Making PC quieter and more efficient

[Snaggo]

Budget (including currency): up to 2500EUR

Country: Germany

Games, programs or workloads that it will be used for: (AAA) Gaming (HW Legacy, RDR2, GTA, Indies), Web development, some VMs and other small stuff

 

Other details:

Hello there,

I'm currently working on making my build much quieter and more efficient. Above all, I would like to replace my fans, remove RGB and, if necessary, replace the CPU.

My current setup looks like this:
CPU: Intel Core i9-11900k
GPU: ASUS ROG STRIX GeForce RTX 3080 OC
RAM: Corsair Vengeance RGB PRO 3000MHz 32GB
Motherboard: ASUS ROG STRIX Z590-E GAMING WiFi
Cooling: CORSAIR iCUE H150i, 4x Corsair iCue QL120 + 2x QL140
Case: Corsair 4000D Airflow

 

As a first step, I ordered new fans and a new CPU cooler because the cooling performance and volume of the Corsair fans did not convince me and the AiO is generating lots of noise. For this I ordered the BeQuiet Silent Wings 4 PWM Highspeed (4x 120mm, 2x 140mm) and the BeQuiet Dark Rock Pro 4, hoping to be able to regulate the cooling capacity and volume much better with them.

Due to the cooler, I also had to buy new RAM because the Vengeance RGB RAM is too high, for this I chose the Corsair Vengeance LPX 32GB 3600.

 

My two real questions are now:
- Is there any point in exchanging the H150i AiO for the Dark Rock Pro 4 or do I lose a lot of cooling capacity here? I'm not talking about a 2-5 degree difference here, but rather about large temperature differences.

- Since I want to improve the efficiency of the computer in addition to the volume and cooling, I'm toying with the idea of downgrading the CPU. The current i9-11900k consumes tons of power and is super inefficient in my opinion. I'm wondering if downgrading to the i7-11700k makes sense here, or if it also has the same issues. If so, would the i7-10700k be an alternative without sacrificing very much performance? I'm currently not getting the i9 fully utilized except for benchmarks and stress tests, so I think downgrading to an i7 might make sense. I also considered switching to the i7-12700k, but here I would also have to change the mainboard, which of course entails costs again.

What would you say about this? Does my planned configuration make sense or is it total nonsense? I know - in my opinion - relatively well with the topic, but I can't get any further with this problem, with so many CPU generations...

 

[Somerandomtechyboi]

27 minutes ago, Snaggo said:

total nonsense

^

 

if you want efficiency switch to ryzen 7000 and sell your cpu board and ram

 

Swapping the h150i out is not a good idea, just swap the fans out as theyre not particularly good atleast if you compare em to fans like the p12 max, so swap the fans out for p12 max, unsure of how the silent wings fans match up against the p12 as ive never really looked into fans that much (im the type of guy that buys cheap 1-2$ 30mm+ thick server fans and runs them at lower speeds for equivalent or better cooling performance than a normal fan, or atleast be far cheaper)

 

Now you can return your new rams as they are of no use with the cooler remaining the same and if you desire more ram performance you simply overclock your current rams. But if you platform swap to ryzen 7000 youll need to buy some ddr5, about 120-130$ for a futureproof 6000c32/30 kit that you can clock to 8000+ later when the imcs get better

 

If you wish to keep your current cpu then run the max clockspeed you can with 1.1-1.2v vcore aka undervolt the cpu, undervolting rams is pointless as they dont comsume much power and you are better off overclocking them (freq to 3800-4000, tighten secondaried and tertiaries, primaries dont do shit aside from trcd)

[Snaggo]

58 minutes ago, Somerandomtechyboi said:

if you want efficiency switch to ryzen 7000 and sell your cpu board and ram

Actually, I tried to avoid switching platforms. However, AMD seems to have the edge here, especially in terms of efficiency. However, since I have never worked with AMD products, I am completely clueless as to which models I should use. What is the main difference between an R7 7700 and an R7 7700X and which motherboard would you recommend? It should definitely be on par with the current setup in terms of performance and functionality. Would an R7 5000 do the same, or is the generation already too outdated? Even if the budget is not really limited, it's a lot to buy just to make the build more energy efficient, since overall I'm absolutely satisfied with my current setup in terms of performance.

 

1 hour ago, Somerandomtechyboi said:

Swapping the h150i out is not a good idea, just swap the fans out as theyre not particularly good atleast if you compare em to fans like the p12 max

Why not replace the AiO exactly? So far I've actually only ever read something about a 3-5°C difference, which I wouldn't mind too much now. Personally, I find the aesthetics of an air cooler much more appealing, as it fills a lot of free space. This makes the overall picture look more coherent to me, especially in combination with a completely black build without RGB. If there are any serious advantages of the AiO in terms of performance or something like that, I'm absolutely ready to lower my demands on the look!

