[mmx+]

So I'm considering a low-power folding rig to supplement what I can pull from the laptop. I'm really looking at under 100w at full load. Budget is no more than a couple hundred dollars. I already have a spare HDD (old 2.5" SATA1), and I can use 2GB of DDR2 from my old PhII. I understand that the PhII is far faster for FAH than this setup could ever be, but it also draws far more power.
Thusfar, I have the following:

Any changes that would keep it around the same price? I may switch the GT240 for an 8800GT, but from what I've seen the 8800 uses some 30w more, so I'll probably stay with the 240.

I understand that for about the price of that mobo I could get an AII X4 and a mobo, but that's not the point, if I wanted something like that I'd use the PhII

 

[solidsteel144]

Do you really need an ATX PSU for a DTX motherboard?

 

[mmx+]

Quote:

Originally Posted by solidsteel144 Do you really need an ATX PSU for a DTX motherboard?

No. But it's hella cheap, and I've had great luck with CX400s before. 3 GPUs + OCed quad on a $30 PSU = Win

And I'll be using an old ATX case, so something that I could screw in would be nice

 

[solidsteel144]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmx+ No. But it's hella cheap, and I've had great luck with CX400s before. 3 GPUs + OCed quad on a $30 PSU = Win And I'll be using an old ATX case, so something that I could screw in would be nice

I guess other than that, it looks just fine.

 

[mmx+]

Quote:

Originally Posted by solidsteel144 I guess other than that, it looks just fine.

Cool

Should I fork out an extra $25 for an ION setup so I can fold on the onboard GPU as well?

If I end up getting this, it would probably be in August after I come back from vacation (no point in getting it now and then leaving a week later)

 

[solidsteel144]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmx+ Cool Should I fork out an extra $25 for an ION setup so I can fold on the onboard GPU as well? If I end up getting this, it would probably be in August after I come back from vacation (no point in getting it now and then leaving a week later)

Have it folding while you are gone?

 

[mmx+]

Quote:

Originally Posted by solidsteel144 Have it folding while you are gone?

Parents would never stand for that. The laptop, maybe, since it's only 30w full load, but even that is unlikely. While I'm gone I'll have my friend's rig with a Q6600 and then a GTS250 or GTX260 and then hopefully the PhII X4. But my hardware will be off for a month

 

[solidsteel144]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmx+ Parents would never stand for that. The laptop, maybe, since it's only 30w full load, but even that is unlikely. While I'm gone I'll have my friend's rig with a Q6600 and then a GTS250 or GTX260 and then hopefully the PhII X4. But my hardware will be off for a month

That's exactly what happened to me while I was gone.

 

[mmx+]

Quote:

Originally Posted by solidsteel144 That's exactly what happened to me while I was gone.

I'll still have some decent points...should be enough that I at least keep my place in the rankings even if I don't go up any more

 

[Baldy]

I say ditch the GPU folding and just stick to folding on an Athlon II X4 or something.

For the motherboard, get something like a 880 chipset motherboard for the onboard video, and just stick with that. No need to fork out money for a discrete GPU.

Should pull in rather decent PPD, and total power consumption should be minimal.

 

[solidsteel144]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmx+ I'll still have some decent points...should be enough that I at least keep my place in the rankings even if I don't go up any more

Yeah! No way I'll catch up to you.

 

[sks72]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baldy I say ditch the GPU folding and just stick to folding on an Athlon II X4 or something. For the motherboard, get something like a 880 chipset motherboard for the onboard video, and just stick with that. No need to fork out money for a discrete GPU. Should pull in rather decent PPD, and total power consumption should be minimal.

+1 CPU folding typically gives better PPD/watt. I have access to an Athlon X4 at my church. I can meter it to see how much power it pulls if you want.

 

[zodac]

Agreed; if power consupmtion is so important, just stick with the CPUs.

 

[mmx+]

Well, my PhII X4 pulls about 150w and gets 6.5-7k PPD. This should be under 100w and would pull 5.5-6k.

Although I could invest in a 45w PhII and use my current mobo/RAM

 

[Baldy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmx+ Well, my PhII X4 pulls about 150w and gets 6.5-7k PPD. This should be under 100w and would pull 5.5-6k. Although I could invest in a 45w PhII and use my current mobo/RAM

Well, you could also wait for the 95W PII X6 1055T, and maybe undervolt it. Total power consumption would also be under 100W probably, and you get much higher PPD.

 

[Setzer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baldy Well, you could also wait for the 95W PII X6 1055T, and maybe undervolt it. Total power consumption would also be under 100W probably, and you get much higher PPD.

That would be a really epic folding beast

 

[mmx+]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baldy Well, you could also wait for the 95W PII X6 1055T, and maybe undervolt it. Total power consumption would also be under 100W probably, and you get much higher PPD.

Oooh! Now that would be cool! Maybe 10k PPD from under 100w?

 

[nategr8ns]

If you're only concerned about the power consumption, I say run your other rig (the PII one?) as long per day as possible. If it gets you twice as much PPD as this ITX build, fold for half of the day. Save your money for future upgrades to make a low power gaming/folding rig.

 

[Baldy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmx+ Oooh! Now that would be cool! Maybe 10k PPD from under 100w?

Don't think a 1055T @ 2.8GHz will get 10K PPD. I'm thinking since a PII X3 720 @ 2.8GHz gets around 3.5K PPD, the 1055T should get maybe 7K PPD, or slightly more.

 

[sks72]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baldy Don't think a 1055T @ 2.8GHz will get 10K PPD. I'm thinking since a PII X3 720 @ 2.8GHz gets around 3.5K PPD, the 1055T should get maybe 7K PPD, or slightly more.

Bonus points are not linear. Twice as many cores gets 2.5-3.0 times the number of points.