I hate watercooling (an ode to two fallen 6970s)

[Leslieann]

Does anybody have any info about those "fanless" systems by NoFen (sp?)

Basically the whole case is one big heatsink for the processor, and you can get a large fanless heatsink that is compatible with any (1155) processor with a 95W or lower TDP.

The only truly fanless systems, by Zalman, don't handle modern processors (other than Atom) and they cost a small fortune.

how small is the smallest condenser system capable of condensing liquid nitrogen

Probably not small considering the pressures and temperatures involved, not to mention overkill and difficult to work with.

Besides that, Nitrogen brings it's own issues. Some parts don't deal well with extreme temps or such wild temp fluctuations (off and on). Too cold and some things simply don't work, connections fail to connect, etc... Several times now I have worked on systems that where left out in cars in freezing temps and had to re-seat the drive cables and memory. Computers weren't designed for such wild variations in temp.

[Internetlad]

but they still advertise the CR-95 as being compatible with procs as far back as C2D

http://www.nofancomputer.com/eng/products/CR-95C02.php

I've never seen these units IRL or used them. I'm just going off the site.

They claim to work by convection, ie the air rising out a top slot in the case.

I dunno LOL

[tp4tissue]

but they still advertise the CR-95 as being compatible with procs as far back as C2D

http://www.nofancomputer.com/eng/products/CR-95C02.php

I've never seen these units IRL or used them. I'm just going off the site.

Based on reviews they're totally "NOT" worth it, because they can't handle "full load" and you're almost always near 80C + even at medium load

[Leslieann]

They still need  moving air on all but lower watt processors, and that means a fan. The only difference is where the fan is located.

They do work, but they are not designed with any sort of real performance in mind. Get some real quiet fans, and maybe slightly underclock and you could get a nice system in there that would work. There are some fans you cannot hear more than a foot or two from the case, but if you are doing that, why not just put the quiet fans on a normal heat sink?

If I were building a system for audio recording, it would be a consideration, however a cheaper alternative is mounting it in another room with longer cables.

[Internetlad]

Sort of off topic, but i've come to love Fractal Design cases for the dampening qualities. absolutely fantastic series of cases and fans. My stock cooler and 4870 single fan would kick up in games and sound like a small jet, so I replaced them with a 7950 dualX and an aftermarket zalman cooler (the cheapest of those horizonal O shaped units) and adjusted the fans. At stock frequencies you wouldn't even know the thing is on, never mind running Sleeping Dogs at max settings. Beautiful.

[Leslieann]

I never hear my computer.. but then, it;s in the basement.  )

The right fans, case and such make a big different, I spend a lot on making sure my computers are quite, basement or not.