I'll look into the p12 max fans and maybe swap the bequiet ones out. 

 

Thank you!!

 

 

[planetary problem]

im not exactly sure what you want so im just going to carpet bomb facts below and allow you to decide.

 

general stuff-

intel 11th gen is a fail, it is a inefficient underperforming mess of a generation. its not worth spending money on unless you get it for SUPER cheap. like 200-250 for the i7 11700(k)(f)

 

 

INTEL-

PROS-

 

super low power consumption while idling for models with e-cores (6 watts vs 30-50 WATTS of modern Ryzen)

 

cheap (the i7 12700k is the same price as the R7 7700 while being compatible with your current RAM and having cheaper MOBO)

 

CONS-

relatively high-power consumption for all core workloads and draws around 10-40 watts more than RYZEN counterpart for same performance (FPS).

 

dead end platform, with AM 5 you could upgrade to a R7 9700x later down the line but your only upgrade path with LGA 1700 is the i7 13700K and the rumored raptor lake refresh.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

3 hours ago, Snaggo said:

Is there any point in exchanging the H150i AiO for the Dark Rock Pro 4 or do I lose a lot of cooling capacity here? I'm not talking about a 2-5 degree difference here, but rather about large temperature differences.

not really, if its too loud for you then just get new better fans (be quiet just released the silent wings pro 4 but IDK how good they are). the newer CPUs are easier to cool anyways. but looks like you bought the fans and cooler already?

 

3 hours ago, Snaggo said:

Since I want to improve the efficiency of the computer in addition to the volume and cooling, I'm toying with the idea of downgrading the CPU. The current i9-11900k consumes tons of power and is super inefficient in my opinion. I'm wondering if downgrading to the i7-11700k makes sense here, or if it also has the same issues. If so, would the i7-10700k be an alternative without sacrificing very much performance? I'm currently not getting the i9 fully utilized except for benchmarks and stress tests, so I think downgrading to an i7 might make sense. I also considered switching to the i7-12700k, but here I would also have to change the mainboard, which of course entails costs again.

if you want a efficient CPU, you can get the i7 10700K but now its 60% slower (head rough math) than the modern CPUs for gaming. a i7 12700k is your best option if you leave your computer at idle a lot and the R7 7700 is your best option if you don't.

 

what i would do if i were you-

https://de.pcpartpicker.com/list/9cRRrD

 

[Seb_1]

 

2 hours ago, Snaggo said:

Why not replace the AiO exactly?

If it aint broke, dont fix it.

 

But seriously the H150i is a good cooler and theres no need to swap it. plus the ml120 fans that are on it are pretty quiet anyways.

[Queen Chrysalis]

You aren't gonna get much quieter.  Prepare for massive disappointment if you do all of this.

 

Air makes noise, and if the CPU is getting hot, it's gonna take air movment to keep it cool.

 

Nothing in your system is inherently loud, you actually have really good fans and a really good case already.  A 4000D and an H150i is about as high-end as it gets.  Getting 'quieter' parts won't change the fact that air moving through a radiator or case WILL make noise. 
 

the only thing you could do would be to get a case with thick solid panels all around, but then your fans will have to run faster to get air in, but with a huge radiator like the h150 that might work.

[planetary problem]

7 minutes ago, Queen Chrysalis said:

but with a huge radiator like the h150 that might work.

look at the CPU he is cooling tho

[starsmine]

You can always try undervolting the CPU. 

Voltage scales squarely with power you need to dissipate.

Before downgrading to an i7, you can force it to be the same as an i7 through bios (disabling cores in bios) and see how that works for your use cases. 

 

Other things you can try doing is make the heat transfer to the cooler more efficient via taking off the IHS and using liquid metal before putting it back on (though rocketlake I think already is using metal tim, correct me if wrong), or if you want to go really crazy, do direct die (not that crazy, you just need to be aware of risks). If you dont want to do direct die and its already metal TIM, you can always lap the ihs, (and then like with direct die, make sure you get the correct mounting pressure)

[Queen Chrysalis]

6 minutes ago, planetary problem said:

look at the CPU he is cooling tho

So what?  It's a 360mm AiO.  It's a relatively hot chip, but a cooler chip won;t be that much cooler with that many cores at those speeds. That kind of thing doesn't really make THAT MUCH of a difference, comparatively.  Especially not when your still putting it under a 360mm AiO.  Like, what make a 'hot' vs 'cool' CPU isn't that big of a difference when you're still talking about 8-core CPUs from close generations, and 'cool' chips usually get run under stock coolers or 4-pip air coolers.

