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Intel Celeron 847 Benchmarked Against Atom and AMD APU-Based Low-Power Systems

Subject: Motherboards | March 8, 2013 - 06:30 AM |
Tagged: roundup, motherboards, mini-itx, celeron 847, APU, amd e-450

While high end motherboards and processors tend to get the most attention from enthusiasts, sometimes less is better (*waits for Josh to stop laughing on the podcast). More often than not seen integrated in small form factor OEM boxes, there are a few motherboards out there that come as a bare board and integrated processor to be the basis of low power desktops, network devices, and home theater PCs. Both Intel and AMD have hats in the low power game, and Hartware.de has pitched four such low power boards against each other. The MSI C847MS-E33-847 and Biostar NM70I pack Intel Celeron 847 CPUs, The Zotac D2550-ITX WIFI hosts an Intel Atom D2550 processor plus a NVIDIA GT 610 IGP, and the ASUS E45MI-M Pro is powered by an AMD E-450 APU.

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Hartware.de puts several low power boards into the thunderdome to see which one(s) reign supreme.

As it turns out, the results are nearly in line with what one might expect. The Atom D2550-powered system was the slowest, the APU and ASUS motherboard was the fastest, and the Celeron was somewhere in the middle. The AMD E-450 APU used the most power, and the system was one of the most expensive, however. Interestingly, the Atom system was not all that much more power efficient than the Celeron despite the lower performance and weaker hardware. The Celeron 847 chip had decent CPU performance, and mid-range power and some of the best thermals. All of the configurations were able to playback media, but the AMD system gave the most fluid results.

If you are in the market for low power system parts, the review is worth checking out.

Here are some additional Motherboard reviews from around the web:

I'm pleasantly surprised at all the Mini-ITX motherboards being made lately.

Source: Hartware.de

Cooler autumn temperatures and a new cooler might get you a better overclock

Subject: Cases and Cooling | September 5, 2012 - 07:20 PM |
Tagged: NoFan, CR-100A, CR-95C, corsair, Hydro 100, roundup

FrostyTech has updated their "Top 5" list of 20 or so of the best heatsinks on the market for Intel and AMD processors not just in time for the school year but also as the average temperature during the day begins to decline.  They've also changed their definition of a heatsink to include self contained watercoolers such as the Corsair Hydro 100 which now takes the top spot for cooling Intel heatsinks though it does not get as high a rating for AMD.  On the quiet side there is also another newcomer, the NoFan CR-100A and CR-95C which take the top two spots for low noise cooler for both chip makers.  There are quite a few other new coolers to check out in their latest heatsink roundup.

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"Are you looking for the best heatsink for your PC? Perhaps you need a low profile cooler under 45mm tall... in both cases Frostytech's Top 5 Heatsink charts list the Best Intel & AMD heatsinks we've tested in one handy place. Frostytech has compiled a catalog of over 500 CPU cooler reviews and picked to cream of the crop on both Intel/AMD platforms, performance and low profile heatsinks. Frostytech's Top 5 Heatsink chart ranks each cooler by low temperature and low noise output."

Here are some more Cases & Cooling reviews from around the web:

CASES & COOLING

Source: FrostyTech

Holiday laptop recommendations

Subject: Mobile | December 12, 2011 - 12:38 PM |
Tagged: roundup, guide

You may have noticed an increase in systems guides and recommendations over the past month, not just the Hardware Leaderboard here on PC Perspective but on many other sites as well.  What we have not done is a list of recommendations for laptops but thankfully TechSpot has taken matters into their own hands.  They've broken down the market into budget, gaming, ultraportable, business and desktop replacements.  In each section they list several models which are quite capable within their own segment, at a range of prices.  Of course the desktop replacements and gaming laptops are the most expensive and powerful but do not discount the budget laptops as many people will only ever need the power available in a $500 laptop.

