Please spec me a quiet, future-proof desktop PC

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Hi, it's been years since I last built a system from scratch, so I'm looking for some advice from you fine people. My wife's PC is getting long in the tooth, so I'm going to put something new together (or buy pre-built, if I can get what she needs that way). Budget is £2000, but rather do it for half that if possible!

Here's the requirements:
  • Quiet! (this is the main thing - doesn't have to be totally silent, but she's fed up with the noisy fans on her current PC)
  • Zippy (should boot into Windows in seconds, be able to run multiple apps at once without complaining: Internet (Chrome, with loads of tabs open including BBC iPlayer); Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint; Endnote; RevMan; SPSS/Stata/Mplus; SQL; R and R Studio (juggling a very large database, with 500k rows and 200+ columns); Spotify; Photoshop; simple games like Hearthstone, Civilization V, windowed on a 1080p monitor). Not necessarily all at once, but you get the idea
  • Future-proof (be good if no upgrades required for 5 years or so)
  • Storage - at least 2TB, 500MB of which on an SSD
  • Stable. No overclocking needed, unless required for value for money / future headroom. Generally prefer to keep it cool, quiet and no fuss.
No need for peripherals.

Hopefully that gives enough to go on! Many thanks in advance for any ideas (even if just individual low-noise components like PSU etc).
 
Soldato
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dont know if you will need a new install of windows or even an optical drive, but i have included those to tally the cost.

dont think that processor comes with a cooler, so just in case i have included a cheap and simple low profile performer from a brand known for its quietness, also for whats at hand, the 1050 should be enough and is semi passive, so the fans will barely be running until needed to from the description, so fits the bill for your silent as possible build, the i7 is the new coffee lake 6 core, so plenty of performance that will last a few years and because you not going to overclock then this is the perfect solution, ive also gone with the mini itx form, following on with the near silent system, i have gone for a quality fanless modular power supply, so plenty of power, use only the cables you need and silent.

im sure someone will come along with a better or alternative using more of the budget, but this will be a really nice system with plenty of change if you wanted a better monitor or monitors.



edit::

doh! forgot to include an HDD, so heres the revamped list :rolleyes:

My basket at Overclockers UK:


Total: £1,289.11
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Soldato
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I would go for something like this if you want to get a long lifespan, a lot of upgrade options, and great multithread performance (I haven't added a case to the below - best let your 'customer' pick that! :) )

My basket at Overclockers UK:

Total: £1,607.98
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+1 on a Seasonic fanless PSU. If that be quiet! PSU fan stops spinning when system is idle then thats good too. I'd also recommend a WD Red 2TB HDD as they spin slower and quieter, less vibration. And a second HDD for backups..
 
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  • Quiet! (this is the main thing - doesn't have to be totally silent, but she's fed up with the noisy fans on her current PC)
  • Zippy (should boot into Windows in seconds, be able to run multiple apps at once without complaining: Internet (Chrome, with loads of tabs open including BBC iPlayer); Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint; Endnote; RevMan; SPSS/Stata/Mplus; SQL; R and R Studio (juggling a very large database, with 500k rows and 200+ columns); Spotify; Photoshop; simple games like Hearthstone, Civilization V, windowed on a 1080p monitor). Not necessarily all at once, but you get the idea
That means decent size CPU heatsink with 12/14cm fan to handle CPU load.
Small heatsinks with little surface area and smaller fans need to increase fan speed to dissipate any bigger heat load.
Like in those cheap market PCs which start making noise the instant they're put under load...
Made more evident because of standard cases.

For minimizing noise those four points in later part of this page are important for case:
http://www.silentpcreview.com/Case_Basics_and_Recommendations
I guess for style of case wanted one would be minimal like this:
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/fractal-design-define-r4-midi-tower-case-black-ca-040-fd.html
Anyway Fractal Designs are one of the better cases for quiet PC with mass damping on panels.
(without that those light dampening foams aren't good)

For PSU fully passively cooled ones cost lots of extra.
There are semi-passive PSUs which cost lot less and start fan when temperature rises.
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/seas...-platinum-modular-power-supply-ca-05t-ss.html

For mass storage 5400rpm drives are indeed quieter and cooler running.
Besides WD Red also bigger than 1GB Blue models are 5400rpm drives.
With increase in data density also transfer rates are likely clearly better than in old PC.



And for minimal upgrades to PC CPU would be either 6 core/12 thread Coffee Lake or Ryzen with 8 cores/16 threads.
Not sure about all those programs but without need for highest single thread performance Ryzen would give more threads.
For example Chrome should be able to run tabs as separate processes so it would help to keep everything smooth with lots of stuff.
AMD is also going to keep current socket for Ryzen 2 so there would be easy "drop in" update possibility with more performance increase than Intel's annual "new paint and polishing" upgrades.



If that be quiet! PSU fan stops spinning when system is idle then thats good too.
In cheap capacitor PSU fan should be running always and at decent speed to keep components cool.
Low quality capacitors and no cooling is bad combination for long term durability.
 
Soldato
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why would you put a 1030 with a threadripper? surely that would hold it back? especially when yourself has a 1070? aside from you probably game more, a 1060 would be better than the 1030 for OP.
 
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Wow - thanks all! A lot of food for thought here. ATX vs mini ITX, passive or semi-passive PSU, 16 vs 32 GB, Coffee Lake vs Ryzen Threadripper...

On the last point, it looks like the performance of the i7 8700 and Ryzen 1900X is similar, with the Ryzen edging it with heavy multi-threaded apps/multitasking. The Ryzen also has a higher wattage though, so I'm guessing it runs hotter?
 
Soldato
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why would you put a 1030 with a threadripper? surely that would hold it back? especially when yourself has a 1070? aside from you probably game more, a 1060 would be better than the 1030 for OP.
Sounds like OP is very light on gaming, but heavier on actual work, I think a GTX 1050 would be a better 'fit' and are still available with passive coolers, but probably not worth it unless OP wants to play some newer games, or plays above 1080p...
 
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I think a 6 core Ryzen cpu should fit the bill. If you need 8 cores then swap it for the R7 1700/X.

Good quality power supply. It won't be under much load with a system like this so it should run nice and quiet.

Silence orientated case with a good air cooler.

Fast NVMe SSD for Windows etc.

The 8Pack Ram is on offer and will run at 3200MHz no probs as it is Samsung B die.

Not sure how much gpu power you want/need so you can go with something else if need be.


My basket at Overclockers UK:

Total: £1,210.48
(includes shipping: £14.70)



 
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