hadmad
VIP Member
HP Workstations: Liquid cooling for z400, z800
Posted: 11 Aug 2009 01:20 PM PDT
HP Workstations: Liquid cooling for z400, z800
It isn’t uncommon for computer manufacturers to use liquid cooling in their data centers, this is to reduce heat more effectively then fans, however now Hewlett-Packard Co are offering liquid cooling to their machines to eliminate annoying fan noise.
One surprising fact about HP’s decision is that they will be offering liquid cooling on two of their workstations, the z400 and the z800, the plan is to cut back on the amount of small high RPM fans from within the case, as small fans with high RPM’s often create high pitch tones.
According to the article an air cooled z800 workstation under full CPU load can generate 38 decibels of noise, and when idle the system generates 27 decibels of noise. A liquid cooled z800 workstation under full CPU load can generate 30 decibels of noise, and when idle the system generates 22 decibels of noise.
To compare the decibels to some day to day sounds we are used to, a fridge humming creates about 40 decibels of noise, a normal conversation is approximately 50-65 decibels, and someone breathing is approximately 10 decibels.
To upgrade to liquid cooling on the z400 it will cost you an extra $125 and to upgrade to liquid cooling on the z800 it will cost you $250, to be honest I feel that it is a lot to spend to save a maximum of 8 decibels of noise, however over time fans deteriorate so perhaps the advantage could become greater. Check out ComputerWorld for full details.
Would you upgrade to water cooling given the price/noise comparison?
Posted: 11 Aug 2009 01:20 PM PDT
HP Workstations: Liquid cooling for z400, z800
It isn’t uncommon for computer manufacturers to use liquid cooling in their data centers, this is to reduce heat more effectively then fans, however now Hewlett-Packard Co are offering liquid cooling to their machines to eliminate annoying fan noise.
One surprising fact about HP’s decision is that they will be offering liquid cooling on two of their workstations, the z400 and the z800, the plan is to cut back on the amount of small high RPM fans from within the case, as small fans with high RPM’s often create high pitch tones.
According to the article an air cooled z800 workstation under full CPU load can generate 38 decibels of noise, and when idle the system generates 27 decibels of noise. A liquid cooled z800 workstation under full CPU load can generate 30 decibels of noise, and when idle the system generates 22 decibels of noise.
To compare the decibels to some day to day sounds we are used to, a fridge humming creates about 40 decibels of noise, a normal conversation is approximately 50-65 decibels, and someone breathing is approximately 10 decibels.
To upgrade to liquid cooling on the z400 it will cost you an extra $125 and to upgrade to liquid cooling on the z800 it will cost you $250, to be honest I feel that it is a lot to spend to save a maximum of 8 decibels of noise, however over time fans deteriorate so perhaps the advantage could become greater. Check out ComputerWorld for full details.
Would you upgrade to water cooling given the price/noise comparison?