I want to buy a Very Low Power Computer

2048Megabytes

2048Megabytes

Active Member
Would I better off going with a desktop with a solid state disk or with a laptop if I wanted a computer with very low power consumption?

I just want to use this computer just for Magic Jack so processing power means very little to me. I can have phone for $30 a year plus the cost of running a computer 24 hours a day 7 days a week. I think it is cheaper than spending $30 a month for a phone line.

Thoughts? Ideas?
 
A netbook would handle it, but would that give lower power consumption than a single-core desktop with a solid state drive?

I was thinking about using an AMD Sempron 140 Sargas Socket AM3 45 Watt Single-Core Processor with a GIGABYTE GA-M68M-S2P Motherboard with G.SKILL 512 megabytes 240-Pin PC2-5400 RAM.

Also thinking about a Kingston SSDNow V Series SNV125-S2/30GB 2.5" 30 gigabyte SATA II Internal Solid State Drive for $90.

Would a netbook consume less power than the above setup?
 
i would go with a low powered desktop. if you use a netbook or laptop, its going to be on all day everyday, and will more than likely be harder on a laptop, compared to leaving a desktop on 24/7. i use the magic jack as well and to be honost it takes very little to run it. im using a p 3 @1Ghz, 320mb of sd ram, and a ide 20 gig hard drive with xp pro, and it works perfectly. go with a low powered cheap desktop. it will stay cool since it will have better ventilation than a laptop, and will be cheaper.
 
Mini ITX with an atom processor, nuff said.

Although, i would go with broadvoice over magicjack...i just don't trust magicjack.
 
You can AMD dual cores i think with an "e" after them that has something to do with low power consumption. They are in the Athlon II series i think
 
The hard disk won't make a huge impact on the power consumption...not compared to the processor at least. Something with an Atom N450 and the basic Intel graphics would be your best bet, I'd think. Maybe one of the Asus EEE nettops or all-in-ones.

How much are you looking to spend?


edit: Also, you could definitely do like kdfresh did and use an old P3 machine...they don't use a whole lot more power than atom-based machines.
 
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Honestly, its not worth using an SSD to lower power draw. A full blown atom setup won't use more than 30-40 watts in the first place, this is what i would do:

Mobo:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813186194

Memory: Could potentially drop that to 1GB or 512mb even, 2GB would be good though for use as a networked fileserver, get a dual use from the machine
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148235

Case:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811154091

PSU:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151063

Hdd:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148511

Or, if you want to use it as a network server as well for say, music or such, could get this drive while its on sale.., $49.99 with coupon:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136218

Or, 1TB for $58.99 with coupon:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148433
 
diduknowthat said:
Why use a full blown PSU when a PicoPSU would power it AND have better efficiency?

http://www.mini-box.com/picoPSU-150...DhJJlVk3yhDQ1FBJ1vnGmch75Hpp5dDD3N!1066011414
Click to expand...

Picopsu's are nowhere near "more effecient". That claimed effeciency is only for the DC-DC converter,and you are going to have to combine that with the actual power "brick" is going to be less effecient. Also, you are talking at max a 10W difference, and the seasonic is one of the best in its class(SFX PSU's) in regards to ripple suppression and rail stability. Not to mention, a pico psu is going to cost more for something far worse performance wise. Besides, at MOST your talking 40W draw, a more effecient power supply would take tens of years to even come close to recouping the costs from such a small load.
 
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I would go with a desktop rather then a netbook.

I use a P3 733mhz 512mb ram 20gb HD win XP old gateway desktop as my computer for the Magic Jack. I have no problems with it at all, I hardly have to reboot the computer our the magic jack. MJ works just as well as my old land line did. Been using it on the same computer for about 2 years now, No problems!
 
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