Which Core2Duo for quiet build?

Megamorph · Post by **Megamorph** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 5:06 pm

I'm confused as to which Core2Duo would be optimal for a quiet, low heat build.

E4300
E6400
E6600

I'll be using a Ninja and I'm more than open to the idea of OC'ing; however, I do not want to OC if it will result in more noise/heat.

Is the E4300 the ultimate "quiet build" processor?

vincentfox · Post by **vincentfox** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 5:28 pm

No Core2Duo is the "ultimate" quiet build CPU.

But if you confine yourself to the Core2 Duo the E4300 has the lowest power consumption of that line.

Megamorph · Post by **Megamorph** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 5:48 pm

vincent, can I OC the E4300 significantly without raising noise/heat significanlty?

Also, how do you like your system? Any changes that you would make? The components listed in your sig are almost exactly what I'm about to purchase, I think.

kogi · Post by **kogi** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 4:24 am

I'm running 2.4ghz @ .1v below stock

E4300 SL9TB 01/02/2007
Gigabyte 965P-DS3P
2gb of A-data 667
Scythe Ninja w/nexus

266x 9 = 2.4ghz
Ram @ 266
Voltage at bios 1.225v
Full load temp 52c

*NOTE*

Currently the only correct temp monitor is intel TAT. All others show 15c less

Megamorph · Post by **Megamorph** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 7:08 am

thanks, kogi.

Will I be able to run a passively cooled Asus 7600 in this configuration?

I am not a gamer, but I assume I need decent video for Vista.

Mikael · Post by **Mikael** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 7:39 am

I find my E6600 to be a brilliant CPU for a quiet build, atleast when undervolted. My particular CPU is able to go down to 1.0V on default 2.4GHz. My estimates (calculations and measurements) put the CPU at around 35W at this voltage. I also happen to have a Ninja and from what I can tell, cooling this CPU at 1V and with this cooler is a trivial matter.

The good thing with the E6600s is that they seem to undervolt well, they have the larger L2 and performance is stellar without any overclocking.

I might add that I currently run my E6600 @ 3GHz (334*9) on 1.15V. I cool the CPU with a 120mm fan at 500-600RPM and have a 1000RPM case fan pretty close to the Ninja. CPU temp under load (both cores, Folding@Home) is a mere 45-46C.

It would definitely run fine with the case fan at much lower RPM.

vincentfox · Post by **vincentfox** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 8:58 am

Returning to the last point of original post, there is no way that OC'ing won't raise the heat/power requirements. Whether how much it rises, is acceptable to you is another matter.

My E4300 system uses about 75 Watts at idle. When I overclock it, it uses 15-20 Watts more. Heat does rise. For me, the overclocking isn't really important at this time though so I run it at stock. I like it cool and low-power, especially since I leave the system on 24x7. It's quite speedy enough for my needs at stock speed. I find the E4300 to be more than enough CPU and it's reasonably priced. If I really needed to run Super-Pi calculations all day long I suppose I would overclock it or buy an E6600 or something even bigger, but I don't.

Any of the models mentioned will probably do fine, you will have to make your own choice at some point.

kogi · Post by **kogi** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 12:27 pm

Megamorph wrote:I am not a gamer, but I assume I need decent video for Vista.

Then why overclock? For normal office/web/email you can undervolt/underclock and NOT feel any difference.

And yeah, the 6600 seems to be the undervolt king. I bought the 4300 because it was almosr half the price. And the 200mhz bus allowed me to buy cheap low-speed ram.

k

Chan_ryu · Post by **Chan_ryu** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 8:56 pm

hi bros,

can I ask if the power consumption of a merom 1.2ghz and a allendale E4300 at 1.2ghz will be the same?

based on the fact that they r the same microarchitecture? unless Intel programmed merom differently like shutting off certain parts of the cpu?

I'm quite inclined to get E4300 over merom due to the lack of availability of mainboards in my country

thanks

nzimmers · Post by **nzimmers** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 12:33 am

The merom chip will use much less power, even though it has the same architecture as the desktop chip.

Mobile chips are fantastic for power consumption, I revently build a Yonah based server and will probably build a Merom based desktop in the near future.

dnoiz · Post by **dnoiz** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 1:25 am

Mikael wrote:I find my E6600 to be a brilliant CPU for a quiet build, atleast when undervolted. My particular CPU is able to go down to 1.0V on default 2.4GHz. My estimates (calculations and measurements) put the CPU at around 35W at this voltage. I also happen to have a Ninja and from what I can tell, cooling this CPU at 1V and with this cooler is a trivial matter.

The good thing with the E6600s is that they seem to undervolt well, they have the larger L2 and performance is stellar without any overclocking.

I might add that I currently run my E6600 @ 3GHz (334*9) on 1.15V. I cool the CPU with a 120mm fan at 500-600RPM and have a 1000RPM case fan pretty close to the Ninja. CPU temp under load (both cores, Folding@Home) is a mere 45-46C. It would definitely run fine with the case fan at much lower RPM.

What's your motherboard ? And 1,15V for vcore is low. I'm @ 1,3 in BIOS, which is really around 1,25. Damn lucky you

.

R.

Mikael · Post by **Mikael** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 4:22 am

dnoiz wrote:What's your motherboard ? And 1,15V for vcore is low. I'm @ 1,3 in BIOS, which is really around 1,25. Damn lucky you .

I currently use an Asus P5B, but I've also had a Gigabyte DS3 that I returned. The Asus board needs to have much higher vcore set in BIOS for the CPU to be stable at a particular frequency, since it seriously undervolts. Actual voltage reported by CPU-Z at my current settings at 3GHz hovers at 1.13V under load.

Power consumption under load is about equal to the CPU at stock 2.4GHz and 1.265V.

And, yeah, I'm lucky.

Shhh,Peaceful · Post by **Shhh,Peaceful** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 12:59 pm

I have the E6600 on an Asus P5N E-SLI with 1gig ram and BFG 7800 GT OC.

I haven't over/under clocked or done anything other than set the memory timings. I have rarely seen my temp above 40ÂºC

In the P150 the loudest thing in the machine is the optical drive (which blew up last night

).

Which Core2Duo for quiet build?

Which Core2Duo for quiet build?

now - different power consumption