Free computer, what can it do

candle_86 · Mar 26, 2020

So this thing is not my typical fair, I normally don't even pay attention to these but it was free.

System specs
HP
Pentium J2900 4cores 2.63ghz Bay Trail
8gb ddr3L 1333
1tb hdd (might replace with SSD if system is useful)

It uses an hp 65w charger typical for laptops, it's an soc with no expansion options.

What purpose could it serve? Are they fast enough for Netflix/Amazon prime as an htpc? Anyone used something similar, what do you use it for.

I was also given another HP with an E1-2500

Solaris17 · Mar 26, 2020

How many NICs?

candle_86 · Mar 26, 2020

Solaris17 said:
How many NICs?

Just the one built into it.

Toothless · Mar 26, 2020

Those things are fantastic as low powered media machines. That rig should be stronger than my 5350 and I can watch and stream just fine. If it's not already in a tiny case I would say grab one and stick an SSD in.

Vayra86 · Mar 26, 2020

Great system to donate to whatever good cause, too. Heck, let it crunch 24/7 for F@H

newtekie1 · Mar 26, 2020

It should work fine as a HTPC or even a basic Office PC. I'd drop a small SSD in it.

Toothless said:
That rig should be stronger than my 5350

The J2900 is actually weaker than the 5350, somehow...

candle_86 · Mar 26, 2020

Well idle it uses 84% of the CPU, I may need to use something besides windows 10 home, I'm now terrified to try the e1-2500

Bill_Bright · Mar 26, 2020

newtekie1 said:
It should work fine as a HTPC or even a basic Office PC. I'd drop a small SSD in it.

^^^This^^^ And yes, if your network is fast enough for Netflix, this machine will be fast enough to watch Netflix.

candle_86 · Mar 26, 2020

Network is gigabit and wireless ac1200, comp has a wireless n600 adapter

Toothless · Mar 26, 2020

newtekie1 said:
The J2900 is actually weaker than the 5350, somehow...

That's actually scary. I know what my 5350 can do and thinking of something weaker is just, no. I would've thought the J2900 is stronger since Kabini isn't Ryzen related at all.

EDIT: It's weaker by about 3%-ish.

candle_86 said:
Well idle it uses 84% of the CPU, I may need to use something besides windows 10 home, I'm now terrified to try the e1-2500

Might need to debloat Windows to get that down.

sam_86314 · Mar 26, 2020

I have a system with a J1900. It was good as an HTPC, but I was having some issues with weird graphical glitches in YouTube. Every now and then it would show a corrupted frame or something.

Hopefully it was just a problem with the GPU drivers. A few other systems I have with Intel GPUs have a similar issue. I want to install one of those "just enough" versions of Linux that run Kodi.

FreedomEclipse · Mar 26, 2020

You didnt mention a model of HP but from what google digs up. Its basically a laptop motherboard in a small tower chassis (or at least it should be) Some motherboards have 2 sata slots while others have 4.

No PCI-Ex expansion slots on either motherboards im looking at but that shouldnt stop you from making it into a home media or file server should that be a path you wish to take. It has USB ports so you could even add more external storage in that particular scenario should you ever need to.

Same for the E1-2500 system. you can turn it into a media and file server to but its a really low-end 15w TDP mobile chip It will still work just fine as a low powered streaming server. Just have the devices you have hooked up to it do their own decoding rather than making the CPU do it because that will really kill the performance lol.

xkm1948 · Mar 26, 2020

Put a Linux distro on it and donate it to school for kids to learn programming

newtekie1 · Mar 26, 2020

candle_86 said:
Well idle it uses 84% of the CPU, I may need to use something besides windows 10 home, I'm now terrified to try the e1-2500

If this is a fresh install of Windows, give it an hour or so and it will usually calm down. If it is an old install of Windows, I'd format and re-install Windows fresh, then give it an hour or two to settle down.

Toothless said:
That's actually scary. I know what my 5350 can do and thinking of something weaker is just, no. I would've thought the J2900 is stronger since Kabini isn't Ryzen related at all.

EDIT: It's weaker by about 3%-ish.

Just imagine that there is a Celeron J1800, that is a dual-core version of the J2900...

TheLostSwede · Mar 26, 2020

It'll make a great doorstop...

candle_86 · Mar 26, 2020

TheLostSwede said:
It'll make a great doorstop...

Nah I already have a door step, an hp with an e200

FreedomEclipse said:
You didnt mention a model of HP but from what google digs up. Its basically a laptop motherboard in a small tower chassis (or at least it should be) Some motherboards have 2 sata slots while others have 4.

No PCI-Ex expansion slots on either motherboards im looking at but that shouldnt stop you from making it into a home media or file server should that be a path you wish to take. It has USB ports so you could even add more external storage in that particular scenario should you ever need to.

Same for the E1-2500 system. you can turn it into a media and file server to but its a really low-end 15w TDP mobile chip It will still work just fine as a low powered streaming server. Just have the devices you have hooked up to it do their own decoding rather than making the CPU do it because that will really kill the performance lol.

Might do that, both boards have 2 sata but there are ways around that like replacing my 3 2tb drives with a pair of 6tb drives in raid 1.

Well upping ram to 8gb and an ssd has made it more bearable

Bill_Bright · Mar 27, 2020

If you don't really have a use for this, getting it Folding and help search for a cure for covid-19.

newtekie1 · Mar 27, 2020

Bill_Bright said:
If you don't really have a use for this, getting it Folding and help search for a cure for covid-19.

It probably wouldn't be fast enough to help any.

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Free computer, what can it do

candle_86

Solaris17

Super Dainty Moderator

candle_86

Toothless

Tech, Games, and TPU!

Vayra86

newtekie1

Semi-Retired Folder

candle_86

Bill_Bright

candle_86

Toothless

Tech, Games, and TPU!

sam_86314

FreedomEclipse

~Technological Technocrat~

xkm1948

newtekie1

Semi-Retired Folder

TheLostSwede

News Editor

candle_86

Bill_Bright

newtekie1

Semi-Retired Folder

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