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Performance Basics
There are a few things you need to know in order to assemble a desktop system that is fast enough for everyday work. The following recommendations apply to mainstream PC users who don’t want to spend a fortune as they work in Windows, modern applications, and with multimedia data; our recommendations will not be suitable for power users and enthusiasts.
- Be sure to get a reasonable dual core processor, which should be a Core 2 Duo E7000- or E8000-class chip (45 nm). AMD has competitive products with its Phenom X3, but these products require more power. Four cores are clearly more expensive, require more power, and are only faster if applications can take advantage of multiple cores. A decent dual core will provide high system responsiveness and sufficient performance for your daily routine, and you can always upgrade to a quad core if needed.
Our 2008 CPU Charts provide benchmark comparisons of today’s most relevant desktop processors.
- A discrete graphics card is necessary if you want substantial 3D graphics performance for games or other 3D applications, or if you want to attach multiple displays. You also need one if you insist on specific acceleration features, such as HD video playback acceleration by AMD/ATI or Nvidia, or application acceleration as emerging with Nvidia’s Cuda technology. If neither is applicable, integrated graphics are probably sufficient.
- Get at least 2 GB of RAM; even 4 GB memory kits are highly affordable today. Memory timings are secondary, but we recommend going for a brand you trust. If you insert two memory modules into two different memory channels you’ll ensure that the memory runs in dual-channel mode, which offers the best performance.
- Get a fast hard drive and insist on the latest model generation for performance reasons. Although prices have dropped considerably, there are still noticeable difference among similar products.
Our 3.5” Hard Drive Charts show the benchmark results of most of the latest desktop hard drives.
The question of how much performance you really need depends on what you want to do with your PC. We recommend always going for the fastest hard drive possible, as this is still the slowest core component inside your PC. Flash-based solid state drives have the potential to be many times faster, but you’ll also spend many times the amount you typically need for a hard drive. Currently, you get the best bang for the buck at capacity points of 500 GB, 640 GB or 750 GB with the Samsung Spinpoint F, Seagate’s Barracuda 7200.11, and the Western Digital Caviar Blue.
Differences between a 2.5 GHz processor and an identical 3 GHz model are only really noticeable if you require substantial performance for applications. As long as you don’t have such requirements, you should go for the model that provides the best cost per gigahertz within a product line. Search for the best processor stepping to make sure that you get the latest revision; for Core 2 processors this is currently the M0 stepping, which we used for this review—it requires less idle power than older versions.
Efficiency Basics
It is important to use a power supply that is efficient in its power specifications and to match the power supply to the expected power requirements to make sure the PSU can operate within a high efficiency range.
When selecting components for an efficient PC, it is important to start with the one component that has the most influence on system power consumption: the power supply unit. Though most of the branded power supplies comply with 80 Plus recommendations, which means that they reach 80% or more energy efficiency at popular load levels, you will still receive disappointing efficiency if you get a PSU that does not match your power requirements. A 1,000 W PSU running at only 40 W power requirements will not be efficient at all, which is why we decided to go for a suitable PSU: Fortron’s FSP220 at a maximum output of 220 W. It will not allow us to install a fast graphics card, but it is sufficient to run the Core 2 Duo on an integrated motherboard with a few drives. It would even suffice for a Core 2 Quad processor.
Once you’re sure that the power supply is appropriately efficient, you should pick your system components according to the efficiency principle. Going for low-cost hardware doesn’t mean getting efficient parts, and going for expensive high-end components typically doesn’t gain you any efficiency benefits either. There are a few basics to stick to: more components, such as additional storage controllers on a motherboard, increase your overall power consumption, as do multi-phase voltage regulators. Low clock speeds (FSB speed, memory speed) as well as low supply voltages help in optimizing power consumption. As a result, high-end or high-speed components should always be avoided if they are not necessary for your applications.
Selecting a few components with a focus on efficiency doesn’t help much. You have to pick all components with regards to efficiency if you really want to bring power consumption down. The results of this effort are impressive, as you’ll see in the benchmark section.
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Nice article. I'd like to see the team now take this budget system and tweak it into a gaming machine. New power supply, overclock it, 4870 GPU and see what this budget platform can do when pushed. Compare it to a stock clock E8600, X48 motherboard, 8 GB of RAM and a 4870. Although low power systems may be the rage right now, when i turn a 1,500w electric heater on in the bathroom when i take a shower in the morning it's not a huge concern for me if one mobo is 31w at idle and the other is 38w.
You don't leave your heater on 24/7 in the bathroom - 8 watts here 8 watts there, it adds up (if you keep your PC on all the time)
Or you can get a 4X50E with a 740g or 780g, that is cheaper and equal energy efficient and has all the futures like HDMI, 3D performance.
http://www.silentpcreview.com/article859-page5.html
As far as turning this machine into a mean, green gaming machine, I would suggest an e2140-bsel pin modded to 1333 fsb, a hitachi 500GB sataII drive-4w/8.3 idle/max, and a hd 4670 videocard-no external power plug required. This would make a very potent rig. I know this because that's what I have on the foxconn board used in this article One last thing, with case, p/w supply and 2Gb ram the total cost (including shipping) was less than $300.
