tarik wrote on 2025-08-27, 15:50:

RetroPCCupboard wrote on 2025-08-27, 15:45:

tarik wrote on 2025-08-27, 15:39:

How many watts of power do these processors actually consume?

Is your goal actually low power (as I think any P4 build is low power compared to modern gaming PCs), or is it that you just want a quiet system?

If the latter, I'd be inclined to just replace stock fans with something like Noctua, and use a modern PSU that stops the fan under low loads

I want both silence and longevity in terms of heat. The main goal is actually to build a system for games from the 1998–2002 era.

Silence and longevity? That era of P4 isn't good for neither. I suppose the motherboard could be ok if recapped, or if indeed populated with non garbage caps from factory. But still, longevity and P4....is kind of an oxymoron

bertrammatrix wrote on 2025-08-27, 16:33:

Silence and longevity? That era of P4 isn't good for neither. I suppose the motherboard could be ok if recapped, or if indeed populated with non garbage caps from factory. But still, longevity and P4....is kind of an oxymoron

Maybe, but P4 is still not to expensive to buy, or even can be found free. Of course the OP already has the parts. So I'd say just use it and have fun with it. Replace any caps that look dodgy though.

I think I would probably go for the FX5500 and the 3.0ghz P4 to not bottleneck the GPU. I think that would play any DirectX 8 game well.

tarik wrote on 2025-08-27, 15:39:

How many watts of power do these processors actually consume?

I measured power consumption of various CPU, for example:

Willamette:
P4 1.3 = 38 W
P4 1.5 = 46 W
P4 2.0 = 68 W

Northwood:
1.6A = 36 W
2.0A = 41 W
2.4B = 52 W
2.5 = 55 W
2.6 HT = 57 W
3.0 HT = 83 W
3.06 HT = 85 W

Prescott:
P4 640 = 84 W
P4 531 = 71 W

You can find more tests on my website.

tarik wrote on 2025-08-27, 11:15:

I have examined the benchmark tests of the Intel Pentium E6700 CPU, and it’s a processor that everyone seems to overlook. Its single-core performance is surprisingly fast. Link: https://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=Inte … 3.20GHz&id=1106”

But it is not at P4 - It's based on the later Wolfdale (basically Core2) architecture, and run a looooot faster per clock and with waaaay less power consumption 😀

havli wrote on 2025-08-27, 19:06:

I measured power consumption of various CPU, for example: […]
Show full quote

tarik wrote on 2025-08-27, 15:39:

How many watts of power do these processors actually consume?

I measured power consumption of various CPU, for example:

Willamette:
P4 1.3 = 38 W
P4 1.5 = 46 W
P4 2.0 = 68 W

Northwood:
1.6A = 36 W
2.0A = 41 W
2.4B = 52 W
2.5 = 55 W
2.6 HT = 57 W
3.0 HT = 83 W
3.06 HT = 85 W

Prescott:
P4 640 = 84 W
P4 531 = 71 W

You can find more tests on my website.

Nice, Thank you.

tarik wrote on 2025-08-27, 11:15:

[...]

What I’m currently working on is building the coolest-running PC possible for Windows ME and games from 1998–2002. Maybe now I’ve explained myself better. 😀

Did you miss my post recommending a Pentium M instead? One of those will use max 21W but outperform higher-clocked Pentium 4 CPUs with ease.

Choose a motherboard with i855GME chipset for good Win9x/ME support.

H3nrik V! wrote on Yesterday, 08:58:

tarik wrote on 2025-08-27, 11:15:

I have examined the benchmark tests of the Intel Pentium E6700 CPU, and it’s a processor that everyone seems to overlook. Its single-core performance is surprisingly fast. Link: https://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=Inte … 3.20GHz&id=1106”

But it is not at P4 - It's based on the later Wolfdale (basically Core2) architecture, and run a looooot faster per clock and with waaaay less power consumption 😀

Awesome site, such a great resource!

dionb wrote on Yesterday, 11:22:

tarik wrote on 2025-08-27, 11:15:

[...]

What I’m currently working on is building the coolest-running PC possible for Windows ME and games from 1998–2002. Maybe now I’ve explained myself better. 😀

Did you miss my post recommending a Pentium M instead? One of those will use max 21W but outperform higher-clocked Pentium 4 CPUs with ease.

Choose a motherboard with i855GME chipset for good Win9x/ME support.

I put the build together yesterday. Right now it’s running a P4 3 GHz HT, but I’ll give the CPU you suggested a try. This is my third retro rig, but it’s got a serious noise issue. I’ll probably swap out the PSU and maybe some of the fans. I even oiled the fans, but the noise is still there. After switching to the P4, I really came to appreciate just how good the Pentium III 1 GHz actually was.

dionb wrote on Yesterday, 11:22:

tarik wrote on 2025-08-27, 11:15:

[...]

What I’m currently working on is building the coolest-running PC possible for Windows ME and games from 1998–2002. Maybe now I’ve explained myself better. 😀

Did you miss my post recommending a Pentium M instead? One of those will use max 21W but outperform higher-clocked Pentium 4 CPUs with ease.

Choose a motherboard with i855GME chipset for good Win9x/ME support.

I found a Pentium M processor, but will it work in a Socket 478?

tarik wrote on Yesterday, 11:35:

[...]

I found a Pentium M processor, but will it work in a Socket 478?

No, it's an So479 CPU, needs an So479 motherboard. Hence the recommendation for a board based on i855 chipset.

There existed an Asus CT-479 adapter to be able to use an So479 CPU on an So478 board (as the bus protocol is essentially the same), but they are rare as hen's teeth.