How to organize passive cooling for a processor. Passive cooling: principle and use

The Taiwanese company Thermalright is one of the leaders in production air systems cooling. The products of this company have been present on our market for a long time and are represented by a wide range of coolers for various purposes. One of the company's priority areas is, of course, the production of highly efficient processor coolers. Today our test laboratory received an unusual cooler. Its peculiarity is the ability to operate in passive mode, that is, without blowing by fans. At least, according to the manufacturer, this product is designed specifically as a passive cooler. How well does the radiator cope with cooling? modern processor in the absence of airflow, we have to find out. So, the hero of our testing was the Thermalright HR-02 processor cooler.

In general, the idea of ​​assembling as much as possible quiet computer not new. Many users don't need extreme performance at the expense of noise and exorbitant power consumption. Home computer It can handle multimedia tasks and not too resource-intensive games without overclocking at all. But a completely silent PC has a number of advantages. For example, you can queue downloads from the Internet at night and the computer will not disturb your sleep with its noise. In addition, connoisseurs will appreciate the quiet operation of the system unit. high-quality sound and owners of professional acoustic systems. There are many more such examples that can be given, but let’s move on directly to the review.

Packaging and equipment

The cooler comes in a medium-sized cardboard box. The packaging design style is familiar to Thermalright products - a strict appearance of the box, no extra pictures, windows and other marketing “tricks”.

The radiator itself is in a bag and tightly packed in a protective polyurethane foam form. The likelihood of damage during transportation is minimal. Accessories are in a separate box made of white cardboard.

The delivery set is as follows:

• user manual;
• sticker with manufacturer's logo;
• set of mounts for LGA 775/1155/1156/1366;
• brackets for mounting a 120 mm fan;
• brackets for mounting a 140 mm fan;
• Phillips screwdriver;
• cooler clamp key;
• anti-vibration corners for the fan;

Radiator design

The Thermalright HR-02 cooler was originally designed to remove up to 130 watts of heat from the CPU without the use of fans. Of course, this mode of operation requires a large area of ​​heat dissipation. The radiator is a structure consisting of a copper base and six copper heat pipes piercing 32 perforated aluminum plates. Tube diameter 6 mm. The thickness of the ribs is 0.5 mm, and the intercostal distance is 3 mm. The radiator is completely nickel plated.

Undoubtedly, this is one of the largest (if not the largest) single-section tower coolers. The radiator looks massive even against the backdrop of the two-section Silver Arrow. It is also clearly noticeable how much greater the intercostal distance is in the HR-02 than in the “arrow”.

The heatsink can be installed on all Intel platforms. The mounting system is exactly the same as on all modern Thermalright processor coolers. First you need to attach the stiffener plate to the system board:

Specifications

Stand and testing methodology

Configuration test bench was the following:

• motherboard: ASRock P67 Extreme4 (Intel P67 Express);
• CPU: Intel Core i7-2600K ES ([email protected] GHz, VCore 1.45 V);
• RAM: Kingston KHX2333C9D3T1K2/4GX (2x2 GB);
• video card: HIS Radeon HD6950 2GB;
• hard drive: Western Digital WD6401AALS;
• power supply: Hiper Type RII 680W (680 W).
• thermal paste: Noctua NT-H1.

The processor operated at 4 GHz at 1.175 V with passive cooling and at 5 GHz at 1.45 V with radiator fan. The Noctua NH-D14 cooler was also tested with Thermalright TY-140 fans, due to the fact that the latter are slightly more productive than its standard NF-P12 and NF-P14.

Test results

Analysis of the diagrams shows that the performance of the coolers that visited our laboratory is at high level. The two-section “towers” ​​of Noctua NH-D14 and Thermalright Silver Arrow are comparable in efficiency, with
slight superiority of the latter. Thermalright HR-02 is ahead of this tandem in fanless mode, but loses even more noticeably in active mode. Considering the features of its design, in particular the small number of radiator fins, this result is quite logical and natural. In the first case, the decisive role is played by the competent design of the cooler, in the second - by a smaller area of ​​heat dissipation.

