LOW Power for 939 motherboard... suggestions?

[relwera]

Trying to build a Low-Power PC.
I have already the mobo ( http://www.asrock.com.tw/product/product_939A8X-M.htm ).

Now I am trying to find good candidates for CPU and VGA card (for 1600 x 1200, 32bit).
Cool'n'Quiet is going to be active all the time. This is a 24/7 setup.

This PC is mainly gonna be used for websurfing, MP3s, XvID viewing, file server. Not for games.
My main goal is --> as LOW as possible WATT consumption (using this 939 mobo)

Let me know what you think.

Thank you in advance!

[Le_Gritche]

This PC is mainly gonna be used for websurfing, MP3s, XvID viewing, file server. Not for games.
My main goal is --> as LOW as possible WATT consumption (using this 939 mobo)

EDIT: get a cheap Athlon, with Cool'n'Quiet it will be just fine.

About the graphic card, you should have bought a motherboard with integrated graphic card since you don't want to do games with it.
I guess any low-end card would do, but I'm not sure about the 1600x1200 part. Check about the HD playback capability though, if that is on your list of future uses for this PC.

Maybe you could consider selling that mobo and buying a socket 754 one with integrated graphic, if you are willing to spend the money on a mobile processor and an outdated chipset. (as outdated as the 939 though, now that AM2 is out)

[QuietOC]

Maybe you could consider selling that mobo and buying a socket 754 one with integrated graphic, if you are willing to spend the money on a mobile processor and an outdated chipset. (as outdated as the 939 though, now that AM2 is out)

What is up with everything suddenly being "outdated"? The only "new" chipset (nforce 5) is a complete failure in my opinion, and the new socket "AM2" is also a failure as far as performance/heat.

For low heat for S939, I'd recommend a "Venice" Athlon 64 3000+. Should be able to run just fine at its default speed on 1.1V. You may be able to run a Athlon 64 3200+ at the same voltage, so it may be just as good. The recent price cuts make both of these good deals.

Lots of choices for a good used AGP video card for 2D quality. As far as a new low-heat video card, check out a Radeon 9550 or Mobility 9600 video card. An nVidia Geforce 6200A wouldn't be bad either.

Good luck!

[Le_Gritche]

[off-topic]

What is up with everything suddenly being "outdated"? The only "new" chipset (nforce 5) is a complete failure in my opinion, and the new socket "AM2" is also a failure as far as performance/heat.

- support for dual-core processors (not on socket 754)
- support for Sempron aswell as Athlon processors for a better upgrade path
- low power CPUs (35W SFF rated)
- HDTV support (with built-in hardware DRMs) on some motherboards + Vista ready (not that I'm interested, but some people are )

Socket 754 and 939 still have the same performance than 6 months ago, but with the aforementioned improvements introduced with socket AM2, aswell as the CPU and motherboards prices not suffering from a price premium, I see no reason to buy anything other than AM2 starting from this summer. (except for DDR2 expensiveness in the 6400 flavour, and AMD's price cuts on July the 24th).
And I'm currently using a Socket A Athlon 1GHz, so I'm certainly as 'outdated' as you can get.
[/off-topic]

You are right about the recommended processor though, I forgot you can't get one of those cheap Sempron on Socket939, at least when you are buying retail parts.

[QuietOC]

It is nice that there is suppossed to be official low-power CPUs for AM2, but the CPUs themselves have the same power/perforance characterisitics as the existing CPUs--just specified differently.

When/if AM2/DD2 is cheaper/better than S754/S939, I'll start recommending it to some people. I don't think it currently holds anything compelling for those who value silence.

[relwera]

It is nice that there is suppossed to be official low-power CPUs for AM2, but the CPUs themselves have the same power/perforance characterisitics as the existing CPUs--just specified differently.

When/if AM2/DD2 is cheaper/better than S754/S939, I'll start recommending it to some people. I don't think it currently holds anything compelling for those who value silence.

I value alot the 35W CPUs. Those I can not get for S939/S754 mobos.
AM2 seems the way to go for my needs. I need to get rid of that 939 mobo.

[QuietOC]

I value alot the 35W CPUs. Those I can not get for S939/S754 mobos.

I have a <10W S754 CPU--not underclocked, not a mobile. It used to be the cheapest K8 CPU even.

[cAPSLOCK]

Well getting back into the topic: low power...

You'll want to avoid any of the mobos with nForce4/5, with the notable exception of the nForce410 or whatever the integrated graphics chip is called... So: VIA, ATI, or integrated gfx nVidia.

For AM2, you can't get ATI yet, VIA boards are scarce (but available) and there are some tasty integrated gfx nVidia's out there. One point for AM2 is DDR2, it might be more expensive, but it does use less power.

For the CPU debate, aren't all the AM2 Semprons in the same 35W TDP? IIRC it was only the Athlon X2's that were rebinned for lower TDP parts... And for this situation (no gaming, no fancy stuff) the Sempron is the right part.

Basically: one vote in the AM2 camp from me.

And I'm currently using a Socket A Athlon 1GHz, so I'm certainly as 'outdated' as you can get.

Nope, you could be as outdated as me, using a Slot-1 P-III 700MHz I'm looking for a good excuse to build myself a new system next chrismas, haven't found one yet

[QuietOC]

One point for AM2 is DDR2, it might be more expensive, but it does use less power.

Wrong, DDR2 uses more power than similar performance DDR.

Don't be misled by the slightly lower voltage. Power is really related to current use, and DDR2 seems to have a problem there.

Edit: I did find one 1.8V DDR2-800 512MB DIMM at Newegg. That might actually be decent performance/power usage. No one does power usage tests of memory. Still more expensive than low-latency, low voltage DDR.

[cAPSLOCK]

Power is really related to current use, and DDR2 seems to have a problem there.

Doing a brief google search, everybody (for example wikipedia, intel and zdnet) is saying that DDR2 uses less juice than DDR. That doesn't mean you are wrong, but you could be more convincing with some "evidence".

As far as the voltages go, the standard DDR2 voltage is 1.8v and the standard DDR voltage is 2.5v. You correctly noted that low latency, high clockspeed DDR2 is more like 2.1v, but you must also remember that low latency DDR is often at 2.75 or something.

Anyway, [sort of] back on topic: in this situation fancy "overclocker's" RAM with heatspreaders, and multicolour LED's are hardly worth the price, something like this is more sensible. {and is in fact cheaper than the equivalent DDR}

[peteamer]

Nope, you could be as outdated as me, using a Slot-1 P-III 700MHz

!!! ...


Do those still work on modern electricity??? .....

[lm]

Nope, you could be as outdated as me, using a Slot-1 P-III 700MHz

!!! ...


Do those still work on modern electricity??? .....

Slot-1 P3/733MHz here. Mainly as a general purpose server but my daily mp3/irc/web/mail/whatever usage happens on that machine. It's virtually silent.

I've a faster and somewhat noisier machine for anything cpu-intensive.