WTB: WinUAE PC Core i5 DEAD QUIET

[ChaosLord]

I need a powerful core i5 pc so that I can use it for running WinUAE at a decent speed.  I actually want to buy 2 of these machines.  1 for running WinUAE + Chrome or Firefox and another for watching movies.

The computer must be DEAD QUIET.  I don't mind underclocking it in the BIOS.

A computer that makes noise is a failure.

I have no idea how to shop for a quiet computer.

I have just spent 24 hours on NewEgg.com shopping for computers and finally thought I had found one that was "acceptable" to me.  "Acceptable" means core i5 and at least 4 USB3 ports and 2 PS/2 ports and a VGA port + a digital video port.

Other features are not so critical.  Like how large the internal HD is or how much RAM it has I am not super picky about.

So after all these hours of shopping I suddenly remembered that I wanted a quiet pc.

So I searched for the word "Quiet" in their Desktop PC store and it said that such a technologically advanced feature could not be found anywhere.  ARGH!

Can anyone help me out?  What do I do?

[ElPolloDiabl]

Check around for a quiet case I have seen them in the past. You will want a laptop model low power i5 and you will want to put a large heatsink on it without a fan. They do make graphics cards with heatsinks, but no fan.
It's a DIYer. Or pick the parts and have it assembled.

I have not been checking the tech sites recently so can't help anymore.

[Iggy]

OK, I can see the need for power for running WinUAE (especially if you're talking about concurrent web browsing).

But what makes you think you need another i5 system for movies?
Media playback doesn't require anywhere near that much horsepower.

[ChaosLord]

OK, I can see the need for power for running WinUAE (especially if you're talking about concurrent web browsing).

But what makes you think you need another i5 system for movies?

Because my movie room with my 61" monitor is in a different room

Media playback doesn't require anywhere near that much horsepower.

I hadn't really thought about that.  It is just that I want to buy 2 identical computers.  So when I discover something screwey about one of them and find out how to fix it, I know it applies to both machines.

I actually don't mind my winuae computer making some noise.  But I really want my movie computer to be quiet.

I have watched movies on my brother's airplane computers.  And it just sux.  I call them airplane computers because they sound like an airplane readying for takeoff when u turn them on.  There are a lot of whirring and whining sounds and a huge amount of airflow.  He always buys the noisiest gfx cards produced by any Earth-based civilization.  One of his gfx cards makes more noise than 2 of my "noisy" computers.

[Iggy]

The identical computer argument makes sense.
"Airplane computers"! Ha! Love it!
I used to put LOTS of fans in my cases and high speed fans on processor and other high temp areas.

I've now learned to go larger and slower and concentrate on flow through the case and out. Much more efficient, cooler and quieter.
And no turbine sound.

[TCMSLP]

Have you checked for quiet cases from the likes of quietpc.com?

My MythTV machine uses a 'hifi' looking media centre case (see http://www.cluboc.net/reviews/cases/antec/fusion_black/front.jpg).  Airflow is managed well, fans run slowly, the remaining noise being the hard disk(s) occasionally chattering.  The HDs are mounted on rubber mounts (included in the case) so the only way I think I could baffle them further would be to switch to SSDs.

I can highly recommend the above case both for sound insulation (the fans are supplied with a 'low speed switch' on their power leads) and thermal management (PSU has separate compartment, plastic airflow ducts to exhaust/direct air over CPU heatsinks included).

Decent case, quality PSU, fanless GFX card, low power AMD (or similar) power efficient fanless CPU... job done