# How quiet can a computer be? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 17, 2002, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-quiet-can-a-computer-be/109604 "2002-05-17T19:33:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Balduran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cc9497/32.png) [@Balduran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balduran)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-quiet-can-a-computer-be/109604/21 "2003-02-21T16:52:32Z")
Yes, I am the thread resurrector. Since this is a topic of interest to me lately. I’ve decided I want to reduce some fo the noise of my computer. I was thinking of covering the outside with some sort of foam or blanket (allowing of course for air flow) as well as caulking places inside the case where the metal may vibrate and grind. Anybody think this is a bad/useless idea? ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-quiet-can-a-computer-be/109604/22 "2003-02-21T17:11:54Z")
A longer monitor, keyboard, and mouse cord makes it so you can put it further away from you, and you won’t hear it as well. In theory, you could encase the machine in cement, as long as the vents remain open. They are designed to cool better with the case shut than open. [be creative](http://twistedforums.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=3&sid=d970b5b08eb89c8d23bc26abdf762f24). I’ve seen some cool computers on line. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-quiet-can-a-computer-be/109604/23 "2003-02-21T17:20:58Z")
I pulled the trigger too fast, [here](http://www.coolcasegallery.net)is a better gallery of modified computer cases, just to give you some ideas. ---
**Author:** ![II\_Gyan\_II](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbe5ce/32.png) [@II\_Gyan\_II](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/II_Gyan_II)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-quiet-can-a-computer-be/109604/24 "2003-02-21T17:24:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by FDISK \* > **If you have a board made by Asus or other lower-quality manufacturers…** You’re kidding, right ? Asus is consistently among the top 3 motherboard manufacturers out there alongwith Abit and Gigabyte. My last 3 assembled computers have all used Asus boards (CUSL2, P4B533-V, P4PE). They’re among the best as far as stability and overclocking flexibility is concerned. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-quiet-can-a-computer-be/109604/25 "2003-02-21T17:30:27Z")
Forgive FDisk if he doesn’t reply. You see, he posted that over 9 months ago! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-quiet-can-a-computer-be/109604/26 "2003-02-21T17:37:15Z")
I’m surprised no one has mentioned [active Peltier cooling](http://www.pcmech.com/show/processors/140/), which has no moving parts at all. ---
**Author:** ![II\_Gyan\_II](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbe5ce/32.png) [@II\_Gyan\_II](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/II_Gyan_II)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-quiet-can-a-computer-be/109604/27 "2003-02-21T17:38:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by NurseCarmen \* > \*\*Forgive FDisk if he doesn’t reply. You see, he posted that over 9 months ago! 😃 \*\* Ouch! I just assumed that this was a current thread. Talk about enduring questions of our time. ---
**Author:** ![Trigonal\_Planar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Trigonal\_Planar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trigonal_Planar)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-quiet-can-a-computer-be/109604/28 "2003-02-21T17:41:07Z")
BTW, the sound cancelling technique described above can work. Or at least, it is one of those technologies that is under heavy investigation right now. ---
**Author:** ![X\_Slayer\_ALE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/bbe5ce/32.png) [@X\_Slayer\_ALE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/X_Slayer_ALE)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-quiet-can-a-computer-be/109604/29 "2003-02-21T18:05:29Z")
Regarding the sound cancelling technique. You do realize that if the opposing wavelengths are not exactly in tune, the effect is actually doubling the noise? Nobody looked into the quieter liquid cooling technique. Your comp may sound like a small aquarium but its a lot quiter than regular CPU and Box fans. Wish there was a way to just immerse the entire thing in a non toxic cooling liquid like the Cray Supercomputers. ---
**Author:** ![X\_Slayer\_ALE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/bbe5ce/32.png) [@X\_Slayer\_ALE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/X_Slayer_ALE)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-quiet-can-a-computer-be/109604/30 "2003-02-21T18:06:11Z")
Regarding the sound cancelling technique. You do realize that if the opposing wavelengths are not exactly in tune, the effect is actually doubling the noise? Nobody looked into the quieter liquid cooling technique. Your comp may sound like a small aquarium but its a lot quiter than regular CPU and Box fans. Wish there was a way to just immerse the entire thing in a non toxic non conductive cooling liquid like the Cray Supercomputers. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-quiet-can-a-computer-be/109604/31 "2003-02-21T18:13:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by X~Slayer(ALE) \* > **Regarding the sound cancelling technique. You do realize that if the opposing wavelengths are not exactly in tune, the effect is actually doubling the noise?** That’s not right. The level of sound is only doubled when the two waveforms are exactly in phase. The closer they are to being 180 degrees out of phase, the nearer the sound level approaches zero. It’s not an all-or-none situation. ---
**Author:** ![FranticMad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c68b51/32.png) [@FranticMad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FranticMad)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-quiet-can-a-computer-be/109604/32 "2003-02-21T18:34:30Z")
I **love** the video on installing water cooling at [Tom’s Hardware](http://www17.tomshardware.com/howto/20020701/index.html) found on page two of this site. You need the DivX video encoder, available for free from the net. ---
**Author:** ![Balduran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cc9497/32.png) [@Balduran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balduran)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-quiet-can-a-computer-be/109604/33 "2003-02-21T18:41:58Z")
If you don’t have the frequencies and phases matched exactly, you could get some pretty annoying beat frequencies I imagine. Thank for this link **NurseCarmen** , it has inspiored me to put some racing fins on my computer! Without spending more than $20, what would you do to noise dampen your computer? ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-quiet-can-a-computer-be/109604/34 "2003-02-21T20:50:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Balduran \* > \*\*If you don’t have the frequencies and phases matched exactly, you could get some pretty annoying beat frequencies I imagine. \*\* Instead of an annoying whine, you’ll get an even more annoying throbbing! ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-quiet-can-a-computer-be/109604/35 "2003-02-21T20:56:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Balduran \* > \*\*…Without spending more than $20, what would you do to noise dampen your computer? \*\* ear plugs ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-quiet-can-a-computer-be/109604/36 "2003-02-21T20:57:19Z")
[http://www.quietpc.com/](http://www.quietpc.com/) ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-quiet-can-a-computer-be/109604/37 "2003-02-21T21:06:58Z")
> [@](#): > > ## quote: > > ## Originally posted by Balduran …Without spending more than $20, what would you do to noise dampen your computer? > > ear plugs Or a hammer. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-quiet-can-a-computer-be/109604/38 "2003-02-21T21:11:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by NurseCarmen \* > \*\*Or a hammer. \*\* 😃 😃 Definitely thinking outside the box! ---
**Author:** ![Balduran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cc9497/32.png) [@Balduran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balduran)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-quiet-can-a-computer-be/109604/39 "2003-02-21T21:23:12Z")
Got ourselsves a couple of wise-acres 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-quiet-can-a-computer-be/109604/40 "2003-02-21T21:59:42Z")
Wouldn’t it be easier to keep the computer itself in a different room from the keyboard, screen, and mouse? Put it in a refrigerated soundproofed closet and forget about it. Bring your cables through the wall via a small conduit. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-quiet-can-a-computer-be/109604.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-quiet-can-a-computer-be/109604.md?page=3)