James Sherwood of The Register reports:
If you’re sick of reaching for the earplugs each time you turn on your Xbox 360, a solution's now available: the Ultra-Quiet Xbox 360.
PC customisation firm Quiet PC has begun selling a redesigned Xbox 360, which essentially sees an off-the-shelf model taken apart and put into a specialist case – in addition to several technical modifications.
Admittedly, the new case, the Lian Li XB-01BM, is twice the size of the console itself. But by spreading out the console’s components in a well-ventilated case, the manufacturer claims that less noise is produced.
Each Xbox 360 has two 80mm fans that produce a combined 48db of noise, according to Quiet PC. By replacing this with a single 120mm fan – positioned on an specialist anti-vibration mount - and peppering the case with air holes, the firm’s promised you’ll be "amazed at the reduction of noise levels".
Since the optical drive produces a fair bit of noise too, the firm will place acoustic foam in strategic places to help further reduce overall noise and vibration. On top of all that, the case’s silicone feet help to aid noise reduction some more.
It’s worth noting that Quiet PC doesn't promise to deliver you a silent Xbox 360, but the redesign does sound like it’ll reduce much of the noise.
All three Xbox 360 models are available online as resigned quiet running consoles, with prices starting at £307 ($435/€339) for the Arcade.