Conclusion

The results of testing coolers in passive mode show a slight superiority of the HR-02 over its competitors, but the other two participants can also be used without airflow. Therefore, we cannot say that only models specially designed for this are suitable for passive cooling. Almost any highly efficient radiator with a large dissipation area is capable of providing normal heat dissipation without the use of fans. However, we should not forget that our test Intel Core i7-2600K processor is much cooler than, for example, LGA1366 processors, and there are not many powerful video cards with passive cooling on sale. That is, lovers of a silent computer will in any case have to take care of choosing the appropriate components. One way or another, the tested Thermalright HR-02 cooler will be an excellent choice when building a silent PC. If we talk about active cooling, then this product, although it shows good results, but is far from optimal in terms of price/performance ratio. The HR-02, without fans included, costs about $80. In total, the purchase of this radiator and additional fan will cost significantly more than purchasing more efficient two-section coolers.

To summarize, we can unconditionally classify Thermalright HR-02 as a class of high-quality processor coolers. The product does not pretend to be a leader, but at the same time it has a set of rare qualities, thanks to which it will undoubtedly find its buyer.

The only serious drawback is its cost, but the Thermalright HR-02 Macho version has already entered the market, which is equipped with a fan and costs significantly less due to the lack of nickel plating. Perhaps Macho will soon get into our test laboratory, and we will check how important the nickel coating is, or whether it serves a purely aesthetic role.

Testing equipment was provided by the following companies:

• ASRock - mother ASRock board P67 Extreme4;
• Intel - Intel Core i7-2600K processor;
• Noctua - Noctua NH-D14 cooler and NT-H1 thermal paste;
• Thermalright - Thermalright HR-02 and Silver Arrow coolers.

How to properly organize cooling in a gaming computer

The use of even the most efficient coolers may be useless if the air ventilation system in the computer case is poorly thought out. Therefore, correct installation of fans and accessories is mandatory requirement when assembling the system unit. Let's explore this issue using the example of one high-performance gaming PC

⇣ Contents

This article is a continuation of a series of introductory materials on assembling system units. If you remember, it came out last year step by step instructions“”, which describes in detail all the main points for creating and testing a PC. However, as often happens, when assembling a system unit, nuances play an important role. In particular, proper installation of fans in the case will increase the efficiency of all cooling systems and also reduce the heating of the main components of the computer. It is this question that is discussed further in the article.

I warn you right away that the experiment was carried out on the basis of one standard assembly using the motherboard ATX boards and Midi-Tower form factor cases. The option presented in the article is considered the most common, although we all know very well that computers are different, and therefore systems with the same level of performance can be assembled in dozens (if not hundreds) in various ways. That is why the results presented are relevant exclusively for the configuration considered. Judge for yourself: computer cases even within the same form factor they have different volumes and number of seats for installing fans, and video cards even using the same GPU are assembled on printed circuit boards different lengths and equipped with coolers with different numbers heat pipes and fans. And yet, our small experiment will allow us to draw certain conclusions.

An important “detail” of the system unit was the central Core processor i7-8700K. Detailed review this six-core is located, so I won’t repeat it again. I will only note that cooling a flagship for the LGA1151-v2 platform is a difficult task even for the most efficient coolers and liquid cooling systems.

The system was equipped with 16 GB of DDR4-2666 RAM. operating room Windows system 10 was recorded on solid state drive Western Digital WDS100T1B0A. You can find a review of this SSD.

The MSI GeForce GTX 1080 Ti GAMING X TRIO video card, as the name suggests, is equipped with a TRI-FROZR cooler with three TORX 2.0 fans. According to the manufacturer, these impellers create 22% more powerful airflow while remaining virtually silent. Low volume, as stated on the official MSI website, is also ensured by the use of double-row bearings. I note that the radiator of the cooling system, and its fins are made in the form of waves. According to the manufacturer, this design increases the total dispersion area by 10%. The radiator also comes into contact with the elements of the power subsystem. Chips MSI memory GeForce GTX 1080 Ti GAMING X TRIO is additionally cooled with a special plate.

