Low power PC suggestions

[XDroidie626]

So I am looking at investing in a low power PC that's small, I wouldn't mind a nuc but I know I can get a slightly larger PC (cm case) at cheaper prices.

So the usage is this.

It would be on Linux, so Intel is preferred due to drivers although apu maybe an option due to next usage.

Light gaming, indie stuff more than likely most demanding game would be tf2 on this thing.

Other usages are video at 1080p, programming etc.

I may have it also as a small nas, just for small work backups I trust Linux with btrfs more than I trust ntfs.

What processor would you suggest and if entirely possible avoiding dGPU unless its low powered (PCI bus power only -75w or under) and cheap

Thanks

[gojira]

So I am looking at investing in a low power PC that's small, I wouldn't mind a nuc but I know I can get a slightly larger PC (cm case) at cheaper prices.

So the usage is this.

It would be on Linux, so Intel is preferred due to drivers although apu maybe an option due to next usage.

Light gaming, indie stuff more than likely most demanding game would be tf2 on this thing.

Other usages are video at 1080p, programming etc.

I may have it also as a small nas, just for small work backups I trust Linux with btrfs more than I trust ntfs.

What processor would you suggest and if entirely possible avoiding dGPU unless its low powered (PCI bus power only -75w or under) and cheap

Thanks

 

AMD 5350 apu is a quad core 25w and would be great for a low power build and can play like 2d indy games. Kaveri a8-7600 also has a configurable tdp of 45w, and can well hande even Battlefield 4 on low-med.

[Tedster]

AMD 5350 apu is a quad core 25w and would be great for a low power build and can play like 2d indy games.

Yup, however I know first hand that it's not powerful enough to play TF2, because one of my friends has it with a GT 730. It doesn't seem to have enough CPU power to not bottleneck the card.

I may be completely wrong here, IDK. I'm hopefully going to make a tiny (only just big enough case for ITX size) build.

Another thing I saw is that it downclocks the CPU when the GPU is doing more and vice versa - which doesn't seem like a great idea if you're going to be using both at the same time - as you will be with gaming.

[gojira]

Yup, however I know first hand that it's not powerful enough to play TF2, because one of my friends has it with a GT 730. It doesn't seem to have enough CPU power to not bottleneck the card.

I may be completely wrong here, IDK. I'm hopefully going to make a tiny (only just big enough case for ITX size) build.

Another thing I saw is that it downclocks the CPU when the GPU is doing more and vice versa - which doesn't seem like a great idea if you're going to be using both at the same time - as you will be with gaming.

Yeah, which is really unfortunate with literally the perfect mini itx system (cheap motherboard, processor, low watt power supply in a hawt case :wub: ) I think the Asus mobos allow for overclocking, so if you were to ghetto fit a really nice aftermarket cooler, this thing could probably be pushed to the extreme.

[SImoHayha]

So I am looking at investing in a low power PC that's small, I wouldn't mind a nuc but I know I can get a slightly larger PC (cm case) at cheaper prices.

So the usage is this.

It would be on Linux, so Intel is preferred due to drivers although apu maybe an option due to next usage.

Light gaming, indie stuff more than likely most demanding game would be tf2 on this thing.

Other usages are video at 1080p, programming etc.

I may have it also as a small nas, just for small work backups I trust Linux with btrfs more than I trust ntfs.

What processor would you suggest and if entirely possible avoiding dGPU unless its low powered (PCI bus power only -75w or under) and cheap

Thanks

hmm hte gtx 750ti is pretty cheap it only uses like 60 watts

[D3MON]

Yup, however I know first hand that it's not powerful enough to play TF2, because one of my friends has it with a GT 730. It doesn't seem to have enough CPU power to not bottleneck the card.

I may be completely wrong here, IDK. I'm hopefully going to make a tiny (only just big enough case for ITX size) build.

