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Low Power 24/7 Mini ITX

J

jc00k

Junior Member
Budget: $500-$600 (cheaper is better though)

Usage:
1. File logging. I'll use this system mainly for collecting some data from my network. It'll involve a lot of constant writing on the disk, about 500MB of data per hour. I check and clean the data weekly.
2. Watching some 1080p video and YouTube's HD videos.
3. Web surfing.

Some Notes:
1. As stated in the title, I want a low power PC since it will be running almost 24/7. The lower the better. I don't mind pricier parts as long as it has lower power consumption, because then it'll be cheaper in the long run.
2. I want a long lasting PC (at least 5 years). In the past, overheating has been my main problem. So I hope my PC can run cooler this time.
3. It will run Ubuntu or Linux Mint. But I might change it to Windows 7 or 8 in the future.

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I have tried to create a build that might fit my needs. Please give me your suggestions.

Processor: Intel i3-3220 3.3GHz $120
I'd have chosen i3-3220T (lower wattage) or i3-3225 (better graphics), but I can't find them at my local stores.

Motherboard: MSI B75IA-E33 $80
I need my mobo to have USB3.0, SATA3, HDMI or DisplayPort, and it has to be a Mini ITX.
I've considered ASRock B75M-ITX and ASRock H77M-ITX, but again, not available at the local stores.

Memory: G.SKILL Sniper (2 x 4GB) DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) CL9 1.25V $60
I have G.Skill Eco 4GB CL7 and G.Skill Eco 4GB CL9 as alternatives here. Which one would be the best for me?

Video Card: None
My overheating problem in the past had always struck the video card. So I'm a bit concerned whether the integrated Intel HD 2500 Graphics will go under early because of running 24/7 and viewing 1080p videos. Is this possible? Should I just get a cheap video card so it'll be easier to replace in case it died?

Hard Drive: $80 - $100
I'm torn apart between: WD Green 1TB SATA 6.0Gbps, or WD Red 1TB WD10EFRX, or Seagate SV35 1TB ST1000VX000
On another note, would 2.5 inch drive be better for my build?

PSU: Seasonic SSR-360GP 360W 80+ Gold $60
I'm aiming for ATX PSU only due to the abundance of choices.

Case: Cooler Master Elite 120 Advanced $50
I want a Mini ITX case that has USB3.0 on the front and can fit an ATX PSU. This Elite 120 is a bit big for my taste, but it's the best I can get I think.

TOTAL: $450 - $470

---
Any help and suggestion will be very well appreciated. Thanks 🙂
 
I like the case .I use one for a media server/secondary renderer ..With the case fans and the stock cooler ( I run an e3-1245V2 w/ HD 4000 IGP), idle temps are about 27-30 C .. load goes to 45, max to 72-73 ..very manageable ..an I3 might be even better w/ a lower power draw ( 19 w vs 9 w idle) ..Plus the fan on the atx power supply helps w/ the mounting position in the case .
I wouldn't worry about the IG crapping out ...that would mean the entire processor goes, in which case an extra video card will be no help at all . The IG will be adequate for your stated needs ..if they were on sale and available, I'd consider a next level up I5 , but you'll be OK w/ a 3220 series ..

You reference 'stores nearby' ..can you not do mail order from one of the sites more frequently referenced in the forum ?? You could get much closer to your optimal choices if you go that route ..
 
Welcome to the forums, jc00k!

I'd use a 2.5" drive instead of a 3.5" drive for three reasons:

(1) space - the case you picked is compact, and while it can fit a 3.5" drive, it will be much easier to build in with a 2.5" drive, and will also increase airflow.
(2) heat/noise - 3.5" drives produce a lot more heat and noise than the average notebook drive.
(3) power use - a 3.5" drive will idle at nearly 7w for 7200rpm models and 4-5w for 5400rpm models, whereas a 2.5" 7200rpm drive will idle at 1w. Given that you'll constantly be writing to the drive, you'll be closer to 10w on a 3.5" drive and 3-4w on the 2.5" drive. A 1TB 7200rpm 2.5" drive will cost about $90: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822145875

I'd use an SSD for the OS as well, as it will smooth out browsing and videos, but I'd make the data writes hit the mechanical drive.

