Smallest possible form factor for Core2
As the title really. I just purchased a Q6600, which means I will have a spare C2D CPU. I am toying with the idea to use it as part of a tiny (2 system) render farm, but I don't have the space for another tower and all the gubins that goes with it. Whats the smallest possible motherboard I could use? I really don't require anything fancy, just something that supports the CPU about 2GB RAM and a suitable PSU for it all.
PS- I really mean the smallest. I'd even like to be able to forgo the need of a HDD and stick the OS on a memory stick or something similar.
Re: Smallest possible form factor for Core2
Re: Smallest possible form factor for Core2
If your feeling rich you can get a Mini-ITX Core2duo board will probably set you back £150-200 though...
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I'm sure the are cheaper alternatives mind...
If only you had an AM2 processor instead then you could get one of these for a mere £70
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Re: Smallest possible form factor for Core2
Here are some othe mini-ITX C2D boards:
LinITX.com - Intel Core 2 Duo Mainboards
From £158. Still steap, but better than £200.
EDIT: Just noticed, most of those mini-ITX boards are for C2D mobile processors. This one is a desktop board though: LinITX.com - Commell LV-676D Intel Core 2 Duo Mainboard
Re: Smallest possible form factor for Core2
I could have sworn I posted something after webby this morning :confused:. Anyway, this project looks like a no-no where the mini-itx stuff is concerned. I saw those Commell boards on LinITX this morning and they're a ridiculous price (as are the other "mini" boards) unfortunately. I'm better of doing what chuckskull said and going for a cheap micro-ATX board and getting 2GB RAM. Far more viable this way even if it isn't the smallest solution.
Re: Smallest possible form factor for Core2
Yeah, I didn't really expect you to go down the mini-ITX route but you asked for the smallest so that's what I gave you :P
All you need to do now is find a small case for that uATX motherboard.
Silverstone Milo 1 Comes with 300w PSU £72.85
Silverstone TJ-08 £46.94
Silverstone SG-03 £69.33
All reduced on Scan Today Only until tomorrow 12pm (unless they become the offer of the week)
The are other small cases around but they are some of the smallest it will all depend on what else you need to get into the case!
Re: Smallest possible form factor for Core2
Yeah, I'm rather shocked at how expensive those mini-ITX boards are. I knew they were expensive since I've seen them before, but I never looked into them in any great depth so I thought the range would have been more expensive and hence could have been had for less than £50. How wrong was I!
As far as the case/PSU is concerned I was thinking of one of these with one of these. If I'm going to be rendering/folding on it frequently then I think a quality PSU is required.
Re: Smallest possible form factor for Core2
There I go speccing expensive products again :P That silverstone 300w PSU would have been all right though I would have thought.
Anyway onto cases I have no experiance with the Asus cases but would urge you to look at this one as well as it has 120mm fans rather than 80 and 92mm fans. None of the cases come with fans so you are going to have to buy some anyway, may as well get quiet 120mm rather than loud or low airflow 80/92mm. I realise that the CoolerMaster case is wider and taller (but less deep) if you have the space I would say go for it.
As for PSU you picked a good one :) only consideration will be that the will be lots of cables floating around as its not modular, but nothing a few cable ties and a spare drive bay wont fix!
Re: Smallest possible form factor for Core2
I know it wont take your s775 cpu, but what about an Aopen SFF [about the size of a mac mini]
probably prohibitively expensive as well IIRC
err strike that, I missed "rendering" I asssume you mean some grahics stuff:eek:
Re: Smallest possible form factor for Core2
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Webby
There I go speccing expensive products again :P That silverstone 300w PSU would have been all right though I would have thought.
Anyway onto cases I have no experiance with the Asus cases but would urge you to look at
this one as well as it has 120mm fans rather than 80 and 92mm fans. None of the cases come with fans so you are going to have to buy some anyway, may as well get quiet 120mm rather than loud or low airflow 80/92mm. I realise that the CoolerMaster case is wider and taller (but less deep) if you have the space I would say go for it.
As for PSU you picked a good one :) only consideration will be that the will be lots of cables floating around as its not modular, but nothing a few cable ties and a spare drive bay wont fix!
The PSU in the case you suggested would probably be good enough, but I just like the corsair ones. I have the 520Watt version and stuck the 620Watt version in a mates rig the other week. Their just quality all round imo.
I didn't notice the coolermaster case. It does look like a better unit and it's not that much bigger really. I have a couple of 120mm fans spare so cooling would be better with it. If I do decide to do this the system will comprise of the following:
Gigabyte GA-G31MX-S2 motherboard
2GB Corsair ValueSelect PC2-5300 memory
450W Corsair PSU
Coolermaster Elite 340 Black MicroATX Case
I have a spare HDD and optical drive as well as a keyboard and mouse, and I can use the VGA port on my TV as a monitor.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Stephen B
err strike that, I missed "rendering" I asssume you mean some grahics stuff:eek:
Yep but its on the CPU not the GPU where final rendering usually takes place, but you have got me thinking though (damn you after I make final decisions :p)...I could get a cheap bare bones system and just add in the RAM I have listed above. E.g get something along the lines of this add the ram and it is cheaper than what I have listed above, but then the PSU will more than likely be cheap compared to the corsair. Decisions, decisions.
