlier in the thread indicating that the fan does not engage below a certain watt, meaning it would be quieter and more efficient despite being a higher watt than required. However, I really don't know, I am going on what others are suggesting, and perhaps I will need to add a graphics card at some point, which may change the requirements. What do you think?

Sorry for the late reply...
Try this: https://www.bequiet.com/en/psucalculator
550 - 650W should be more than enough (depending on your choice of graphics card).

[Pictus]

Corsair CP-9020180-NA RMX Series RM850x 80 Plus Gold Fully Modular ATX Power Supply

850W without a high end graphics card = OVERKILL

You are missing the point, the wattage is overkill, but because it is overkill
the PSU FAN will stay OFF or very low RPM, with a lower wattage PSU you
will not have the same noisy level else if buy a passive PSU.
The OP is asking to have a Silent PC.

[Logga]

Corsair CP-9020180-NA RMX Series RM850x 80 Plus Gold Fully Modular ATX Power Supply

850W without a high end graphics card = OVERKILL

I went with this based on stats posted earlier in the thread indicating that the fan does not engage below a certain watt, meaning it would be quieter and more efficient despite being a higher watt than required.

More efficient? Probably not. The highest efficiency for a PSU is usually at around 50% load. And you'll never get anywhere close to 425W sustained power without heavy overclocking and/or a high end graphics card. And 425W of sustained power means you need a jet engine for cooling, it's not something to be associated with quiet, let alone silence.
For power efficiency, you need to look at sub 100W load performance, because that's where you'll spend most of the time.

I'd get the 500W fanless Seasonic (PX-500). It's currently $100 on Newegg. It's probably a higher quality PSU with an even longer warranty and you'll never have to worry about the fan.

[william lawes]

Thanks for the suggestion! I will try that, in Canada it is $227 after tax and shipping...

[ShawnG]

just be aware that "sustained" power draw is not the only thing you have to worry about. if the PC wants more than you have, even momentarily, you gonna have problems. weird, persistant, hard to easily diagnose problems. figure out what wattage you need, and buy one step above that to be safe.

[william lawes]

Thanks, good points. I used this https://www.bequiet.com/en/psucalculator
and came out with about 290W or about 370W with a basic graphics card, but I'm not sure how accurate that is...

[egbert]

Any recommendations for good boards/RAM/Cooler setups for the higher end Alder Lake CPUs?

[Pictus]

Any recommendations for good boards/RAM/Cooler setups for the higher end Alder Lake CPUs?

Something +- like:
https://pcpartpicker.com/list/yX8r2V
or
https://pcpartpicker.com/list/R6fxDc

[egbert]

@ Pictus.
Thanks for those. What do you think about liquid coolers for DAWs? I would expect them to be more efficient and run the CPU at a lower temp but how quiet are they and - I gather they are closed systems - are they prone to leaks as they get older? I still have an old system with a large Noctua air cooler which runs perfectly after many years. I bought a Coolermaster Silent Pro 850 PSU which has also run quietly and reliably.

[SLiC]

I have liquid cooling on my now 6 year old i7 based DAW PC- totally silent, totally reliable (sealed system)- I wouldn't go any other way.

[jamcat]

I have liquid cooling on my now 6 year old i7 based DAW PC- totally silent, totally reliable (sealed system)- I wouldn't go any other way.

Which liquid cooler?

[Pictus]

@ Pictus.
Thanks for those. What do you think about liquid coolers for DAWs? I would expect them to be more efficient and run the CPU at a lower temp but how quiet are they and - I gather they are closed systems - are they prone to leaks as they get older? I still have an old system with a large Noctua air cooler which runs perfectly after many years. I bought a Coolermaster Silent Pro 850 PSU which has also run quietly and reliably.

You are welcome, they are not prone to leakage, for noise check
https://m.hexus.net/tech/reviews/coolin ... 20/?page=3

[william lawes]

There are not many reviews on this 4TB SSD from ADATA, but from what I have seen it is not great, and slows down the fuller it becomes, any suggestions about an alternative?

This is the ADATA:

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B08979 ... Y3LN&psc=1

XPG SX8100 4TB 3D NAND NVMe Gen3x4 PCIe M.2 2280 Solid State Drive R/W 3500/3000MB/S High Performance SSD (ASX8100NP-4TT-C)

[Pictus]

Some drives use part of the free space as cache, if there is not much
free space, no cache...
But it is only for writing, for reading it stays the same, no problem.
A drive without this behavior will be a lot more expensive.

[egbert]

Just on liquid coolers for quiet DAWs - how do people typically mount the radiators with their multiple fans - when managing noise and dust issues. I have used tower cases with conventional cases and have sometimes had other hardware sitting on the top of the case. Looks like that will not be an option possibly.

This article from Corsair canvasses options using front of the case and top of the case for optimal cooling.
https://help.corsair.com/hc/en-us/artic ... PC-systems
If you want a very quiet DAW system - how do the highly perforated cases and multiple fans go as far as sound levels etc.