Vent h o les
Fan controller
Larger fan
Rubber feet
Sound insula ting foam
Blower fans suck. With a few modifications, you can nearly silence a noisy PC.
Illustration by Damien Scogin
No one wants their computer to be loud, but in order to keep components running at safe temperatures, cooling fans are often needed. Unfortunately, they can make the system sound like a blow dryer. In a busy office environment, some noise may go unnoticed, but at home, the whir of a fan is annoying.
Silencing a computer can be a costly endeavor, but taking a few relatively inexpensive steps can have a drastic impact on the noise produced by the common computer system. Before starting on any sound reduction upgrades, analyzing a system to pinpoint the areas in need of the most attention will help determine the best course of action and the best way to spend any money.
Here are a few ways to quiet existing systems
on a minimal budget.
The bulk of all noise in a computer system is going to come from the cooling fans mounted on the case and from any heat-generating components such as the processor. Cases generally employ 80mm fans with ball bearings to keep cool air flowing. Two steps to reduce noise include increasing the fan size and choosing a fan with fluid or sleeve bearings. If a 120mm fan can be installed where the 80mm fan presently resides, a noise reduction can be achieved because the larger fan can move the same amount of air at a lower rotational speed. In general, the slower a fan moves, the less noise it will make.
The ball bearings on many fans are a source of noisy vibration. Selecting a fan with fluid or sleeve bearings will greatly reduce the noise
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