Most modern CPU with low thermals and low cost?

[PrinceXizor]

A cpu with the power of a Pentium III-1Ghz would cover my needs well. However, Hard drive speed and RAM speed can keep performance up too. So I'd like to target a low thermal/low cost CPU that's a bit more modern than a PIII. Cost is an issue, else I'd spec something like the Pentium-M for desktop.

The plans are for this to go in a modern motherboard so some of the really large tower type heatsinks that are designed for low airflow applications (like the Scythe for example) will be useable.

I know the PIII had low thermals, but how do older Athlon XP's compare? Also, really inexpensive is nice too!

I just don't know enough about my options yet.

Thanks!

P-X

 

[Bobthelost]

Wait.

AM2 will have 35W CPU when it is released, if you want low powered then it's really the best option out there.

You do visit SPCR don't you? If not then go have a look round there.

 

[PrinceXizor]

I do. But a newly released part does not equal an inexpensive one. I don't need the latest and greatest. I'm pretty much investigating the cheapest/most powerful processor that can be adequately cooled in a low air-flow environment.

P-X

 

[Bobthelost]

The low powered CPUs will still be relativly cheap i expect, but it all depends on how much airflow you do have. AMD are the leaders for low power desktop CPUs so you can't go too far wrong with one of them.

 

[furballi]

Best deal now would probably this $80 ECS combo. It's probably only about 20% slower than the high-end P4 with benchmark software. You'll probably not notice ANY difference with day-to-day use. You can overclock this rig up to 2000MHz. That's equivalent to the 3GHz P4.

The $48 Antec SLK3000B vents well at low air flow.

http://www.provantage.com/antec-slk3000b~7ANTG02Y.htm

http://shop3.outpost.com/product/4674248?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG

 

[HomeyFoos]

I'm very new here but perhaps an AMD Turion desktop system would give you what you are looking for? I have a thread going now asking for advice on which mobo's might be compatable with the chip as it comes in a 25w flavor with 1meg of L2 cache for $140. The mobo that will work with it (several may or may not, but they are just s754) runs about $60 (MSI RS482M-IL - the only board this review could find that would support CoolnQuiet). It will take normal PC3200 RAM and performs identically to comparable s939 A64's. Also, it will run very cool and efficiently.

So for $200 you have a base A64 system that will run at 1.2 volts (or thereabout from what I've read).

Here is the link to the 6 page review. This guy hits on all the bullet-points you were looking at in a system.

Link

 

[openwheelformula1]

I think the sweet spot for your situation would be 3000/3200 Venice. Alternatives would be Pentium-M Dothan, socket 754 based Turion, and Pentium4 2.8c Northwood core. Pentium-M and Northwood both lack 64-bit instructions and SSE3, and they could cost a lot more than a Venice based system unless you already had parts. Turion is still a pain at the moment to find suitable motherboard and configuration. You can always undervolt a Venice too.

 

[PrinceXizor]

I suppose maybe I'm causing problems via the words modern....heh. That's how old my current rig is.
By cheap, I mean hot dogs and macaroni and cheese cheap. Something readily available in FS/FT is fine too. A link to some thermal comparisions of PIII vs. Athlon XP would be nice. I really DON'T want to spend $150 on a motherboard and processor. If I do that, I might just cannibalize my current system for the music PC and upgrade which is a possibility to.

P-X

 

[HomeyFoos]

lol...$150 isn't much. Sempron's are like $70.

 

[fbrdphreak]

Try to find a Mobile Sempron processor; they make 25W & 35W flavors of these I believe. Same thing as a Turion but overall less power efficient, but actual power consumption isn't as big of a deal in a desktop as TDP is for your uses. Turion is also a good choice, but not as cheap. For the record 90nm A64's run pretty cool. My dual core Opteron 170 (2GHz) runs under 30C with an XP-90 on it, idle of course. Pretty damn good if you ask me.

 

[PrinceXizor]

Yes, I know. $150 is cheap. That's why I was clarifying. This is to be ULTRA cheap. I'm just investigating whether or not its worth waiting around for the PIII and mobo combos on FS/FT < $50 or can I go a little bit more moder into the Athlon XP realm or even used semperon plus mb and maintain the same thermal (or close) as the PIII?

P-X

 

[PrinceXizor]

Originally posted by: fbrdphreak
Try to find a Mobile Sempron processor; they make 25W & 35W flavors of these I believe. Same thing as a Turion but overall less power efficient, but actual power consumption isn't as big of a deal in a desktop as TDP is for your uses. Turion is also a good choice, but not as cheap. For the record 90nm A64's run pretty cool. My dual core Opteron 170 (2GHz) runs under 30C with an XP-90 on it, idle of course. Pretty damn good if you ask me.

Thanks for the info. If I go new, that's probably what I'd look at. Time to go look at what a mobile sempron combo might run me in FS/FT. If its worth going that route, I will. But, I'm investigating my options. This is for a homebrew "rack" computer. Since I have low CPU requirements, I was hoping to be able to go back in time enough to get cheapie, cheap. We'll see.

