PC makers catch on to new trend: silence

The words "PC" and "quiet" have rarely been uttered in the same sentence -- at least until now. Once the goal of specialized manufacturers and persnickety PC enthusiasts, computers that didn't make much noise were not a top priority of manufacturers in years past.

But things have changed. Thanks to the growing popularity of the ergonomic standards that include decibel level readings as well as users' awareness that PC noise causes stress, parts makers are now marketing products that can help put at an end to PC racket.

Computer case manufacturers are now getting in on the act. Realizing that cheap, metallic computer cases can actually amplify the noise of spinning and whirring components inside of your average PC, some case makers have developed ways to muffle the noise of the PC parts inside.

Antec, for example, which has long catered to third-party PC manufacturers and the do-it-yourself home PC builder, recently released its Sonata Ultra Quiet ATX mid-tower case (www.antec-inc.com).

Sporting a sleek, black finish, the case takes several measures to ensure that the noise it emits is minuscule. First, Antec supplies specially-constructed, rubberized connectors for hard drives, which you can place in uniquely-designed trays. The result is a drastic reduction of hard drive noise -- one of the primary culprits of most nerve-grinding PC noise.

Second, Antec has deployed a large, quiet case fan that is also held in place by rubber connectors, again minimizing the amount of noise that the PC emits. Finally, the Sonata's power supply is a low-noise design that only revs up to higher speeds when necessary.

Antec is not alone, though, in bringing to market a quiet computer case. Hardware maker Lian Li (www.lian-li.com) recently introduced its aluminium PC-6070 case. Like Antec, Lian Li outfits part of its case with rubber seals to cut down on hard drive noise.

And the case's top, front, and side panels have been insulated with foam padding to help absorb ambient noise.

Both cases are readily available through online computer parts dealers.

But those with traditional, non-insulated PC cases can still take steps to make their computers quieter. A growing number of user forms have been dedicated to discussing making PC's quieter. Among these is Silent PC Review (www.silentpcreview.com) and Germany's Low Noise (www.low-noise.de).

The consensus among hard-core noise haters is that the best way to make your PC quieter is to replace the fan that sits atop your main processor (CPU), enclose your hard drives in special boxes designed to silence them, and avoid graphics cards that contain fans.

There are several CPU fan replacements on the market. Among the most popular is from Zalman, sold by QuietPC (www.quietpc.com) and other online retailers.

The Silent Drive is currently one of the most popular hard drive enclosures on the market.

Essentially, this is an insulated box into which you slide your hard drive. The box fits into a standard 5 1/4-inch bay in your PC. Once you reconnect the hard drive, it should be silent.

Until computers can be made with no moving parts whatsoever, noise will continue to be an issue. Thankfully, the number of manu-facturers that are acknowledging in dealing with noise to growing steadily.