Thank you for extended reply, a lot of good hints.

Dedicated server cases would probably be an overkill here, Apex MI-008 (slightly modded) looks like best option for me.

Hi everyone, I am looking for a small NAS case to host AsRock Q1900DC-ITX mobo, 2x 3.5" HDD and 1x 2.5" SSD. All the cases I found so far are either too small (no room for all the storage) or too large (with space for ATX PSU I don't need). I am using Lian-Li PC-Q08 right now, it's nice but at least...

After considering your suggestions (thanks again), this is my tentative planned build: Case: Antec NSK-1380 PSU: stock 350W 80+ CPU: Intel Core i7-860 (slight overclock is an option) CPU cooler: stock (replace with Scythe Shuriken if too warm/noisy) MOBO: Gigabyte GA-P55M-UD2 RAM: 4x2GB (aiming at 1...

@danimal I've read reviews of both boards on Anandtech and I am still undecided. Asrock board has a Tom's Hardware recommendation, though... @JamieG Good catch, this is a mistake on my part. Obviously, I'd need some budget discrete GPU with that setup. This machine is intended mostly for development...

Hi all, I am planning a computer refresh in the next month or so and would like you to comment on my build. I have used Antec NSK-1380 case for last two years and I love it ( stock PSU / fans at the moment). I'd like to keep it after I transition to socket 1366, but I am a little worried about heat ...

Thanks for all the info.

I'll assemble my PC in the next week or two, using stock components. I'll post my build and power measurements on these forums, and then adjust / modify if necessary.

Moon GT wrote:This. I'd put a E8500 in a high-end gaming rig. Actually even a E21x0 would probably do it, although AMD chips are more price competitive at that level of performance.

I did not mention I am getting E8500 at bargain price of ~$90. Do you still E21x0 at retail would be better choice?

The NSK2480 have a 80+ certified psu and thus have an efficiency of 80% or above from 20 to 100% load i.e. from around 76W of load. I was under the impression that 80% efficiency is attained at about 100W, based on SPCR review here . The difference is rather minor, though. If you want a quiet pc yo...

I have found a great deal of information on SPCR, did read several articles and reviews before posting. Hope to get some more opinions from you :) I am going to build a low-power PC to function initially as media server and backup server. I plan to use it also as HTPC in the near future, as well as ...

Intel E8400 Stock: 3.0 Ghz @ 1.2250V (cpuz reports 1.216v), 73/113W 3.0 GHz @ 1.0375V (cpuz reports 1.024v), 70/98W 3.6 GHz @ 1.2250V (cpuz reports 1.216v), 77/125W How low can I go with power consumption of underclocked / undervolted Intel E8400 / E8500 without risking the stability? I'd really li...

Thanks for informative answer.

I will wait for NVidia chipset to see how it compares, although I have to admit I have a strong affinity for Intel products.

Is this board a good choice for low-power HTPC / file server? What about these alternatives:
- ASUS P5Q-EM?
- Intel DG45ID?

I plan on using an underclocked E8400/E8500 + 4GB RAM +3x WD Green Power 750GB drives on RAID5.