Silent HP Z440 workstation: replacing noisy fans

michael.stapelberg.ch

12 points·edward··6 comments

Does anyone know why case fans on workstations are always so damn loud? I understand why rack-mount machines are that way, because they will get stashed in a server room, but every workstation I've ever seen can get adequate (and sometimes even improved) cooling at greatly reduced noise levels with aftermarket fans.

Serious question. Why did you chose buy the HP workstation instead of buying components yourself and building a simple workstation with Noctua cooler and Noctua fans?

Asking to know if there are reasons I didn’t know of..

I built my PC with same characteristics as yours, and had fun while building it too. It only took about an hour or two..

> Since March 2020, I have been using my work computer at home: an HP Z440 workstation.

Sounds like it’s a work computer and not originally purchased by the blogger.

Yep, I had no choice in the matter.

For my own purchases, I do buy PC components with Noctua fans as suggested :)

Workstation computers can be a joy of simplicity, as they're intended to be very easy to service. But this comes about because they're full of proprietary parts, so IMO you've got to be happy to accept them as-is. Otherwise, as the article shows, you've got your work cut out.

I'm a PC tech who grew weary of figuring out which panels need to be removed, cutting myself on sharp metal edges, trying to distinguish between the five different types of screws needed to hold the various internal components in place, having to remove the CPU cooler and (what feels like) a quarter mile of cabling to be able to replace the power supply, etc, etc. And as it happens I've just replaced my old HP Z600 with a Z620.

Weird, I've worked with a few of them and found Z440s to be pretty much silent. OP must have been unlucky.

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