The accelerator fans begin to rotate only when the chip temperature reaches 60 degrees Celsius. On an open bench, the maximum GPU temperature was only 67 degrees Celsius. At the same time, the cooling system fans spun up by a maximum of 47% - this is approximately 1250 rpm. The actual GPU frequency in default mode remained stable at 1962 MHz. As you can see, the MSI GeForce GTX 1080 Ti GAMING X TRIO has a decent factory overclock.

The adapter is equipped with a massive backplate, increasing the rigidity of the structure. The back of the graphics card has an L-shaped strip with built-in LED backlight Mystic Light. Using the application of the same name, the user can separately configure three glow zones. In addition, the fans are framed by two rows of symmetrical lights in the shape of dragon claws.

According to technical specifications, MSI GeForce GTX 1080 Ti GAMING X TRIO has three operating modes: Silent Mode - 1480 (1582) MHz core and 11016 MHz memory; Gaming Mode - 1544 (1657) core and 11016 MHz memory; OC Mode - 1569 (1683) MHz for the core and 11124 MHz for the memory. By default, the video card has gaming mode activated.

You can get acquainted with the performance level of the reference GeForce GTX 1080 Ti. MSI GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Lightning Z was also released on our website. graphics adapter also equipped with a TRI-FROZR cooling system.

The assembly is based on the MSI Z370 GAMING M5 motherboard of the ATX form factor. This is a slightly modified version MSI boards Z270 GAMING M5, which was released on our website last spring. The device is perfect for overclockable K-processors Coffee Lake, since the power converter with digital control Digitall Power consists of five double phases, implemented in a 4+1 circuit. Four channels are directly responsible for CPU operation, another one - for integrated graphics.

All power circuit components comply with the Military Class 6 standard - this includes both titanium core chokes and Dark CAP capacitors with at least a ten-year service life, as well as energy-efficient Dark Choke coils. Also, DIMM slots for installing RAM and PEG ports for installing video cards are clad in a metallized Steel Armor case, and also have additional solder points on the back of the board. Additional track insulation is used for the RAM, and each memory channel is located in its own PCB layer, which, according to the manufacturer, allows for a cleaner signal and increases the stability of overclocking DDR4 modules.

One useful thing to note is the presence of two M.2 format connectors at once, which support the installation PCI drives Express and SATA 6 Gb/s. The top port can accommodate SSDs up to 110 mm long, and the bottom port up to 80 mm. The second port is additionally equipped with a metal M.2 Shield heatsink, which is in contact with the drive using a thermal pad.

The wired connection in the MSI Z370 GAMING M5 is handled by the Killer E2500 gigabit controller, and the sound is provided by the Realtek 1220 chip. The Audio Boost 4 audio path features Chemi-Con capacitors, a paired headphone amplifier with a resistance of up to 600 Ohms, a front dedicated audio output and gold-plated audio connectors. All components of the sound zone are isolated from the rest of the board elements by a non-conductive strip with backlight.

The Mystic Light motherboard backlight supports 16.8 million colors and operates in 17 modes. TO motherboard You can connect an RGB strip; the corresponding 4-pin connector is soldered at the bottom of the board. By the way, complete with the device goes 800 mm extension cable with splitter for connecting an additional LED strip.

The board is equipped with six 4-pin fan connectors. The total quantity is selected optimally, as is the location. The PUMP_FAN port, soldered next to the DIMM, supports the connection of impellers or a pump with a current of up to 2 A. The location is again very good, since it is easy to connect a pump to this connector from both a maintenance-free life-support system and a custom system assembled by hand. The system deftly controls even “Carlson” cars with a 3-pin connector. The frequency is adjustable both in terms of revolutions per minute and voltage. It is possible to completely stop the fans.

Finally, I’ll note two more very useful features of the MSI Z370 GAMING M5. The first is the presence of a POST signal indicator. The second is the EZ Debug LED block located next to the PUMP_FAN connector. It clearly demonstrates at what stage the system is loaded: at the initialization stage of the processor, RAM, video card or storage device.

