[silencefreak]

My initial thoughts:

• Fractal Define 7 XL (unsure what the best case fan configuration would be)
  Noctua RTX 3080
• Arctic Freezer II 420 CPU cooler (or possibly NH-D15/S, Le Grand Macho RT, Jonsbo HX7280 with 140mm fan(s), but I am concerned about their performance at sustained loads in a relatively limited airflow (but quiet) Define 7 XL case)
• Alternatively, Monsterlabo's The Beast case might work, but it would require undervolting the CPU and still require a fanned GPU, because its passive heatsink is designed such that both the CPU and GPU cannot run at full load simultaneously for more than a few minutes.

Addendums:

• I am aware that both the CPU and GPU running simultaneously at full load represents almost no real-world workflow, but I want to optimize for the worst case scenario while maximizing performance and noise.
• Let's also assume that moving the PC into another room and routing cables is not possible.
• I would like to avoid fully custom water loops if possible.

 

[Blameless]

The Define cases have too much airflow restriction to be both silent and cool high-power components, in my experience. A less restrictive case means you don't need to run fans as hard to push air through it. I have a Define 7 Compact and, in practice, it's louder than my Meshify or Torrent cases, at similar levels of cooling, because of this.

For cooling, the ideal option would be a custom loop, but if you're intent on saving the work or sticking to air, the Noctua 3080 is going to be hard to beat. As for the CPU cooler, a top-end tower with a silent 140mm fan is your best bet. Even the 5950X doesn't put out enough heat to really justify more for a silent build. However, I do recommend lapping the IHS and cooler as Ryzen CPU lids tend to be concave and uneven; having both flat improves temperatures noticeably.

 

[Ichirou]

A custom water loop...?

 

[8800GT]

You could consider the o11 dynamic evo. It will be a bit noisier than the f7, but not by much. It will only accommodate 360mm rads, but tbh I don't think that will matter.

 

[Redwoodz]

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[Nizzen]

Hook everything up with a Mo-Ra radiator with 4x 200mm fans. Best cooling and silence

 

[fray_bentos]

PC in a different room with cables going through the wall.

 

[Nizzen]

Closed headset is pretty smart too

 

[Dogzilla07]

Good MeshFilter Front is a must (ignore full panels, ignore noise dampening, it's all solving a problem that shouldn't exist in the first place, fans spinning too fast, and fans not spinning fast enough to hide the coil whine).

Nobody should ever be using almost fully closed cases and cases dampened on the Front side as same or better is possible with tuned fan speeds.

The key is always a perfect balance of fan speed with the best fans in the world with the best airflow meshfilter panel in the front of the case.

LCP fans can spin a couple of hundred RPM faster for the same noise envelope as non-LCP. so it's always better to get LCP fans, then get LCP fans with quiet motors, then make sure they don't have resonance noise. Overall get the best LCP fan for your use case. Spin them fast enough to mask the coil whine, but not too fast that you can't get used to the noise whooshing sound.

An outlier currently is Be Quiet! SIlent Wings 4 / Pro 4 as it might be good enough, but the crown still is with:

1. Phanteks T30-120 for >1200RPM speeds.
2. Noctua A12x25 for <1200RPM speeds.

As per VSG testing.

 

[Maulet//*//]

Open case like Core, no need for extra fans

 

[ttnuagmada]

Any reason for avoiding a water loop (besides cost)?

 

[Nizzen]

Any reason for avoiding a water loop (besides cost)?

zero

 

[silencefreak]

A custom water loop...?

Any reason for avoiding a water loop (besides cost)?

Maintenance (including disassembly for upgrades) is the biggest reason for me. Also more points of potential failure with a loop.

 

[Nizzen]

Maintenance (including disassembly for upgrades) is the biggest reason for me. Also more points of potential failure with a loop.

Quick disconnects is what I'm using. Changing gpu and cpu without empty the loop or even spill a drop
Use destilled water ONLY, and the mainteance is zero to non if you are changing hardware often. Using black tubes, and no sunlight helping for less maintaince.
We are fixing problems, not making them

 

[Blameless]

I have custom loops that haven't been flushed in almost ten years where the coolant is still crystal clear. If you start with clean parts, use sensible anti-corrosion and anti-microbial measures, and don't have any leaks, they will last a very long time.

Upgrades can be tricky, but if you plan on swapping GPUs or CPU sockets often, quick disconnects are a solution.

Any single point of failure issues can be mitigated by running two pumps in series.

 

[drkwood]

Hook everything up with a Mo-Ra radiator with 4x 200mm fans. Best cooling and silence

Agree entirely. I just built a nice loop with one of these. Haven't decided if I am going to buy a 3000-series GPU, or wait for the 4000-series, so it is still an air-cooled 2080Ti in the pics. But just cooling the 5900X CPU (OC) & Mobo VRM the highest temps I see are in the low 50s (C). I used a Fractal Torrent Nano case and cut portholes for four direct-run lines to the CPU and (future) GPU blocks.

I run the Noctua 200mm fans at 50% and can barely hear them. I don't hear the pumps at all even when I crank them up because the Alphacool Eisball kills all the pump noise.

 

[331149]

Any of the Fractal Define series cases + Silent Wings 3 / 4. Cant get more silent than that. Noctua used to be my go to fans for quiet fans, but Silent Wings are more silent for sure.