The purpose of this opus is not to convey the light of my great knowledge to the poorly educated people around me and not to boast about how tough I have (this is a controversial statement in principle), as for some reason some people think, who immediately begin to declare - “I already knew that” ( I knew - okay, little guy, take a pie from the shelf...), but simply an attempt to collect in one place some useful tricks that I found on the Internet or, independently of others, came up with myself in recent years.

I should also note that, although I am not an ardent opponent of liquid cooling systems, I still fundamentally do not use them in my designs, considering them not reliable enough (a couple of friends had a sad experience... although, of course, there is also a positive one, but after seeing a couple of times what a leaking fitting or water block can lead to, you begin to think about it) or rather expensive solutions when using truly high-quality components.. In the end, I quite easily achieve an acceptable noise level for ME using Air-cooled components only. Therefore, too, there is no need to unsubscribe in the style of “the article is awesome, dropsy rules.” This is not about that..

1. Mechanical modification of the body

Well, you still can’t make candy out of shit, but you can at least try.. If you don’t have the desire/opportunity to work with your hands, but have some free money, then we go to the store and buy a quality one (not a show-off, but a high-quality one, otherwise the price usually the same) body. But we are not looking for easy ways. So, the main test subject is Cooler Master Centurion 5. Why him? Because:

Among the hidden shortcomings, it is necessary to note the critical distance between the shelf supporting the power supply and the top of the case - 86mm. PSUs with a height of 85mm always fit freely, but those with a height of 86mm can fit in with some interference, as was the case with the FSP last time. Although the fact that the power supply unit’s height may have been too high by a couple of tens could have played a role here. In any case, 87-88mm would be clearly better. The remaining shortcomings are typical for cases of this type and price. These are the ones we have to fight with.

- - - first - - -

So. What we start with is completely removing the fan grilles. It’s clear that they were made with the best intentions (I’ve experienced a couple of times what it’s like to get a 12cm Scythe 1600 on your fingers - the blades on it are also sharpened to reduce noise. What if it’s 2500-3000 rpm?), but the implementation, to put it mildly, leaves much to be desired... Why are lattices SO bad? There are two main points here:

Firstly, their permeability to the air flow from the fan is from 40 to 60 percent (relative to the flow from the free fan). What plays a role here is simply the ratio of the area of ​​the holes to the area of ​​the fan opening and the effect of reflecting back, from the grille, part of the air flow and, with its help, disrupting the main flow. You bring your hand to the running fan from the suction side and you can clearly feel the reverse flow of reflected air along the periphery of the blades..

Secondly, flow turbulence on such grids creates a significant level of additional noise (as if the noise of the motor and impeller is not enough for us). Moreover, the sharp edges of the grid holes aggravate the effect of flow disruption. Therefore, down with the bars.

For those who do not believe in the need to remove the grilles, I recommend conducting a simple experiment to evaluate the air flow and noise level from the fan in a free state (holding it in your hand), and what happens to these parameters when the working cooler approaches the case grille (outside or inside - it doesn’t matter).
There are several ways:

In this case, it is highly desirable to make not just a round hole, but to follow the inner contour of the fan fairing - a kind of octagon with 4 convex edges. This will ensure maximum air flow and minimal (or rather, its complete absence) additional noise from the edges of the hole cut in the body.

In principle, it is quite possible to find the correct gratings on sale (made of polished wire, see photo).

- - - f e r t h e r t o e - - -

/optional, only if the case has fairly hot elements/

It is likely that the standard option (air intake through the front fan / in my case also through all the free 5.25 compartments through a filter / and exhaust through the power supply fan and rear fan) may simply not be enough. Then you will have to work a little more with a jigsaw. So what does experience say? And experience says that the best place to vent air is the top side of the computer case. Therefore, we can easily make a hole there for a 12cm cooler.

When cutting holes for them, I personally had a dilemma - either cut in such a way that the holes of both standard grilles in the side wall “disappeared” (but then the flow to the CPU cooler does not go coaxially), or focus on the processor cooler, but it didn’t turn out pretty. I chose the first option, convincing myself that some of the air that did not reach the CPU would end up on the northbridge heatsink and memory. A pair of grilles from some ancient car speakers was chosen as dust filters. It was chosen, in fact, for its size, high-quality perforation of the grille and the presence of a very fine synthetic mesh inside. Unfortunately, at the same time, I was once again convinced that you can’t bring anything close to a running fan, turbulence immediately arises and the air flow becomes audible. Scythe Minebea, which operated almost silently, became noticeably noisy when the grilles were installed, and the air flow noticeably decreased. Actually, now it is they who determine the noise level of my computer, although not high, but quite noticeable at night half a meter away from it. And, by the way, a pair of hemispherical strainers with a diameter of 15 cm, covered with stocking, which I tried to use as an experiment, behaved absolutely ideally, in terms of noise. To my deep regret, installing them specifically on my computer was impossible - from its left wall to the wall of the secretary where it stands is only 3-4 cm. It's a pity.

2. Installation of case fans

Well, the holes for the fans are prepared, let's proceed to installation. Axiom - ALL fans vibrate during operation, respectively, hold one in your hand, and after attaching it to the case, we get an increase in the noise level, firstly, due to an increase in the vibrating surface, and secondly, due to the possible resonance of the case with the vibration frequency of the fan at a certain frequency rotation, if you're especially lucky. Therefore, you need to somehow “separate” the fan from the case by hanging it on something vibration-absorbing. Having tried many methods, I came to one - mounting on homemade silicone bushings. It was not invented by me, the idea itself was gleaned from the Internet. By the way, if you received such bushings complete with a fan, you are lucky. And we’ll talk about making it yourself, especially since it, in my opinion, is extremely simple.

First you need a tube of silicone, the color doesn’t matter. Perhaps you can use silicone in tubes, as in the second photo, I didn’t try it, it was unnecessary.