P-X

 

[openwheelformula1]

imo $50 for a pentiumIII combo is overpriced considering the performance ratio. I have a Celeron 566hmz capable of 850mhz and Abit BE6-II, and I couldn't move them for $10. It's capable of passive cooling as well. I then decided to keep the setup for nolstalgia reasons. Anyway, here are some links you might find helpful:

http://www.silentpcreview.com/article31-page1.html

http://www.silentpcreview.com/article172-page1.html

Once again, unless you can find AthlonXP (Thoroughbred B) or PentiumIII for "dirt cheap", you should probably skip it unless you are opening a computer museum. You also need to make sure "modern" passive cpu heatsinks can fit older sockets. Scythe heatsinks are not cheap btw.

 

[Brunnis]

You don't ahve to get a mobile part to have low power consumption. Basically any Sempron can be undervolted to achieve the same effect (or even better) than a mobile equivalent. Just get the absolutely cheapest 90nm Sempron S754 you can find (maybe even the discontinued 2500+) and also get a board that will allow you to undervolt. It should be easy to get PIII 1GHz power levels with a Sempron 2500+ and performance will be much better. Also, the Sempron will run very cool even without undervolting.

If a Sempron system is too expensive, you might as well go for an old PIII system. A slightly less antique AthlonXP system won't be terribly more energy efficient even when clocked down to similar frequency.

 

[Tangerines]

Go for a Dothan.

 

[F1shF4t]

Originally posted by: Brunnis
You don't ahve to get a mobile part to have low power consumption. Basically any Sempron can be undervolted to achieve the same effect (or even better) than a mobile equivalent. Just get the absolutely cheapest 90nm Sempron S754 you can find (maybe even the discontinued 2500+) and also get a board that will allow you to undervolt. It should be easy to get PIII 1GHz power levels with a Sempron 2500+ and performance will be much better. Also, the Sempron will run very cool even without undervolting.

If a Sempron system is too expensive, you might as well go for an old PIII system. A slightly less antique AthlonXP system won't be terribly more energy efficient even when clocked down to similar frequency.

U can get semprons dirt cheap, pick up a 2600+ and undervolt it to like 1.1v, that should run easy and stable and will be very cool and quite.

 

[PrinceXizor]

Thanks for all of the replies. We're still talking quite a price difference between a PIII/mobo combo (much less than $50 now that I look at it) and a Sempron and MB for undervolting. Compared to a $600 system build, maybe its not quite so much, but I'm certainly not spending $600 for this.

I have a couple of options. I can transplant my current MB/CPU into the rack computer and undervolt it if possible. I have a palamino tbred XP 1600+ and an 8RDA+ MB. I can then buy a good bang for the buck mb/cpu for my main computer. It's a thought. It depends on if I can find an undervoltable sempron/MB package on the FS/FT forums.

Any more suggestions?

P-X

 

[aigomorla]

dothan cpu or a yonah will probably be the best bet. The XP's to my knowledge all run really HOT. The last two ive worked on all had heat issues. :\

Im curious on the new prestlers tho. There run a smaller die then the pentium-d's. If you were to undervolt a prestler, it might run cool. but this would require u to buy entirely new hardware. :X

 

[DrMrLordX]

If you can find one, one of the old 25W Athlon XP-Ms might fit the bill. Should be cheap, and you can use it in some Nforce 2 desktop boards and SFF boards(I think?).

If cost is no issue, just get a Yonah. Good luck getting the kind of board you want though.

 

[Brunnis]

Originally posted by: aigomorla
dothan cpu or a yonah will probably be the best bet. The XP's to my knowledge all run really HOT. The last two ive worked on all had heat issues. :\

Im curious on the new prestlers tho. There run a smaller die then the pentium-d's. If you were to undervolt a prestler, it might run cool. but this would require u to buy entirely new hardware. :X

Presler? And you said AthlonXP had heat problems... While Presler is cooler than Smithfield, it's still hotter than any AthlonXP.

 

[PingSpike]

Originally posted by: Brunnis
You don't ahve to get a mobile part to have low power consumption. Basically any Sempron can be undervolted to achieve the same effect (or even better) than a mobile equivalent. Just get the absolutely cheapest 90nm Sempron S754 you can find (maybe even the discontinued 2500+) and also get a board that will allow you to undervolt. It should be easy to get PIII 1GHz power levels with a Sempron 2500+ and performance will be much better. Also, the Sempron will run very cool even without undervolting.

That was going to be my suggestion as well. Considering how high of an overclock a lot of people are getting with stock volts and these cpus...it seems reasonable that you could undervolt them pretty far if all you wanted to do was run at 1ghz or so.

It'd be nice if you could get a board that has memory divider options above ddr400 in the bios too, that way when you underclock it you can still keep your memory performance up to par.

XP uses more heat and power then the A64 based semprons, plus they aren't exactly a bargain anymore.

 

[PrinceXizor]

Its not that I'm specifically shooting for 1Ghz, just that a PIII-1Ghz is fast enough and should be cool enough to run in a low airflow environment. If I can get comparable thermal output or maybe a little warmer and move myself into modern peripheral range and socket for future upgrades, that would be nice. But the cost can't be too much more than a PIII-1Ghz/MB combo that you could find on FS/FT.

Interesting options. I've been looking to upgrade my current motherboard to the fastest CPU it can take, so maybe I can combine the two purchases to maximize bang for the buck.

Thanks for all the replies! Any other suggestions?

P-X

 

[DAPUNISHER]

I'd use it as an excuse to upgrade your primary system :evil:

 

[PrinceXizor]

A man after my own heart! At the very least I probably should wait for M2 and see how the prices shake out.

P-X