"User N" wrote in message
...

You best bet would be to find someone that owns the exact machine you
are considering, and go have a listen. Noise is a subjective thing, and
what
one person might consider quiet you might consider highly annoying. If
you
aren't satisfied with the noise levels of Dells, Gateways, etc you could
build
your own quieter machine, or purchase one from a reputable builder.

Good suggestion to have computer custom built at a local shop if you're not
skilled in computer assembly. Burn out one CPU and labor savings are lost.
By emphasizing on quietness you can select higher quality fans and insulated
case with minimum addl. cost. Alternatively, be sure Dell replaces noisy
fans etc. I have a 4600 and an 8200 both of which, IMO, run quietly.