The choice of Thermaltake Core X31 was not accidental. Here is a Tower case that meets all modern trends. The power supply is installed from below and is insulated with a metal curtain. There is a basket for installing three drives of form factors 2.5’’ and 3.5’’, however, HDD and SSD can be mounted on the barrier wall. There is a basket for two 5.25-inch devices. Without them, nine 120mm or 140mm fans can be installed in the case. As you can see, Thermaltake Core X31 allows you to completely customize the system. For example, on the basis of this case it is quite possible to assemble a PC with two 360 mm radiators.

The device turned out to be very spacious. There is plenty of space behind the chassis for cable management. Even with careless assembly, the side cover will close easily. The space for hardware allows the use of processor coolers up to 180 mm in height, video cards up to 420 mm in length and power supplies up to 220 mm in length.

The bottom and front panel are equipped with dust filters. The top cover is equipped with a mesh mat, which also limits dust from getting inside and makes it easier to install case fans and water cooling systems.

Summer, heat - a time when there is no way to escape from the scorching sun. But if we don’t forget about ourselves, we often don’t pay attention to our combat vehicles. And after such negligence, questions arise - “I have an awesome gaming card, percent latest generation and the body is fashionable - why? blue screen Death flies out again?!” Yes, it’s very simple - your computer overheated and died. Will it start a second time? Far from a fact.

What are the dangers of overheating your computer?

In addition to the visual component in the form of an uncompleted level or a leaked game in the game, this can lead to the physical death of the computer. In reality, any module or even the entire bundle can be damaged. From the point of view of physics and electronics, reversible and irreversible processes occur.

Irreversible - these are chemical ones, when due to a long or instantaneous, but very sharp overheating, an internal restructuring of the molecules occurs, and the same video card can be thrown away. And reversible ones, as practice shows, are treated very rarely. When the tracks on the boards have melted and the processor legs have fallen behind, it can be cured, but it is not always possible.

Even if you bought an assembled system unit, and the basic elements already had radiators, you should still think about buying additional cooling equipment. Those heatsinks that are already installed on processors are not designed for extreme heating points, for example, top games at super settings.

Types of cooling systems: active air (cooler) and passive water

There are 2 main types of cooling systems: active and passive. Both have their pros and cons, which we will discuss in detail below. But I can immediately give advice from my own experience: if you do not plan to use water cooling In order to create a silent unit, combine both systems. A constant supply of air through active ventilation systems and subsequent cooling with water is much cooler than using either of these systems alone.

How to choose active air cooling?

Popularly called a cooler. This is the most popular and simplest combination of a radiator and a fan. For maximum profit you need to use it on every “hot” element: on the processor, video card, hard drive and 2-3 more on the case. The whole point of the work and the technology are very simple: to transport as large volumes of air as quickly as possible into the space of the system unit. From ordinary life- this is a fan. After all, it does not actually cool the air. The larger the cooler and the higher the speed of its blades (RPM), the better cooling.

At the same time, the radiator performs its functions. The materials from which processors are made are not very well cooled due to technological features. Modern crystals contain about several tens of millions of transistors, and they all heat up very well. The radiator increases the heat transfer area and, thanks to the plates, distributes heat to the environment, where the fan performs its function.

When choosing a cooler you should pay attention to several things:

1. Fan size – the larger the better.
2. Its blades have the ability to supply air and have the correct bend.
3. Number of revolutions - the more, the better.
4. Radiator size – the larger the better.
5. Number and thickness of plates – the larger and thinner the plates, the better.

Passive water cooling: how to make the right choice?

Of course, there is also passive “dry” cooling using separate radiators, but it is so ineffective that in the context of serious gaming machines we will not even consider it.

As a rule, perfectionist gamers start looking for passive cooling. The first want to find the “holy grail” and reduce the noise emitted by the system unit to zero decibels. That is, to experience absolute silence. To do this, SSD drives are installed to remove the characteristic creaking of the HDD, and all fans are ceremoniously burned. I even met a maniac who changed the ON/OFF button to a touch button so that nothing would click.

The latter either open the cases or order a plexiglass box, install neon lighting, run water with coloring pigments in the cooling systems and get really beautiful devices at the end.

