What is the coolest stock processor from 1.0ghz and up?

[DMage]

I was curious because I am interested in building a PVR set top box that would have to be quiet. It would be on 24/7 and would need to stay at a workable stable temp. The processor has to be faster for encoding and decoding reasons, so I was looking at a Celeron 2.0ghz. I assume that the newest celeron is as cool running as the older ones. Am I correct? Is there another chip I am forgetting about that runs cool and/or has a quiet stock fan/heatsink that keeps it cool? A duron perhaps? I searched the boards but couldnt really find a comparison of this type. Thanks for the help.

-DMage

 

[mudboy]

The new Celerons are still based on the P4, which don't run cool. If you want cool, I would look at a P3 Tualatin or a slower AMD Thoroughbred. You could also try a Via C3, not the highest power chip but they do run cool, I have an 800 running passively with the stock heatsink. Dig around http://www.geek.com/procspec/procspec.htm, they have pretty detailed CPU info, including heat output for most.

Pete

 

[RalfHutter]

Check the Server rig in my "Ralf's Rigs" page. That PIII-S is running at 42°C max in that system which is near dead silent. You could run a Tualatin-based Celeron had have those same exact temps. You can get a 1.1A Tualeron for about $40! I don't know if the 1.1A would be fast enough for encoding/decoding but it's as fast or faster than some cool running Duron and blows the doors off any of the Via C3s.

 

[Eug]

I run my Celeron 1.4 (stock speed, 1.5 V) with the CPU fan undervolted to 5 V. And I'm only using the cheap Intel heatsink/fan (with Arctic Silver I). I was running it at 7 V before, but to my surprise the Intel fan has no problems whatsoever starting up at 5 V. Mind you 7 V is probably already quiet enough, and it does give some breathing room for the voltage. At the full 12 V, the Intel fan is irritating.

I have no heat problems playing UT2003. Now I just need to quiet my Radeon 9100...

Actually, the computer doesn't crash with the CPU fan simply unplugged, but the heatsink gets too hot for my liking.

A Celeron 1.1A will run even cooler, esp. if you can undervolt it.

 

[DMage]

Thanks for the idea about the lower thoroughbred. If I picked up a 1800+ tbred chip and put a SVC GC68 cooler on it would it keep it cool enough to be on 24/7 and quiet enough to be mostly to completely inaudible at 10ft? I have heard a lot of good comments about the GC68 on this board and would prefer to do that rather than getting a more expensive Thermaltake heatsink and 80mm fan combo. If I had to I would, I currently have a SLC700 thermaltake heatsink w/multispeed Y-Tech fan on my desktop, but that has a AMD 2000+ Palamino core and runs hot. Any ideas? Thanks.

-DMage

 

[CraigRT]

Celeron for sure.
I have some crappy 1.7's at work for bottom end PC's and the HSF's are always cool to the touch even with the case closed.

 

[Bookie]

Why not try doing an underclock. For a pvr, you sure don't need much processing power. I'm sure you could get an inexpensive thouroughbred and underclock it enough so that all you need to use is a passive heatsink.

 

[OulOat]

Originally posted by: DMage
Thanks for the idea about the lower thoroughbred. If I picked up a 1800+ tbred chip and put a SVC GC68 cooler on it would it keep it cool enough to be on 24/7 and quiet enough to be mostly to completely inaudible at 10ft? I have heard a lot of good comments about the GC68 on this board and would prefer to do that rather than getting a more expensive Thermaltake heatsink and 80mm fan combo. If I had to I would, I currently have a SLC700 thermaltake heatsink w/multispeed Y-Tech fan on my desktop, but that has a AMD 2000+ Palamino core and runs hot. Any ideas? Thanks.

-DMage

GC68 is not quiet. It's quiet enough for it's price, but compared to silents fans, it's not in the same league.

 

[ReiAyanami]

cyrix runs much cooler and use 15 watts compared to 70-90 watts of intel/AMD, but performance would suck and they top out at 1ghz samuel II core

 

[RalfHutter]

Originally posted by: ReiAyanami
cyrix runs much cooler and use 15 watts compared to 70-90 watts of intel/AMD, but performance would suck and they top out at 1ghz samuel II core

Intel 1.1A Celeron uses 29W. Runs very cool with very little cooling and is considerably more powerful thanthe Cyrix or Via low power CPUs.