Pentium-M with temp-based fan, fanless graphics, fanless PS?

[ist.martin]

I was wondering if anyone has compiled a list of all currently available barebones systems, either SFF or full-size, that are: pentium-M based (or AMD Turion MT or equivalent low power CPU) with temperature-sensed CPU cooling (i.e., no fan when running low-power apps), fanless graphics, fanless power supply.

I want a reliable, no frills web-surfing machine with just enough graphics power to run a high rez panel, but no need for games.

It seems to me that notebooks can all easily achieve this, and with the current demand for HTPC's, there has got to be a market for low-load 0 dB desktop systems, without the monitor or battery-pack.

The AOpen XC Cube MZ855-II appears to be one such system, are there others?

Thanks.

[chirs]

I want a reliable, no frills web-surfing machine with just enough graphics power to run a high rez panel, but no need for games.

For graphics I suggest looking at the Matrox Millennium line. Absolutely top-quality 2D cards.

[sgtpokey]

If all you are doing is web surfing, a Radeon x300 or the equivalent Nvidia card (the number escapes me at the moment) are overkill. Even Intel's integrated graphics will be able to run a high-res, web surfing (2d graphics) panel easily. All of those options are both fanless, have low-power requirements and are cheap.

If you truly just want a websurfer and a no frills media player, you can take a look at via's mini-itx stuff, a good webite for that is www.mini-itx.com

You also have an option to look at hush-technologies (viewable at the above website in their store)

I have an mcubed fanless case/psu/pentium M... but the total price tag is kind of high for what you want... http://www.mcubed-tech.com/eng/index.htm

[hirafu_boarder]

Here's something potentially interesting.

http://www.kingyoung.com.tw/S625F.htm

Fanless and very small.
Though I don't know if the graphics is up to your requirements.
Also limited to a single notebook drive, but that should be adequate for surfing the web.

[Aris]

Here's something potentially interesting.

http://www.kingyoung.com.tw/S625F.htm

Fanless and very small.
Though I don't know if the graphics is up to your requirements.
Also limited to a single notebook drive, but that should be adequate for surfing the web.

thats really interesting. its basically a notebook but without the display or built in keyboard.

im not quite sure though why you would want the same limitations of a laptop without the portability of one. i could see a use for it in a car/truck pc install, but thats about it.

[frostedflakes]

Does it have to be small form-factor and/or a barebones?

If not, I would recommend a Turion64 MT-28 and Scythe NCU-2005 heatsink. Alternatively, an even cheaper and just as adequate option would be a Sempron 2500+/2600+ and Scythe Ninja. A Seasonic S12 should be able to handle the cooling for the entire computer (I am running a Turion64 MT-34 and Radeon 9600 computer in this fashion).

If you want a true 0dB solution, you can pick up a fanless EPIA 5000 board and use it with a fanless power supply and flash-based disk. SolarPC sells barebones EPIA 5000 fanless systems for about $200.

[ist.martin]

Does it have to be small form-factor and/or a barebones?

If not, I would recommend a Turion64 MT-28 and Scythe NCU-2005 heatsink. Alternatively, an even cheaper and just as adequate option would be a Sempron 2500+/2600+ and Scythe Ninja. A Seasonic S12 should be able to handle the cooling for the entire computer (I am running a Turion64 MT-34 and Radeon 9600 computer in this fashion).

If you want a true 0dB solution, you can pick up a fanless EPIA 5000 board and use it with a fanless power supply and flash-based disk. SolarPC sells barebones EPIA 5000 fanless systems for about $200.

I am already currently running a 0 dB, fanless, EPIA M10000 with a flash IDE drive housed in a Scythe eOtanashi case. It runs reasonably well, but I'm really bumping into storage limits with my 800 MB flash drive. Also, the thing was really getting hot this summer when the ambient temp went up. But what has really spurrred me on to look for the 'next thing' is that I had a system failure on Sunday. I'm still not sure if I had a hard drive failure or a virus.

I am VERY intrigued by your system (I had already been reading your posts), as you seem to have put together the kind of silent system I've thought should be common: low-power CPU (Centrino or Turion), large fanless CPU heatsink/case, fanless graphics, fanless brick based external PS, one 120mm temperature-sensor based case fan just in case things heat up. (Although I want 0dB most of the time, I'd prefer to have a safety system in place that I do not currently have - to guarantee reliability). I think the best form factor would be a large well-ventilated case with superior airflow. I'm not too bothered by the size of the box, I just want it to be 0dB under low-stress usage.

I'm still a bit baffled that these are not commercially available, either with suspended low-noise 2.5" Samsung labtop HD's, or solid-state flash drives (although you really need at least 4 MB to make the thing work with modern OS hogs).

It seems to me that a LOT of folks would apprediate a system like this - particularly older non-gamers like myself. Every single person who comes into my office and realizes I have a 0 dB system, asks me where to get one!

Cheers.

[ist.martin]

...
If not, I would recommend a Turion64 MT-28 and Scythe NCU-2005 heatsink. Alternatively, an even cheaper and just as adequate option would be a Sempron 2500+/2600+ and Scythe Ninja. A Seasonic S12 should be able to handle the cooling for the entire computer (I am running a Turion64 MT-34 and Radeon 9600 computer in this fashion).

...

How do you know if you are getting a 62W Mobile Sempron, or one of the 25W Mobile Sempron's for 'thin and light' notebooks. The model numbers I see are the same for both series? Also do you have any recommendations for a quality low-heat motherboard for the low-power Sempron's?

Finally, wouldn't a fanless 350W Antec Phantom be better than a Seasonc S12? Or does the fan in the S12 only kick in if it gets hot?

Thank you.

[frostedflakes]

The third digit in the part number corresponds to TDP. So for a 62w Sempron, the part number should start with SMN (SM = Sempron mobile, N = 62w). 35w would start with SMD. 25w would start with SMS.

Fab51 has a very helpful K8 OPN reference guide.

But to be honest, I'd just grab a desktop Sempron. As far as I know, the mobile Semprons are based on the same process as the desktop Semprons, they are simply rated to run at a lower voltage.

Last time I checked the Sempron64 2500+ was about $60 shipped on NewEgg. I think the 2600+ is just a few dollars more.

For the board, anything based on the Via K8T800 chipset would probably be a good choice. You may also want to consider something with integrated VGA. Boards seem to be popping up based on ATi's RS482 chipset (which I *think* is an RS480 based on 90nm process -- could give it excellent power characteristics). There are also less powerful solutions available, such as Via K8M800 and SiS 760GX.

Now that you bring it up, the Phantom may actually be a better choice than the Seasonic. This way, you have control of the cooling fan (a 120mm at the back of the case, for example), and adjust it as you feel necessary. The fan on my S12 would ramp up to about 780RPM while gaming. At idle it would only drop down to about 770RPM.

EDIT: Nevermind. Did some Google'ing, and it looks like the RS482 is 110nm (shrunk from 130nm for the RS480).

[Mariner]

I think the new GeForce 6100 motherboards from NVidia could be worth looking at also. I believe the chipset in these is on the 90nm process - they are passively cooled, even with reasonable integrated graphics.

Anand's preview of a board

OCworkbench

Anand's first look is at a Socket 939 board but mentions that Biostar is producing a Socket 754 board as well.

The OCworkbench preview of the ASRock Socket 754 board seems to list an incredibly cheap price for such a well-featured motherboard.