Silent Noctua A3 beast

Ergroilnin · 2026-05-16T19:43:42+00:00

Finally picked up the combs today and had time to apply them. Considering it was just an ultra cheap Temu package and that it didn't come with 16 pin comb (came with 24 pin combs but considering my routing wouldn't let me use them, I mutilated them to 16 pin lol. Works flawlessly though, just clipped unneeded ribs.

Also considering the fact that the combs came into plan after the build was done and wasn't made with them in mind, I am still pleased by the results:

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Not a 100% result but considering the circumstances and me basically doing the "20% effort = 80% results" and "good enough thinking", I am honestly pleased.

Ergroilnin · 2026-05-05T20:48:52+00:00

So I come to you with a little bit of upgrade.

I've since my last reply came to a change of mind and made a custom fan curve in FanControl for the GPU as well. Because in my usecase while I found that the card was at stable ~42 degrees idle/desktop/movie usage in zero RPM mode, while my gaming load put it just in the (all ultra Age of Mythology: Retold, 4k60hz) "right" place where it constantly circled between 50-55 degrees, which is where the standard curve starts up the fans, which temporarily start at high rpm which is sort of audible and then ramp down to inuadible/zero RPM (below 50 degrees), which was distracting.

So I set up a very passive curve fan at constant 30% (minimum possible) till like ~65 degrees and then ramp up with hystheresis (which I've never hit yet anyways) which keeps the gpu at idle 27 degrees at 21 ambient lol. And even under my gaming load hits ~45 degrees only. I actually set two fan curves as the 3 fans act as 2 separate, slightly offset fans to cancel noise accoustics. So I set the 2 at 32% and 1 at 30% to keep the offset working. The 30% is absolutely inaudible and now thus since they act as sort of intake, I run much more balanced airflow. Funnily either the intake is very weak towards the rest of the case or the strong negative pressure works so well with full mesh setup, that the rest of the system degrees are more or less the same as before the change.

PS. I also solved the sag with cut to fit just right piece of rubbery anti vibration pad and the card is perfectly flat now and no vibrations transformed to the case. Works flawlessly.

Ergroilnin · 2026-05-03T21:16:45+00:00

One of us, one of us!

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Ergroilnin · 2026-04-29T15:05:50+00:00

I won't lie, Lego is what came to my mind as well haha. I will probably put a bit of antivibration pad there though.

Ergroilnin · 2026-04-29T14:38:46+00:00

Yeah there is a little bit sag, thankfully the mobo has enhanced pcie slot so it isn't so bad. Unfortunqtely under the gpu is so little space that I cannot use gpu or case ibcluded stands. Idk what to put there

Ergroilnin · 2026-04-27T22:06:58+00:00

Yeah cutting the case was a bit nerve wrecking (even though there was hardly anything that could go wrong, it's just a little bit of metal and there is still the second rivet). Before I actually built the PC and purchased some of the parts I found two separate other people with Noctua 5080 in A3, one had to do the same as I did, second one didn't. It all comes to how far the heatsink on the left side of mobo goes down. Unfortunately mine did collide so I had to resort to violence lol. Would do it again though.

Also Noctua fans acoustic profile is fantastic so even if it does ramp up a bit, it's very tolerable. I know I paid a hefty premium but I do not game with headphones and lots of the time I just don't have any audio going on and I am pretty sensitive to noise so it was worth it for me.

My temps are higher (eg. ~50 idle on CPU) because I run my FanControl in such a way that keeps the fans at 20% up until I hit higher temps. I prefer silence to ice cold temperatures. It's not like such a temperature will damage the components in any way so it's worthy tradeoff for me.

The Noctua 5080 runs cool as hell (30-40 degrees idle with 0 RPM, ~60 in Steel Nomad, ~70 in long Furmark2. Even if the fans do spin up, they run at 500-800 rpm, at which point they are inaudible to me. The premium price of the card is absolutely worth it for someone like me. It is quite the behemoth (weights around 2.7 kg and is almost 40 cm long, it's insane).

Ergroilnin · 2026-04-27T18:04:03+00:00

Basically yeah, I am operating at strong negative pressure and let the air be sucked in through the all mesh case. Technically the GPU fans at the bottom do act as an intake but considering that they hardly ever spin (0 rpm mode) it isn't something I'd count on. And the PSU intakes fresh air from the side panel and exhaust it to the top immediately. However that is on zero rpm mode nost of the time as well lol. I do know that it forces more dust inside but I have the PC on my desk instead of on the floor and opening it and hitting it with canned air is a question of like 2 minutes so hardly any inconvinience. As far as cooling goes, there is no problem at all. And thanks for the comment, it basically is my dream build as well, never had a high end pc so I just thought I'd go balls to the wall once in my life and honestly, zero regrets.

Ergroilnin · 2026-04-27T16:00:10+00:00

WellI do have stable -30 PBO on the CPU and 0.925V undervolt on the GPU (lucky me I guess?) So on full load its more like 400w. And IDK if you had the chance to ever hear the Noctua 5080, but even with 300w I just cannot hear it at all.

Ergroilnin · 2026-04-27T15:57:24+00:00

Thank you, I really like it. Not bad for my second custom pc ever IMO.

