The last desktop I bought from Dell (Dimension XPS) was much noisier than I would have liked. I am planning on buying a new desktop soon and would like to consider noise level when configuring a system. I did not find much relevant info on dell.com.
Is there a way to judge how much noise a particular configuration will make when configuring a system on dell.com or hp.com? I'd be even OK with a way to simply compare various configurations to each other (this config is more loud) if absolute numbers are hard to obtain. I do not need the system to be super silent. I just don't want to be surprised when I plug it in.
Also, are particular product lines known to be more quiet than others (dell stuido, xps, various models of hp Pavilion)? I need something with an i7 processor and at least 8GB of memory. Everything else is not super important.
Best Answer
I just bought a Dell Studio XPS, core i7 (2 weeks ago, maybe) and I was surprised by how quiet it was. It does roar to life when you first turn it on, but it quickly subsides to below average levels. The fan does ramp up a little in response to increased processing levels, but the only thing I've really pushed it with was Google Earth.
In general, if you want assurances for noise level, you'll have to DIY, and for that I recommend Silent PC Review. You could mod an OEM system by buying your own PSU, upgrading your heatsink, or pasting on antivibrational dampening foam (like Acoustipack), but you're better off building from scratch.