Then some kind of flat surface that you don’t mind - a piece of glass, a sheet of thick paper, I used a plastic cover from something. We smear this thing with some kind of lubricant that does not dissolve in the silicone plasticizer, and we don’t rub it, but just smear it, you definitely need to have 0.1 mm, otherwise it might displace the lubricant and stick. I use lithol, some say you can even use butter, the author of the idea used silicone spray. We cut off the spout of the tube with sealant, including the thread for the protective cap (the hole is responsible for the final diameter of the silicone sleeve being squeezed out), the diameter of the outlet hole should be 5-5.5 mm (since it is unlikely to be possible to screw the protective cap onto the tube without cutting off the thread, for plugging we use or a screw/bolt of suitable diameter (M5-M6) or wrap it and seal it with a piece of wide tape). Unfortunately, it’s difficult to milk anything out of this tube just like that, you also need a special “gun” (in the third photo), you end up spending a lot (the hefty tube itself + the gun), so if you don’t have the opportunity to get these things, so to speak, “for rent” “for free, then it’s better to cooperate with someone when buying (on the other hand, it’s who’s earnings...). In general, carefully squeeze silicone sausages onto the resulting oiled surface (the author of the idea called them “icicles,” obviously because he used a transparent sealant) with a length of 2.5 cm, but preferably 5-6 cm (without a “spout”), not forgetting to pull the tube a little at the end without squeezing out the mass, to obtain a conical spout 2-2.5 cm long. For him, this thing will need to be pulled through the holes of the fan and the computer case.

Let it dry for at least 24 hours, preferably 48. Remove from the oily surface and wipe. If they cannot be removed, use a razor (sharp knife) and cut them off from the surface. The fact that they are not completely round does not matter at all. They are installed like this: we insert the pulled spout into the ear of the fan and, pulling it, stretch the silicone sausage to the desired place. After preparing all 4 ears, we insert the noses into the holes of the case and pull them one by one until a gap between the fan and the case is 1-2mm. We cut off the excess. If the sausages are long enough, then using their remains it is quite possible to install another fan.

In principle, you can also pay attention to the profile of the plastic braces that secure the engine itself and the fan impeller inside the fairing. Decent fans have them either round or, at worst, square with rounded edges. If the edges are clearly rectangular, then in principle you can bring them with a small file to a more or less rounded state. So to speak, the fight for every little thing.

3. Installing hard drives

Cases in this regard come with a longitudinally located HDD basket or one across the case. In my opinion, the first option is preferable, because... in the vast majority of cases it allows you to get “free” extras. cooling of the screws by a fan from the “face” of the case. On the side of the second option there is more space for long video and other cards, and it is also convenient to replace the hard drive. To be honest, it's not impressive. Regarding the first point - modern cases usually provide for the installation of long cards without support in the HDD cage, and the second is not an argument for me at all, I access hard drives no more than once 1-2 years.

Axiom - ALL hard drives vibrate. Some are larger, others are smaller, some are completely imperceptible (especially when you hold them in your hands), but they all vibrate. Accordingly, these vibrations, in the case of a standard screw or screwless fastening, are transmitted to the body and, due to the increased area and possible resonance, sometimes become very audible. If you got a case with an HDD mounted in a basket through rubber or silicone bushings, you don’t have to read further - you’re in luck. If not... A little higher I told you how to dampen vibrations in the case, but unfortunately this does not always help. You can, of course, stick more vibration absorber on the hard drive cage, but as I have seen, this will definitely help only in the case of one hard drive. If there are more of them, and even of the same type, then a situation of low-frequency resonant beats is quite likely. I encountered something similar on my last case when installing a couple of Samsungs. The screws, which behaved completely quietly when tested one at a time, seemed to go crazy in pairs and the floating vibrations were such that I periodically had something rattling on the table in the keyboard.

First option, is now a little outdated, unfortunately, due to changes in the design of the bulk of the buildings. But maybe someone will find it useful or give some other useful idea. So, please love and favor - suspension of hard drives using vibration-absorbing sheet material.

Plus one more nuance - modern power supplies like to be equipped with a fan 12-14 cm in diameter, but with ONE fan. What happens is the following (usually very noticeable at low speeds), the air blown by the fan “hits” the elements inside the power supply and is reflected from them back into the fan. He categorically does not want to turn into a narrow gap, and even at 90 degrees. In a critical case, there is almost a circulation of the same air - the fan seems to be working, but the temperature is rising, and there is not even any exhaust from the rear grille of the power supply unit. It turns out that despite its enormous size, the fan diligently blows perpendicular to the required direction and does not achieve much (although it does, of course). That's why. If there is such a possibility (space inside the power supply allows), it is highly advisable to install additional modules in it. 80mm cooler on the rear wall, blow-out. The air flow through the power supply increases noticeably. If it is possible to install additional There is no fan inside - put it outside, usually this is quite possible. It may not look very good, but it helps a lot. Also, if this is possible in your version of the computer case, but, for example, a large cooler on the processor may interfere, you need to move the main power supply fan outside. Those. secure it outside the power supply inside the case. This will increase the distance between the fan and the power supply elements by 25-30 millimeters and, accordingly, the air flow will be able to more or less normalize. As a result, the ventilation of the power supply will improve (even without an additional fan on the rear wall), the turbulent noise on the elements of the power supply board will decrease, and perhaps it will still be possible to install an additional one. 80mm fan inside the PSU case (since sometimes it is the main fan that interferes with its installation and nothing else, like the example of FSP Optima xx-80GLN or Epsilon).

a little about the noise...