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"With the holiday shopping season in full swing it's time we give our Laptop Buying Guide one last pass before the year is over to make sure it's packing enough punch. Netbooks have lost their lure to simply become smaller, entry-level notebooks, while other categories are only seeing minor spec bumps. But if you are looking into the ultraportable market, a new breed of devices has emerged. Intel is pushing the Ultrabooks as thin and light systems with plenty of power, for now we're seeing a first generation of devices, with plenty more to come."

Here are some more Mobile articles from around the web:

Mobile

 

Source: TechSpot

Do you agree these are the top 3 cases of 2011

Subject: Cases and Cooling | December 9, 2011 - 12:18 PM |
Tagged: roundup, corsair, thermaltake, cubitek

2011 has been a busy year for enclosures with an enormous amount of models hitting the stores, ranging from the bare bones $50 case to impressively engineered high end cases costing over $200.  Some new players have expanded their lines and the older players have been putting those years of design experience to good work.  Think Computers has winnowed the long list of cases they've reviewed this year down to the top three models of 2011.  As you have probably guessed, the Thermaltake Level 10 GT is indeed on the list but you will have to follow the link to find out the other two cases.

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"It is December now and that means the end of the year is upon us. This past year we have reviewed quite a few products, but I think we have reviewed cases the most. Cases are such an important part of your system, it is the first thing someone looks at when you are at a LAN party. We have decided to make a list of the best cases of 2011. Keep in mind these are drawn from cases that we have reviewed so if you do not see a case in this list that is why. Read on to see what our favorite cases from 2011 were."

Here are some more Cases & Cooling reviews from around the web:

CASES & COOLING

 

Source: Think Computers

Seven Sandforce SF-2281 SSDs

Subject: Storage | September 13, 2011 - 05:13 PM |
Tagged: sandforce, Sandforce SF2281, ssd, roundup, corsair, kingston, ozc, patriot, sata 6Gps

Four companies with seven SSDs that all share the same controller were tested at X-bit Labs to see if there is any noticeable difference in their performance.   The price per gigabyte varies on the different models as they all use slightly different flash memory as well as different interfaces.  X-bit tries to come out with a general statement about performance and captures the heart when they state "SSDs with synchronous MLC NAND flash are generally faster but also more expensive whereas SSDs with asynchronous flash are cheaper and slower".  That generalization doesn't quite capture the results fully however as even within those two categories there are some choices better than others.  Check out the full review to see which drives came out on top.

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"We tested seven high-speed solid state drives built on second generation SandForce controller that support SATA 6 Gbps. Please welcome our heroes: Corsair Force 3, Corsair Force GT, Kingston HyperX, OCZ Agility 3, OCZ Vertex 3 Max IOPS, Patriot Pyro and Patriot Wildfire."

Here are some more Cases & Cooling reviews from around the web:

CASES & COOLING

 

Source: X-Bit Labs

A six pack of summer laptop suggestions

Subject: Mobile | July 29, 2011 - 11:40 AM |
Tagged: roundup

TechSpot sorted the mobile market into six seperate segments and then made suggestions as to what products are currently the best of their kind.  Each segment has several different models from which you can choose from as the mobile market is full of very close competitors and one person may favour a feature more than others.  From the gamer who is likely to be looking at Alienware to Brazos and Atom powered netbooks, the entire gamut is covered.  Even if only have $500 to spend, you are likely to find at least one model to tempt you.

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"After an initial hiccup at the beginning of the year which resulted in launch delays across the board, it's back to business as usual for Intel with another successful notebook platform powered by their second-generation Core processors. AMD responded to the threat with their first Fusion chips aimed at mainstream notebooks, the A-Series, but so far they've failed to make major inroads into the market the way they did at the entry level with the E- and C-Series APUs.

To help ease the hassle of going through countless notebook models getting released week in and week out, we've compiled a list of our favorite notebooks available right now and grouped them into six different categories: ultraportables, business & general purpose laptops, desktop replacements, gaming notebooks, budget laptops, and netbooks."

