What is your minimum processor for basic (non-gaming) desktop?

[waltchan]

At this moment, most of LGA1155 processors are expensive, even used, because they are NOT at the E-waste recycling center yet (that's where they take apart and sell all the parts). The cheapest one available as used is Celeron G460 for $15 shipped, but people buy them quick in seconds.

 

[SPBHM]

I can use slower things, but I think something like a 3GHz core 2 duo is what I would call good enough for web browsing and other basic tasks.

 

[ControlD]

I have a couple of workhorse systems that fit the bill:

Unraid Server : Intel G530 running on an Asrock B75 + 16GB RAM
MAME : AMD A4-5300 running on an Asrock FM2A75 + 4GB RAM

Both systems have been rock solid and in each case I was amazed at how much system I could get for very little money.

 

[ultimatebob]

Right now, the slowest processor that I'm willing to use is a Core 2 Duo like the E7400.

I just don't have the patience to use anything with an older Atom processor anymore.

The slowest processor that I would buy on a NEW computer would be a Core i3. Anything slower than that will become obsolete pretty quickly.

I'd also get at least 4 (preferably 8) GB of RAM and 500 GB of hard drive space.

 

[Charlie98]

If you are talking about a new build, with new components... a 1150-socket Pentium, 4GB RAM and an SSD, with the caveat that if it's to be used as a heavy browser (lots of tabs, etc) you might want to spend the money on 8GB RAM.

If you are scrounging for used components, I would say at least a 1155 mobo and a suitable Pentium CPU, 4GB, SSD.

 

[seitur]

Full Voltage Desktop Big Core Celerons like i.e. G1820

That is bare minimum. Anything below that and you can feel PC slowing now and then too much for my liking.

but even this little beasts gets "clogged" every now and then because they have only 2 cores/threads

Ram - 4GB is absolute minimum, 8GB is preferred though. RAM generally you cannot ever have too much, only problem is jacked up very high prices on them

500 GB disk space is minimum, not because I cannot work with less, but because less than 500 GB I have to manage space and I am too old for this.

 

[sm625]

G3258 has to be the minimum these days. It overclocks breathlessly. It's an easy 3.7GHz without even having to change the voltage. I would be very surprised if there is even a single G3258 in existence that is not capable of running 3.7Ghz. There is literally no reason not to do it. The value falls off very steeply once you go below this chip. The other pentiums and celerons are way too slow to justfiy the very slight cost savings on a system level.

 

[Blain]

The thread was started as simply...

What is your minimum processor for basic (non-gaming) desktop?

Please list processor type, RAM and whatever other details you would like to include.

 

[razel]

Please list processor type, RAM and whatever other details you would like to include.

EDIT: Just for clarification, hardware can be either new or used.

It all depends on the user/budget/upgrade cycle. Unlike the previous netbook rage, the newer Bay Trail sub $200 laptops now are plenty for most people. I recommend buying those and attach an existing LCD when at a desk for most people.

However those more techie will probably want the advanced CPU feature sets that the Core i series provides. Those techies who don't use advanced CPU features will probably be happy with at least a 2010 era Core 2. Those who are happy and don't care about Windows 8 or 10 could even be happy with a Pentium 4 from 2004.

It really all depends on the user.

 

[Blain]

It all depends on the user/budget/upgrade cycle.

It really all depends on the user.

What is "your" minimum processor for basic (non-gaming) desktop?

 

[waltchan]

What is "your" minimum processor for basic (non-gaming) desktop?

Let's see, I know Celeron G460 is a little too fast to be considered as bare-minimum processor.

My absolute bare-minimum processor of all time is Pentium III 750MHz. Can still operate Windows XP (32-bit) barely with same performance feel as Atom N435 1.33GHz, but that's about it. Don't go anything below 750MHz, including all Pentium IIs, as they tend to take 1/2 hour to load-up one Newegg website page.

 

[Bryf50]

Correct, but the LGA775's chipset only supports IDE SATA (no AHCI), some no SATA II, plus obsolete, slow Intel integrated graphics card (you can put in a PCI graphics card, but you will make it 2x more expensive than getting one of Sandy Bridge processor with built-in GPU). Also doesn't compete well for 2015 anymore (maybe in 2013 and before). I favor the Celeron G460 more. Plus, you can still buy new LGA1155 boards.

That's not true. AHCI was definitely supported on my g33 , p35, and q45 boards.
If you need a really cheap complete desktop for everday browsing I recommend going on ebay and picking up an office pull Optiplex or HP Elite Core 2 system. I just got an USFF HP Elite with an E8500, 8gb DDR3, 250gb HDD, and Windows 7 COA for $130 shipped. No way you can beat that with anything new.

 

[CHADBOGA]

Haswell Pentium, 4GB Ram

I don't want any of today's small core processors as a desktop machine.

 

[waltchan]

That's not true. AHCI was definitely supported on my g33 , p35, and q45 boards.
If you need a really cheap complete desktop for everday browsing I recommend going on ebay and picking up an office pull Optiplex or HP Elite Core 2 system. I just got an USFF HP Elite with an E8500, 8gb DDR3, 250gb HDD, and Windows 7 COA for $130 shipped. No way you can beat that with anything new.