The terms "acceptable noise level", "low noise level" or "virtually inaudible" used in this article are completely subjective. I made such assessments with the windows and vents closed, the TV and radio turned off, and the absence of unnecessary noise from neighbors and the street. However, I live in a panel "Khrushchev" building, there are no double-glazed windows in the windows (but there are frames from 40 years ago) and the standard industrial noise of the outskirts of the city is fully present - the road is 150m behind the houses, the train is 500m and there is a lot of greenery, and In spring-summer-autumn it tends to rustle when the wind is strong enough. That. If I write “practically inaudible”, it is quite possible that someone else will be quite audible. According to indirect estimates (by the method, so to speak, of comparison with different devices that have a noise level specified by the manufacturer from a distance of 1 m), the background noise in my room in the summer, under the above conditions, is in the range of 32-34 dBA. Accordingly, devices with a noise level below 27-29 dBA per meter or more are practically inaudible... Therefore, since I completely stop hearing the noise of the system unit from 8 m (lucky, this is the maximum distance that can be obtained in the line of sight in my apartment) it means the noise at this distance is approximately 33-3 = 30dBA, then we get - 4m +6dBA, 2m +12dBA and 1m +18dBA. The approximate noise of the block under the hairy cube and TAT (at the same time, the coolers on the side wall and the video card are turned up to maximum, and they are the noisiest) is 47-49 dB at a distance of 1 m. In the “Internet” mode, I think it’s 5-6 dBA less... In any case, with the window open for summer, against the backdrop of the street, you can’t hear it at all from half a meter away, unless you really listen. But I have 5 Carlsons in the case alone, 2 more in the power supply and, finally, one each on the CPU and 8800GTX

For reference, a little more general information about such a concept as noise level (I hope no one will be offended by a small educational program):

First of all, it should be noted that when measuring noise, dB have, as it would be more correct to say, a power character, where a change in noise intensity by 2 times corresponds to 3 db ( 10 log10(P2/P1)), and they should not be confused with the calculation of level differences for non-power quantities (for example, voltage or current), where a change in value by 2 times corresponds 6 db ( 20 log10(U2/U1)). In principle, in the simplest case, those who know the formula for calculating the power on a load from the voltage and current in it will understand what’s going on here. In general, we assume that 3 bells in power = 6 bells in voltage. This is to say just in case, so as not to confuse the formulas for calculating the noise level of ULF and a fan.. An approximate table of noise intensity ratios:

• 1 dB = 1.25 times
• 3 dB = 2 times
• 6 dB = 4 times
• 9 dB = 8 once
• 10 dB = 10 once
• 20 dB = 100 once
• 30 dB = 1000 once

The addition (subtraction) of dB values ​​corresponds to the multiplication (division) of the ratios themselves. Negative dB values ​​correspond to inverse ratios. For example, reducing power by 40 times is 4*10 times or -6dB-10dB=-16dB. An increase in power by 128 times is 2^7 or 3dB*7=21dB. An increase in voltage by 4 times is equivalent to an increase in power by 4*4=16 times, this is 2^4 or 3dB*4=12dB.

Further, our ear perceives sounds differently that have the same level of intensity, but different frequencies: sounds with low and high frequencies seem quieter than mid-frequency sounds of the same intensity. Because of this, when measuring noise levels, the uneven sensitivity of the human ear to sounds of different frequencies must be modulated using special frequency filters, measuring the so-called weighted sound level. The value obtained as a result of measurements has the dimension dBA. Here the letter A means that the weighted sound level was obtained using a type A frequency filter, which is the most common for this type of measurement.

At the same time, there is another problem - a person is not a measuring device and it is quite possible to introduce some scale of subjectivity of perception of noise level (for a normal, average person) based on the property of the ear’s adaptability to noise intensity:

• 1 dBA - the limit of audibility of a change in volume (such a change in sound level can only be noticed if its source changes intensity quite sharply, preferably instantly, with a smooth change in intensity of 1-2 seconds or more, it becomes indistinguishable for the vast majority of people)
• 3 dBA - a confidently discernible change (discernible even with a smooth change in intensity over 4-6 seconds)
• 6 dBA - a significant change (even a smooth increase in intensity over a couple of tens of seconds is not capable of confusing anyone)
• 10 dBA - a subjective change in volume by half (an absolutely clear difference, i.e., after an hour entering a room with a noise level that has increased by 10 dBA, you will immediately say that it has become noisier)

Well, a couple more passages on the topic of noise, so to speak for reference:

In accordance with Moscow city sanitary standards, noise in an apartment from 7 am to 11 pm should not exceed 40 dBA, and from 11 pm to 7 am - 30 dBA since, according to research, a person is not bothered by noise with a volume of about 40-45 dBA during the day and 35 dBA at night.

It should be noted that, according to studies on experimental volunteers, sleep disturbances in some people begin already at a noise level of 25 dBA (!). When the noise level increases to 40 dBA, 10% of people wake up, and at 50 dBA, 50% have interrupted sleep.

The weakening of noise with increasing distance occurs in a geometric progression, i.e. if we have a noise source with an intensity of 40 dBA at a distance of 1 m from it, then at a distance of 2 m the noise intensity will drop by 2x2 = 4 times (6 dBA) and become 34 dBA, and at a distance of 4 m by 4 x 4 = 16 times (12 dBA) = 28 dBA. Heh.., so I’m now sleeping with a noise intensity of a little more than 40 dBA. In winter, perhaps, this will no longer be masked by the noise outside the open window...

All subsequent additions to this article will be made only to the original version located on my website

Or calm down an existing one.

How to make your own quiet computer

It is necessary to say right away what to draw up quiet and at the same time very high-performance computer based on a budget case, it won’t be the fastest. And there is no particular reason to save 100 - 120 $ when the total cost of the system unit is 1000 - 1500 $. It is understood that it is necessary to reduce the noise of the system unit, which consumes 80 - 160 watts. Subsequently, we will only talk about a budget case, which together with the power supply costs $20 - $30. There are many types of these cases, but from a cooling point of view they differ only in the likelihood of installing a front fan.

Sources of noise

A desktop computer has only two constant sources of noise: fans and hard drives (HDD). The resonator of this speaker system is a thin-walled metal casing. The easiest way to reduce fan noise is to reduce the speed of the propellers. Reducing HDD noise will require a serious change in the design of the case.

Case

To minimize fan noise, it is advisable to consider the cooling system before purchasing a case, unless of course you have already purchased one. The arrows in the photo show the directions of air flows, which are easy to create inside the system unit cases.

Air flows in system units

1 - power supply fan, 2 - processor fan, 3 - HDD fan

1 - power supply fan, 2 - processor fan, 3 - video card fan, 4 - front HDD fan.

