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Lowest power cpu, that would run passively?

Another option is to look at the VIA all-in-one motherboards with EVERYTHING onboard (graphics, 1Gb ethernet, USB, SATA, ...). They have a number of passive and actively-cooled options. And they're tiny. Really tiny. Try searching for VIA and the brands ITX, Nano-ITX and the new Pico-ITX.

You can stick Windows or Linux on them. I have personal experience of using Linux on an older model as a mail, file and Squeezebox server. It's on 24/7 and it's usually over a year between reboots.

There is at least one UK company specialising in selling these (plus all the accessories you would need: cases, memory, ...). I don't see them as offering direct competition to Overclockers, but I'll play safe and not link to them.
 
hbunny said:
Another option is to look at the VIA all-in-one motherboards with EVERYTHING onboard (graphics, 1Gb ethernet, USB, SATA, ...). They have a number of passive and actively-cooled options. And they're tiny. Really tiny. Try searching for VIA and the brands ITX, Nano-ITX and the new Pico-ITX.

You can stick Windows or Linux on them. I have personal experience of using Linux on an older model as a mail, file and Squeezebox server. It's on 24/7 and it's usually over a year between reboots.

There is at least one UK company specialising in selling these (plus all the accessories you would need: cases, memory, ...). I don't see them as offering direct competition to Overclockers, but I'll play safe and not link to them.
Click to expand...

If you look up in the thread i posted about Intels new passive all in one pc that out performs VIA for about £40 to £60 and only draws 40w.

Just thought i'd point it out incase you missed it as they reackon a lot will drop VIA for Intels new low power solutions.



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hbunny said:
Another option is to look at the VIA all-in-one motherboards with EVERYTHING onboard (graphics, 1Gb ethernet, USB, SATA, ...). They have a number of passive and actively-cooled options. And they're tiny. Really tiny. Try searching for VIA and the brands ITX, Nano-ITX and the new Pico-ITX.

You can stick Windows or Linux on them. I have personal experience of using Linux on an older model as a mail, file and Squeezebox server. It's on 24/7 and it's usually over a year between reboots.

There is at least one UK company specialising in selling these (plus all the accessories you would need: cases, memory, ...). I don't see them as offering direct competition to Overclockers, but I'll play safe and not link to them.
Click to expand...

I heard about them while making a media center machine, but didn't go for one in the end because I didn't think it would be powerful enough.

Am I wrong?
 
Should be fine except maybe for HD video - and I'm sure they'll bring out a version with HD-capable on-board graphics sooner or later.
 
They're going to release some decent SFF VIA mainboards with VIA's new CN (Isaiah) CPU architecture, which by all accounts has very similar theoretical specifications to the original laptop Core CPUs except with 64-bit support. Then I guess they'll drive C7 based boards into an even lower price point, well hopefully.
 
I ran the Q9550 with passive PA120.1 with just over 1v. The new batch Wolfdales have VID of 0.85v IIRC. Easily passive cooled.
 
I have a hush PC I bought about 2-3 years ago, doing all the stuff you require, and is passively cooled, great except for one fairly major point.

I assume by your post that this will be in a bedroom in which case, as Minstadave alluded to, you really, really want to use solid state disks.
When there is no constant fan noise to hide it, the constant changing pitch of HDD noise will drive you totally mad.

Solid state disks are prohibitively expensive, but if you are really serious about it being silent (or even close to) and you wish to retain your sanity, then they are the only way to go.
 
Little_Crow said:
I have a hush PC I bought about 2-3 years ago, doing all the stuff you require, and is passively cooled, great except for one fairly major point.

I assume by your post that this will be in a bedroom in which case, as Minstadave alluded to, you really, really want to use solid state disks.
When there is no constant fan noise to hide it, the constant changing pitch of HDD noise will drive you totally mad.

Solid state disks are prohibitively expensive, but if you are really serious about it being silent (or even close to) and you wish to retain your sanity, then they are the only way to go.
Click to expand...

A decent 2.5" drive, or one the the WD "Green Power" 5400rpm 3.5" drives either suspended or foam mounted to exclude all vibration induced resonance can be very quiet indeed without the need to break the bank.

The difference between one of these drives and even the best "normal" drives is huge.

It also depends what noise irritates you. I could live with a barely audible seek noise - but any contant hum / whine from a HD i find unbearable.

The drives above also have the benefit of using significantly less power than a standard desktop drive, which means less heat in the case and less airflow required.
 
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