Completely passively cooled PC?

Syxx_Killer · 06-29-09, 05:40 PM

I've been wondering for a while, would it be possible or even advisable to have a PC that is completely cooled passively? I know people have made their own solution, but I'm wondering if it could be done with components available commercially from, say, NewEgg?

Arclight · 06-30-09, 03:09 AM

It's possible with the right components. Both AMD and Intel have CPUs that are designed to be energy efficient and run cool. Entry/budget GFX cards are sometimes passively cooled out of the box. As long as you put a good 3rd party cooler on the CPU, it should manage. But, I would always advice to a least put some fans in the case to create airflow around the parts. A completely passive cooling solution will have a lot of heat build up inside the case.

IMO it's doable for a purely media-centered PC (HTPC), doing nothing more than playback audio and video. Intense usage of the CPU or GPU, for example encoding/decoding and gaming, put out a lot more heat than streaming media.

You might also want to use external storage in such a case. The more heat-producing components outside the case, the better.

CaptainHaplo · 06-30-09, 06:27 AM

Sure you could - but the problem would be closing the case. If you put a large enough heatsink on everything, and left it wide open, total passive would work. Just get a case from newegg or wherever, and take both sides off. However, you really can't do TOTAL passive cooling - there are no power supplies I know of that don't have a fan in them.....

If you are looking at noise, go with low noise fans like zalman - and then use big, slower fans for case intake/exhaust. The huge fans run slowly so make less noise and vibration - their size moves the air well though.

Or go liquid.

Arclight · 06-30-09, 07:15 AM

There are fanless PSUs, just no good ones.

Acer, Amacrox, PicoPSU, SilentMaxx and SilverStone have fanless designs, but apart from SilverStone they're not particularly impresive on quality. Even some of the SilverStones are questionable.

SUBMAN1 · 06-30-09, 08:43 PM

People should remember that heat needs to go somewhere. A passive component means it is dumping heat into your case.

Usually passive components usually means that you need to beef up your case fans to take care of the load. Either way, you are going to be generating some noise, that is unless you make yourself a worthless computer.

Let me share the obsessive freaks on noiseless computers:

http://www.silentpcreview.com/

If those guys say that something makes noise, though only a little, it is probably inaudible to the rest of us!

You will find plenty of info there on passively cooled components.

-S

06-29-09, 05:40 PM	#1
Syxx_Killer Admiral Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Michigan, USA Posts: 2,387 Downloads: 21 Uploads: 0	Completely passively cooled PC? I've been wondering for a while, would it be possible or even advisable to have a PC that is completely cooled passively? I know people have made their own solution, but I'm wondering if it could be done with components available commercially from, say, NewEgg?

06-30-09, 03:09 AM	#2
Arclight Navy Seal Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Land of windmills, tulips, wooden shoes and cheese. Lots of cheese. Posts: 8,467 Downloads: 53 Uploads: 10	It's possible with the right components. Both AMD and Intel have CPUs that are designed to be energy efficient and run cool. Entry/budget GFX cards are sometimes passively cooled out of the box. As long as you put a good 3rd party cooler on the CPU, it should manage. But, I would always advice to a least put some fans in the case to create airflow around the parts. A completely passive cooling solution will have a lot of heat build up inside the case. IMO it's doable for a purely media-centered PC (HTPC), doing nothing more than playback audio and video. Intense usage of the CPU or GPU, for example encoding/decoding and gaming, put out a lot more heat than streaming media. You might also want to use external storage in such a case. The more heat-producing components outside the case, the better. __________________ Contritium praecedit superbia.

06-30-09, 06:27 AM	#3
CaptainHaplo Silent Hunter Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 4,404 Downloads: 29 Uploads: 0	Sure you could - but the problem would be closing the case. If you put a large enough heatsink on everything, and left it wide open, total passive would work. Just get a case from newegg or wherever, and take both sides off. However, you really can't do TOTAL passive cooling - there are no power supplies I know of that don't have a fan in them..... If you are looking at noise, go with low noise fans like zalman - and then use big, slower fans for case intake/exhaust. The huge fans run slowly so make less noise and vibration - their size moves the air well though. Or go liquid. __________________ Good Hunting! Captain Haplo

06-30-09, 07:15 AM	#4
Arclight Navy Seal Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Land of windmills, tulips, wooden shoes and cheese. Lots of cheese. Posts: 8,467 Downloads: 53 Uploads: 10	There are fanless PSUs, just no good ones. Acer, Amacrox, PicoPSU, SilentMaxx and SilverStone have fanless designs, but apart from SilverStone they're not particularly impresive on quality. Even some of the SilverStones are questionable. __________________ Contritium praecedit superbia.

06-30-09, 08:43 PM	#5
SUBMAN1 Rear Admiral Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 11,866 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	People should remember that heat needs to go somewhere. A passive component means it is dumping heat into your case. Usually passive components usually means that you need to beef up your case fans to take care of the load. Either way, you are going to be generating some noise, that is unless you make yourself a worthless computer. Let me share the obsessive freaks on noiseless computers: http://www.silentpcreview.com/ If those guys say that something makes noise, though only a little, it is probably inaudible to the rest of us! You will find plenty of info there on passively cooled components. -S __________________