Which case to choose for the system unit?

It is best if you can choose a case with the ability to install a front fan. This case allows you to easily reduce the HDD temperature by 10-15 degrees without a significant increase in noise. It should be borne in mind that reducing the temperature of the HDD by 10 degrees approximately doubles its resource.

Video card

How to choose a video card based on ease of cooling? As an example, I will give cooling options for an inexpensive Radeon 2600Pro video card. Most video cards are available in several versions, with active and passive cooling.

Passively cooled graphics cards are a little more expensive, but do not include a high-speed, small-sized fan, which not only produces noise, but also requires more frequent maintenance than larger fans. The main thing when choosing a video card is to pay attention to the position of the radiator. The fact is that video cards with passive cooling and, accordingly, radiators installed on them come in two types: some are designed for vertical installation, others for horizontal installation. The photos show the same video card with different cooling options.

1 - with active cooling, 2 - for vertical installation, 3 - suitable for horizontal installation, but in most cases, the heatsink will block the nearby PCI(E) connector, 4 - best suited for horizontal installation. The most suitable video card with a passive cooling system for installation in a vertical case is number 4.

Fans

How to choose fans? Fans vary in efficiency, noise level and the bearings they use. But, if you can pay a little extra for the first two indicators, then with bearings the situation is different. There are two types of bearings - ball bearings and plain bearings. The fact is that ball bearings are more expensive, but they can also turn out to be quite noisy after a year - another job.

In addition, during wear, the noise of ball bearings increases more than that of plain bearings. Sliding bearings, with periodic lubrication, can last for many years, and their noise level will not change much. Fortunately, buying a fan with ball bearings does not threaten us, since they are not used in budget fans, even if the seller swears to you that this is the case.

Also, you may be offered case fans with so-called hydro bearings. You shouldn’t overpay for this either, since these are the same sliding bearings, the bushings of which have grooves that improve oil access to the rubbing surfaces. The only problem is that usually bearings begin to wear out not because the oil is not delivered to the friction points, but because of insufficient precision in the manufacture of bearings, rotor eccentricity, due to the lack (drying) of lubricant or a change in its properties during the process. operation. Another “improvement” that increases fan prices is the so-called electromagnetic clutch. It is believed that this thick metal washer, using a magnetic field, holds the shaft and thus reduces bearing wear.

Everything would be fine, but this washer significantly shortens the length of the bearing, which cannot affect its service life. And you shouldn’t overpay for this either. And one last thing. If you move the impeller by the edges with your fingers, you can easily determine the presence of play in the bearing. The amount of play is inversely proportional to the bearing life. The initial choice of a fan can also be made based on appearance. Quieter fans tend to have more aerodynamic impeller blades and lower current consumption. For identical models, current consumption can serve as a proxy for performance and noise. Typically, the current consumption of inexpensive 80 mm low-noise fans is in the range of 0.1 - 0.15 Ampere, and 120 mm - 0.15 - 0.25 Ampere. Here are some labels from budget fans. For all fans, the supply voltage is 12 Volts, but the current consumption is different for different models.

The following picture shows two 80 mm fans purchased at the same price. On the right is a quieter one, but less efficient.

Buying a fan

Case fans can range in price from 2 to 10 dollars and more, but among inexpensive models you can choose not very noisy ones. All fans indicate current consumption. Noise level data is provided for some models. However, in any case, it is better to hear and feel once than to see many times. :) In order to evaluate the performance, noise and vibration of a particular fan, just take a pre-assembled circuit with a connector at the end to the store. By comparing different models and even copies, you can choose fairly quiet fans. When testing, you need to hold the fan in your hand, then you can evaluate the amount of vibration of the case.

Assignment of contacts (pinout) of connectors for different fans.

The beginning of the numbering is marked with a unit, both on the fan connector and next to the connector installed on the motherboard.

Two-wire: 1 - “-” power supply 2 - “+” power supply Three-wire: 1 - “-” power supply 2 - “+” power supply 3 - speed sensor Four-wire 1 - “-” power supply 2 - “+” power supply 3 - speed sensor 4 - speed control If the motherboard has four-pin connectors for connecting fans, this means that the motherboard can change the speed of the propellers depending on the temperature. Typically, this requires installing the appropriate utility or enabling the desired function in the BIOS.

Changing the fan blade speed

The supply voltage for all fans is 12 Volts. The easiest way to reduce the noise generated by fans is to reduce the speed of the propellers. To do this, just connect the ballast resistor in series with the fan. To select the required resistance and power of the resistor, it is enough to assemble the following circuit.

Having selected a suitable variable resistor value, you can calculate the required power for it. The power of the resistor will be equal to: W=A*U Where: W is the required power of the resistor in Watts, A is the current flowing through the resistor in Amperes, U is the voltage across the resistor in Volts. Although, you can do it easier. Simply measure the resistance of the variable resistor R1 and replace it with a constant one of the same resistance. The power of the constant resistor can be selected in accordance with the current indicated on the fan label: 0.05 - 0.1A - 0.5 Watt, 0.1 - 0.2A - 1 Watt 0.2 - 0.3A - 2 Watt At the same time, reduce the voltage on a fan, lower than 6 volts is not recommended, since a budget fan may not start at lower supply voltages.

In addition, if the voltage drops significantly, the fan lubrication should be inspected, especially if there is any suspicion. For example, if the fan makes strange sounds or starts hesitantly when the supply voltage is low. To preserve the original connectors on the motherboard and fan, you can make adapters of a similar design. Adapters are also convenient because they allow you to change ballast resistors without removing fans, which can be useful when setting up a cooling system.

You can use any suitable connectors, the main thing is not to confuse the polarity. Connectors from old Soviet televisions and cassette recorders are suitable. Several examples of installing ballast resistors.

1. Installing a ballast resistor in the power supply without using a connector (many budget units do not have this connector).
2. Installing a ballast resistor on a video card with alteration of the original connector.
3. Installing a ballast resistor using an adapter while fully maintaining the original connectors.