Sounds like a nice build!
Yes, from the silentpcreview article, it seems like 740g or 780g could be a better choice.
Yes, from the silentpcreview article, it seems like 740g or 780g could be a better choice.
Ya most people would do just fine with an amd system. But TOM's got new free computers, car's, spaceships from INTEL and NVIDA so nowadays tom's are a EPIC bias.
I don't get it? These mobo/cpu combos are so lame. The atom on a desktop mobo is also very lame. How far should people go to save a few watts of power. These machines are in my opinion totally useless.
Why not just buy a laptop? I have a Dell M1330 with Nvidia card graphics fast dual core processor that easily runs Vista w/Aero, runs Photoshop CS3 I use to edit field RAW photography, and plays HalfLife 2 at full res with ease. It draws around 30W at full load and 20W in idle, and has HDMI out for watching movies, not to mention how small it is. It dual boots both Vista/WinXP.
Now that we have desktop systems that approach laptop-level power requirements, I would say that in a year that we should have some really good choices on the market for low-power-consumption desktops.
That is... if the world still exists as we know it in a year...
warezme you are a retard.
Where I work there are currently 120 desktops between 4 levels. Each desktop is on 24/7. If i can save 10 watts on each of those desktops im saving thousands of dollars per year. Get it now? Just because you are a gaming scrub with no clue doesnt mean that all technology should appeal to you.
Skythra your apparently nothing but an A hole of major proportions and if you honestly thing your users will get by on the measly performance offered by these equally tarded setups as you are, to save "10 wats" than go for it because it sounds like your deserve them....
Calm down folks. Warezme, there are people interested in these setups, they just need to run internets and word. While the components are indeed weak it is not lame to write about them, esp for business perspective.
Skythra, no need to call someone retard for expressing an opinion which I agree with by the way. These desktops are really nerfed and a laptop would fit nicely as prices have dropped a lot.
Carry on now.
Warezme:
Get serious. This machine has ample power for the standard office productivity applications, which probably represents 90% of the use of computers in the world, including in the corporate sector. The difference between these builds and a stacked $2000 machine is almost totally invisible to such users. Indeed, the only people that would really notice the difference are the people writing check to the utility companies.
I like AMD but I am no AMD fan boy. The only AMD X2 chips that come close to E7200 is 6000+ and 6400+ and they use a lot more power. In addition, if for some reason, I need more power than 2.53 GHz I can just OC to 3.0 GHz without voltage increase. Find an X2 that can achieve 3.8 GHz with reasonable voltage.
At work I had a choice between an HP laptop or desktop, I took the laptop for work at home, but If i did not go on road, a g31/e7200 setup would demolish my t7300 laptop with 2gig ram on a 800 bus with ddr2 667.
I dont play a single game on this laptop but i do watch a movie here and there...and its fine...so the g31 would be more than enough....
I just have one more comment regarding recent toms articles....how is a 1,500$ system a budget system...I dont have the money to buy that when i'm gaming once in a blue moon.
I built a system for about 400$ and comes close to some of these things....an e2160 chip at 2.6ghz, 2 gig ram, asus p35 board, and asus 8600gt, an 80g sata drive for the os and an older sata 200g for some tunes and pics....and i bought a cm 690 case with cm5500 extreme power ps....the only thing in their i wish i could change at the mobo(settings dont allow for good overclock) and the power supply is loud...but that system is close to what i can afford....spending 1500$ to me is not budget, not when your putting a quad core and other stuff, a budget system should be that, on a budget, shopping for deals....etc...oh and if ya wanna save power...shut the mofo down....if your woried on how much a small system will cost on electricity you should have bought the system....just like the idiots that buy a dodge ram v8 and have never put more than a few pieces of wood in it and cant afford the 150$ gas bill each week.....
GMA 3100 is NOT based on GMA 3000 - this is totally different. It is based on the older GMA 950 (pretty much 100% identical in fact).
I would like to see a amd comparison, such as the AMD Athlon 4850e 2.3GHz paired with a FoxConn A7GM-S. This is a $135 pairing as opposed to the Intel reviewed which is $175.
Warezme, i don't think you have a very good understanding of how some people use cmoputers. Not everyone uses their comps for gaming and not everyone can use a laptop to meet their needs. I personally run a X2 4450e on a 780g chipset to house my raid array. This setup runs quieter, cooler and draws less power than my previous P4 setup.
Just because you cannot see a use for this technology does not mean the rest of the world cannot. Some of us care about how much power we use.
HTPC
Why not just get a laptop??? You would also save power with its LCD screen versus a separate monitor.
Isn't this what many people requiring a non-gaming machine are doing these days??
I would like to see a amd comparison, such as the AMD Athlon 4850e 2.3GHz paired with a FoxConn A7GM-S. This is a $135 pairing as opposed to the Intel reviewed which is $175.
are you blind?, check my post on page one