4 minutes ago, starsmine said:

Other things you can try doing is make the heat transfer to the cooler more efficient via taking off the IHS and using liquid metal before putting it back on (though rocketlake I think already is using metal tim, correct me if wrong), or if you want to go really crazy, do direct die (not that crazy, you just need to be aware of risks)

Don't.  Just no.  That makes like 2 degrees of difference AT BEST, is risky, and 100% voids your warranty.  And that CPU isn't thermal pasted, it's already soldered.

[starsmine]

11 minutes ago, Queen Chrysalis said:

Don't.  Just no.  That makes like 2 degrees of difference AT BEST.

Which is... Better. The bottleneck is getting the heat OUT of the silicon. 

For OP's information to make the choice themself. The delid and replace TIM is way more then 2 degrees. The specific direct die coolers der8auer used show no significant improvement over a delid. so I would just do that as you dont need to modify mounting pressure. 

 

[planetary problem]

22 minutes ago, starsmine said:

Before downgrading to an i7, you can force it to be the same as an i7 through bios (disabling cores in bios) and see how that works for your use cases. 

the i7 and i9 of that gen have the same no of cores

 

hold the F up, that AIO is 37DB, that's 4x more than the dark rock pro 4 (db is exponential) so ya get a dark rock pro 4 or a arctic liquid freezer II 280mm. it makes perfect sense he is annoyed by that PC

 

[Queen Chrysalis]

19 minutes ago, planetary problem said:

the i7 and i9 of that gen have the same no of cores

 

hold the F up, that AIO is 37DB, that's 4x more than the dark rock pro 4 (db is exponential) so ya get a dark rock pro 4 or a arctic liquid freezer II 280mm. it makes perfect sense he is annoyed by that PC

 

37db is the standard noise level for temp testing.  it can be louder or quieter depending on fan curve.  '''4x''' is not an accurate way to compare noise anyway, as db are not linear.

[Snaggo]

2 hours ago, planetary problem said:

what i would do if i were you-

https://de.pcpartpicker.com/list/9cRRrD

That's about what I had in mind at the very beginning. According to my experience and research, this should not result in any significant performance losses compared to the 11900k, but it should be significantly more energy efficient. opinions on this?

 

40 minutes ago, Queen Chrysalis said:

You aren't gonna get much quieter.  Prepare for massive disappointment if you do all of this.

16 minutes ago, planetary problem said:

hold the F up, that AIO is 37DB, that's 4x more than the dark rock pro 4 (db is exponential) so ya get a dark rock pro 4 or a arctic liquid freezer II 280mm

Yeah I think I'll just try it out because the cooler will arrive tomorrow anyway, then I'll see what fits better.  Thanks all!

---

 

 

Cooling itself is no problem for me at all, I keep the 11900k mostly around 35-40°C doing normal stuff and 70°C when gaming, which is totally fine for me. The main reason for my plans is the high energy consumption and the heat dissipation of the 11900k, but I don't know which components can help with this. My setup is absolute overkill for my requirements, so I have absolutely no problem downgrading the CPU, so I thought if I downgrade to a generally "cooler" chip that shows similar performance values, it would probably be a win-win for me : D

[starsmine]

1 minute ago, Queen Chrysalis said:

37db is the standard noise level for temp testing.  it can be louder or quieter depending on fan curve.  '''4x''' is not an accurate way to compare noise anyway, as db are not linear.

Dude says 

 

21 minutes ago, planetary problem said:

(db is exponential)

And you respond with 
 

Quote

db are not linear.

Bruh. 

[starsmine]

27 minutes ago, Snaggo said:

That's about what I had in mind at the very beginning. According to my experience and research, this should not result in any significant performance losses compared to the 11900k, but it should be significantly more energy efficient. opinions on this?

 

Yeah I think I'll just try it out because the cooler will arrive tomorrow anyway, then I'll see what fits better.  Thanks all!

---

 

 

Cooling itself is no problem for me at all, I keep the 11900k mostly around 35-40°C doing normal stuff and 70°C when gaming, which is totally fine for me. The main reason for my plans is the high energy consumption and the heat dissipation of the 11900k, but I don't know which components can help with this. My setup is absolute overkill for my requirements, so I have absolutely no problem downgrading the CPU, so I thought if I downgrade to a generally "cooler" chip that shows similar performance values, it would probably be a win-win for me : D

if you are only getting 70C at full load, you can change your fan and pump curve to lower noise. You have thermal headroom here. Turn down the speeds at your max load until you hit 85C

Like I said, if you want LESS wattage, undervolt. You can try capping frequency to make a pretend i7, but that does not make it more efficiency by default, just limits maximum wattage draw. There is zero reason to swap out the actual chip. the i9 pretending to be an i7 may be even more efficient due to binning and voltages. There is ZERO need to spend any money at this point

[Queen Chrysalis]

7 minutes ago, starsmine said:

Dude says 

 

And you respond with 
 

Bruh. 