Power supply unit (PSU)

To reduce the speed of the propeller of the power supply, you will have to disassemble the power supply. At the same time, you can install a power filter, which most likely will not be in your budget unit. If the power supply fan remains too noisy even after reducing the supply voltage or its performance becomes insufficient to maintain the temperature in a reasonable range, then a quieter model should be installed in its place. To reduce air flow resistance, you should bend the partitions in the stamped windows of the power supply housing.

Hull alteration

First, let's talk about what it's for. Once, while checking the reading quality of a hard drive using a program that showed the reading process in real time, I decided to tap with a pencil on the body of the system unit, to which the hard drive was screwed, as it should be based on the design of the case. It turned out that each such blow is accompanied by an increase in the time it takes to read blocks. Impacts, even the most insignificant ones, on the hard drive itself led to a whole fan of poorly readable blocks. But many computer desks are designed in such a way that it is in mechanical contact with the table, which sometimes requires you to hit it with your fist.

In the case of installing two hard drives, interference noise caused by the beating of the spindle frequencies of these hard drives is also added. These beats are in the region of low and infra-low frequencies. And if low frequencies in the region of 20 - 50 Hertz can simply irritate, then infra-low frequencies can depress the nervous system and have a detrimental effect on a person’s internal organs. So, by using an elastic suspension for hard drives, we kill two birds with one stone: firstly, we reduce unpleasant noise, and secondly, we protect the hard drives from external mechanical influences. To make room for elastic hangers and prevent the hard drive from touching the walls, you will have to rearrange the two load-bearing walls of the case to which the hard drives are attached. To do this, we first remove from the center of the rivets the remains of the pins (I don’t know what these things are called correctly), with the help of which they were flared.

Then we cut off the flared part and knock out what is left.

We mark and drill holes so that the distance between the walls increases by 20 - 30 mm. We select the diameter of the holes depending on the available fasteners. We attach the walls to the body. In the photo the fastener is M2.5mm.

Now we install the front fan. If the front wall of the system unit is not removable, and this is what usually happens in budget units, then you can secure the fan with an elastic band. The ends of the rubber band must be inserted into the gap at the bottom between the case and the front panel, and then threaded through the holes in the case and the corresponding holes in the fan.

Then, you should pull the elastic band over the remaining loop and secure it at the bottom of the block. The design is not very aesthetic, but it makes it easy to remove and install the fan when you need to replace the lubricant in it. Number one in the figure indicates the front fan, and number two indicates sections of vinyl chloride tube that prevent damage to the elastic suspensions, which will be discussed below.

To attach the hard drives, you will need to cut hangers from porous rubber or other sufficiently elastic material. The photo shows that the pendants have two rows of holes for attaching to the system unit case. This is due to the fact that the holes in the hard drive case are located asymmetrically with respect to their center of gravity. Different lengths of the hangers compensate for this asymmetry so that the hard drives are located parallel to the bottom of the system unit. If a front fan is used, then it is advisable to adjust the length of the hangers so that the hard drives are located symmetrically with respect to the fan, for more uniform cooling.

We fasten the hard drives to the walls, having previously placed pieces of vinyl chloride tube on the legs protruding from the walls. A very important detail that the author did not take into account. A significant static charge accumulates on the case of a working hard drive; if it is not grounded, the electronics of the hard drive can be damaged. With a traditional hard drive mounting, the charge goes through the metal screws to the case. Therefore, I recommend adding a copper wire bare on both sides to the hangers, each end of which is slipped under the heads of the screws. PS: By the way, you don’t have to worry about redesigning the case, just hanging the HDD in the 5.25 bay.

Temperature measurement

To objectively assess the quality of the cooling system, you will need electronic thermometers. Some computer components, such as the central processor, video card processor, HDD, have built-in temperature sensors. However, you should not limit yourself to just this data. For example, if the processor's heatsink temperature is only 35 degrees, then it is hardly worth blowing it harder, regardless of the temperature of the crystal. And vice versa, if the sensor shows a temperature of 60 degrees, and you measured the same temperature on the radiator, then you should think about blowing it.

Budget power supplies do not have a temperature sensor at all, or I don’t know how to take readings from it. Samsung hard drives show a low temperature, and the error varies depending on the temperature value. By touching the probe of an electronic thermometer to the cooling radiators, you can measure the temperature of the latter. In order to measure the temperature of the power supply heatsink, you need to insert the thermometer probe through the rear grille.

Adjusting the cooling system

First, turn off all fans and turn on quiet computer, you need to monitor the temperature increase. For example, some configurations based on Pentium and Celeron third models could work with passive cooling. However, the design of a budget power supply is not suitable for operation in the absence of forced cooling. Therefore, in any case, we will need at least one case fan.

If the only fan is the power supply fan, then all the intake air must pass through the front openings of the system unit and exit through the outlet openings of the power supply outside the case. And vice versa, if this fan is a front fan, then the case of the system unit must be sealed, and all the air pumped by the fan must exit through the outlet of the power supply unit. But you should remember that then, when you remove the cover from the system unit, the power supply may overheat. An example of sealing a system unit using celluloid.

When reducing air flow, under conditions of maximum load and maximum room temperature, you need to measure the temperature of the radiators. You should not raise the temperature higher for: HDD - 40C CPU, VGA, PSU - 50C (meaning the temperature of the radiators) The temperature of the crystals may be higher. Crystals of silicon semiconductor devices normally tolerate temperatures of 80 and even 100 degrees, but the reliability of the elements surrounding them decreases sharply. Therefore, what is important is not the temperature of the crystal, which we measure with a “thermometer” built into the crystal, but the temperature of the radiator, from which the surrounding parts are heated. Of course, if there is thermal conductive paste between the processors and radiators.

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“The need for invention is cunning,” says the old proverb, and computer enthusiasts have never complained about a lack of creativity. Unusual computer cases are one of the manifestations of developed imagination and resourcefulness. These people are not stopped by the fact that after purchasing suitable hardware there was no available funds for a housing for it. “Kulibins” prove that a lack of funds is not an obstacle when assembling a computer. This material about cool PC cases is dedicated to the creations of such creative people.

