Making build quieter

[BigBuckBunny]

Dear LTT'ers,

 

First, let me show you my current build:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor
CPU Cooler: NZXT Kraken X61 106.1 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler
Thermal Compound: Arctic Silver 5 High-Density Polysynthetic Silver 12g Thermal Paste
Motherboard: Asus MAXIMUS VII HERO ATX LGA1150 Motherboard 
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LP 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LP 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory
Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive 
Storage: Samsung 840 Pro Series 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive
Storage: Hitachi Deskstar 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 970 4GB STRIX Video Card
Case: NZXT Phantom 630 (Gunmetal) ATX Full Tower Case 
Power Supply: Cooler Master Silent Pro M2 620W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply 
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Pro OEM (64-bit)
Monitor: HP LA2405wg 24.0" Monitor

Monitor: Dell UltraSharp 2007WFP 
Keyboard: Vortex POK3R Wired Mini Keyboard 
Mouse: Logitech Performance Wireless Laser Mouse
Headphones: Logitech G430 7.1 Channel Headset
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-S223C Black 
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-02-28 10:40 EST-0500

 

I recently updated the hardware (I came from an i5 750, GA-P55A-UD4 etc build) and now I want to do the last of the updates: The case and the fans. The build itself is actually quite loud right now, even when using AI Suite to turn down some fans to 10% (PWM). It's full of mesh and that really doesn't stop any sound. Summarised, I want to make my computer quieter than it is right now. My plan, currently, is as follows:

First of all, I want to get myself a non-windowed Fractal Design Define R5 (no H440 or Define S because I still use my optical drive and therefore need the 5.25" bay). Since that case has 2 5.25" bays, I want to put the optical drive in the top slot and put a new 2 TB hard drive in the second slot, using a Scythe Hard Disk Stabiliser II. I am leaning towards a 2 TB WD Blue or a 3TB Toshiba DT01ACA300, because Seagate drives aren't really famous for their reliability. I want to replace the drives because they have become old and start to lose sectors. Furthermore, they have started to make odd noises I cannot really place, which I don't like. Since I don't have to use the 3.5" bays, I can remove these. The SSDs are put on the back of the system, where the 2.5" trays are located. I then want to mount the 280 mm radiator to the front of the case, replacing the stock Fractal Design fans with either 140 mm Noctua NF-A14 fans or 140 mm 2000 RPM Noctua iPPC fans, both PWM (of course). I know this will make my overall temperatures higher (bringing slightly warm air into the case), but it will also make my system way quieter, since the top ModuVents can remain closed. One Noctua fan (one of those two above) will be used for taking air out of the case. The two fans in the front (pushing against the rad) are to be connected using a 2-to-1 four pin splitter, so they run at approximately the same speed. The pump will be connected to the CPU-fan header and set to ~80% speed, because at lower speeds it rattles (as is the habit of the X61 pump) and at higher speeds it also rattles very, very slightly. The fans on the rad will also be set as CPU fans in AI Suite, but regulated independently of the pump, since that thing shouldn't vary in RPM/voltage.

 

And here the questions I still have:

- What do you think of this idea in general?

- Is the plan of ignoring Seagate valid?

- Which fans should I choose (note: I don't care about their colours, non-windowed FD R5)? I am willing to pay the extra price for the Noctua fans, since they can go to a very low amount of RPMs. The non-iPPC and the iPPC fans both reach a very low minimum when using PWM, but the iPPC fans can reach just that bit higher. Will I go to such RPMs? Probably not, but since the price doesn't differ too much, I might as well consider them anyway. The 2000 RPM iPPC fans are just as expensive as the 3000 RPM versions (at least, here in the Netherlands), but since those fans need 6.6 W to run at 3000 RPM (a piece!), I would need a powered PWM splitter, since my motherboard headers only deliver 12 W per header. Once again, I probably won't ever have to use the 3000 RPM setting, but what's the point in getting fans you can't even max out? However, thermalbench.com states the following:

Quote

The IPPC-3000 PWM comes in at the same cost, offers more on the higher end of the speed rating and accordingly also power draw, noise and performance while still slowing down to a similar low speed as this one. If you must have the NF-A14, then go with the IPPC-3000 PWM and control it.

As you can maybe understand, this makes the choice slightly more difficult. I understand that pressure-optimized fans are the best choice when using radiators (the above mentioned 3000 RPM iPPC fans are an example of that), but what about the out take fan? Should I make that a normal NF-A14 PWM fan?

 

(Why did you choose the X61 and not a Dark Rock or an NH-D15? I just wanted to try a CLC for once.)

 

I am looking forward to your replies!

Edited February 28, 2016 by BigBuckBunny
Forgot to mention the Toshiba drive