A guide to a silent and cool system

[Cowboystrekk]

I may be a bit on the OCD side of this, but I prefer a really quiet and cool setup. Thoight I could make a quick guide on how to achieve this for those who share my preference

When you buy hardware:
- Generally airflow cases lowers CPU/temp temps and can lower noise. Going from a CM Q300L to a Corsair D4000A temps dropped by 5-10C on both CPU and GPU running about same noise level.
- AIO or even basic towercoolers run far cooler/quieter than stock coolers
- Using a good thermal paste can lower temps a few degrees vs stock
-3 fan GPUs generally run quieter than 2 fan and especially blower

Tuning hardware:
- In bios I set base level for CPU and chassis fans to highest that is inaudible and fans only ramp up if temp rises above 60C
- Undervolting CPU (in bios, Intel XTU etc) and GPU (afterburner using curve editor) can have dradtic effects on noise/temps, consumption will also drop: 2 examples:
5600X stock 4.3GHz allcore using 76W, with undervolt using curve optimizer I get 4.3GHz using 64W, nice temp/noise drop
3060ti stock using 200W running at 1850-1950. UV to 1900@850mv uses around 150W, temp drops by over 5C and noise goes below noticable threshold. A second option is 1560@731mv, gets around 90% perf at 120W, card runs mostly passive while gaming

Tuning software:
- Setting a fps cap in games using rivatuner statistics server: Generally if using g-sync/freesync set a fps cap 2-3fps below monitir Hz, this will improve input latency and since fps can't go above Hz anyways it's a win-win. This will reduce CPU/GPU load by a huge margin in some games.

 

[Lei]

Ah, cool. I wanted to know how to put fps cap. So Riva can do it. Thanks

 

[Cowboystrekk]

Ah, cool. I wanted to know how to put fps cap. So Riva can do it. Thanks

Make it run on boot and set fps limit of desired fps. 140 on a 144Hz monitor is a goid deal.

 

[dgianstefani]

Rivatuner is OK, but it's just another third party tool that replicates existing driver level instructions are built into nvidia/amd, I would imagine it does this less efficiently too, or with additional unneeded bloat.

Literally just go to control panel if nvidia, set frame cap to 3 below monitor refresh rate and done.

It's also a much better idea to do these caps in nvidia driver control panel than in game. Using third party software like riva is in between.

 

[Cowboystrekk]

Rivatuner is OK, but it's just another third party tool that replicates existing driver level instructions are built into nvidia/amd, I would imagine it does this less efficiently too, or with additional unneeded bloat.

Literally just go to control panel if nvidia, set frame cap to 3 below monitor refresh rate and done.

It's also a much better idea to do these caps in nvidia driver control panel than in game. Using third party software like riva is in between.

It's been tested and the cost of riva is marginal compared to using it in drivers, but I agree using it on driverlevel is preferable. If you update drivers regularily you have to reapply it, I use overlsy in games so need ricatuner anyways, more of a lazy/easy approach from my side

 

[dgianstefani]

It's been tested and the cost of riva is marginal compared to using it in drivers, but I agree using it on driverlevel is preferable. If you update drivers regularily you have to reapply it, I use overlsy in games so need ricatuner anyways, more of a lazy/easy approach from my side

I've never had to reapply since setting it when I built my system, always on the latest driver.

 

[Cowboystrekk]

I've never had to reapply since setting it when I built my system, always on the latest driver.

I tend to use drivercleaner since I have had some issues just updating.

 

[dgianstefani]

I tend to use drivercleaner since I have had some issues just updating.

Sure, but i mean, another third party tool

 

[Ellertis]

Finally somebody that cares about having an efficient and quiet system. Not chasing frames and exploding power consumption out of the window!
GJ

 

[sam_86314]

I'll throw in that I use FanControl to handle my case fan curves. That way, I can make adjustments while using my system and back up the profiles.

I have my 6800 XT tuned to have a 240W power limit. Under games like CP2077, it uses around 180-200W.

I still need to figure out CPU tuning. My 5800X still runs very hot even with my NH-U14S. I haven't been able to figure out Curve Optimizer; are higher numbers less of an undervolt?

 

[phanbuey]

This is how I prefer to build rigs. Running a silent (undervolted 3080) and a 280mm AIO intake on a itx system 12600k.

Totally silent at idle -- very quiet under full load.

 

[Ellertis]

I'll throw in that I use FanControl to handle my case fan curves. That way, I can make adjustments while using my system and back up the profiles.

I have my 6800 XT tuned to have a 240W power limit. Under games like CP2077, it uses around 180-200W.

I still need to figure out CPU tuning. My 5800X still runs very hot even with my NH-U14S. I haven't been able to figure out Curve Optimizer; are higher numbers less of an undervolt?

you dont really reduce the power consumption the of chip at the end. Cause the headroom that you've gained by undervolting is translated into higher freq. In the bios you can tweak the throttling temperature. The chip will balance it self out and with 25mhz steps you wont get any dips in freq while gaming. I've put mine at 65c

This is how I prefer to build rigs. Running a silent (undervolted 3080) and a 280mm AIO intake on a itx system 12600k.

Totally silent at idle -- very quiet under full load.

Isn't it overkill, an aio on a 12600k? Could've bought a 12700k and then undervolt it to fit into your less beffier cooler

 

[phanbuey]

Isn't overkill, an aio on a 12600k? Could've buy a 12700k and then undervolt it to fi into your less beffier cooler

It's total overkill, I can run the phanteks 140mm fans on it at 750rpm during idle, which is inaudible.

They spin up to 1500RPM max and are still very quiet. Intake on rad 2x120 mm exhaust out the top. Basically the entire side of the panel is just surface area for cooling.

My silent rig formula is just tons of surface area on the coolers, access to the freshest air possible (intakes next to the CPU/GPU coolers) and some flow of heat out of the system that makes sense. That generally lets you keep RPM way down.

 

[Cowboystrekk]

I'll throw in that I use FanControl to handle my case fan curves. That way, I can make adjustments while using my system and back up the profiles.

I have my 6800 XT tuned to have a 240W power limit. Under games like CP2077, it uses around 180-200W.

I still need to figure out CPU tuning. My 5800X still runs very hot even with my NH-U14S. I haven't been able to figure out Curve Optimizer; are higher numbers less of an undervolt?

-30 is the max undervolt. For 5800X I would ditch pbo, set it to +0, and set a PPT limit around 80-120W for depending on how good the cooler is for silent operation.

This is how I prefer to build rigs. Running a silent (undervolted 3080) and a 280mm AIO intake on a itx system 12600k.

Totally silent at idle -- very quiet under full load.

A overkill cooler is a quiet cooler I use D15 on my 5600X.

 

[dgianstefani]

Finally somebody that cares about having an efficient and quiet system. Not chasing frames and exploding power consumption out of the window!
GJ

You are aware you can have both right.

 

[Ellertis]

You are aware you can have both right.

Fair, lets add then cost effective too