My mistake. More than 80% of LGA775 boards don't have AHCI anyway. Even if there's one, can I buy a new LGA775 board with G33, P35, or Q45 for less than $60? No... Celeron G460 makes it easier for me, new boards starting at $30 (one time $15 after rebate for one ECS board) and processor reaching $10 by next year due to depreciation.

 

[jji7skyline]

My mistake. More than 80% of LGA775 boards don't have AHCI anyway. Even if there's one, can I buy a new LGA775 board with G33, P35, or Q45 for less than $60? No... Celeron G460 makes it easier for me, new boards starting at $30 (one time $15 after rebate for one ECS board) and processor reaching $10 by next year due to depreciation.

I think the point is that you can buy a better system for cheaper if you go with Core2Duo. You don't need to buy the motherboard new or separately.

 

[waltchan]

I don't want any of today's small core processors as a desktop machine.

That would be Silvermont Bay Trail "tablet" processors (all of them). We just had a nice discussion on them in this thread:

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2395805&page=2

Starting from post #34 to end of page.

 

[TurtleCrusher]

Correct, but the LGA775's chipset only supports IDE SATA (no AHCI), some no SATA II, plus obsolete, slow Intel integrated graphics card (you can put in a PCI graphics card, but you will make it 2x more expensive than getting one of Sandy Bridge processor with built-in GPU). Also doesn't compete well for 2015 anymore (maybe in 2013 and before). I favor the Celeron G460 more. Plus, you can still buy new LGA1155 boards.

Many 775 boards do support ahci. I had it with the ep45-ds3l.

 

[waltchan]

I think the point is that you can buy a better system for cheaper if you go with Core2Duo. You don't need to buy the motherboard new or separately.

Even if some LGA775 boards do have AHCI, I recommend anyone not to invest too much in it. This socket has very limited future status, will be very difficult to find parts, and even the highest-end Core 2 Quad Q9650 isn't really that fast. It performs equivalent to Sandy Bridge Celeron G530 in terms of single-thread speed.

But with LGA1155, this socket has another 15 years life left. Start out small with Celeron G460 for $10, wait 10 years later in 2025, you will see used Core i7-3770K selling for $10 on eBay.

Only difference is you will have 9618 benchmark score for i7-3770K vs. 4261 in Q9650. Already, 4261 benchmark score is looking a little obsolete today.

All the LGA1155 processors are in borderline facing 80% depreciation in costs within the next 3 years after LGA1152 socket come out.

 

[gmaster456]

For a basic use desktop I could settle for a Core 2 Duo and 4gb of RAM and some sort of discrete card AMD 5000s+

 

[VirtualLarry]

But with LGA1155, this socket has another 15 years life left. Start out small with Celeron G460 for $10, wait 10 years later in 2025, you will see used Core i7-3770K selling for $10 on eBay.

You overlook the fact that when a 3770K is $10, then that's all it will be worth. Meaning, software in 2025 will be that much more demanding, or more likely, more dependent on newer instructions that are not present in that CPU.

 

[waltchan]

You overlook the fact that when a 3770K is $10, then that's all it will be worth. Meaning, software in 2025 will be that much more demanding, or more likely, more dependent on newer instructions that are not present in that CPU.

That's why nobody should invest in a LGA775 anymore. LGA1155 Core I-s will be the new Core 2 Duo.

 

[Zodiark1593]

2.1 GHz Core 2 Duo, GMA 4500 and 4 GB RAM for a bare minimum. Covers good enough cpu power and hd video playback. SSD is optional, only because 98% of consumers had never used one in a desktop.

I run an i5 460M uderclocked at 1 GHz running the Intel HD and it works fine for browsing, hd video and other such menial tasks. No different in these tasks than running at the stock 2.53 GHz.

Demands for most consumer software and websites have not increased dramatically, It's probably thanks to mobile for that as we've barely begun hitting Core 2 Duo single thread performance in that realm (Apple A8)

Semi off topic, but the advancement of computer tech stongly reminds me of Dragon Ball Z. Just sayin.

 

[VirtualLarry]

I think that I would like to revise my original comment. I said that a G3258 was optimal. I guess, I think that's optimal, as far as entry-level bang-for-buck, if you can get it with a mobo combo, and then add a SATA6G SSD (as low as $35 recently for a refurb 60GB Corsair, for example).

But as far as usability, I could go lower. I would say, a G1610/1620 Ivy Bridge dual-core 2.6/2.7Ghz, which is probably similar to a Core2Duo 3.0-ish. An SSD, if you can fit it into the budget, makes things so much better too.

You can get along with 4GB of RAM, but after leaving the PC running for a week or two, memory usage in Waterfox creeps up enough that I would prefer 8GB.

 

[CHADBOGA]

That would be Silvermont Bay Trail "tablet" processors (all of them). We just had a nice discussion on them in this thread:

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2395805&page=2

Starting from post #34 to end of page.

I'm not remotely interested in that as a desktop option.

 

[Towermax]

I use a notebook with a core2duo and an intel graphics chip, works fine for everything but gaming.

Same here.

 

[ultimatebob]

To answer the guys question a bit more generally, I'd recommend looking at the Passmark CPU benchmark scores and not pick anything with a score of less than 3,000 for a desktop system.

There are a lot of good used parts out there who have no problem with that benchmark.