Build the ultimate quiet PC
Okay, we're almost finished. Now you've all the components in place, you probably have a PC that runs quietly but has wires that make it look like Spaghetti Junction (picture 1). You may think this is harmless, but a mass of cables reduces the efficiency of the airflow inside your PC, which can cause it to get hotter than normal. In a standard PC, the internal cooling fans will be able to cope with the increased heat--they'll simply work harder, and will therefore produce more noise. But in the PC we've built, we're using so many fanless components that there are no fans to fall back on. This means your components could overheat, or your PC could become unstable and shut down to save itself from frying! We recommend using cable ties to secure cables. A 150-piece set of color-coded cable ties doesn't cost all that much. Make use of them (as we've done in picture 2)--they'll make your PC much happier in the long run. Our final piece of advice is maintenance. Like most household items, PCs gather lots of dust, which can also cause the computer to overheat--dust build-up insulates components, impacting on their ability to stay cool. PC fans also suck in a good deal of dust. This dust can attract moisture, forming a grimy cocktail that can corrode components, including cooling fans. Damaged fans can easily be spotted as they tend to make lots of noise--replace these as soon as possible to avoid trouble in the long run. We also recommend removing dust from your PC by using an ordinary vacuum cleaner (as demonstrated in pictures 3 and 4). Make sure you switch the PC off first then go around the entire case, paying particular attention to the fans and the power supply. Do this on an annual basis at the very least--not only will your PC stay running quietly, but it'll also perform more reliably. | ||||
)
- Talkback
-
There are currently no comments for this story.
To post comments, you need to become a member. It's FREE.
