Need a quiet (fanless?), cheap, small, internet box ~$200 ... suggestions?

[Maverick2002]

I'm looking to put together an internet browsing box, nothing more. I don't want to spend more than $200. I have the OS, monitor, mouse, keyboard - basically just need the box.

Emphasis on two things: quiet and cheap. Fanless preferably, if not a quiet fan or two will be ok - just something I can't hear unless I'm within a foot of it. Don't want to spend more than $200.

Processor/HDD/RAM doesn't matter too much as long as it gets the job done. If absolutely necessary, I can come up with an HDD/RAM separately.

So far all I've been able to find is this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16883103228

It would be nice if the case was actually a little larger though so the parts wouldn't be so proprietary/laptopish.

Any suggestions?

EDIT: I might be able to put something together using a barebones combo: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&SubCategory=309&N=2010030309

 

[Ayah]

I don't know if it fits in your budget but I know that the new Atom D510 (Pineview) run fanless.

 

[M0RPH]

Someone suggested this in another thread for a cheap computer:

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...YZ1O4N2YoktBIQ

I'm guessing it would be quiet too.

Or get a netbook for around $250. Sell your monitor and other stuff to cover the extra cost.

 

[MalVeauX]

Heya,

Fanless means not even a fan in the PSU. This is hard to find because fanless PSU's are actually more expensive. The PicoPSU is the one a lot of silent PC folk really like to go for. It's uber tiny and no fan, not even a box. It plugs in the way most devices do (power brick). But this isn't cheap.

Then you get a CPU that you can throw a huge Mugen 2 or other big heat sink on, with no fan, and you hear absolutely nothing.

The only way to complete such a system and be silent is to then use an SSD.

-- The system would have zero moving parts, and be absolutely silent. But, it wouldn't be cheap what so ever. I'd be more expensive by far. Silence is costly.

You'd have to settle for just quiet (fans, but quiet ones).

Motherboard + Sempron (2.7Ghz 45Watt) @ $75
1GB DDR2 800 Ram @ $20
300W PSU @ $16
Case, $25
160GB WD HDD @ $40

$176.

You can go up on the ram and be at your $200 budget.

Run Ubuntu for free. Install via USB (no need for noisy CD/DVD).
Sempron CPU is more powerful than even the new ATOM.
Take all the fans out.

Undervolt the Sempron just by a tad and then underclock it down to about 2Ghz. You can probably take the fan off and go fanless if you do that. Then the only noise will come from the PSU and the HDD itself. Nothing else. And still be a better machine than an ATOM or nettop.

Very best,

 

[pukemon]

I'm looking to put together an internet browsing box, nothing more. I don't want to spend more than $200. I have the OS, monitor, mouse, keyboard - basically just need the box.

Emphasis on two things: quiet and cheap. Fanless preferably, if not a quiet fan or two will be ok - just something I can't hear unless I'm within a foot of it. Don't want to spend more than $200.

Processor/HDD/RAM doesn't matter too much as long as it gets the job done. If absolutely necessary, I can come up with an HDD/RAM separately.

So far all I've been able to find is this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16883103228

It would be nice if the case was actually a little larger though so the parts wouldn't be so proprietary/laptopish.

Any suggestions?

EDIT: I might be able to put something together using a barebones combo: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...9&N=2010030309

The new MSI Wind Box for $179 looks compelling, it has an Atom 330 and discrete Radeon HD 4330 graphics along with an HDMI port: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16856167039 You can run Linux off a CompactFlash if you really wanted to but... probably better to put a notebook 2.5" drive in instead.

It doesn't have built in WiFi though, but it at least includes the slot and antenna for it.

 

[Schmide]

http://www.linuxfordevices.com/c/a/News/NorhTec-Gecko-Surfboard/

 

[Maverick2002]

Interesting suggestions. I like the $190 eMachine, but the shipping might be a little high on a full sized box like that. Conversely putting it together from Newegg parts is also a viable option. It doesn't have to be completely fanless. I realize there are very few PSUs that don't have any fans. I'm ok with a couple fans, as long as I can't hear them. Undervolting/underclocking seems like a good idea. I can wait a little while for a hot deal, but I do plan on purchasing one in the next couple weeks or so.

Keep em coming and thanks for the ideas!

EDIT:

I do have another option.

I have a case and access to 4x 512mb DDR-667 DIMMs and I could find a spare IDE CD/DVD drive somewhere. I also have some spare parts here and there and although I probably could put together a system with what I have, it won't be as quiet or power efficient as I'd like. This thing will be on 24/7 so I don't want it sucking up too much juice.

Netbook isn't an option. This needs to be a desktop.

 

[mmntech]

The new MSI Wind Box for $179 looks compelling, it has an Atom 330 and discrete Radeon HD 4330 graphics along with an HDMI port: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16856167039 You can run Linux off a CompactFlash if you really wanted to but... probably better to put a notebook 2.5" drive in instead.

It doesn't have built in WiFi though, but it at least includes the slot and antenna for it.

This, other than you have to buy storage for it. Any nettop will work since most of them use external power bricks. Should be no louder than your average laptop.