Sandy Bridge + i3-2100T -- why can't I get under 22w idle?

[gakkuken]

thanks for the replies.

one question for the Intel H61/H67 boards, do these boards allow you to adjust the memory timing?
The reason I ended up buying this gigabyte was due to aftermarket boards w/ memory timing adjustment and it's pretty cheap (~$70)

thanks!

[Abula]

thanks for the replies.

one question for the Intel H61/H67 boards, do these boards allow you to adjust the memory timing?
The reason I ended up buying this gigabyte was due to aftermarket boards w/ memory timing adjustment and it's pretty cheap (~$70)

thanks!

My intel H61 doesn't allow any changing on the timings nor the voltages, even though it supports 1.2V to 1.8V memory, my mobo bios is missing the performance tab that the DH67CF has, check Overclocking the H67-based Mini-ITX Intel DH67CF,



Trying to find you that picture, i stumble on a bios update for mine, BIOS Update [BEH6110H.86A]

According to the BIOS Update Release Notes,

New Fixes/Features:
Updated Intel® ME firmware to version 7.1.13.1088.
Updated processor support.
Added Performance page
Added Fast Boot function.

Im still not sure if ill be able to tweak the voltages, but ill flash it on the weekend and try it out (still out of town atm).

[jamotide]

I don't know if it's been pointed out in this thread already, but all the Sandy Bridge processors are very power efficient at idle. PSU and motherboard determines how low you can go.

Correct, but I would say the PSU is more important, especially with regards to efficiency at load. Normal PSUs operate below 5% load at 20w. No review even lists efficiency at that level. One can only assume it is 60-80%. The picos are generally not as efficient as the gold or platinum PSUs,due to the external power brick, but at 20w they are at 20% load, which typically means 80% efficient.
Plus I will take an Asrock with japanese caps, low rds mosfet and a near perfect UEFI over the cheap intel crap any day, even if it means a watt more.

My system with seasonic x400, 80gb intel ssd,2x4gb ram,mouse,keyboard uses 27w off the wall in general use, like as I type this now, that is with a 2500k on a Asrock Z68 Pro3 all settings default except offset -0.10v. I'd say that if you factor out PSU inefficiency at around 5% load, it would also use less than 20w.

[leem]

The picos are generally not as efficient as the gold or platinum PSUs, due to the external power brick, but at 20w they are at 20% load, which typically means 80% efficient.

Isn't it time there was another SPCR review of the Pico-PSUs, comparing it to standard PSUs that don't use an external power brick?

As low power boards start to proliferate, the question of efficiency at low power becomes more important. But there is very little data out there...

[murtoz]

What everybody seems to forget is that the CPU's do not all have exactly the same power usage at a given frequency/power state.
Intel specifies TDP = thermal design power = the power dissipation the cooling system has to be designed for. This is a maximum figure they can garantuee, not a specific number at a specific load.
Since CPU's of different models (of the same family/architecture) come from the same wafer, they get tested according to their performance characteristics, and then binned to a specific model based on this.
This doesn't mean that all CPU's in that model are equal in their efficiency. And if you look at the different power bins, say LV procs up to 45W, the next group up to 65W, the next one up to 80W, processors may use anywhere between the highest and lowest figure of that bracket at full load. The difference will be much less dramatic at idle but could still account for a couple of watts. This may well account for some of the differences between the various systems measured here (even though they aren't specced identically, and all other system components also contribute to power draw as already mentioned in this thread!)

[jamotide]

Yeah? I thought the Sandy Bridge CPUs use so little in idle that the differences you describe should be negligable.

[ph7]

Im still not sure if ill be able to tweak the voltages, but ill flash it on the weekend and try it out (still out of town atm).

Hi Abula!
Did you manage to tweak the voltages? I'm thinking to buy an i3 1200 and undervolt it, instead of buying the 1200T. But can I really do the undervolting with a H61 board?

[duality]

But can I really do the undervolting with a H61 board?

I own a H61 board--a Gigabyte H61M-D2P-B3. You can undervolt it--or at least change the dynamic Vcore.
I managed to shave off 8 watts or so on a Pentium G620--it's pretty low end, but still Sandy Bridge.