# Fanless, dead silent prebuilt mini PC with 9900k, up to 128gb RAM, 5x SSD?!



## Andrew Aversa (Jun 20, 2019)

I never thought something like this was possible, but *here we are*!

I saw this on a recent LinusTechTips video and couldn't believe it. Completely passively-cooled system with one of the hottest/fastest processors available, with no thermal throttling (i.e. all-core boost up to 4.7ghz), and stable temps of 80c. No fans! Dead silent!

On top of that, it's tiny, supports high end video cards, has a TON of room for storage (both regular SSD / M2), up to 128gb of RAM, comes pre-built, and is easily user-upgradable. Plus the company does extensive testing, since these machines are apparently designed to be used in more extreme environments (construction, labs, low/high temperatures etc)

The only catch is that it's pricey, although not unreasonably so, given the specs. For example, this high-end system:

* Intel 9900k (boost up to 5ghz)
* 2x 2TB SSDs 
* 2x 1TB NVME SSDs (ridiculously fast)
* 128GB RAM
* 1660ti video card

... comes in at $*4723*. Oof. But then again, you could always save by not buying as many SSDs right away, and adding more later. The raw cost of these parts comes to about *$2840*, but that's also with a (relatively) regular-sized case, with fans, etc. Plus it comes with a 5-year warranty which is pretty damn good.

It makes you wonder why Apple can't seem to design small systems without thermal issues and throttling, if this small company can easily do it right.


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## Gerhard Westphalen (Jun 20, 2019)

I was mainly impressed by the ruggedness and the way that the entire side panel dissipates heat from the GPU.

Molten Music Technology has been building silent DAW computers for many years. I believe their old company Rain computers did so too. There are a number of fanless cases you can buy. They're generally geared towards the HTPC market.


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## Farkle (Jun 20, 2019)

Man, that is a *really* impressive loadout! I was just looking at building a computer through Micro Center, and mine, which was a cooled system with combos of SSD's and platter drives, and only 64 GB of RAM, was over 4 grand.

So... for about the same price.. more storage, more RAM, all SSD's/High Speeds... color me impressed. Thank you, Andrew!

Mike


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## mouse (Jun 20, 2019)

That's a really good price for that computer


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## kenose (Jun 20, 2019)

If this supported AMD GPUs I would hackintosh it in a second! The design (not to mention the warranty!) craps all over the Mac Mini.


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## MarcelM (Jun 20, 2019)

kenose said:


> If this supported AMD GPUs I would hackintosh it in a second! The design (not to mention the warranty!) craps all over the Mac Mini.


i dont see a reason why it wouldnt support an amd gpu. put a rx 580 in it or even better a vega and there you go


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## kenose (Jun 20, 2019)

I could be wrong but I did a bit of reading on their sites FAQ, it seems their mounting method wouldn’t work for AMD cards.


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## MarcusD (Jun 20, 2019)

Now THAT is impressive.


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## dzilizzi (Jun 20, 2019)

Why wouldn't a Xenon hackintosh? Just curious.

This does look really cool. Unfortunately, it is just a hobby for me and the price is a little more than I want to spend.


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## kenose (Jun 20, 2019)

dzilizzi said:


> Why wouldn't a Xenon hackintosh? Just curious.
> 
> This does look really cool. Unfortunately, it is just a hobby for me and the price is a little more than I want to spend.


It’s not the CPUs that are the issue, it’s the GPUs they offer which are only Nvidia. Unfortunately there are no functioning Nvidia drives for macOS 10.4.5 (Mojave), so you have to stick with AMD GPUs if you’re building a hack or stay on High Sierra to use Nvidia.


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## Victor N. (Jun 20, 2019)

i was looking at mini PCs as well. this is awesome!


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## Andrew Aversa (Jun 20, 2019)

Gerhard Westphalen said:


> I was mainly impressed by the ruggedness and the way that the entire side panel dissipates heat from the GPU.
> 
> Molten Music Technology has been building silent DAW computers for many years. I believe their old company Rain computers did so too. There are a number of fanless cases you can buy. They're generally geared towards the HTPC market.



