Project green

[stevej696]

Hi guys i've currently decided on building a new project that's primary activity will be internet surfing / office work e.g. word processing and watching videos. Its going to be called project green as it is going to be run with a e1200 with the lowest v-core voltage it can stably boot into windows with.

Why i here you say??

Well here's the outline

It all started when i me and a few mates decided to under-clock our computers with the lowest v-core possible enough to boot into windows and run stress test without errors and this got me thinking. I am currently after a low power consumption pc but due to lack of funds, (thanks to this bloody recession :cussing i couldn't afford to build or buy a new pc for a good while yet. So why not use the current spare stock to build the pc that i need.

This is the hardware being used:

Gigabyte GA-73-VM-S2 MOBO

2GB OCZ platinum 800mhz ram

coolermaster 460w extreme 80+ psu

on-board graphics

360gb 16mb cache WD primary drive

80gb Ide backup drive

The plan:

The whole system is currently running in an antec300 case but due to the mobo's very small size, it looks like a small speck of dust in a big space. Very good temps though So a new case is needed in Matx factor that has good cooling potential but i will be generally happy with a case with 120mm intake and exhaust fans. The cpu will be running as high as it can with around 0.85v and 0.95v maximum and the whole system will be running xp64 until i get a copy of windows 7 premium.

So there you go guys please leave any comments as they are all greatly appreciated.

Are there any good cases that suit the requirements for around £40 or less?

Cheers in advance

stevej696

 

[stevej696]

phase 1

ok guys here's the voltage progress so far,

CPU-Z readings:

Hardware monitor ITE IT87

Voltage 0 0.90 Volts [0x38] (CPU VCORE)

Voltage 1 1.84 Volts [0x73] (VIN1)

Voltage 2 3.36 Volts [0xD2] (+3.3V)

Voltage 3 5.05 Volts [0xBC] (+5V)

Voltage 4 8.64 Volts [0x87] (+12V)

Voltage 7 5.35 Volts [0xC7] (+5V VCCH)

Voltage 8 3.04 Volts [0xBE] (VBAT)

Core temp:



Next stage is to get the case and choose a colour scheme for it.

Anybody got any suggestions??

 

[Ducky Spud]

Surely Project Green should jave a green colour scheme

As for cases, Im not cant think of any for £40 or less, but thers a few nice ones if you dont mind spending a little more. The Antec Mini P180 (link) for around £60 would be my first choice, plus it can take a few 120mm fans and a big 200mm I think! Silverstone also make quite a few nice M-ATX cases like the SG02 (link) which is closer to your budget, but more of a cube case than mini tower and only takes 80mm fans.

Nice project, something different to all the super overclocked gaming rigs. Good luck with it all

 

[lasher]

If your going green and undervolting look at passive cooling options, wouldn't worry too much about how many fans the case has!

On the green theme, recycle.... Get your self down the local tip and mod a case that's been thrown out.

Then you are in keeping with the green theme, cheap cases come from the far east, one of the highest polluters in the world!

 

[stevej696]

cheers for comments people, i have got an old case in the shed may need a bit of work but a very good and well appreciated thought cheers. As for the colour scheme green was my initial thought but am wondering whether or not to incorporate the logo ive got as my avatar??

Think its kinda smart. I was looking at the Antec p180 case but due to the low voltages being used and potential low cpu temps i dont think that the sheer amount of fans would be used. The cube sounds a good idea though and will probably be passively cooled as-well.

What paint would look cool??

Metallic Lime green with embossed logo on sides or dark green with light graphic in the logo??

all comments and guidance welcome

 

[lasher]

If you get in touch with a sign / decal company such as these

http://www.signsexpress.co.uk/

as them how much that logo would cost... might be cheaper than spending a fortune on paint and time!

 

[stevej696]

cheers appreciate that +reps

decals would go nice with the silverstone cube white existing scheme

 

[tinytomlogan]

Paint does take an age to do properly, and isnt cheap either by the time you have brought everything you need to do a good job, buy vinyl will NEVER look anything but a bodge, Ive seen people on other forums try to use it and its horrible. I used to work at a sign specialist and Id still not bother.

If I was you matey Id save all that money and just get a better base case to start with and just play with lighting ect to get the colour you need. If you get a case that can have the internals powder coated I can do a lime green for £50. In fact I think I may have a lian Li PC7 spare in the shed......?

 

[stevej696]

oohh swnds tempting:freak:

powder coating sounds really good and lime green internals sounds even better

 

[thestepster]

nice idea with this mate ill definately be keepin an eye on this

 

[stevej696]

Ok so been looking for cases and so far got one in mind.

I wanted something small so the cooler master elite 341 matx case ticks all the boxes and its only £27 aswell. Bargain really

This case does have good build quality for the price and i currently use the Atx 330 for project gigabyte which can handle a radeon radiator and overclocked dual core with the fans on medium so this should be able to handle on board graphics and a hard drive with a cool under volted E1200

This is not definite as i have got another case in mind which is going to be awesome and professional internal sprayed if only i can persuade my wages........??

 

[stevej696]

Ideas for 15th

Hi guys not much here but finally decided on the case and cooling method. The case is going to be a cooler master elite 341 matx case from ebuyer at a cost of £28.46 and for the chip im going to use a arctic cooling freezer 7 pro rev 2.0 with the fan removed as the low temps dont require the fan really. That way its passive, cheap and if my temps start to creep up the fan is there. Cheap as chips at £16.87 from ebuyer also.

Here's the links if you need them

Case

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/179988

Cooler

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/176157

So that's stage one planned, Stage two will be a custom paint scheme (when the funds become available) and a Samsung EcoGreen F2 1.5TB 32MB Cache Hard drive which will provide more than enough storage as this is also going to be playing HD films from the hdd

Stage one is getting done on 15th so updates coming just after