Alder wrote:Just a couple of questions if I may: I can see from your list of suggestions, cerbie, that you've not included any S or T CPUs. Is it because the energy efficiency gains that can be had with a 65W or a 35W CPU can be emulated in a 85W CPU if you undervolt? I think I read somethng along these lines, unfortunately can't find the site.
Not even undervolt (not that it would be a bad thing to do, or anything...). You can
set the TDPs on most mobos. In my B85M Pro4, I can set the long-term TDP, short-term TDP, and the duration before the long-term TDP kicks in. So, if you need a lower long-term TDP, just set it. Most work doesn't reach TDP, or doesn't stay there for long,
and with peak power consumption being quadratic, with respect to clocks and voltage, the top few hundred MHz are a lot of the TDP.
FI, my CPU has a long-term TDP of 80W. If I set it to 50W, and the short-term to 70W (not sure what the default for short-term is, for mine), multi-core benchmark scores go down by no more than 15%, but most only 5-10%. Why? Because most tasks don't bring the CPU close to the standard max TDP. Logging instant power use w/ CoreTemp, I found most games, CPU-heavy programs, and even benchmark programs, mostly got into the 60-65W range, with stock settings. YMMV, obviously, by sample, but why give up options for the same price?
The S and T models are not superior CPU bins, but merely parts specified for ease of use in SFF implementations, for small system integrators and large OEMs, that need to be able to plug the CPU into the socket, turn it on, and not fuss with anything else, because a human spending 5 minutes in a BIOS interface per unit adds up to more than the difference between CPU model costs.
Another question: Haswell or Haswell Refresh?
Cost, at some speed. The refreshes are mostly 100-200MHz higher for the same cost, in the U.S. and Canada, so there's little reason not to go with the refresh. If that is not the case in the UK, the non-refresh are great CPUs, too. For the most part, this refresh was uneventful, at least for desktop users.
I've been considering using the integrated graphics card (at least for now) as from what I've read Lr does not make very much use of the GPU. The integrated graphics card will have to support at least 27in monitor (which, ifI'm right, Intel graphics 4600 can do).
Size doesn't matter, but resolution and refresh rate can. Some monitors may need HDMI or DP from the IGP to run at full res/refresh, which might be easier to get by adding a card, given how few DIYer mobos come properly equipped, in terms of office-oriented video ports (DVI or HDMI, VGA, 2xDP). A 27" 1920x1080 monitor will be the same for the GPU as a 20" one. 2560x1440, OTOH, can be iffy, depending on board, at least at 60Hz. If more than one of those, a suitable video card can be cheap insurance.
), so I'm torn between deciding on a system now and waiting for the next-generation Broadwell processors (which will reputedly offer lower power consumption that current Haswell processors). Is it possible to have a quiet system (audible but not intrusive in a quiet room with low-level ambient noise) with a Haswell i7 processor using off-the-shelf components that will not need any major modifications (perhaps similar to the Puget systems Serenity build)?