When choosing passive water cooling, you need to consider:

1. The quality of workmanship and condition after transportation - there should not be a scratch.
2. Pump power and noise. If you choose a system that is too powerful for your needs, then it's extra money. A large pump will create additional noise.

IMPORTANT : Don't forget about thermal paste! This is not a separate type of cooling! This is an addition to both options. When installing radiators on processors, it is necessary to use cold ointment. Thanks to it, firstly, better adhesion occurs, and secondly, it quite significantly helps reduce the temperature. Decent thermal paste is relatively inexpensive. But be careful when choosing - the chance of running into a fake is very high!

TOP BEST COOLING SYSTEMS FOR GAMING PC

Best CPU cooler

Cooler Master They have this company name for a reason, which has been tested and proven over the years and by thousands of satisfied customers. This is one of the best CPU coolers.

A very successful combination of the contact area between the radiator and the fan itself. It's just lucky, of course, it's only for end user– the company spent a lot of time and money on calculations and test models.

Also pay attention when choosing such radiators, so that at the point of contact the tubes form a single plane and do not tear the area into copper and aluminum parts. In general, it should be like in this model.

The direct approach of the pipes themselves is a plus in the treasury of positive aspects. Good choice at a price of $30.

The best cooler for HDD

On a general scale, the HDD does not heat up relatively much. But if the processor is severely overheated or simply craving for better performance, it is unforgivable to forget about cooling the hard drive. Overheated, fell apart - goodbye data.

This cooling case is suitable for both outdoor and indoor use. And it's worth everything $26 .

When located inside the housing, it is necessary to prepare the place in advance. The device is quite large. The aluminum shell acts as a diffuser + protective shield. Built-in fan – cooling. The case does not reduce the transmission speed.

Best case cooler

And again my favorite Cooler Master. Easy to use, like a shovel. Worth it all $8 , but the execution is top notch, the blades are curved geometrically correctly, and there’s also a nice blue backlight. Excellent rpm. Maintenance in the form of changing the lubricant will have to be done very rarely.

Best water cooling system

This system costs approx. $120 , but let me clarify right away: in terms of performance and price-quality ratio, this system is the best today. In terms of quiet operation, it lags behind, since there are 2 fans installed on the radiator through which water is pumped.

In terms of design, this is also far from top-notch - ordinary black hoses and the same plates. But again, from the point of view of cooling at affordable price – best option.

Let's summarize!

You need to take care of the correct thermal conditions for your computer in advance, otherwise “later” it will be too late. Install the correct assembly of cooling elements, periodically change thermal paste and regularly clean the system unit from dust. If you have a laptop, don't miss our review of the best laptop cooling pads, because you also need to take care of your laptops!

It is for this reason that passive cooling is so attractive to users: no fan - no noise. However, when you solve one problem, another arises, namely the increase in processor temperature. When decoding high-definition video or running a game in 3D mode, the processor works at full capacity, heating up intensely. If you do not provide adequate cooling, it will begin to reduce performance and may even shut down your PC. That is why to organize a quality CPU cooling it is necessary to increase the area of ​​the radiator and organize heat removal from the case. As a result, the dimensions (of both the radiator and the case) increase and the load on the motherboard increases (the weight of the cooling system can reach a kilogram). It is possible that you will have to replace the case or retrofit it with low-speed fans large size or make additional ventilation holes.
So, among the advantages of the solution is the absence of noise (if other fans are not installed in the system), the disadvantages are increased dimensions, problems with installing the system, and additional costs. Of course, this is only relevant for powerful computer, since a low-performance office PC is not so demanding, and installing even a relatively inexpensive (budget) passive cooling system will only provide benefits.

Which coolers are good for passive CPU cooling?
When your system is not equipped powerful processor, if the computer acts as a typewriter, then you can install a Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus cooler (about 1000 rubles) - it will cool any dual-core processor (and even younger quad-core models) provided that it operates under moderate load.

