Passively cooled 2500k possible?

[Borden]

MSConfig set to 3 or a 2 core?
Should go someway to lowering TDP.

Did not know you could do this. I just tried and it didn't seem to make any difference to idle temps, didn't bother checking load though.

Sorry can I ask why you want this specific fanless case? Is there a reason you couldn't just get a half decent midi tower which would be relatively silent anyway?

I have wanted to try a fanless case for a while now anyway. This one is not too expensive compared to the alternatives and it's a good looking case.

I currently have a Lian Li Q07 with just the one fan inside on the stock intel cooler. It is audible as it sits on the desk next to me.

Other than that I'd just like a change tbh!

 

[OrWolf]

I think you will be very happy with the g860. It's a very capable chip for the money. I recently popped one into a media centre build for a m8 of mine and he's been chuffed to bits. For music, movies, occasional gaming and encoding, it's not broken a sweat yet. They also run very cool and quiet, with quite a low power draw.

 

[FreeStream]

Did not know you could do this. I just tried and it didn't seem to make any difference to idle temps, didn't bother checking load though.

Well no, of course it won't... it is at idle and the cores are still powered.

The TDP is listed for when pretty much every single transistor is working within the CPU. This NEVER happens in reality and only linpack (Intel Burn Test/Linx) comes anywhere close to hitting this peak figure.

I've also found that just because it says it is a 95W TDP CPU it doesn't necessarily emit that.

W3520 (130W TDP CPU) - 4 cores, HT, 2.66Ghz: 290W under 100% linpack load.
W3680 (130W TDP CPU) - 6 cores, HT, 3.33GHz: 325W under 100% linpack load.

Therefore the 'same' TDP CPUs don't necessarily suck the spec power draw...

In addition, the 2600K is also a '95W' TDP CPU, but is 100Mhz faster with HT (with adds a good 5% to the power draw from my testing).

My guess is for the 2500K you would be looking at:
At idle, your looking at 5-10W dissipation, if that.
Two cores under load: ~45W.
Four cores under load: ~75W.

 

[Justintime]

Well no, of course it won't... it is at idle and the cores are still powered.

The TDP is listed for when pretty much every single transistor is working within the CPU. This NEVER happens in reality and only linpack (Intel Burn Test/Linx) comes anywhere close to hitting this peak figure.

I've also found that just because it says it is a 95W TDP CPU it does't necessarily emit that.

W3520 (130W TDP CPU) - 4 cores, HT, 2.66Ghz: 290W under 100% linpack load.
W3680 (130W TDP CPU) - 6 cores, HT, 3.33GHz: 325W under 100% linpack load.

Therefore the 'same' TDP CPUs don't necessarily suck the spec power draw...

In addition, the 2600K is also a '95W' TDP CPU, but is 100Mhz faster with HT (with adds a good 5% to the power draw from my testing).

My guess is for the 2500K you would be looking at:
At idle, your looking at 5-10W dissipation, if that.
Two cores under load: ~45W.
Four cores under load: ~75W.

Because like i said, TDP is not a measurement of power draw, its a cooling requirement. Don't know why people confuse the two.

 

[FreeStream]

Because like i said, TDP is not a measurement of power draw, its a cooling requirement. Don't know why people confuse the two.

TDP ≈ Power draw, 99.9% of CPU power draw is turned into heat, ergo that value must be equal to the heat emitted.

My Mac Pro draws 180W at idle, where, apart from heat (ignoring fans and LEDs), does this energy go?

So, it isn't about confusing the two. It's about the fact they are for the sake of argument the same value, so it doesn't matter if someones quotes their CPU as emitting 150W or drawing 150W, it is interchangeable.

 

[The Halk]

That's a very attractive case, and I'd like to see a build log for it...

Later this year Ivy Bridge lower end parts will come out. I'm waiting until then to get something for an HTPC. That's also why I'm interested in this case. I think I'll be going for the 3225, which is a 55W part. It'll be pretty powerful all things considered - 2 cores, hyperthreading, 3.3Ghz. Alternatively there's the 3470t which is a 35W part... however the low power sandy bridges aren't any more efficient than normal sandy bridges, they just have effectively an engine limiter on them, so I don't really rate them.

 

[Borden]

That's a very attractive case, and I'd like to see a build log for it...

Later this year Ivy Bridge lower end parts will come out. I'm waiting until then to get something for an HTPC. That's also why I'm interested in this case. I think I'll be going for the 3225, which is a 55W part. It'll be pretty powerful all things considered - 2 cores, hyperthreading, 3.3Ghz. Alternatively there's the 3470t which is a 35W part... however the low power sandy bridges aren't any more efficient than normal sandy bridges, they just have effectively an engine limiter on them, so I don't really rate them.

Yup it is a nice looking case indeed! I've gone for the silver one as I'm tired of cleaning fingerprints of my black cases and also fancy a change. A couple of others on the forums have already built systems using this case (here and here)

That's the same i3 I've been looking at. Eventually I think I will upgrade to it and it will work well with this case.

There's a recent review of the case where they use a 2600k and it works fine. They do limit it however, which goes some way to reducing the temperatures. Either way it looks like it cools better than the stock intel cooler! http://www.xtremehardware.it/recensioni/case-e-modding/streacom-fc8-fanless-chassis-201204106690/

 

[Trofeo]

Yes... here's my passively cooled water tower for my 2500k on the right, the one on the left is for my 570. The fans on top are normally off, I just use them when playing games. I didn't add one to the cpu tower until I overclocked to 4.4 it just didn't need it before at stock speeds even on prime.

I realise this isn't quite the same thing at all as that case, but once the water has heated up it's passively cooled like the case so I feel it is at least somewhat relevant