Search found 164 matches

by Linus
Mon Jun 11, 2007 7:30 am
Forum: Deals, Vendors and Classifieds
Topic: NSK2400 $70 shipped at Buy.com
Replies: 0
Views: 2365

NSK2400 $70 shipped at Buy.com

Noticed this deal and thought I'd pass it on...the Antec NSK2400 (SPCR review) is $70 shipped at Buy.com right now:

http://www.buy.com/prod/antec-new-solut ... 73224.html[/url]
by Linus
Mon Jun 04, 2007 12:30 pm
Forum: Green Computing
Topic: Dual graphics - to save energy! (Why not?)
Replies: 5
Views: 6126

AnandTech reported in AMD's Next-Generation Mobile Architecture Revealed: Griffin that AMD intends to add a feature called PowerXPress to their upcoming mobile platform, Griffin. These systems will have both integrated and discrete graphics cores, and will supposedly switch seamlessly between them d...
by Linus
Mon Apr 30, 2007 3:03 pm
Forum: The Silent Front
Topic: Lowest power consumption for DivX encoding
Replies: 35
Views: 36906

More developments related to DivX encoding efficiency: Fudzilla recently reported that Barcelona/Agena, AMD's upcoming quad-core processor families, score > 400,000 it/s in Sandra's multimedia integer test. Assuming they don't draw any more power than a QX6800, that's close to 2000 ints/watt - a new...
by Linus
Wed Apr 18, 2007 7:11 am
Forum: Quiet Prebuilt, SFF and Barebones Systems
Topic: Dell Precision 690 or ?
Replies: 8
Views: 8502

We recently got two 690's in my office at work, each outfitted with a dual-core ~3.2GHz 5100-series Xeon. I know I measured 275W power consumption, unfortunately, I'm not sure if that was at idle or under load. I haven't really listened to them carefully, but they're reasonably quiet under a desk in...
by Linus
Sun Dec 10, 2006 2:13 pm
Forum: The Silent Front
Topic: Lowest power consumption for DivX encoding
Replies: 35
Views: 36906

Given that AnandTech measured a 17.5% increase in DivX encoding speed from Core Duo (Yonah) to Core 2 Duo (Merom) and smilingcrow's link to PCStats indicates a 15%+ improvement in DivX encoding speed from 32-bit to 64-bit WinXP, a Core 2 Duo laptop running 64-bit WinXP should score at least 1500 int...
by Linus
Sun Dec 10, 2006 10:49 am
Forum: SPCR Article Discussion
Topic: AOpen i945GTt-VFA & Silverstone Lascala LC-12
Replies: 37
Views: 42126

Good find.

Note the Efficiency of 90% possible? thread, which includes information on a 19V Acbel brick that's 90%+ efficient at 37.5W. Swapping that brick out for the Delta might lower power consumption by a watt or two.
by Linus
Sun Dec 10, 2006 10:10 am
Forum: Power Supplies
Topic: Efficiency of 90% possible?
Replies: 19
Views: 10823

Great link, MikeC. According to the Judging Process document on the 2004 Design Competition website , the Acbel API 3 D25-380 is 90%+ efficient at 37.5W, 75W, 112.5W, and 150W - that beats out the Seasonic SS-300SFD 80 Plus as the new low-power efficiency champ, assuming a DC-DC PSU of better than 9...
by Linus
Sun Dec 10, 2006 9:04 am
Forum: SPCR Article Discussion
Topic: AOpen i945GTt-VFA & Silverstone Lascala LC-12
Replies: 37
Views: 42126

Would it be possible to get some efficiency numbers from the Delta 90W brick that came with the motherboard? Or does the 19V output make it more difficult to test?
by Linus
Thu Nov 30, 2006 7:31 pm
Forum: The Silent Front
Topic: Lowest power consumption for DivX encoding
Replies: 35
Views: 36906

Update...I noticed smilingcrow's Celeron M v Core Solo v Yonah thread, in which he reports a 36.5W load measurement on a system with the following specs: <Core Duo T2600>, Abit iL-90MV, 1GB DDR2-533, Seagate Momentus 5400.2 120GB SATA, PicoPSU, EPS 55W 12V power brick The Tech Report's article Core ...
by Linus
Wed Jul 12, 2006 7:09 am
Forum: SPCR Article Discussion
Topic: News: Choose an Energy Efficient Computer
Replies: 17
Views: 22470