Another thing I saw is that it downclocks the CPU when the GPU is doing more and vice versa - which doesn't seem like a great idea if you're going to be using both at the same time - as you will be with gaming.

other than tnhat id suggest a super cheap itx 1150 board with a celeron and whatever gpu op can find cheap.

[XDroidie626]

Well I found a 260x for £99 which is dam good But would it Be bottled by the 5350? the i3 is like £90 which is a stupid price, maybe an a10?

[D3MON]

Yeah, which is really unfortunate with literally the perfect mini itx system (cheap motherboard, processor, low watt power supply in a hawt case :wub: ) I think the Asus mobos allow for overclocking, so if you were to ghetto fit a really nice aftermarket cooler, this thing could probably be pushed to the extreme.

no need for a cooler, i had a 5150 (1.6ghz) ran a 125fsb so it was at 2ghz on stock volts (like 1.2 or something) with the silent cooler, was a great little platform, the gpu gets overclocked with the cpu so from 600mhz it should of been around 750mhz.

4gb stick of ram i got second hand, tried my r9-290 in it but it wouldnt let it boot, ran great with my r9-270 though.

single threaded games wont be great as its like a slow pentium dual core however even on IGPU it loved grid and bioshock infinate.

it really is a great system, i only sold it (for cost) to finance my g3258 itx rig, it cost twice as much but has twice the power...

[Dimi3os]

Intel compute on a stick would be awsome but it won't cut it for gaming. 

You might be able to play an indie game but nothing more than that. 

On the other side, you could wait for skylake and get one of their low power quad core cpus (rumored, this was covered in the wan show this friday).

[D3MON]

Well I found a 260x for £99 which is dam good But would it Be bottled by the 5350? the i3 is like £90 which is a stupid price, maybe an a10?

if you dont want to mess with a wifi dongle get this, built in wifi AC 983Mbit or something, DUAL ethernet ports.

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/msi-z87i-ac-intel-z87-mini-itx-s1150-ddr3-sata-iii-6gb-s-sata-raid-pcie-30-(x16)-dp-dvi-hdmi-wifi-ac

if you want to use aftermarket cooling for the cpu without interfering with the gpu get this, only has 2 sata ports though.

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/asus-h81i-plus-intel-h81-s-1150-ddr3-sata-iii-6gb-s-pcie-20-(x16)-d-sub-dvi-d-hdmi-mini-itx

and put this in it,

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/intel-pentium-k-g3258-lga-1150-haswell-dual-core-32ghz-clock-1100mhz-gpu-32x-ratio-cpu-retail

ive done it, and cpu was nowhere near as good as everyone makes out, its half a 4690k for 1/4 of the price which sounds great but in modern titles it bottlenecks allot with both cores pinned HOWEVER for what you're doing itll be great.

edit- tf2 isnt demanding you can do that on onboard with kabini and this.

[STRMfrmXMN]

Intel makes low-power versions of the i3. You could pair that with a 750ti or something the like and have a great machine.

[XDroidie626]

So is it worth the £25 for the and am1 and a GPU? What's the lowest you could get away with?

Again low power and price is key

[gojira]

So is it worth the £25 for the and am1 and a GPU? What's the lowest you could get away with?

Again low power and price is key

 

Well the amd 5350 and a 750 ti will have an estimated tdp of 85, less than that at idle, and it's all around much cheaper.

 

 if you get an A8 7600, you're getting a 45w system with higher CPU performance and a great igpu that can run 3d games, and the cost for the motheroard and apu together should amount to the cost of the 750 ti,  am1  amd 5350 and mobo.

[XDroidie626]

Well the amd 5350 and a 750 ti will have an estimated tdp of 85, less than that at idle, and it's all around much cheaper.

 

 if you get an A8 7600, you're getting a 45w system with higher CPU performance and a great igpu that can run 3d games, and the cost for the motheroard and apu together should amount to the cost of the 750 ti,  am1  amd 5350 and mobo.

So a8 or the CPU/GPU, Ive always wanted a 750Ti though, I think their neat little cards, just need proprietary GPU drivers for Linux