I bought a case, but didn’t have enough for hardware

There are also situations when you have a high-quality case at hand, but there is nothing to put in it. What to do in such a situation? You can find a set of iron “from the time of dinosaurs” at a flea market, but not everyone will like this approach. Such components make noise, collect dust, consume electricity, and can even break at the wrong time.

American enthusiasts have developed a Raspberry Pi mini-computer, priced at about $30, which is slightly larger in size than a credit card. The board of this little thing contains a filling comparable to that of an average smartphone, and when installing the Linux OS, such a PC can be used for watching movies, surfing the Internet and other simple tasks. In the example given, just such a computer is installed in a desktop PC case.

The supermarket will help us

Do you have access to old fruit containers at the supermarket or green market? Then you can make a cool PC case for just a hundred rubles. A potato box, some cable ties, and the case is ready.

This PC can be called an example of minimalism and ingenuity rolled into one, but there are stranger computer cases.

All my life I dreamed of a laptop

Do you want a powerful laptop, but you don’t have enough money, and taking out a loan is not an option? Then a toolbox and a matrix from an LCD monitor come to the rescue. A little ingenuity, and with a flick of the wrist the whole thing turns into a laptop.

Of course, in terms of weight, such a machine will be 2 times heavier than a laptop, and you also need to carry the keyboard and mouse with you. But, of course, this example deserves a place in the selection of the most unusual computer cases.

Making an iMac with your own hands

Apple computers are not cheap, and Lenovo all-in-one computers, although they cost less, are also more expensive than a desktop. But what if you want an all-in-one PC? You can tighten your belt and save up for an iMac, or you can just take the stuffing from a laptop with a broken screen and a desktop monitor. A little double-sided tape, a couple of screws - and we meet the new iMac model.

For a complete ambience, all that is missing is a bitten apple, as well as a silver color. But this is not a problem either: a trip to the building materials store (for a can of silver) and the grocery store (for a kilogram of apples) can solve the problem. At the same time, vitamins into the body after a long winter.

Another example of how to make a candy bar with your own hands.

Second life of a cardboard box

In the era of the development of online stores, a huge amount of packaging containers in which purchases are delivered gradually accumulates in everyone’s home. Sometimes it’s a shame to throw away good boxes, and the space in the pantry quickly runs out. You can breathe a second life into the box by using it as a PC case. This is especially rational if the brand new hardware in it came from the store.

This approach is very popular among the people; the Internet is replete with pictures showing such unusual computer cases.

If you don’t have time to do handicrafts or if you forgot all the skills learned in labor lessons in elementary school immediately after graduating from school, you don’t even have to bother with scissors and tape.

And so it will do. And even like this:

Subtle and tasteful

Sometimes unusual computer cases can pleasantly surprise you. Sometimes this is the fruit of careful work, and in terms of price they are comparable to factory models.

The production of such a case, made in the spirit of minimalism, probably cost several hundred rubles per plexiglass. And considering that all the parts were neatly fitted, the owner also spent more than one hour working on it.

And this is actually a masterpiece, and making such a cool PC case definitely cost the craftsman a pretty penny.

Poor fish

Effective heat dissipation and a stylish look rolled into one also deserve a place in the selection of unusual computer cases. We can only hope that the owner purchased the aquarium specifically for the PC, and the fish did not have to set off on a free voyage.

By the way, if someone wants to repeat this step, they need to take into account that water cannot be poured as a liquid. For these purposes, synthetic or mineral oil, for example, transformer oil, is optimal. In any case, the liquid must be electrically inert.

Computer in a canister

Another example of using outdated containers, this time plastic. Such a machine would fit seamlessly into some fuel warehouse or car service center. There, such a strange computer case would not stand out against the background of the general situation.

Cooling is never too much

This was probably the slogan that guided the owner of this strange computer case made entirely of fans. But such a large number of turntables consume quite a lot; they probably require another power supply. And one can only imagine the noise that rises in the room when such a monster is turned on.

Once and for all

This is exactly what you can call such an unusual computer case. Polyurethane foam is very difficult to remove from surfaces, and if any part fails, you will have to sweat to get to it.

By the way, this is another example of recycling vegetable boxes.

For those who are tired of constant laptop overheating

It seems that the owner of this laptop is tired of constantly cleaning his computer from dust, regularly changing thermal paste and dealing with overheating. Otherwise, why else would there be a need to install a powerful water cooling system on a laptop.

True, it is difficult to call such a design a laptop, because we are not talking about any mobility. That is why this masterpiece of “engineering” was included in the selection of the strangest computer cases.

In today’s article we will try to talk about what techniques can be used to improve ventilation and reduce noise levels even in the simplest and most inexpensive housing.

When thinking about the experimental specimen, our choice fell on CHENBRO Xpider II , since its low price and very stylish appearance attract a considerable number of computer enthusiasts. However, the cooling efficiency of the components installed inside it is not very high and falls a little short of matching its appearance.

What we will need to improve it?

Firstly, these are aluminum slats or corners. You can purchase them at any construction or hardware store. In our case, we acted even more economically - we used the slides from the broken retractable shelf for the keyboard. On the farm, as they say, everything comes in handy.

Secondly, this is a plastic or metal mesh from acoustic speakers. Technically, it is not very necessary, but if the appearance of your case is important to you, then you should take the choice of this part seriously - it will be in plain sight.

In addition to the primary parts, the following tools will be useful to us:

• 2 screwdrivers – slotted (flat) and figured (phillips);
• electric or hand drill;
• hacksaw for metal;
• file and sandpaper;
• wire cutters and pliers;
• some rubber from an old car inner tube;
• glue, double-sided tape.

Let's get started

The first technique is the simplest and most accessible to everyone. This is a reduction in the local hydraulic resistance of the hull or, in Russian, an improvement in the “ventilation of the hull”. Now we will try to explain what is behind such clever phrases.

You've probably noticed such technical characteristics as "air flow" and "static pressure" in reviews of fans and coolers. And they mean the following:

air flow - the amount of air that a fan can supply per unit of time;

static pressure is the force with which the fan pushes this same air.

