ze laptop be a dying

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garbsmj
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ze laptop be a dying

Post by garbsmj »

I think it has too much cat hair in the laptop or else a micobloat update caused a problem. In any event I have to get another one so am trying to get garbette to build a desktop for me but I have a question about how many fans I need. Suggestions? Hey , I was a software person and this is like speaking klingon to a toad.

:flee:

Seriously, I have everything backed up somewhere so that's good. Moving back to a desktop is daunting.
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Claude
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Re: ze laptop be a dying

Post by Claude »

I'd say it depends on what hardware garbette will sink into the box and what you'll use it for, best to ask garbette me thinks. High end video cards have their own fans.
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Rudi
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Re: ze laptop be a dying

Post by Rudi »

garbsmj wrote:...I have a question about how many fans I need...
I wouldn't know regarding hardware but I'd say you already have several fans in this place. :grin:
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John Gray
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Re: ze laptop be a dying

Post by John Gray »

Why don't you buy a second-hand Dell Optiplex (say) and cut out the middle-garbette?

[+1 to Rudi for unmitigated smarm, BTW!]
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Argus
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Re: ze laptop be a dying

Post by Argus »

John Gray wrote:Why don't you buy a second-hand Dell Optiplex (say) and cut out the middle-garbette?
Then the question would be: how many fans did I get? :grin:

In many cases(!) there will be fans included, and in some few cases quite good fans.

But that doesn't answer your question. (And if any fans, then there is a "Pandora's box" waiting, where to put them, what type, noise vs. performance etc. But let's not go there.) I agree with Claude; it depends on hardware and use of the PC (some might perhaps add "and where").

Then there is another point; fans are relatively cheap compared to other components, say 1-5 % of total cost, and it is usually easy to add more later on.

If it's a rather low-end configuration with, say, a video card with passive cooling (heatsink) or even no video card (since around 4th gen. Intel the CPUs are quite capable), it will probably work fine with no case fans, or a single exhaust fan. A common configuration, though, is to use one for intake (to pull air in) and one for exhaust; it gives better control of the air flow (with a single exhaust, air will get into the case where it can).
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BobH
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Re: ze laptop be a dying

Post by BobH »

There are 11 fans in the desktop that I built several years ago including the one in the power supply, 2 each in the 2 hard drives, the CPU cooler, and exhaust and inlet fans for the case.
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viking33
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Re: ze laptop be a dying

Post by viking33 »

I have five fans in my desktop. ( give or take 1 or so )
one intake
one exhaust
one CPU
two on the PS
All do a good job and are very quiet. If I remember right there may be one on the video card also? Time to open up the box and look around inside.
BobH may need eleven because of that Texas heat? :grin:
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StuartR
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Re: ze laptop be a dying

Post by StuartR »

I sometimes get PCs with no fans at all. It needs very careful selection of all the components, but the result is a VERY quiet PC.

Edited to add. Here's an example of one you can buy ready built https://www.quietpc.com/sys-a460s
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Argus
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Re: ze laptop be a dying

Post by Argus »

I was primarily thinking case fans, as can be seen in my earlier comment, since other components either have a fan if they need it or they don't have one; for example graphic cards. Power supplies (PSUs) usually have one (or in some rare cases two, or no fan), but several good quality PSUs have a semi passive operation mode, i.e. the fan isn't spinning below a certain temperature (load).

It is of course possible to build computers with no fans, if that is a goal and components are carefully selected; some more comments on that below.

The usual start when planning a new build is to answer questions such as requirements and budget; then some also have other goals such as high performance or a very quiet PC (and some add to that that the inside of the PC must look in certain way ...). Today it is often possible to strike a good balance between those two extremes. As one might guess it is the combination of all components that make the end result. With a "quiet" computer case it is possible to have a couple of case fans (and CPU heatsink fan) and still get a "silent" PC, if one picks good components.

There are many things that could be mentioned about components such as power supplies etc. but since this thread is about fans, I will just mention a couple related to that. I have very good experience of Noctua fans. That is, I'm not using the stock CPU heatsink fan (that said, there is no problem with them, since they are supplied by the OEM after all, but if one is inclined to look at either end of the quiet-performance scale one will usually use something else than the stock cooler). They are well known for their quality, 6 years warranty, and very good performance still being very quiet (and I think they provide new mounting kits for free if you want to use the CPU cooler with a new CPU socket); so there's plenty of good reviews.

One usually picks a computer case from the initial two questions; requirements and budget (then tries to find one that isn't plain ugly). :grin: But as mentioned there can be other questions as well; plans for expansions, performance, noise level etc. I have a computer case from Fractal Design, and they make cases in all sizes with a minimalistic design, some of them can be very quiet. They also come with case fans of quite good quality that are both quiet and with good performance.

But as mentioned; fans are "cheap" compared to most other components or total cost, and it's possible to both add and upgrade fans. Or one can do as John suggested, buy a second-hand, refurbished, PC that should have all components needed ( :whisper: but from my point of view it removes most of the fun part of getting a new PC). It can be a good idea to do a little reading.
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Jay Freedman
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Re: ze laptop be a dying

Post by Jay Freedman »

+1 on the Fractal Design cases. I have a Define R4 sitting on my desk. It always reminds me of the monolith in "2001". In the fan department, there are two intake fans in front and one exhaust fan in the back, plus the ones on the CPU, PSU, and graphics card. There are places on the side and top where more fans could be added; they could be needed if all the drive bays were occupied (I only have two HDDs and two SSDs).

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garbsmj
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Re: ze laptop be a dying

Post by garbsmj »

gee thanks everybody! I think the graphics card garbette has suggested I buy (she got a list of confusing components) has a fan on it. Well at least I bought a monitor and hey, I got it to work! So mom isn't so clueless after all. But yeah, the more fans the better to blow out de cat hair I get in everything. Because new kitty has tiny little hairs and she loves to lay on equipment.
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StuartR
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Re: ze laptop be a dying

Post by StuartR »

You may want to look for a case with good filters, don't forget that fans suck things into the case, as well as blow them out.
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Re: ze laptop be a dying

Post by jstevens »

Have you considered a water cooled desktop?

Just my 2 cents worth...
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Argus
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Re: ze laptop be a dying

Post by Argus »

I agree with Stuart. Your question was how many fans, and anything related to that, but dust filters are important, more so in this case. That said, I think most good cases have some dust filters nowadays. They should be easy to remove and clean. For example, nowadays the PSU is usually placed at the bottom of the case (though there are of course some other solutions, compact cases etc.), and if there is a full length dust filter at the bottom of the case it will cover the PSU's inlet fan as well (but as mentioned there are some semi-passive PSUs where the fan isn't spinning most of the time).
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