What you are really missing is the fact that it is a "gaming pc" which probably means he has a decent video card that probably has giant fans on them. For gaming, there are SOME video cards that make reduced noise, but in the end Video cards are probably what is really making all the noise (and possibly some cheap case fans as well).
I have 4 external hard drive cases that each house 4 hard drives in my office. Even with a fan in each case I barely notice all 16 of those hard drives, but I do notice the fans from my two video cards in my Mac Pro.
one of the best video cards 7970 can be made very close to silent with this heat sink
http://www.prolimatech.com/en/products/detail.asp?id=1672 and two of these fans
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835999007
Really beautiful set up! My desk is such a mess! I think this is on par with he new imac for form factor.
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Sometimes the more powerful graphics cards have fans on them so it's not just the HD that can make noise on a pc.
yeah I have lots of 7970s they are loud but are very good for graphics.
Errr, yes!
What do you think is different from a Mac Mini with an SSD and a PC with an SSD? They both tend to have fans, though it is possible to make your PC fanless. Try that with a Mac Mini.
Without a moving hard drive, and with low RPM fans, the PC is silent.
Mac Mini's still will rev up their fans when they get going, so in a way the PC wins.
Don't get me wrong, Mac Mini's are cool (thinking of grabbing a 2012!), I just thought it was weird the OP complained about his PC hard drive chugging away, while the Mini makes no noise. Then he explains he put an SSD in the Mini.
That's like complaining your car "just won't drive", though you fail to mention you never put any gas in it.
I have a few pc's and a few mini's they serve different uses. a mac pro with proper mods to the video card is the only quiet mac for gaming. the op is being a bit unfair talking about a gaming pc and a mini in the same way.