From these definitions we can conclude that even if the fan creates a huge air flow, but has low static pressure, its efficiency will be practically equal to zero, since the supplied air will have too little force to overcome resistance in the form of wires or grilles. Now we come to the main problem - these are stamped grilles on the holes for installing fans.

Yes, it is the stamped grilles that create the main resistance in the path of air movement. If you take a ruler and measure the width of the steel strip, you will find that it is 0.15-0.30 in relation to the gap between them. Consequently, in total these strips cover from 15 to 30% of the area of ​​the hole allocated for ventilation. But, usually, not only horizontal strips are used, but also vertical ones, which in total gives from 25 to 40% of the ventilation hole overlap. Hence the conclusion that this grille reduces the efficiency of the fan installed behind it. In addition, a stamped grate, unlike a grill type grate, has flat, sharp edges, which creates additional noise when air moves.

How to deal with this problem? Yes, it’s very simple - take wire cutters and “bite out” the grate. Next, for safety reasons, we process the cuts with a file.

We get approximately the following result. Now the installed fan can “scoop” air unhindered across the entire diameter of the impeller.

We do the same with the rear grille. Pay attention to the method of attaching the fan to the case - the best method is ordinary screws with nuts. But to reduce vibration and, accordingly, reduce noise, we recommend using small rectangular rubber pads cut from an old camera.

The next step to improve ventilation is to install an additional fan.

Since this case has a very beautiful window on the side cover, we decided not to spoil its appearance by installing an additional fan on the side. So we had to install it in the front.

We carefully remove the metal plugs for the 5.25” compartments (as well as their plastic counterparts on the front panel) and put them aside – they will come in handy later.

So, on the front panel we have significant room for maneuver. We leave the upper compartment unchanged - the DVD drive will be installed there. But we will install an additional 120 mm fan under it.

To install it, we need to cut out metal ears with pliers from one of the seemingly unnecessary plugs for the 5.25” compartment.

Use regular screws and nuts to fasten the ears to the fan.

And through the second hole in the ear we screw the fan into the second 5.25” compartment from the top. There is no need for rubber gaskets, since the fan is actually suspended on springs and its vibration will not be transmitted to the case.

It is worth noting that this arrangement of fans in the case is most effective if the processor is using a tower cooler, such as the Noctua NH-U12P. In such a situation, the cooler on the processor will pick up cold air from the front fan and supply heated air to the rear one. A kind of turbine is formed, or, as people say, a draft.

Note that in the case when a horizontal type cooler is installed on the processor, such as Noctua NH-C12P, then it would be most advisable to install an additional fan on the side cover of the case (although in our case this is problematic) so that it blows cold air as this is done in AeroCool ExtremEngine 3T.

One of the disadvantages of this case is its small height. At first glance this is not noticeable. However, when installing a massive cooler, for example when we installed the Noctua NH-U12P, it became noticeable that the processor cooling system with its oversized radiator came very close to the lower ventilation hole of the power supply and half blocked it. Naturally, this entailed increased heating of the power supply elements and, as a result, an increase in the rotation speed of its fan. Firstly, this is excess noise, and secondly, reducing the service life of the power supply elements is not good.

In order to reduce heat generation inside the case and more efficiently cool the power supply, we decided to move it outside the case.

This is exactly why we need aluminum slats. For our case, the length of the first was 500 mm, the second - 350 mm.

On one side, two small holes need to be drilled on the slats.

And on the other side, stick a couple of strips of double-sided tape. The tape will protect your power supply from scratches and will also dampen vibrations and rattles.

Next, to install the slats, you need to do a little work with a hacksaw and a file. Unfortunately, we cannot give exact dimensions, since the dimensions of the slats and the shape of the body may be different, but the result should be the same as in the picture. The width of the cut hole should be such that the slats laid through it with their flat side come as close as possible to the side walls of the body.

On one of the 5.25” compartments (ours was the second one from the top), we drill 2 small holes.

At the appropriate height, holes are also drilled on the side of the chassis chassis.

Using small self-tapping screws, we fasten both slats, threading them through the hole we cut earlier. The short rail is screwed to the side wall, and the longer one is screwed to the 5.25” compartment.

That's it, we can finish the revision here. All that remains is to assemble the entire system. But this has become a little more difficult to do.

Now you will have to assemble the system like this. First, all the “internals” are installed, and then the power supply. The wires from the power supply must be bundled and pulled through the hole. Holding the power supply with your hand, gradually move it forward and make sure that the wires do not get caught on the cooler or any other element. It is much easier to do this operation together.

When all the wires from the power supply are laid inside the case, it can be carefully placed in the built-up sled and moved close to the back wall of the case (for reliability, you can also secure it with standard screws, but most likely you will have to make new holes for this). We recommend turning the power supply with the fan facing up so that it does not immediately draw in warm air blown out of the case.

Here's what the updated case looks like from the side. To improve the front panel, you can use the mesh mentioned at the beginning of the article. You can give it the desired shape and size using a file, hacksaw and pliers. You can attach it with glue or tape.

The case looks quite nice. Let's see how much better the cooling inside it has become.

Testing

During testing, a Stand for testing Corps was used.

Motherboard	ASUS M2N SLI Deluxe on nForce 570 SLI (AM2, DDR2, ATX)
CPU	AMD Athlon 64 3600+ X2 (ADO3600JAA4CU), AM2
	Akasa AK859 CU for Socket 754/939/940/AM2
RAM	2 x DDR2 800 1024 MB Apacer PC6400
Video card	Gigabyte GV-NX76G256D GeForce 7600GS 256Mb DDR2 PCI-E
HDD	Samsung HD080HJ 80 GB 7200rpm 8 MB SATA-300
Optical drive	ASUS DRW-1814BLT SATA
power unit	Seasonic M12II-500 (SS-500GM Active PFC F3), 500 W

We decided not only to test the cooling in the case before and after modding, but also compare the results with the performance of one of the most efficient cases in terms of cooling - AeroCool ExtremEngine 3T. True, the price of such a case is much higher than the price of CHENBRO Xpider II.