You definitely do not need a video card, but you might want to step up to the i3-3225 for the HD4000 video built-in, which is signficantly faster. Don't bother with the "T" models of CPUs - they barely reduce energy use at all.

The power supply is ideal, and the motherboard pick is fine, as is the G.Skill Sniper memory, although you could save a few dollars going with the 1.35v instead of the 1.25v G.Skill set: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820231477

By the way, RAM prices are skyrocketing, so you shouldn't necessarily count on the prices you're seeing today to stick.
 
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@Termie, thanks. I'm not really new though. Been a long time lurker 😛

How about the durability of the 2.5" drives? I'm a bit concern since the drive will do a lot of writing. I expect 3.5" drives (especially the WD Reds and Seagate SV35) will last longer because that's what they're designed for.

Termie said:
I'd use an SSD for the OS as well, as it will smooth out browsing and videos, but I'd make the data writes hit the mechanical drive.
Click to expand...

T_Yamamoto said:
Maybe get a small SSD for the OS? 3.5 HDD would be fine.
Click to expand...
I want to get the lowest possible power consumption, so I'd like to stick with one drive only. And SSD can't be that drive due to the amount of writing on the disk.

snoylekim said:
I wouldn't worry about the IG crapping out ...that would mean the entire processor goes, in which case an extra video card will be no help at all .
Click to expand...
You got me wrong. IF my requirements can cause the graphics to die early (and thus take the whole processor with it), then wouldn't it be better for me to get a low power dedicated graphics that can be easily replaced?
 
To your questions above:

(1) SSD/HD - ironically, you have the power use equation reversed. If you have an SSD as your OS drive, you will drastically reduce your overall energy use, other than during intensive write periods. For casual use, allowing the hard drive to sit idle will reduce energy use by 3-4w, and the SSD will only increase total power use by 1-2w under load. If combined with a 2.5" notebook drive, there's no question that under all circumstances, your power use (and heat) will be much lower than with a single 3.5" drive. As to durability, well, 500MB/hour (or 12GB/day) really isn't all that stressful a usage pattern. If your write scenario is such that it's writing very small files constantly, rather than larger files at intervals, than yes, maybe the enterprise-class drives would be better.

And to be clear - if you're actually trying to browse or watch videos on the computer while it's logging data to a single mechanical drive, you will have an incredibly unsatisfying computing experience. Get an SSD - it really is the greatest thing to happen to computers since hard drives replace floppies.

(2) Video card: there's almost no way you can make an Intel HD3000/4000 "burn out" from over use. It is an incredibly low-power solution that generates very little heat. What you're thinking of is the over-clocked and under-engineered video cards of the mid-2000s. They typically had lifespans of just a few years, but have absolutely nothing in common with Intel's integrated solutions.
 
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Termie said:
I'd use an SSD for the OS as well, as it will smooth out browsing and videos, but I'd make the data writes hit the mechanical drive.
Click to expand...

I was under the impression that Linux support for SSDs was still not 100%?

If you don't install a dedicated GPU and just use the onboard instead (which shouldn't wear out any faster than anything else) you can probably get away with a smaller PSU. To maximize energy efficiency, you don't want to have too much wattage overhead - any PSU, regardless of efficiency rating, is going to be more efficient at 80% of max load than at 20% of max load. Given your other parts, a 150w or 200w PSU would be better.
 
dave_the_nerd said:
I was under the impression that Linux support for SSDs was still not 100%?

