What measures can be taken to reduce the sound noise levels coming from computers (i.e. sound noise from fans, hard drives etc.) in an office space setting or home setting?
How to one reduce computer sound noise levels
physical-environment
physical-environment
What measures can be taken to reduce the sound noise levels coming from computers (i.e. sound noise from fans, hard drives etc.) in an office space setting or home setting?
Best Answer
In my experience,
Replace crappy factory fans (CPU, GPU, and power supply) with quality fans. The bigger the fan, the better - a bigger fan typically needs to move less air than a small fan to produce the same effect (yes, I know it's oversimplified, but there you go.)
Replace video cards with passive cooled versions, or even get rid of discrete video cards entirely. If you don't care about desktop effects (office users normally shouldn't) you can lower noise levels considerably.
Not much you can do about hard drives as such (barring replacing them with SSDs, as pointed out by InSciTek Jeff in the comment below.) You can try improvising some rubber grommets and drive the mounting screws through them - I don't know how much that will gain you, though. Please don't take stupid advice like "reduce vibration by letting your drive hang freely in an improvised rubber band hammock" like this, otherwise you'll be in for a nice surprise the next time your foot, your baby or you dog bumps against the case.
Use a good case. I'm using an Antec P182 for my desktop. If it's possible to be in love with a case, it's this one.
Check silentpcreview.com every so often. Don't take it as gospel, though, they're sometimes partisan, and not all contributors are sane (see the HDD hammock idea above.)