Low Power Computer at a budget?

K

kwaggawerner

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I would like to find out from you guys, I would like to build a LOW power pc for doing torrents and usenet on, since my conscious is hitting me on power consumption with my 1000 watt PSU Desktop that runs 24/7, and since it's only doing torrents/usenet for most part of the day and night (when I'm working or sleeping) I feel we all need to look at a low power solution, I was thinking about using a routerboard... but I have no idea where to start with a custom OS - maybe a web gui for torrents/usenet with a lightweight Linux OS and a sata HDD or large CF attached to it?

Any productive ideas are welcome! :)
 
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Alternatively there are the Atom boards but they use more power.
 
ive got an atom based mobo with integrated 1.6ghz cpu
the mobo (with integrated cpu, gfx card and lan) was R561 ex vat (from bethesda, they have since gone up in price)
i stuck that into a cheap R300 case
and bought 2gb ram for like R300 or so
found a hdd and dvdrom spare in the cupboard somewhere
the pc runs win xp excellently and handles my torrents and usenet for me
excellent choice
 
You do know your 1000W PSU is what the PSU can handle and not what your PC is drawing off the mains?
 
yeah theres that too, when idle/close to idle it will not draw nething close to 1000w
 
Riot2 said:
ive got an atom based mobo with integrated 1.6ghz cpu
the mobo (with integrated cpu, gfx card and lan) was R561 ex vat (from bethesda, they have since gone up in price)
Click to expand...

I wish Intel did not cripple the Atom MB specs. Intel dictates to suppliers what the boards can do.

I want 2x Gb Ethernet ports which the Atom boards do not offer from what I have seen.
 
yeah it has only a single lan port
there is however 1 pci slot available
no idea why ud need two tho
can always just give the one network card multiple ip's
covers for all of my usage
 
AMD have some very low power consumption CPUs. Was a thread about someone looking for a green PC...
 
I bought some IEI Wafer LX boards a while ago they only need 8-10W and are fanless, 1 x Network, 2 x SATA, VGA

Why not use a old low power notebook with a suitable HDD ?
 
psc, where did you get those boards? Perhaps a website?

The key words here are: Low Power, Low Price... Essentially a headless PC that will only be doing torrents, perhaps even run a ultra lightweight linux...

The mobo, MUST however, support SATA HDD's, and should at least have 2 x USB's on it... that cute new Intel 945GC Little Falls Board, with the integrated Atom 1.6 Ghz CPU is ideal, but at about R940 excl vat, it's still a bit pricey, especially since a standard ATX mobo and cpu (Far more hertz than the Atom) will cost about the same, if not a few rands cheaper.
 
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