I think that is what I will be doing in the fullness of time - seeing
as owning a high performance, 100% silent PC is something of an
oxymoron.
I don't think it is an oxymoron. The higher performance processors
can be very low watt 'cos new technology can improve/lessen power
consumption. Core 2 duo is lower watt than p4. And anyhow, even the
p4s could have fanless heatsinks.
think about sources of noise. I don't want to give you heartache over
it. So if you notice it, then it's a source of noise.
Maybe in a sound proof cupboard.
not if you don't like the noise of your fingers on the keyboard, and
the click of the mouse ;-) (fortunately i'm ok with those noises)
if a cupboard, the cupboard would have to be ventilated.
I did have a little cupboard - not soundproof - which i used to lessen
the noise of a comp. Putting the box(computer chassis/case) below you
e.g. under a table helps.. I had a little cupboard under a table, so
was well placed. It had a door on the front so that helped reduce
noise a huge amount. Just opening and closing the cupboard you could
hear the difference. I ripped the back off of it for ventilation
purposes. I reckon noise moving away from me through the back wasn't
so loud i.e. having the opening at the back instead of the front,
helped. It's a half baked solution anyway 'cos it's not
noiselessness.. It wasn't a soundproof cupboard.
Actually, once i had my comp silenced, and had been suprised to hear
my mouse clicks and keyb tapping.. The noise of the radiators started
to get to me. I don't have a say on the plumbing system outside my
room, so I had the radiator removed from my room. Was fine then.
There's noise from cars going past but i'm ok with that.
Fact is, nowadays the future's brighter than ever for noiseless
computers. You can get fanless anything..prob high performance too.
I don't know so much about MBRD cooling..
I think i've seen MBRDs tend to passive cool ok.. - many have the lid
off their case , which is close to passive cooling. But maybe some
don't cool ok
However, I think MBRDs are meant to have some ventilation.. i'm not
sure if they cool ok passively. It's the Voltage regulators.. Little
flat black things near the cpu socket. They can heat up. Some
talented DIY people have built heatsinks for them, but I don't think
they are on sale, and if they were, they'd have to be cut to size
somehow..
But look. I just googled motherboard passive cooling. And up come lots
of high performance boards, covered in passive heatsinks.
http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/339
(forget the cpu heatsink tht has a fan.. you can replace that no
doubt , for a large fanless heatsink. or replace the processor with a
low watt one, and get a little fanless heatsink )
One site even says
"If you're looking for an Intel-based motherboard, there are a lot of
choices that offer passive cooling. All of Intel's own motherboards
use passive cooling "
Another says regarding a board
"It turned out that the voltage regulator didn't even need passive
cooling. "
Fine.. those sites have pics of fans.. I haven't looked into why. but
this seems to be the only issue left. the motherboard, and it's prob
solved anyhow..
Anyhow..
it's really ok.
If noise is such an issue for you, and high end pcs were too noisy,
then you wouldn't go for a highend pc.
And anyhow. With software like VNC, or Radmin, or windows xp remote
desktop. You could use a low end fanless machine and log into a high
power pc that is far away. A bit like a KVM Extender,, though prob
not as real or as reliable (as in "excuse me while i reset my soon to
die 'home router' ").
KVM over IP is prob neater than a KVM switch in terms of cables. You
could have a whole great system wireless. A few high performance
noisy machines far away from you. And a low performance one near
you. In theory.
Anyhow.. I think it's wrong to equate high performance with noise. And
low performance with silence.. It can be the case e.g. with VIA
systems, but isn't always, the case, as mentioned. In some cases,
newer faster technology, runs alot cooler than the older technology.
Cool enough to be cooled passively.
i'd be intereted if anybody has any info on mbrds cooling passively.