If a large and relatively expensive cooler is excessive for your tasks, I recommend paying attention to available model Thermalright HR-02 Macho (about 1,700 rubles). It fits all the most popular types of sockets and is highly efficient. The radiator can cope with cooling a processor with a power (TDP) of up to 80 W without a fan (unless, of course, the room temperature exceeds 24 degrees).

A good alternative is Scythe Ninja 3 (about 1,500 rubles). True, its capabilities in passive mode are unlikely to be enough to cool a processor with a TDP of 80 W, but in less powerful systems it is quite effective.

Perhaps the most prominent representative is Thermalright HR-22. Not equipped with a fan, it has a massive radiator with uniquely shaped plates united by eight heat pipes. It is assumed that the cooler's power is quite sufficient to remove heat from the processor operating in medium load mode even without a fan, but perhaps in some situations it is impossible to do without it. At a minimum, you will need to install a cooler in the case, and if the processor will constantly work under load, it is better to install a low-speed fan directly on the radiator. However, the developers took care of this: the design allows the installation of a 120 mm or 140 mm Carlson on the wide side and an 80 mm on the narrow side. Of course, there is no point in choosing two at once: the choice of the type of active element is determined only by your tasks and the dimensions of the case. In any case, the radiator is quite large, and this must be taken into account during installation.

Conclusions
There are no fanless cooling systems - the heat must go somewhere from the closed case. The good thing about a passive cooling system is that most of the time it does not require forced airflow: the fan attached to it turns on only in critical mode.

When planning to convert the cooling system to passive, remember that miracles do not happen in physics: the power released by the processor must be dissipated by spending it on heating the environment. It will not dissolve on its own inside the housing; it must be taken outside. In theory, the power supply should successfully cope with this task, but in practice this is not enough; you have to retrofit the system with an exhaust fan. So you can’t do without coolers completely.
Another important point: on boxes with coolers you can see the mark “dissipates up to 90 W!” Understand it correctly: up to 90 W is most likely a third less. That is, about 65 W (primarily typical for inexpensive models). Remember that the processor costs much more than the cooler and trying to save on cooling can unexpectedly hit your budget.

After buying my first computer, for some reason I wanted to work on it at night. Maybe because no one interferes, maybe because I think differently at night, I don’t know. However, there was a desire and in order to realize it, a computer with a minimum noise level was needed. This idea remained an idea, if not for the boss, who was also keen on modernizing and reducing the noise from his computer. The result was silent computer a photo of which can be seen at the end of the article.

There are two types of noise: vibration and acoustic (from air flows). There are several sources of noise: case fans, power supply, processor cooling system, video card cooling system, motherboard cooling system (and this happens), reading devices optical disks and HDD drives.

There are two options reduce computer noise: Reduce the number of noise sources and reduce the noise level of the sources themselves. The greatest effect is obtained when using two options. There's nothing you can do about optical disc readers except don't install them at all. (In this case, how to install operating system You can read it from a flash drive).

Let's consider noise reduction options for basic computer components.

Test configuration:

• Processor: Intel Core2Duo E8500
• Video card: Radeon HD3870
• Housing: AEROCOOL AeroEngine Plus Black

2. Fans and housing

In the basic configuration, the case had 3 fans with a diameter of 180, 140 and 120 mm. 180 mm on the side wall - blowing, 140 - in front - blowing and 120 - exhaust at the rear.

There was also a turbine in front of the 140 mm fan, which rotated from the air flow created by the fan. Since the turbine’s function was purely decorative, it was immediately removed.

For rational cooling of the case, it is necessary that cold air enters and hot air is expelled. From the school curriculum we know that cold air sinks and hot air rises. Based on this, it is recommended to set the lower fans for blowing, and the upper ones for blowing. Then cold air from below enters the case, heats up, cools the components, rises and is thrown out of it by the upper fans.

Since I had two exhaust fans: one in the case and the other on the power supply, it was decided to turn off the case fans and look at the temperatures. It is convenient to monitor the system using the AIDA64 program (old name Everest). Almost nothing has changed and the fan has left the confines of my case.

Next, you should pay special attention to the air flow inside the case to reduce resistance and improve system cooling. It is necessary to determine all the openings of the housing and understand what air enters or exits through them. In this case, like most, there were holes everywhere except at the bottom and top.

