What would be more efficient?

OK guys i am at a cross roads.

My server is an E4300 in an ecs mobo. I have pad modded it to run at a lesser voltage so that i can keep speed step enabled

Currently at idle it sits at 6x200mhz @ 1.027-1.040v @ 33-35*C ... under load the E4300 goes to its stock clock of 9x200 @ 0.992-1.008v @ 45*C ... needless to say its a gem of a little chip.... its been like this for over a year and a half... on 24/7 without any problems or crashes.

Anyways. I have an E7200 here... a nice new 45nm chip... it runs pretty cool on the stock e7200 cooler and im sure would run even cooler under the SI-120 in my server.... its got a higher stock clock speed and is 45nm. BUT.

my server doesnt have much cpu intensive stuff going on with it... most of the time its almost close to 0% cpu usage. So really which one will consume less idling?

unless the e7200 will run at lower voltage then 1.0 idle, i doubt it'd be better.

Stick with the E4300

if you want lower power usage for your server... you need to go with a atom setup...

Evilsizer said:

if you want lower power usage for your server... you need to go with a atom setup...

Click to expand...

theres no way i could go with an atom.... i need 3x gigabit nics, and the ability to support hotswapping of sata drives. Also an atom would just not cut it haha.

Anyways, i tried messing around with this extra e7200 i have... and like every other 45nm c2d... there isnt much head room... not nearly as much as 65nm stuff. So it couldnt be undervolted nearly as far as the e4300... or overclocked much past what my main rig is running ( 3.4ghz e6600... i figured id try to oc to see if i would swap that out) so looks like im staying with what i got right now. Why fix what aint broke right?

If i really wanted to be super efficient id grab a 120w pico psu for my server.... but that would require me actually spending money haha.