If you don't install a dedicated GPU and just use the onboard instead (which shouldn't wear out any faster than anything else) you can probably get away with a smaller PSU. To maximize energy efficiency, you don't want to have too much wattage overhead - any PSU, regardless of efficiency rating, is going to be more efficient at 80% of max load than at 20% of max load. Given your other parts, a 150w or 200w PSU would be better.
Click to expand...

I'm not a Linux user but this thread should answer your questions on SSD use under Linux: http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2301873&highlight=linux

As for the PSU, it's unlikely the OP can find a 200w ATX PSU that will be more efficient than the Seasonic 360w Gold, even in lower power scenarios. His system will use no more than 50w at full load, so I agree 360w is more than he needs, but the market dictates that ultra-low wattage units just aren't great quality.

Something like this Antec combo might work, if he's willing to leave out the 3.5" drives (and others may have opinions on that option): http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811129080

I've used the following case for a mini-ITX build, and it's very functional: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811108196

The issue is that the PSU is both loud (due to the high-speed fan), and less efficient than I would like (probably 70% at loads under 50w).

Here's the new version of that case, which has some extra features, one of which unfortunately is a more powerful PSU, which probably doesn't help in this situation (and may make the noise/heat issue worse): http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811108428
 
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Termie said:
(1) SSD/HD - ironically, you have the power use equation reversed. If you have an SSD as your OS drive, you will drastically reduce your overall energy use, other than during intensive write periods. For casual use, allowing the hard drive to sit idle will reduce energy use by 3-4w, and the SSD will only increase total power use by 1-2w under load. If combined with a 2.5" notebook drive, there's no question that under all circumstances, your power use (and heat) will be much lower than with a single 3.5" drive. As to durability, well, 500MB/hour (or 12GB/day) really isn't all that stressful a usage pattern. If your write scenario is such that it's writing very small files constantly, rather than larger files at intervals, than yes, maybe the enterprise-class drives would be better.
Click to expand...
Never thought it that way. Please forgive the stupidity 😳
What 60-80GB SSD would you recommend then?

dave_the_nerd said:
To maximize energy efficiency, you don't want to have too much wattage overhead - any PSU, regardless of efficiency rating, is going to be more efficient at 80% of max load than at 20% of max load. Given your other parts, a 150w or 200w PSU would be better.
Click to expand...
Hmm, I learned something new. Do you have some references for me to look at? Thanks.
 
Get a motherboard with an mSATA port and get an mSATA drive plus 2.5" mechanical for your actual use.

You might want to consider a PicoPSU if you really want low power. You can get 60~160w PicoPSUs, and a 60w PicoPSU would be more than enough. You are only going to save single digits of watts though, so it may be a little unnecessary.

The total system will probably not pull much more than 20w from the wall if you are careful and disable unnecessary features/etc.
 
Lonyo said:
Get a motherboard with an mSATA port and get an mSATA drive plus 2.5" mechanical for your actual use.

You might want to consider a PicoPSU if you really want low power. You can get 60~160w PicoPSUs, and a 60w PicoPSU would be more than enough. You are only going to save single digits of watts though, so it may be a little unnecessary.

The total system will probably not pull much more than 20w from the wall if you are careful and disable unnecessary features/etc.
Click to expand...

To get mSATA on an ITX board you have to go with something like the $150 AsRock z77 board: http://www.asrock.com/mb/Intel/Z77E-ITX/

I don't see any advantage in doing this. It's not like he's building a nettop.

Also, you don't buy Pico PSUs. You may be able to purchase a system with a Pico PSU, but that's another matter. And again, it's an unnecessary step in this situation. This is what a Pico PSU system looks like: http://www.amazon.com/Universal-Mini-ITX-enclosure-PicoPSU-compatible/dp/B003DXI288

And it's the wrong solution for the OP. Way too small.
 
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Termie said:
To get mSATA on an ITX board you have to go with something like the $150 AsRock z77 board: http://www.asrock.com/mb/Intel/Z77E-ITX/

I don't see any advantage in doing this. It's not like he's building a nettop.

