No one enjoys having a loud computer, but cooling fans to keep components operating at safe temperatures can make the whole system as loud as a blow-dryer. In the workplace, noise from computers may not be an issue, but in the home a quiet computer can be essential in order to avoid interfering with the enjoyment of movies or music.
The good news is that there are ways to make the computer be a little less noisy. One method is to use noise/vibration isolators, which can be applied to a computer system to reduce the overall noise quite dramatically. For example, rubber feet for the bottom of the computer are available to replace the usual
hard plastic versions.
Another good example is silicon gaskets, which can be installed between a fan or power supply and the computer case to lower vibration as well as cut down on noise.