Please comment on small fanless Linux system

[ecraven]

Hello!

I'm looking to build a development machine for myself, used for coding (including C/C++), music, videos, and general procrastination. I might also do some video or image editing.
I was hoping to build a (mostly) fanless system, passively cooled.

I was thinking about the following configuration and would be glad about any comments:
- cpu: AMD FX 6300 Vishera
- motherboard: Gigabyte GA 78LMT USB3
- memory: kingston hyperx dimm xmp kit 16gb (khx1600c9d3k4)
- ssd: Samsung SSD 840 Pro 128GB
- psu: Silver Power SP S460 FL 460W atx2.2
- case: SilverStone Temjin Evolution TJ08-E
- cooler: Thermalright HR 01 Plus
- gpu: Asus GT620-DCSL-2gd3 Geforce GT 620 PCIe 2.0 x16

I'm not gaming a lot, just simple things now and then.
My main questions are:
- is the power supply (460 watt) enough?
- is the passive cooler enough for the cpu?
- should I be able to cool this system with the case fans (the temjin has one 180mm fan and several 120mm fans)

Thanks for any help!

Peter

EDIT:

Due to all the great comments, I'm now thinking about the following:
- cpu: i7-3770S or i7-3770T
- case: akasa euler or antec isk 100 vesa
- motherboard: ga-h77tn or ga-h77n-wifi, maybe the asrock h77tm-itx?
- ram: some vlp low voltage ram, I'd love 16GB though.. it seems the H77TN thin mini-itx doesn't support that :-/
- ssd: samsung 840 pro

- alternative motherboard: intel dq77kb, the only thin mini-itx board that I can find :-( does anyone have any experience with this board?

Would that be a working and completely passive setup? (not sure when the ga-h77tn will be available :-/)

 

[Zap]

Yes, 460W is enough.

For passive cooling, your best results would be to lower the heat output of the CPU. Right now the best way to do that is to go with an Intel CPU (Ivy Bridge). Then, use integrated graphics built into the Intel CPUs to save even more power.

Do you live near a Micro Center? They have the best prices on CPUs.

Do you already have the CPU heatsink? If not, don't get it because it is an older model (I have two ). Instead, get the newer Thermalright Macho, if you were to go with a huge air cooler.

Actually, with your needs you can go super small and passive, if you are willing to experiment...

Antec ISK 110 VESA case with PSU $80
Intel Core i5-3470 CPU $200
H77 chipset ITX mobo $100
16GB low voltage DDR3 kit $100
Samsung 840 250GB SSD $160
Thermalright Macho heatsink $40
=$680

Put it all together. Leave the side panel off the case so that the heatsink can stick out. Rotate heatsink so that it faces up and don't use the fan. Mount computer on back of monitor with included VESA mounting kit. Voila! A computer that (for most things) is more powerful than the FX 6300, is completely passive (no moving parts AT ALL) and is very power efficient.

 

[ecraven]

thanks, that's very interesting, could I possibly put an NVidia card into that mini-itx? I see that it has one PCIe 3.0 x16 slot. Would you happen to know how well the CPU-internal GPU is supported under linux, and how well it would work for some basic gaming (mostly old games or linux games, which don't need so much).

Also, do you know whether I can even boot linux with the UEFI BIOS on that motherboard?

What about using for example the i7-3770S? That has an even lower TDP (and an HD 4000 to boot!)

Thanks a lot for your comments!

 

[fantabulous]

Having a Thermalright Macho hanging off the back of my monitor would be too adventurous for me, but you do have passive options if that's what you're after. Akasa Euler cases might be something else to look into for a mini-itx build.

Assuming a relatively recent Linux distribution, you shouldn't have any issues with UEFI boot or the HD 2/3/4xxx Intel integrated graphics. Probably going to be fast enough for the games you play, depending on what simple means. Perhaps go for an Ivy Bridge with HD 4000 graphics?

I did not check the motherboard manual for the ASRock board suggested by Zap, but likely you can also boot with BIOS compatibility mode if needed. My ASRock Z77 Extreme4 can do this.

 

[ecraven]

Interesting, if I used an i7-3770T (only TPD 45W), could I possibly use the euler case without any additional heatsink?

 

[Phuncz]

The system you mentioned would easily run on a 250W PSU. With some changes you could even go for a 160W PicoPSU.

If you want to go passive, I'd highly recommend going for Intel, as their systems at the moment are much more energy-efficient, which means less heat. With an Intel Core i5 3470 you'd be ahead in performance and you'd save about 20W idle and 50W load. If you'd go for a 3470T, you save even more power consumption with the loss of some power.

 

[Zap]

Would you happen to know how well the CPU-internal GPU is supported under linux, and how well it would work for some basic gaming (mostly old games or linux games, which don't need so much).

Intel Core i5 3470 Review: HD 2500 Graphics Tested

Take a look at those graphs. The GeForce GT 440 is a re-badged GT 630. A GT 620 like you originally listed is a cut down GT 630 (lower clocks, crippled memory bandwidth). I think at BEST an Intel HD 4000 can match a GT 620. At WORST it will probably be around half to 3/4 the performance. I'm guessing, but I think I'm ballpark. The tradeoff is of course Intel's graphics only takes up single digit wattages, plus is "free" with the CPU. It depends on your expectations and what you will actually be playing.

Also, do you know whether I can even boot linux with the UEFI BIOS on that motherboard?

My Google-fu found some Ubuntu instructions for dealing with this.

BTW, a normal wattage Ivy Bridge quad core with one SSD and integrated graphics can run on a 100W PSU. That's how efficient they are.

 

[ecraven]

That's great!

So I'm leaning heavily towards the akasa euler with the i7 3770t and the dq77kb.. don't want to wait for the other boards to become available 16gb ram and one ssd, and things should work out fine, right? even with the 120watt psu?