Mobile Computing News

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Whether you’d call it a ‘buzz’ or a ‘whir’ or something else altogether, computers often seem to be making some kind of noise. It might be because they’re old, or they need a new fan – either way, it can be annoying.

Your computer’s airflow

To understand the noises your PC makes, you first need to understand a computer’s airflow. Air is usually drawn in via an intake fan at the front of your PC and expelled through an exhaust fan at the back. This system must not be interfered with.

PC fans push out the airflow. A fan’s sound pressure level is usually specified by the decibel (dB). Some manufacturers also specify fan noise with a measurement known as a ‘sone’ – 1 sone is generally what you need to look out for.

Bigger is better

One of the easiest solutions towards creating a quiet PC is by replacing small fans with larger, slower ones as noise frequency and level will increase with a faster fan speed. It is important that you pay attention to your computer’s temperature. Software like SpeedFan can help you to do this.

Sound proof your PC

Photo: AcoustiPack

Vents are usually found on a case’s back and side panels. This is where a lot of the noise comes from. Kits, like AcoustiPack Lite, supply sound-barrier panels which peel and stick to the inside of the PC. You won’t be able to block all of the noise but it will help a lot. Be careful that you do not block the vents.

Try rubber-to-metal instead of metal-to-metal

Photo: Proline

A PC’s hard drive causes vibrations to the case which produces an annoying sound. For a quick fix, tighten all the screws holding in the drives and then shield the screws with rubber washers. Another option is to enclose the hard drive in a case to muffle the sounds. The AeroCool AVN-1000 is a passive hard drive cooler and can help you here.

You might not be hearing crickets just yet…

These measures will cut down a great deal of noise and help to create a silent PC but there will still be some noise which is harder to fix. The CPU heat sink’s fan also creates a lot of noise. This can be fixed by using a water cooling kit. It is possible to create a completely silent PC, but this requires money and effort.

Whatever fixes you make, always remember not to obstruct the airflow. Apply these fairly simple steps and you should have your PC purring in no time.