Noise measurement
We want to shed some analytical light on the system noise levels generated when high-end cards are installed. To this end, we're using a PCE-318 noise meter placed at the front of a Corsair Obsidian 700D chassis that has the side panel on and card(s) screwed in. Only the test system is running in a quiet room with a sound floor of 28dB. Decibel readings are noted for idle, load (COD: Black Ops) and super-load (FurMark) after 10 minutes have elapsed.
But the price to pay for keeping a super-overclocked GeForce GTX 560 Ti's core at a reasonable temperature is fan noise that is markedly higher than the reference's. Using a worst-case scenario that takes in a version of FurMark which isn't regulated by the card's monitoring hardware, the SO's fans spin at 3,200rpm, though they top out at a more-palatable 2,700rpm when playing Call of Duty: Black Ops.
