What CPU for low power NAS

[tential]

If it's mostly power consumption you're worried about, I don't think that will be a problem even if you'd choose e.g. a 4770K. Because it's mostly going to be in idle mode where the power consumption will be very low anyway. So it should not matter that it has 84W TDP. Its contribution to the total system power consumption at idle should not be much anyway I think.

I use a 4770k.

Does it make sense? No.
Do I use it for other things? Once in a blue moon.... But it works =D.

I'd probably use Baytrail Desktop though.

 

[abbcccus]

Just for ballpark ideas, what do NAS setups typically consume in power? I mean the OP talked about 100 watts for a full blown computer, but how do the little NAS systems compare to that. Maybe like a 2-bay synology or whatever?

You planted a seed in the back of my head and, though I tried to ignore it, I finally gave in today and hooked up my Vantec external enclosure (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817392056) to my KAW. I know it's not technically a NAS since it has no network interface, but it could easily be plugged into a router with a usb port. At any rate, it pulls about 15 watts with a single 7200 rpm hard drive, and around 5 when empty. My FreeNAS (3 x 2 TB drives, 8 gigs RAM, E8400, MSI P45, and it does have an ancient video card still in it as I recently upgraded the software and had to have it attached to a monitor) pulls around 100 watts. But I leave it off 99.999% of the time as it's just a storage system - it's only on to add files or pull them off.

 

[seitur]

Sell those 1TB HDDs and exchange for 3-4 TB ones like i.e. WD REDs.

Also having Raid 5 for storage server does not have sense.

 

[Fjodor2001]

I use a 4770k.

Does it make sense? No.
Do I use it for other things? Once in a blue moon.... But it works =D.

I'd probably use Baytrail Desktop though.

The point was that the TDP may not be very relevant as it's primarily idle power consumption that counts. There are other CPUs with quite high TDP, low idle power consumption, but lower price than the 4770K.

 

[VengenceIsMine]

I have been where you are at and have built out various configs with 3ware and Dell raid cards from Ebay and and the end of the day, a real NAS from Synology, QNAP or Thecus is the way to go. Yes it seems like they cost too much but they take less power, have great uptime and in the case of Synology anyway are easy to upgrade. You will save the $ back from power vs any sort of higher power CPU in the course a few years and the hassles of rolling your own just aren't worth it.

 

[Fjodor2001]

I have been where you are at and have built out various configs with 3ware and Dell raid cards from Ebay and and the end of the day, a real NAS from Synology, QNAP or Thecus is the way to go. Yes it seems like they cost too much but they take less power, have great uptime and in the case of Synology anyway are easy to upgrade. You will save the $ back from power vs any sort of higher power CPU in the course a few years and the hassles of rolling your own just aren't worth it.

Is the power consumption really that much lower for a NAS? See e.g.:

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/synology-ds412-thecus-n4800-atom-d2700,3299-4.html

Also, what if you'd like to run some random SW of choice on the server?

 

[tweakboy]

Ill take my soon to be 4930k @ 4.6Ghz and keep it until 2020 and see how things are going then. Video card of ofcourse I will change in a year or soo, and probabaly need one in 2017 ..... hmmm

 

[LurchFrinky]

Right now my server consumes 100-110w in idle, but thats while I live a place where power is included in the bill, when I move I will pay around 0.40$ (2.5danish krone) per mega watt.

I want the system thats is the cheapest over a 3 year period.

Some quick numbers (if anyone finds an error, please chime in):
-Assuming $0.40 /kWh and using 100W as a start-

3 years X 365 days/year = 1095 days
1095 days X 24 hours/day = 26,280 hours
100W X 26,280 hours = 2,628,000 Wh = 2,628 kWh
2,628 kWh X $0.40/kWh = $1051.20

I kinda hope there is an error there because that is crazy expensive!

So, 100W will cost you more than $1000 over 3 years.
Over the same 3 years, each 10W improvement would save $100.

Obviously, spending $800 for a 20W system is a tie, but you can probably shave 50W off your idle with any modern processor. Of course, you will need a new mobo and possibly some ram.

 

[Carson Dyle]

Sell those 1TB HDDs and exchange for 3-4 TB ones like i.e. WD REDs.

If you spin drives down when not in use, this will make very little difference. A typical home NAS or file server is probably lucky to average a couple of hours of use per day.

 

[Mech0z]

3 years X 365 days/year = 1095 days
1095 days X 24 hours/day = 26,280 hours
100W X 26,280 hours = 2,628,000 Wh = 2,628 kWh
2,628 kWh X $0.40/kWh = $1051.20

I kinda hope there is an error there because that is crazy expensive!.

The calculations seem to correct but I guess thats what windmill power gives us ^^

 

[Shivansps]

What about this?
http://bd.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=4497#sp

Dual Core Celeron ULV Ivy Bridge.

The bad thing is the satas, just 3 + esata that can be used too.

 

[Concillian]

Some quick numbers (if anyone finds an error, please chime in):
-Assuming $0.40 /kWh and using 100W as a start-

3 years X 365 days/year = 1095 days
1095 days X 24 hours/day = 26,280 hours
100W X 26,280 hours = 2,628,000 Wh = 2,628 kWh
2,628 kWh X $0.40/kWh = $1051.20

I kinda hope there is an error there because that is crazy expensive!

So, 100W will cost you more than $1000 over 3 years.
Over the same 3 years, each 10W improvement would save $100.

