Tom's Reviews Expensive, Noiseless Case

hakker writes "Toms Hardware Guide is running a review of a new case that claims it provides noiseless computing. The TNN 500A case from Zalman Tech is fanless (including PSU), and uses a bunch of heatpipes to move heat outside of the case from sources inside the system. Potentially costing as much as $1400, how much is your peace and quiet worth?"

Comments

Steep price for Many

[jeffskyrunner]

I know as a college student that a quiet atmosphere while doing work is valuable. The question for most would be, is it $1,400 worth. I *know* that I could not afford that while trying to pay tuition, renting a house, and feeding myself. Somethings are necessary, and some are just...not. Now, if someone gave that to me as a gift or something, no way i would complain :)

Re:Steep price for Many

[harlows_monkeys]

I know as a college student that a quiet atmosphere while doing work is valuable

Earplugs, or ear protectors (available at gun shops), will do better in that case, because they will also block noises other than your PC. (Just be careful what you say if you go to a gun shop--I got some strange looks when I walked in and said I was looking for something to deal with a noisy neighbor!). BTW, earplugs and ear protectors stack--they tend to have different noise blocking characteristics, so using both helps.

It is situations where you don't want to block other sounds that an expensive low noise PC makes sense. Two examples come to mind.

First, home theater. If you have a PC as part of a home theater (or simply live in an apartment and the PC of necessisity is in the same room as your home theater), then earplugs won't work.

Second, a home recording studio. Again, space considerations might force the PC to be in the same room as the instruments, and so a low noice PC would be very useful.

Re:Steep price for Many

[3-State Bit]

Dammit, that should go in the fortune file!

Just be careful what you say if you go to a gun shop--I got some strange looks when I walked in and said I was looking for something to deal with a noisy neighbor!
-- harlows_monkeys, about the availability of earplugs.

$1,400 is cheap....

[ezraekman]

...if you're an audio engineer, video producer, or run a studio. A case like this allows you to work with instruments and other devices, while editing the sound live, with easy access to your monitor/keyboard. This is particularly useful for those who operate recording studios as a side business, out of their home or office space... or people trying to develop their own music, semi-professionally.

People who know how to do this can start up their business without spending well over $1,400 building a soundproof room. For full-blown recording studios, this is a no-brainer. They probably wouldn't think twice about spending double that to keep the sound engineer from getting distracted and/or missing sound details just because of a noisy fan.

Just Like a Concept Car

[foo fighter]

You know those sweet looking cars you see in auto show reports? Those one-offs designed to get people excited about the manufacturer and looking at its other models? Ever try to buy one? They're frickin' expensive. A concept of a $15,000 vehicle will set you back six figures.

That's what this case is, a concept. It's a limited run designed to get the money of early adopters, get people excited about the manufacturer and looking at its other products, and test the market viability of such a product.

It's very cool, I want one but can't afford one, have looked over their other products (well-priced nice stuff and I'll probably get one of their quiet CPU HSFs), and look forward to this case hitting the $100-$200 price range where I'll be able to afford it.

As far as Zalman is concerned with me, they have a success in a $1400 case. Crazy, huh?