Acoustic Performance Test Procedures:
- We placed our Digital Sound Level Meter one metre away from the case.
- The case fans are set to maximum speed.
- The CPU cooler’s fans are deactivated.
- The Corsair Carbide Air 540‘s default fan configuration is: 2x 140mm front intake, 1x 140mm rear exhaust fans.
Please refer to our KitGuru noise guide for a comparison between the noise levels of this case and everyday scenarios.
KitGuru noise guide
10dBA – Normal Breathing/Rustling Leaves
20-25dBA – Whisper
30dBA – High Quality Computer fan
40dBA – A Bubbling Brook, or a Refrigerator
50dBA – Normal Conversation
60dBA – Laughter
70dBA – Vacuum Cleaner or Hairdryer
80dBA – City Traffic or a Garbage Disposal
90dBA – Motorcycle or Lawnmower
100dBA – MP3 player at maximum output
110dBA – Orchestra
120dBA – Front row rock concert/Jet Engine
130dBA – Threshold of Pain
140dBA – Military Jet take-off/Gunshot (close range)
160dBA – Instant Perforation of eardrum
The trio of Corsair's Air Series AF140L fans doesn't make for the quietest combination, but they aren't unbearable either. A simple fan controller would help users define their balance between cooling performance and noise output, but Corsair does not supply one.