MikeC - Fantastic! I've been reading Home Power longer than I've been visiting SPCR, and had always thought that someone should write an article about efficient computing. You were just the right person to do it. Lots of good information without being over the typical Home Power reader's head. Grea...
by Linus
Mon Jul 10, 2006 11:27 am
Forum: Cases and Damping
Topic: Antec NSK3300
Replies: 56
Views: 39434

For those of us eagerly awaiting an SPCR review of the NSK3300, this review from SFF Club may be of interest in the meantime:

SFF Club Review
by Linus
Sat Jul 08, 2006 5:51 am
Forum: Quiet Prebuilt, SFF and Barebones Systems
Topic: Asus Barebone s754 with external PSU!!
Replies: 57
Views: 35311

For a discussion of why computers draw what they do at idle, see Laptop vs. Desktop Power Consumption . Consensus was that lower PSU efficiencies at such low power draw and lack of automated shutoff for unused peripherals account for most of the difference between desktops and laptops. For a poll of...
by Linus
Sun Jun 11, 2006 1:40 pm
Forum: Cases and Damping
Topic: Bluefront's Wood Case..with Ninja upgrade.
Replies: 44
Views: 23814

Bluefront - If you need a mounting adapter for a slim, laptop-style optical drive, check out eBay user racksys. I've bought from him and his adapters are the cheapest I've found on the net.

Best of luck on the project - look forward to seeing your results!
by Linus
Thu Jun 08, 2006 8:42 pm
Forum: Cases and Damping
Topic: Antec NSK3300
Replies: 56
Views: 39434

frostedflakes - I'm confused. The case has a separate chamber for the PSU, implying a front-intake, rear-exhaust PSU. The SS-300SFD SPCR reviewed seems to have a bottom-intake, rear-exhaust design. What gives?
by Linus
Mon May 29, 2006 10:19 am
Forum: The Silent Front
Topic: Lowest power consumption for DivX encoding
Replies: 35
Views: 36906

Glad this thread is still kicking - this benchmark is the #1 way I judge PCs. Judging from the Core Duo numbers Hifriday reported, a Core Duo Laptop would probably be 550+ ints/watt, since power consumption would probably be <60W. That's pushing 3x the encoding efficiency of my Mobile Athlon XP...no...
by Linus
Sun May 28, 2006 5:29 pm
Forum: SPCR Article Discussion
Topic: VIA EPIA EN12000E fanless mini-ITX
Replies: 64
Views: 62049

Typically well-written review. I wasn't surprised when a system built with this board took first place in the low-power shootout, but it does surprisingly well in my media-encoding-efficiency shootout as well (see Lowest power consumption for DivX encoding).
by Linus
Sun May 28, 2006 5:29 pm
Forum: The Silent Front
Topic: Lowest power consumption for DivX encoding
Replies: 35
Views: 36906

Surprisingly enough, VIA's 1.2GHz EPIA board does very well in terms of media-encoding efficiency. SPCR's recent review (see VIA EPIA EN12000E: Today's most efficient CPU & board ) reported a CPUBurn wattage of 21W with a minimal configuration (512MB RAM, laptop HDD), and SFFtech's review of the 1.5...
by Linus
Sun May 28, 2006 5:13 pm
Forum: The Silent Front
Topic: Laptop vs. Desktop Power Consumption
Replies: 41
Views: 38893

New winner of the low-power crown: SPCR built and tested an EPIA-based system that idled at 17W with a PicoPSU/brick combination for power (an efficient ATX PSU brought that up to 28W). See VIA EPIA EN12000E: Today's most efficient CPU & board . Since the board is built from the start with low power...
by Linus
Thu May 11, 2006 7:27 am
Forum: SPCR Article Discussion
Topic: Tiny, Silent and Efficient: The picoPSU
Replies: 142
Views: 264780

autoboy - Sorry if I came across a little harsh there; no offense intended. As to your question, I believe it's possible to wire up a simple regulator if your input is a little high like Bluefront's - some guys described this to me in Flickering w/ LCD running off 12v rail - help! . Good call on th...
by Linus
Wed May 10, 2006 5:33 pm
Forum: SPCR Article Discussion
Topic: Tiny, Silent and Efficient: The picoPSU
Replies: 142
Views: 264780

Man, don't you people read? :lol: Beyonder - I linked to a thread about bigger fanless PSUs above. Try searching for 120W 150W 180W 220W fanless brick and I'm sure you'll find more. autoboy - I mentioned a PSU suitable for cars above - the DSATX regulates the 12V rail to 2%. Carnetix also makes the ...
by Linus
Wed May 10, 2006 11:53 am
Forum: SPCR Article Discussion
Topic: Tiny, Silent and Efficient: The picoPSU
Replies: 142
Views: 264780

Typically high-quality SPCR review. I am all but convinced that my next build will include an AC-DC brick and DC-DC PSU. This kind of solution is a little more expensive than typical ATX PSUs, but efficiency is higher, it's significantly smaller, and most importantly, it's 100% silent. Anyone using ...
by Linus
Wed May 10, 2006 11:14 am
Forum: The Silent Front
Topic: Laptop vs. Desktop Power Consumption
Replies: 41
Views: 38893

SPCR's review of the picoPSU is here: Tiny, Silent and Efficient: The picoPSU.

