Re: Low wattage CPU for 1080p in HTPC
Quote:
Originally Posted by
polar
I actually own both a Core i3 2100 and an A6-3670K. For HTPC use,with a large case like a Elite 120 I think it is pointless to get a Pentium or a Celeron for HTPC. Just plonk on a decent cooler. People are running 95W and 100W TDP CPUs fine in that case AFAIK.
Try running an overclocked Q6600 and an overclocked HD5850 1GB in a SFF case with a 975X chipset! Now that is more a test of cooling!! :p
If you are using cramped cases,the best you can get is the HD4000 IGP anyway and Trinity is far better IMHO.
However,going back to Llano,the 100W TDP parts,well are not really rated for use in more TDP limited situations,just the same as the higher TDP Intel CPUs.
I have two ITX rigs ATM. The first is a 65W TDP Core i3 2100 in a modified Shuttle G2 case - it idles at between 40C to even around 47C and that is with the stock cooler with the 95W TDP Intel CPUs and with a 120MM fan on the top of the case. With less case cooling I was easily hitting 50C with the stock Core i3 cooler at idle in a cramped case and around 70C during extended gaming sessions during the summer.
This other build I did is very cramped:
http://forums.hexus.net/pc-hardware/...-possible.html
When I was using a E4300 idle temperatures were could go past 50C. However,I switched to an E3300 which has the lowest power consumption of any Core2 CPU AFAIK and even at idle it is still between 40C and 50C. That is with a very heavy copper 1U heatsink and a 120MM slim fan on top.
The stock cooler on both is pants,especially the AMD CPUs. However,scaryjim has a A6-3670K too and it comes around 50W running playing videos and 80W when playing a game:
http://forums.hexus.net/hexus-reader...ml#post2545589
Scaryjim has a NSK1380 himself,ie,the case mentioned in the last thread,so its strange those people think there might be issues!! He just used a better cooler than stock!! With an old PSU he is idling at 30W.
The first thread is about the Wesena E5 which has no ventilation and the cooler used is not that great- yet as mentioned in the thread that is about par,for such a case. The chap is also using a cheap PSU - you really want a PSU of decent efficiency! Low efficiency PSUs,tend to chuck more heat out,which is not what you want. I used to own one of the Hiper Media chassis and it was very picky over what parts you could used.
He should have used a 160W picoPSU which should have been fine with his setup IMHO. Plus he could have undervolted a bit if required and used a better cooler.
The second thread,there appears to be no issues,it seems??!!
This chap uses the ITX7 with a A6-3500:
http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=115793
If you look at the Anandtech review of the 65W TDP A6-3500 triple core:
http://images.anandtech.com/graphs/graph5696/45096.png
http://images.anandtech.com/graphs/graph5696/45097.png
The chip also has a large die too,so I expect the A6 3500 to probably not run that hot either.
That was in a Antec ISK110.
This build over on OcUK used an overclocked A6-3500 in a passive case:
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/sho...php?t=18360592
However,with Trinity around,I don't see why you would go for Llano as it does look much better overall and socket FM1 is EOL.
Re: Low wattage CPU for 1080p in HTPC
Quote:
Originally Posted by
CAT-THE-FIFTH
I do like those Wesena/Streacom cases. Would love to do a build with one! I would love to do a trinity build fullstop tbh
Re: Low wattage CPU for 1080p in HTPC
You should have seen the build Bagnaj97 used to have!! It was a small ammo box with a single slot 9800GT,the mini-ITX motherboard I used in that new build I did and a Q9300. The Q9300 ran hot and it eventually turned out that the heatshield was not entirely flat(that was the reason). Now the CPU appropriated back to another build. Mini-ITX is about pushing what you can do IMHO!! :p
Re: Low wattage CPU for 1080p in HTPC
I saw this thread on that same forum:
http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=143152
A few people using the A6-5400K in that thread using the two available FM2 mini-ITX motherboards.
Re: Low wattage CPU for 1080p in HTPC
I'd go for trinity in an HTPC.
