Lowest power AMD: BE-2400, 4050e, 5000+

phatcenter77 · Post by **phatcenter77** » Fri Aug 15, 2008 7:40 pm

I'm in the process of deciding on components for a low power server build. This box will be running linux and serving files, downloading torrents, ripping DVD's and other random things I think of. I"m trying to do this on the cheap, aren't most of us?, and I'm trying to decide on a processor to use.

For a MB I'm going to be using an Asrock ALiveNF7G-FullHD R3

The BE-2400 is $40 at newegg, but with that I need a cooler, figure 5 dollars for an open box arctic cool 92 something. The 4050e and 5000+ both cost $60. I am curious if the BE-2400 would outperform the 4050e at either power consumption or processing power.

I guess that what I'm getting at is: is it worth the extra money for the 4050e or 5000+ over the BE-2400. If so, would the 5000+ use much, if any, more power than the 4050e?

Thanks a ton!

thejamppa · Post by **thejamppa** » Sat Aug 16, 2008 12:11 am

BE-series are in 35-45W TDP range so they're equal in 4050e 45W TDP
I think their processing power is pretty same. I'd take BE-2400 over 4050e

5000+ if BlackEdition will provide significan't punch but let's put his way:
4050e is low power version of X2 4000+. Both Run 1,8 Ghz. 5000+ is around 2,6 Ghz. That's quite difference in horse powers. You will see it and feel it in graphical job and gaming mostly. In Surfing and desktop not.

BE-2400 is your top choice is look decent performer and good consumption.
5000+ is your choice if you look decent consumption and good performer.

I think 4850e would be compromise: 45W 2,5 Ghz CPU but that is more expensive though.

juamez · Post by **juamez** » Sat Aug 16, 2008 3:45 am

I thought the 4050e was 2,1GHZ, while the 4450e and 4850e are 2,3 and 2,5GHz respectivly.

About power consumption: I read an article on the Phenoms or something like that on Tom's hardware guide, and he showed that the 4850e draws just at the boundary set by its TDP (45W), while the 4050e draws something closer to just 40W. Idle wattage is ~7W for all 4x50e series.

Here is a graph for the 4850e only:
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/amd ... 918-5.html

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/amd ... 935-5.html
Here we see the BE-2350 pull only 35W, though, while the 4850e still pulls 45W. Remarquable is that the 4850e idles at only 7W while the BE-2350 still pulls 10W. (see next page in the same article)

Here is the Grand Chart of "Energy consumption of 35 AMD-Processors":
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/amd ... ,1925.html
We see all 4x80e cpu's idling (C&Q enabled) at 7W, while the BE series manages 10W. Without C&Q we see gains of 3W for the BE series and 6 to 7W for the 4x50e series. With the 3W lower C&Q enabled idling power consumption of the 4x50e series, that makes the equally good. At load, though, we see the BE-2300 (1,9GHz) at 33W and the BE-2350 (2,1GHz) at 36W. Some quick calculations suggest that the BE-2400 (2,3GHz) would end up with something like 38 to 39W. As for the 4x50e series, we see the 4050e (2,1GHz) at 40W, the 4450e (2,3GHz) at 43W and the 4850e (2,5GHz) at 45W. Those numbers differ per clock indeed a couple of watts. That can be explained by the voltages used by the BE series: ~1,15V, while the 4x50e series works at ~1,25V. Also the BE series uses the Brisbane core with G1 stepping while the 4x50e series uses the Brisbane core with G2 stepping.

So the choice is yours: the 4x50e series processor with 4W higher load power consumption, but 3W lower power consumption at idle (at standard clocks and voltages and with Cool & Quiet enabled) or the BE series processor with 4W lower load but 3W higher idle? This all depends on how long your cpu will be idling and how long it will be under full stress. My guess is that idle will be the state under which the cpu will be most of the time (this is almost always the case), so I can safely place my wager on the 4x50e cpu. That is IF they costs more or less the same.

phatcenter77 · Post by **phatcenter77** » Sat Aug 16, 2008 9:14 am

Great information you guys! Those linked articles had a ton of great information in them. It looks to me like the BE-2400 is my best bet.

I know that CnQ is a feature in the bios of a compatible mobo, but does it work with linux? The reason I ask is that one of the linked articles say that the feature needs some info from the OS about cpu use %. I hope that I'm just confusing myself...

nutball · Post by **nutball** » Sat Aug 16, 2008 9:53 am

phatcenter77 wrote:I know that CnQ is a feature in the bios of a compatible mobo, but does it work with linux? The reason I ask is that one of the linked articles say that the feature needs some info from the OS about cpu use %. I hope that I'm just confusing myself...

AMD offer a Linux driver here for older kernels, it also says

that page wrote:This driver is already included in the 2.6.18 or later kernels and does not need to be downloaded again.

dukla2000 · Post by **dukla2000** » Sat Aug 16, 2008 3:59 pm

juamez - nice analysis and insight.

I too am pondering upgrading my kit as it approaches its 3rd birthday and so trying to gain some insight into the current 'state of the nation'. The 740G has caught my eye and I am pondering the CPUs in this thread or perhaps seeing where dual-core Semprons slot into the mix.

However, as always, do not rely on Tom's too heavily! While trying to learn the deltas between the current AMD CPUs, in particular G1 v G2 and F2 v F3, I got my head thoroughly scrambled: I was looking at the loaded CPU (Prime) numbers: in this review the F2 5000 appears to be significantly lower wattage than the F3, whereas in this review the F3 is lower than the F2.

I did notice the scales of the graphs are vastly different (70W v 130W) but once again figured relying on Tom's could be hazardous to my health and gave up.

Lawrence Lee - stop reading this (if you are!) and get on with that 740G review. And if you have a chance throw a BE-2400 into the mix, please

phatcenter77 - as per nutball CnQ is no problem with Linux. Kernel 2.6.18 was a year or 2 ago.

phatcenter77 · Post by **phatcenter77** » Sat Aug 16, 2008 9:57 pm

AWESOME! Thanks for all the help! Hopefully I'll order everything soon and start another thread about the build.

In case anybody is curious here is a list of components, suggestions are welcome:

I already have a HD and dvd-rom that I can use from an old computer, and I'm going to order a few Yate Loons as well.

I tried to piece together a build that would offer as good as possible processing power per watt as possible, while trying to spend as little as I can. The main issue has been finding a mobo that I knew would be very friendly with linux.