Obviously, spending $800 for a 20W system is a tie, but you can probably shave 50W off your idle with any modern processor. Of course, you will need a new mobo and possibly some ram.

100w is A LOT for a system like this. My E350 and 2 hard drives are consuming a grand total of 35W on the kill-a-watt. He should be able to put together a system with lower consumption. Yeah, around $100 for 10 watts, but it's not easy to remove 10 watts from 35. You don't just cut consumption by 1/3 for spending $10 extra.

 

[Mech0z]

100w is A LOT for a system like this. My E350 and 2 hard drives are consuming a grand total of 35W on the kill-a-watt. He should be able to put together a system with lower consumption. Yeah, around $100 for 10 watts, but it's not easy to remove 10 watts from 35. You don't just cut consumption by 1/3 for spending $10 extra.

But the E350 solutions are expensive, so I think Richland parts would be give similar power consumption and better performance at a cheaper price A4-4000 + ASRock FM2A85X-ITX is 900DKK, Asus E350 with 6 sata ports is 1100-1300 DKK

Also when I upgrade the system I will only use 3TB drives, the 1TB drives will be sold

Is there any power consumption improvements coming in Kavari compared to Richland? Because then I think I will get a A88x motherboard and wait for a Kavari CPU

 

[Insert_Nickname]

Is there any power consumption improvements coming in Kavari compared to Richland? Because then I think I will get a A88x motherboard and wait for a Kavari CPU

Don't know about Kaveri, but my media center 6800K+ITX board+SSD uses a whopping 22W idle.

 

[Mech0z]

Don't know about Kaveri, but my media center 6800K+ITX board+SSD uses a whopping 22W idle.

What PSU?

 

[tweakboy]

Grab a 2600k. Very good fit with your rig. gl

 

[Insert_Nickname]

What PSU?

Corsair CX430. Admittedly not the most efficient PSU available.

 

[Fjodor2001]

What Mini-ITX motherboard and SSD?

 

[Insert_Nickname]

What Mini-ITX motherboard and SSD?

Gigabyte F2A85XN-WIFI, Samsung 830.

 

[frowertr]

Some quick numbers (if anyone finds an error, please chime in):
-Assuming $0.40 /kWh and using 100W as a start-

3 years X 365 days/year = 1095 days
1095 days X 24 hours/day = 26,280 hours
100W X 26,280 hours = 2,628,000 Wh = 2,628 kWh
2,628 kWh X $0.40/kWh = $1051.20

I kinda hope there is an error there because that is crazy expensive!

So, 100W will cost you more than $1000 over 3 years.
Over the same 3 years, each 10W improvement would save $100.

Obviously, spending $800 for a 20W system is a tie, but you can probably shave 50W off your idle with any modern processor. Of course, you will need a new mobo and possibly some ram.

Where are you paying .40¢/kWh at??? I pay only .13¢/kWh and I'm in Florida.

Also, you should be able to get a server well under 100w depending on its usage. My 5 hard drive NAS sits idle 99.999% of the time. This is an i3-3220 running headless serving a couple HTPC's in my house. My Kill-O-Watt meter shows it consumes 30w at idle and spikes to around 50w-60w when actually transcoding Plex content for my Roku.

 

[Mech0z]

Where are you paying .40¢/kWh at??? I pay only .13¢/kWh and I'm in Florida.

And I am in Denmark

 

[frowertr]

And I am in Denmark

Wow. Electricity is expensive across the pond then. I can't fault you for getting the lowest power consumption parts available at that price.

 

[Knavish]

Any thoughts on using a PicoPSU for a system like this?

http://www.logicsupply.com/products/picopsu_160

I guess it may be ugly daisy-chaining all the hard drives together onto a PicoPSU even if it has enough current to support them all. I've seen some forum comments on other forums saying these are more efficient than 250+ Watt PSUs when you are running a sub-100W computer.

I suppose you shift your efficiency requirement to the power "brick" for a PicoPSU. I wonder what the efficiency is for a Dell laptop power brick.

 

[Concillian]

But the E350 solutions are expensive, so I think Richland parts would be give similar power consumption and better performance at a cheaper price A4-4000 + ASRock FM2A85X-ITX is 900DKK, Asus E350 with 6 sata ports is 1100-1300 DKK

I do not disagree. I got my E350 a few months after they debuted. The desktop CPU landscape was VERY different back then. Very, very few platforms were less than 50W idle. Things have changed quite a bit in the last couple years.

I was just pointing out that 100W is an absurdly high power consumption for a device like this.

 

[Concillian]

Any thoughts on using a PicoPSU for a system like this?

http://www.logicsupply.com/products/picopsu_160

I guess it may be ugly daisy-chaining all the hard drives together onto a PicoPSU even if it has enough current to support them all. I've seen some forum comments on other forums saying these are more efficient than 250+ Watt PSUs when you are running a sub-100W computer.

I suppose you shift your efficiency requirement to the power "brick" for a PicoPSU. I wonder what the efficiency is for a Dell laptop power brick.

PicoPSUs are slightly more efficient, but the increased price kills any advantage in the long run. They end up being a LOT more expensive for what ends up being maybe 3 watts in the end? The efficiency makes less of a real monetary difference when the whole system is using <50W. 35 W at 75% efficiency is 31W at 85%... so about $40 over 3 years?