Sure, silent computers have been around, but most of them aren't fanless with 100% passive cooling. That's what is seriously impressive here. Plus looking at the Molten site for example, they're a generation or two behind, whereas the new Intel chips generate even more heat... making it even more incredible that they pulled off this design w/ no fans.

Just as a contrast to the build I posted, I specced out a machine at PC Audio Labs with the same exact specs (of course, not fanless, and not as small.) The same system there costs *over $7000*... and that's with a 1 year warranty.


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## Wunderhorn (Jun 20, 2019)

It does not only have to be a Mini PC to be completely fan-less and silent. Deltatronic in Germany are offering serious workstations. They work perfectly (I know people who use them)


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## Andrew Aversa (Jun 20, 2019)

Wunderhorn said:


> It does not only have to be a Mini PC to be completely fan-less and silent. Deltatronic in Germany are offering serious workstations. They work perfectly (I know people who use them)



You are right about that. I'm mainly just amazed that they managed this form factor AND fanless. Usually, smaller cases like this are notoriously hard to cool and upgrade. See: Mac Mini, most HTPCs. I've built an HTPC myself and it was a huge headache to get the thermals under control, since you can't fit full size heatsinks.

Plus, it can't be stated enough, the price is *really *good here for such a machine. I compared a nearly identical specced unit at Deltatronic for example and it came to over $6000 USD.


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## kenose (Jun 20, 2019)

zircon_st said:


> You are right about that. I'm mainly just amazed that they managed this form factor AND fanless. Usually, smaller cases like this are notoriously hard to cool and upgrade. See: Mac Mini, most HTPCs. I've built an HTPC myself and it was a huge headache to get the thermals under control, since you can't fit full size heatsinks.
> 
> Plus, it can't be stated enough, the price is *really *good here for such a machine. I compared a nearly identical specced unit at Deltatronic for example and it came to over $6000 USD.


Seems like compared to Apple, they favored the engineering over any aesthetics--- and the thing still looks pretty damn slick.


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## Wunderhorn (Jun 20, 2019)

True, it looks attractive for the specs/price.

I wish Apple had shown more innovative spirit and introduced a fan-less option for the new Mac Pro as well.


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## GtrString (Jun 21, 2019)

It does look spectacular! I tried the Deltatronic site, but it had been hacked lol


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## chimuelo (Jun 21, 2019)

They’re priced high because there’s no stateside competition yet.
I’ve been receiving ads for these parts for months from Aaeon Industrial.
I didn’t think they were practical but never tried their SBC designs.

Obviously HTPC and Gamers have been complaining about noise forever and it paid off. Even the replacement parts for my 1U designs had options for “Silent” Barrel Fans so I bought a trio for my 441 watt build and they are incredibly quiet but you can hear them on their highest 12,000 rpm setting.

If money is a consideration just wait a year until others create competition.
A silent quiet 8 Core PC of such a small vertical size is perfect for tight spaces where room treatment is the priority.

Love it when trends become mainstream.


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## chimuelo (Jun 21, 2019)

TureMetal has some high end passive designs for 0 db that are interesting too.

https://www.anandtech.com/show/14562/turemetal-fanless-chassis-for-diy-highend-pcs


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## EvilDragon (Jun 21, 2019)

That doesn't look nearly as compact as Compulab solution, which also doesn't make it nearly as impressive as Compulab solution


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## Pictus (Jun 24, 2019)

A cheaper way to have a dead silent PC is the use a custom water kit and place the radiator/pump into another room.


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## tabulius (Jun 24, 2019)

I've been using HD Plex H5 as a fanless case. It's been working out pretty good, sometimes it becomes very hot tho when there are lots of CPU processing going on. https://www.hdplex.com/

But I've been looking the Airtop3 case as an upgrade too. Or I'll just get a Fractal Design case with silent fans and call it a day.


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## chimuelo (Jun 25, 2019)

So I should be able to record the sound of mice chewing a fresh piece of rice then.
Awesome.


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## FriFlo (Jun 25, 2019)

chimuelo said:


> So I should be able to record the sound of mice chewing a fresh piece of rice then.
> Awesome.


Not while playing a game, though ...


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