Let's look at the results.

As you can see, the manipulations we performed allowed us to improve the performance in absolutely all criteria. It is worth noting that the modified CHENBRO Xpider II came one big confident step closer to the AeroCool ExtremEngine 3T, although it did not catch up with it.

conclusions

The CHENBRO Xpider II case, even in the basic version, is a very good product, especially considering its low cost, and after a little modification it also shows excellent results in cooling components. From this we can conclude that almost any case, even the cheapest one, can be made to cool the system quite well. Well, there’s nothing to say about the appearance - modding gives you absolute and unlimited power over changing any detail. Paint, glue, cut, and you will definitely find exactly the unique style in which you would like to see your favorite computer. Regarding our experience, we can safely say that, even with a minimum of design imagination, we ended up with a very beautiful and unusual system unit.

Positive effects of moddinha:

• excellent cooling of the power supply;
• original appearance;
• reduction of noise and vibrations;
• conditionally free operation;
• improved ventilation inside the housing.

Negative features:

• increasing the external dimensions of the system unit;
• Requires caution and skill.

It's been literally a year and a half since my last upgrade, though then I replaced almost all system unit, and now I’m not satisfied computer performance .
Now some information about my outdated hardware: Core2Duo 6300 processor with an operating frequency of 1800 Ghz, overclocked to 3000 Ghz with a native cooler that valiantly coped with cooling overclocked processor,2GB of RAM DDR 2 800 Transcend,GigabiteRadeon 1950Pro video card with Zalman cooling - it was very good in its time, and all this stuff was installed on motherboard Gigabite GA-965P-DS3 was the most decent board for those times, for which I can blame it - for the strong heating of the north bridge (I had to install an 80 mm cooler and it became normal) and for periodically resetting the overclocking settings in the BIOS. And also I had: a Seagate 320Gb hard drive, a Philips DVD-RW drive.

I decided to sell the Winchester, but I’m keeping the drive; I liked it.
Well, now let’s talk about what I exchanged all of the above for.

Let's start with choosing a processor. I chose the processor for a long time, I hesitated at first towards Intel, the best option
Core i5 760 2.80 Ghz/8Mb,very good performance for $210, but there are also Phenom 2 X4 925 and if the X4 945 is no longer on sale
there is almost no difference in them; the second one is 200 hz, faster and has a better box, but still I highly recommend replacing it, these
processors cost $137 and $142 respectively, the difference in price is noticeable, but what about performance. Phenom 2 is downgraded a bit
in games, in video encoding and archiving they are equal and lose, but it is not critical in the efficiency of energy consumption. And with elementary
overclocking the Phenom 2 X4 925-945 turns into Phenom 2 X4 965 3.4 Ghz and now the difference in performance compared to Core i5 760
Visible only on test graphs and even then small. That’s why I, as a budget-conscious user, chose the Phenom 2 X4 925, looking ahead I’ll say
that now it works for me at a frequency of 3.5 Ghz at working function Cool & Cuet, that is, in office tasks and the Internet its frequency is
1Ghz.
Now let's see what we have with motherboards. I need high-quality board with a powerful power subsystem I, it is desirable to have radiators to cool this very power subsystem and I found one fee at a fairly affordable price choice
fell on ASUS M4A785TD-V EVO worth $97.

Competing Intel i5 solution Gigabite GA P-55-UD3L is simpler in design and costs more, but overall it is a very high-quality board, priced at $106.

The board I chose has all the necessary connectors, powerful

8+2- phase power subsystem, cooling system
power elements, built-in sound, powerful graphics core (I don’t need it, it might come in handy, like in this system ), four connectors for DDR-3 with frequency up to 1800 MHz ,The board uses long-lasting solid-state capacitors made in Japan. The BIOS has the ability to unlock hidden processor cores Advanced Clock Calibration function.
To summarize the platform choice described above: as a result of choosing an AMD processor, I saved $82.

The cooling system for the processor deserves special attention. For removing excess heat from the processor quite effective
but a quiet cooler, moreover, it should not ruin the budget-conscious user. I chose for my system unit cooler made in Japan Scythe Katana-3 with heat pipes, priced at $30. This model supports almost all types of platforms. Also, the supplied fan has a wide range of rotation speed control - from 300 to 2500 rpm. When set to medium speed, the fan remains very effective and becomes almost silent.

My cooler is installed in such a way that it additionally blows air over the motherboard's batteries. In silent mode, the temperature of my processor overclocked to 3.5 Ghz does not rise above 60 degrees Celsius.
I chose two memory modules Kingston DDR3-1333 2048MB PC3-10600 (KVR1333D3N9/2G) priced at $44.
Total 4GB of RAM costing $88.

Now about the video card, for most people this is the most “delicious” component of the system unit. I play games such as:
Modern Warfare-2, METRO-2033, NFS-Shift, and my wife plays KingBounty, Heroes-5, etc., in general, we actively play modern games.
Which video card has an acceptable price in the context of the economic crisis, as well as a high level of performance?
That's right, it's either Geforce GTS-250 or Radeon 4850, their prices are the same, $100-110, I chose the latter, I like ATI.

It is very important for me that the cooling of the video card is effective under overclocking conditions (well, I like to overclock),
and also quiet, which is why I chose the MSI product with heat pipe cooling, and at a very good price of $100.

The maximum temperature I recorded for this card is 65 degrees Celsius.
To store information, I chose two 500GB hard drives manufactured by Hitachi.
Hitachi Deskstar 7K1000.С 500GB 7200rpm 16MB - I chose them for their affordable price, reliability, and quiet operation.

Price $49 per piece.
Such a system requires high-quality and reliable power supply with a power of at least 500 Watt, also quiet and reasonably priced.
Here's what I chose.

Power supply from FSP Group FSP600-80GLN - A high-quality 600-watt power supply, with a 12-centimeter cooler and high efficiency, suits me quite well. Here are some of the insides for those who like to get inside.