Right, so you're telling me that with the same chip at the same temp that would put an H150i at 37db, the Dark Rock 4 would be at 25db?  I find that impossible to believe.  

[starsmine]

19 minutes ago, Queen Chrysalis said:

Right, so you're telling me that with the same chip at the same temp that would put an H150i at 37db, the Dark Rock 4 would be at 25db?  I find that impossible to believe.  

No, he saying Dark Rock would be 31 (which I dont buy either) but the point is you stating its not linear even though he said that explicitly is kinda weird.

(you using amplitude is more correct yes)

[planetary problem]

32 minutes ago, Queen Chrysalis said:

Right, so you're telling me that with the same chip at the same temp that would put an H150i at 37db, the Dark Rock 4 would be at 25db?  I find that impossible to believe. 

some coolers are MADE with noise in mind, some examples are the NH u12a and the dark rack pro 4, they intentionally have slow fans for quiet operation. for temps there are reviews. the dark rock may perform worse but it CANT go above 24.6 DB

 

13 minutes ago, starsmine said:

No, he saying Dark Rock would be 31

its 24.6 DB i thought it was 7db per double

[Queen Chrysalis]

1 hour ago, planetary problem said:

they intentionally have slow fans for quiet operation

What is a fan curve?  If I want lowor noise and higher temps, or vice-versa, can I adjust this easily in the UEFI, or do I have do buy a different cooler because only the factory can adjust the speed of a fan at a given temp? 

 

I always thought noise reduction in cooler design had to do with wierd dumb stuff like finstack design and heat-pipe count and arrangement (not that stuff (other than heatpipe count and thickness) really effects much anyway), but that stuffs stupid anyway, it's all about how the wizard-bot at the factory sets the default fan curve.

1 hour ago, planetary problem said:

the dark rock may perform worse but it CANT go above 24.6 DB

Really?  Inderdasting.

 

 

 

[planetary problem]

8 hours ago, Queen Chrysalis said:

Inderdasting.

the thing is rated for 280 or 300 watts if i remember correctly

 

9 hours ago, Queen Chrysalis said:

What is a fan curve?  If I want lowor noise and higher temps, or vice-versa, can I adjust this easily in the UEFI, or do I have do buy a different cooler because only the factory can adjust the speed of a fan at a given temp? 

IDK, it might be the radiator making the noise (thats completely possible) but he already ordered the cooler so why do we argue?

[Snaggo]

7 hours ago, planetary problem said:

IDK, it might be the radiator making the noise (thats completely possible) but he already ordered the cooler so why do we argue?

It's mainly the pump generating noise, sometimes you can hear the liquid flow around

Cooler will arrive in a couple of hours, I will let you guys know what performs better  

 

18 hours ago, starsmine said:

Like I said, if you want LESS wattage, undervolt.

I tried undervolting the CPU which worked surprisingly well at around 10-30W less energy consumption. 

--

 

 

Thanks to everyone!

[duckargent]

I am using my 10900K at stock with a Noctua NH-D15 and I am very happy with it. I installed on the front tower a Noctua NF-A12x25 fan because of the taller RAM.

 

Both the D15 (24,6db) and U12A (22,6db) can properly cool a 11900K: the problem is that you can't do overclocking on air with that CPU, thus you will lose cooling capacity.

 

If you want something more silent, change to one of the above air coolers (that H150i can get pretty loud tbh) but don't expect the system to be silent, because it won't be dead silent. As it was already said, that heat comes with a pretty significant air quantity moved throughout the case so the fans will be audible, but maybe not that much compared to the H150i (the general consensus seems to be that AIOs are generally louder than air coolers). With an air cooler you eliminate also the pump noise, for that matter.

 

Just remember that you will lose cooling capacity, so no overclocking. I don't recommend you to downgrade the CPU, you will need that power in the future.

[planetary problem]

On 4/12/2023 at 2:22 PM, Snaggo said:

I will let you guys know what performs better  

well?

[Snaggo]

50 minutes ago, planetary problem said:

well?

My bad, sorry.

I actually decided on the Dark Rock Pro4 cooler, the PC runs whisper-quiet at fantastic temperatures. You can't hear the PC while idling, unless you put your ear to the PC, then you can hear a slight noise from the fans. I played RDR2 yesterday as a test for a few hours, CPU max 45°C and GPU at max 57°C. Airflow is fantastic due to the missing radiator. Fans never ran above 35% yesterday and were therefore super quiet while gaming. Just for fun let the fans run at 100% for 15 minutes, CPU temps at 27°C So all in all it was a good decision  

 

I think the Corsair QL fans just aren't designed to put enough pressure through a radiator, that was just my fault when configuring that build. So I also mounted the BeQuiet fans on the radiator, temperatures were great, but the pump makes noticeable noises.

 

/e won't change the CPU for now, undervolting seems to have brought a lot so far