Also, you don't buy Pico PSUs. You may be able to purchase a system with a Pico PSU, but that's another matter. And again, it's an unnecessary step in this situation. This is what a Pico PSU system looks like: http://www.amazon.com/Universal-Mini.../dp/B003DXI288

And it's the wrong solution for the OP. Way too small.
Click to expand...

http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/motherboards/desktop-motherboards/desktop-board-dh77df.html

That has a mSATA slot and I've seen it go for as low as $116 CAD.
 
Sorry, I've been out of town for some time, quite hectic.
Anyway, updates.

I've bought the Seasonic 360W today, and I'm going to buy the i3-3220 and MSI B75IA-E33 tomorrow. I'll buy TP-Link TL-WN722N too for wireless capability.

As for the memory, I changed my mind and going to buy Corsair Vengeance White 8GB CL9 1.35V. The reason is because someone over the MSI forum said that G.Skill "conspired" with Asus to make the G.Skill memory works best with Asus' motherboards. Not sure how true is this, but I'll just play safe.

Lonyo said:
You might want to consider a PicoPSU if you really want low power. You can get 60~160w PicoPSUs, and a 60w PicoPSU would be more than enough. You are only going to save single digits of watts though, so it may be a little unnecessary.
Click to expand...
PicoPSU needs a power brick like those used in laptops, right? I don't like those power bricks. Too much clutters.

Intel DH77DF and Gigabyte GA-H77TN are not available. While this:
piasabird said:
Or maybe a different one like ASROCK:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128587
Click to expand...
You put a wrong link. That directed to the GA-H77TN.

But I found another alternative today: Gigabyte GA-H77N-WIFI. But at $130, the H77N-WIFI is so much more expensive than the MSI, even with the TP-Link adapter included.

And thanks, but no thanks for the Acer nettop 🙂

More inputs and suggestions are welcomed.
 
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If you want lowest possible power you should buy a notebook. There are plenty for under $400. But really you are only going to save about 10-20 watts average vs a modern budget desktop tower. That is less than 5 cents a day, so I'm not sure it really makes sense. Of course, a notebook has a very reliable and high quality built-in UPS, which is no small factor in a decision like this.
 
sm625 said:
If you want lowest possible power you should buy a notebook. There are plenty for under $400. But really you are only going to save about 10-20 watts average vs a modern budget desktop tower. That is less than 5 cents a day, so I'm not sure it really makes sense. Of course, a notebook has a very reliable and high quality built-in UPS, which is no small factor in a decision like this.
Click to expand...

that can be more then $20 a year after taxes quite easily. plus it doesnt factor in the extra cooling costs of your home (minimal, again, but still) in the summer months.

i think the difference between an e450 itx board and a comparable notebook is negligible though. you might save a few more watts if you go with a notebook, but youll lose a little performance too.

op, save $80 and get an e450 mini itx board. you wont notice the difference except you saved $80
 
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mfenn said:
This is complete bullshit that only serves to make you waste money on more expensive RAM. Get this Kingston DDR3 1600 CAS 9 8GB kit for $44 instead.
Click to expand...
Ouch! Is it really that stupid of a move? Won't the 1.35V make a difference?

wirednuts said:
i think the difference between an e450 itx board and a comparable notebook is negligible though. you might save a few more watts if you go with a notebook, but youll lose a little performance too.

op, save $80 and get an e450 mini itx board. you wont notice the difference except you saved $80
Click to expand...

I think the difference between e-450 and i3-3220 is quite big, as shown here. It's e-350 in the comparison, but e-450 is only 50 MHz faster.
 
jc00k said:
Ouch! Is it really that stupid of a move? Won't the 1.35V make a difference?
Click to expand...

All things being equal, you'd definitely prefer the lower voltage, but all things (namely, price) aren't equal in this case. It's not like it will blow up or anything, but it's definitely not worth the money.
 
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