Here are some more Mobile articles from around the web:

Mobile

Source: TechSpot

Dual channel DDR3 roundup, only the best for your Z68 system

Subject: Memory | July 8, 2011 - 12:53 PM |
Tagged: corsair, patriot, kingston, crucial, G.Skill, ddr3, roundup

At Hardware Heaven you can catch a dual channel DDR3 roundup featuring Corsair Vengeance, Crucial Ballistix, Kingston HyperX, Patriot Division 2 Viper Xtreme and G.Skill RipjawsX kits.  The kits range from DDR3-1600 @ 7-8-7-24-2T to DDR3-2133 @ 9-11-9-27-1T and even features a low power 8GB kit which uses 1.5V.  They didn't have much luck overclocking the high speed DIMMs, it seems they are running stock speeds close to the maximum possible and had much better luck with the 1600MHz kits.  The charts do reveal a truth that not many like to admit, spending all that extra money on the high speed kits will not give you a noticeable jump in real world performance.

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"Last month, for the first time in a while, we took a look at various different memory products which were designed for Intel's X58 architecture and found that there are a number of great kits available from a number of manufacturers. Whether it is capacity, speed or low energy use there was something for everyone and the various approaches created an interesting comparison. Not everyone has access to an X58 system though so today we are going to look at Intel's mainstream chipset and put 5 different kits through their paces in a selection of real world and synthetic tests on Z68."

Here are some more Memory articles from around the web:

Memory

Source: Hardware Heaven

A round up for the case fan

Subject: Cases and Cooling | June 24, 2011 - 03:48 PM |
Tagged: gaming case, roundup

If you have a hankering for a case that does more than just hold your components then heading over to TechSpot might be a bad idea for your wallet.  They've gathered a half dozen cases which are all less than $200 and come with a wide variety of features and looks.  They also take the time to compare the air cooling performance of the cases as picking an enclosure is not just about the looks.  BitFenix's Colossus did not come out looking good in comparison to others in it's price range as a case $70 cheaper managed to show it up in every area.

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"With dozens of affordable, well-equipped desktop cases begging for your cash, it can be a nightmare to find the right one for your needs. Hoping to simplify your building experience, we've assembled a shortlist of six unique sub-$200 enthusiast chassis that deserve your attention.

Included in our roundup is BitFenix's flagship Colossus Venom Edition, and their new budget Shinobi mid-tower. The Cooler Master Storm Enforcer and the highly acclaimed HAF X making an appearance in Nvidia-green. Rounding up the review is Lian Li's LanCool PC-K63 chassis and Thermaltake's Chaser MK-1."

Here are some more Cases & Cooling reviews from around the web:

CASES & COOLING

Source: TechSpot

Wireless touch mouse roundup

Subject: General Tech | April 18, 2011 - 06:10 PM |
Tagged: input, mouse, keyboard, mouse pad, touch mouse, wireless, roundup

The touch mouse is a species very different from gaming mice, eschewing total size as well as the number of buttons to provide a very mobile but still functional mouse.  The main solution that these mice use is to incorporate the functionality of a touch pad, like those found on laptops, directly onto the mouse.  TechSpot grabbed three of the main contenders, Microsoft’s Arc Touch, Mad Catz's Eclipse, and SpeedLink’s Cue Wireless Multitouch to see how well these mice do the job.

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"When it comes to input peripherals and more specifically pointing devices, the options available to the end user are near limitless. Our most recent mouse reviews and roundups have had a heavy focus on gamers and enthusiasts, but it’s important to remember that not everyone falls into these particular demographics.

Today we'll be looking at three mice that aren’t necessarily as high-end or feature-packed as some we have previously tested. These wireless mice are smaller and simpler in what they entail, yet they all feature one distinct characteristic – touch sensitivity."

Here is some more Tech News from around the web:

Tech Talk

Source: TechSpot

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