To eliminate other sources of noise at 180 mm and 140 mm, it was necessary to ensure sufficient cooling of the hard drive. To do this, I made the side covers of the case airtight by removing 180 mm and inserting acrylic inserts there instead of plastic grilles.

It turned out beautifully and effectively. After these improvements, cold air could enter the case through the front panel using 140 mm and through the holes on the rear surface of the case (where 120 mm was removed for exhaust).

With such a cooling system, it turned out that the power supply, which should pull warm air from the entire case, pulls the air entering through back panel. The decision was made to cover the rear vents.

Now cold air only entered through 140 mm on the front panel. This fan was the loudest because it was closest to me. I tried to turn it off. The temperature of the HDD and video card has increased slightly. Everything was normal and 140 mm left the body.

The system has become significantly quieter. There are only 3 fans left: in the power supply, in the video card cooling system and in the processor cooling system. Also for more better cooling The plates covering the connectors for the expansion slots were removed so that cold air would enter through the lower front and rear openings and cool the HDD and video card. At this point my executions on the body stopped.

Conclusion. It is necessary to ensure that cold air enters the housing from below, and warm air is exhausted from above. The ideal option is perforation on the bottom and top panels housings. I didn’t do it myself because it greatly spoiled the appearance of the case. Excess openings that interfere or create interference with the passage of air in the housing must be closed (openings in the side covers). I also think that there should not be fans smaller than 120 mm in a quiet, especially silent, computer. Fans of 92 mm and 80 mm, to create the same air flow as 120 mm, require a higher rotation speed and, as a result, higher noise. Therefore, if you have such fans, try replacing them with 120 mm. Regarding the company, pay attention to Noctua fans. They are all made using fluid dynamic bearings. Those. There is virtually no friction, which has a positive effect on durability, reliability and noise characteristics. Also, some models include adapters with soldered resistors to reduce the rotation speed.

As can be seen in the figure above, the kit may also include silicone holders for the fan (used to prevent the transfer of vibrations from the fan to the case).

3. Video card

The next element that craved my attention was the video adapter. This series of cards is distinguished by the fact that without a driver it heats up to the fullest and, accordingly, produces decent noise. This can be clearly heard until the operating system boots.

I tested the design with the game WarCraft 3. The temperature reached 95 degrees, but the game ran smoothly. The idle temperature did not rise above 50 degrees Celsius. Already good, but if you play, you will have to install 120 mm for airflow.

After a thorough search, an add-on from the same company was found, which was installed on reverse side graphics chip. Another 30 minutes and the temperature dropped by almost 5 degrees. This completes the process of upgrading the cooling of the video adapter.

Conclusion. If possible, use built-in graphics. If the first option is not suitable, pay attention to video cards with passive cooling.

If you want to play serious games, then choose a video adapter and immediately a cooling system for it.

The latest version of the DeepCool Dracula cooler can even cope with the Radeon HD 7970, but when installing two 120 mm fans. With such power, you can forget about passive cooling, but this cooling system is made so that you don’t hear the video card in the system.

4. Motherboard

In most cases, motherboards are manufactured with passive cooling, but there are exceptions.

I have already expressed my attitude towards fans less than 120 mm in diameter. This board only has a 5-year warranty. In any case, you should choose a motherboard with a passive cooling system. Fewer moving parts means higher product reliability.

My computer was based on ASUS P5Q

Everything was fine, but when feeling the radiator on south bridge(leftmost yellow small) a high temperature was noticed (subjectively about 70°). Naturally, the question arose of replacing the cooling system with Thermalright Chipset Heatsink HR-05 SLI/IFX.

Everything was great, but during installation I screwed the heatsink too tightly and damaged the board. The situation was successfully resolved by choosing the ASUS P5Q Pro motherboard with a more developed chipset cooling system).

From the P5Q to the P5Q Pro, only the heatsink for the mosfets (processor batteries) at the very top of the motherboard migrated.

The system took the following form

After the replacement, I did not upgrade anything else on the motherboard.