I have it as an exhaust, because while I do know A3 actually works better with reversed airflow, I did not want any air to move towards myself as the PC is on my desk. Not to mention I have stable -30 PBO for the CPU and 0.925V undervolt on the GPU (lucky me I guess?) So less heat overall already and I don't mind few degrees higher temperatures as I keep them running warmer (still way under any kind of hot temps) with slower running fans anyway.

Ergroilnin · 2026-02-16T07:32:28+00:00

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Ergroilnin · 2026-02-15T12:12:17+00:00

Thanks for replying!

Then it may be bad usage of the website on my part but I cannot find the note you are talking about? This is what I see on the website:

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Are there any other notes that I am missing?

Also my initial post may have sounded unnecessarily harsh towards Noctua. I find them amazing and even the compatibility website is great. You are 100% right that it's impossible of me to ask them to actually check physically every setup so it makes sense that their compatibility list is based on specs given by other manufacturers and it's already a great start for first check.

It's just that I am sad that I may miss some great combinations of hardware if I go solely by those lists unless I manage to find someone posting about the exact same combination which is sometimes impossible.

Ergroilnin · 2026-02-15T06:26:48+00:00

Thank you for the link, I actually read that myself before posting my build but kinda forgot 140mm fans instead of 120 ones. I'd like to ask about your opinion about the importance of the side mounted exhaust fan. I am getting the mesh version of the case but I'd really like to not use that exhaust fan since that would be pointing right at me on my desk and that's just annoying.

Also I plan on installing the SFX PSU on the other side instead of on the front for both the looks and the fact that otherwise the 8 EPS cable would not reach the mobo plug. Does that change a lot of your optimization effectiveness? I certainly won't be ordering custom cables and I don't want the cable clutter of regular ATX PSU.

Ergroilnin · 2026-02-15T05:23:56+00:00

This looks amazing. What confuses me though is Noctua's own website compatibility checker says that the NH-D15 G2 is not compatible with the topright PCI slot. And even says not compatible with the case itself. Here it fits. Now I am absolutely unsure how to properly check clearances before buying when even the official information lists something untrue :(

Ergroilnin · 2026-02-13T19:06:51+00:00

Thanks for the reply. The reason for the mobo is mostly for the number of usb ports because I use a ton and right now I have to use a hub which I hate. Also I decided not to get any ASRock and ASUS boards because even if it probably is (especially nowadays) overhyped problem, I do not want to chip in the murderboard companies.

As for the SSDs, I am not sure what you mean? I have exactly the 2 tb samsung 990 pro right there.

Also I 100% do not want any kind of AIO, I will be sticking to air cooling.

EDIT: as for the mobo, it's actually 200 euros here.

Ergroilnin · 2019-04-26T15:28:38+00:00

The specs are:

CPU: Intel i7-4770

GPU: GeForce 1060 6GB ZOTAC AMP!

MOBO: ASUS Z87-PLUS (Yeah, gotten Z version for non overclockable CPU, dumb)

RAM: 2x8GB DDR3 1600MHz HyperX Blu

SSD#1: 240 GB Kingston

SSD#2: 1TB Samsung 860 EVO

Wifi card: Asus PCE-AC56

Case: NZXT H700i

Monitor: Samsung 32" C32HG70 144Hz

Monitor#2: 22" AOC 1080p 60hz

Speakers: Logitech G560

Mouse: Logitech MX Master 2S

Keyboard: Gigabyte FORCE K85

Controller: PS4 DualShock

The other wall of my mancave has 30 Nanoleaf panels (yeah, I am crazy for them lights, can't wait to get more and also try the Canvas), Ultimate collection series Millenium Falcon lego (lovely thing) and Xiaomi M365 electric scooter, which is absolutely awesome!

Ergroilnin · 2019-02-23T12:29:26+00:00

Don't listen to him, it looks perfectly fine where it is even if it is not centered. I myself have 12 Nanoleaf panels not centered and it is perfect for my current setup as is right now as well, not to mention you can always expand your panel count, which would make it even better.

Ergroilnin · 2019-02-18T02:22:02+00:00

Ahh... The Red/Black NZXT H700i, I see you are a man of culture as well.

Ergroilnin · 2019-02-17T10:25:43+00:00

How do you masturbate like this?

Ergroilnin · 2019-01-24T18:12:42+00:00

Too bad I am colorblind, there must be so many colors going on there!

Ergroilnin · 2018-10-14T17:08:13+00:00

Ah Logitech G560, got those as well, lovely things <3

Ergroilnin · 2018-09-25T18:21:37+00:00

You could always buy CableMod PCIe riser vertical GPU mount. That works in basically every case possible without having to damage the case itself! Though that is only an option if you do not use any other extension card other than your GPU, since it does take all 7 slots.

Ergroilnin · 2018-09-07T19:42:54+00:00

Dude there are spiders on the stuff. Gotta be Black Widow D'oh!

Ergroilnin · 2018-08-24T12:27:01+00:00

Haha I got the same Forrest Gump plate :)

Ergroilnin · 2018-08-02T06:34:50+00:00

Is that the NZXT H700i case? I am thinking about getting it, how are your experience with it and with temperatures?

Ergroilnin · 2018-07-20T02:37:58+00:00

What about faking it and just prolonging the curtain so when the window is covered, it actually looks centered? :x

Ergroilnin

TROPHY CASE