Nothing all that surprising to me, really. Decent efficiency improvements versus the Seasonic SS-300SFD 80 Plus, but nothing earth-shattering.
by Linus
Tue May 09, 2006 1:01 pm
Forum: General Gallery
Topic: wall mounted pc
Replies: 34
Views: 30912

This is one of the few custom cases I've seen that is a total departure from typical layouts without sacrificing ATX compatibility. I really appreciate your focus on locating and orienting parts for maximum "passive assist". I would love to see a version for laptop optical drives and HDDs, brick/DC-...
by Linus
Sun Apr 30, 2006 1:04 pm
Forum: The Silent Front
Topic: Laptop vs. Desktop Power Consumption
Replies: 41
Views: 38893

Nevermind...forgot the PicoPSU maxes out around 120W. I'll just wait patiently for the results of your review. :)

I want to thank all of you for what I think has become a very informative thread. All of this info will help a lot when I build my next PC.
by Linus
Sun Apr 30, 2006 11:33 am
Forum: The Silent Front
Topic: Laptop vs. Desktop Power Consumption
Replies: 41
Views: 38893

Hifriday - I think you're measuring VA with the clamp meter, not necessarily watts consumed. When I plug my LCD power brick up to my Kill-A-Watt, it reads 32W, 74VA, and 0.43 PF. That fits with Devon's VA * PF = W. Interestingly, that means the wattage of your systems is, if anything, lower than yo...
by Linus
Sun Apr 30, 2006 7:22 am
Forum: The Silent Front
Topic: Laptop vs. Desktop Power Consumption
Replies: 41
Views: 38893

Hifriday - To give a little more background on my system...the 37W idle figure is at 300MHz, but 1.25V is the lowest stable voltage I can get by with (I blame integrated video and maybe the PSU). I do run S2KCtl, and have seen significant drops in power consumption when clocked at my "normal' speed...
by Linus
Sat Apr 29, 2006 4:02 pm
Forum: The Silent Front
Topic: Laptop vs. Desktop Power Consumption
Replies: 41
Views: 38893

Noticed that user Hifriday reported 31W idle on the following system in How much does your system draw at idle (Poll) : ASUS Pundit P2-AE2 Barebone (Via K8M800) Sempron 3000+ (Idle 1.1v 0.8Ghz / Load 1.2v 1.8Ghz) 1GB RAM Samsung Notebook HDD Slim DVD Burner Stock case fan plus Zalman 80x15 as CPU fa...
by Linus
Sat Apr 29, 2006 5:57 am
Forum: The Silent Front
Topic: Laptop vs. Desktop Power Consumption
Replies: 41
Views: 38893

Eunos has a point. I compared efficiencies reported in SPCR's Seasonic SS-300SFD 80 Plus: Little Big PSU review and josti's The efficiency of a fanless 110w PSU kit thread, and the Seasonic actually beats the external brick kit at 40W DC output, 81.5% to 76%. Granted, that only equates to a 3.6W dif...
by Linus
Thu Apr 27, 2006 6:30 am
Forum: CPUs and Motherboards
Topic: How much power does your system draw at idle (Poll)
Replies: 70
Views: 59647

This is a topic I've been interested in forever, but not found many others to share data with. I can get my PC down to 37W at idle with the following configuration: Mobile Athlon XP (35W Barton) @ 300MHz Biostar M7NCG 400 Socket A motherboard 2x Kingston 256MB DDR PC3200 CAS3 RAM @ CAS2 Fujitsu MHT2...
by Linus
Mon Apr 24, 2006 12:37 pm
Forum: General Gallery
Topic: Small & Flexible: Back-of-LCD variable power consumption
Replies: 15
Views: 13967

The volume of hiss is basically related to the signal-to-noise ratio of your sound card (or the sound chipset on an integrated motherboard) and the volume setting on your amplifier. Since many DVDs are mastered to have tons of dynamic range (really quiet quiet sections and really loud loud sections)...