VIA C7®-D Processor

[keakar]

i've been seeing these at walmart selling for $280 with 1gb ram and vista home basic and $200 with 512mb ram using the free gOS Software operating system, both had 80gb hdd and did not include monitor.

what do you guys think about this cheap alternative for a mom and pop web surfing computer?


VIA C7®-D Processor

Designed to be the ideal desktop processor choice for corporations seeking to significantly save on their power bills, while delivering the performance and rock-solid reliability needed for productivity applications, the VIA C7®-D processor is the world's first computer component to be sold as carbon free. By offsetting every kilogram of carbon dioxide produced in the generation of electricity to power the VIA C7®-D processor, over the lifetime of the PC through regional projects in energy conservation, reforestation, and alternative energy, VIA is defining a new era in eco-friendly computing.

With a maximum power consumption of just 20W, the VIA C7®-D processor also sets new standards for performance-per-watt operation and enables use of less power intensive supporting components such as power supplies and cooling fans, and facilitates ultra low profile commercial desktop designs.

The VIA C7®-D processor is based on the low profile NanoBGA2 package that measures just 21mm x 21mm and is scalable from 1.5GHz to 1.8GHz.

http://www.via.com.tw/en/products/processors/c7-d/index.jsp

 

[Silverel]

Looks like AMD is gonna have to stay off the rugs. VIA is looking to pull it out from underneath em...

I wonder if they OC at all...

 

[keakar]

added link to their website for those wanting more info


im tempted to get the $200 version and put my old windows 98 OS on it

 

[EniGmA1987]

These have been out for ages. I personally dont own one, but I have asked people about them before and I get the same answer every time. The clock speed of these is like the clock speed of a Pentium 4 compared to an Athlon 64. If you had a 1.8GHz C7, it would run a lot slower than a 1.8GHz Athlon 64. Also remember that it uses fsb to communicate with the parts in the comp, and the fsb runs at 400MHz like REALLY old Pentium processors did.

But it probably would make a very nice web surfing processor due to its built in security and encryption, and would save on electricity costs.

Actually I have been thinking for the past couple months about buying a computer with one of these processors to serve as my media server at home. It would be nice to be able to lock my files from unauthorized access using strong hardware encryption. If anyone ever showed up at my doorstep wanting to rip through my computer looking for illegal files they would have a MUCH harder time that way

 

[newtekie1]

You get what you pay for. You aren't going to get a high end machine for $250. But the machine should be good for doing basic tasks like surfing the web, email, office work, and watching videos.

 

[phanbuey]

these procs are targeted at developing countries and power-conscious users, as far as speed, theyre really slow by today's standards... if youre posting on this site, you pprobably dont want one, trust me haha. Unless youre doung encrytion/decryption, as they have some special architecture built in or something. I wouldnt spend any money on one of these, unless it came in a laptop with a battery life of like 200 hours.

 

[Deleted member 3]

But it probably would make a very nice web surfing processor due to its built in security and encryption, and would save on electricity costs.

Are there browsers that do anything with those features then?

Personally I'd say they're very suitable, low power and plenty fast for office work.

 

[hat]

When I get my own deal running (my own life, etc... I'm still 15 as of now) I will probably be building one of these ITX rigs for myself.

 

[keakar]

well if walmart is selling a whole computer without monitor for $200 then it must only cost $75 to build the box yourself.

 

[suraswami]

I would say get a cheap Sempy box. Or go to Frys and get one of those cheap comp.

 

[hat]

But you simply can't build a computer (no monitor, kb, mouse) for $280 as far as I know. Let me newegg for a bit, see if I can put something togeather using socket AM2

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811164097 - 38.98
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151160 - 29.83
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136112 - 57.13
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820146573 - 28.48
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813138088 - 63.32
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103046 -59.99

total: 277.73

heh, I guess it CAN be done, and these are prices with the shipping included, and will be much faster than the craptastic wal-mart computer. All you gotta do is build it.... which is easy enough.

 

[Completely Bonkers]

The C7 is "approximately" the same speed as a Pentium M dothan clock for clock. Actually, its about 20-30% slower depending on the application. BUT it uses about 50% less power. Net net is approx 20-30% better performance PER WATT.

It is PERFECTLY FINE for internet browsers, office software, and running as a home/SOHO NAS or media server or even watching DivX. The integrated graphics is fine for these purposes too.

Given the low power consumption, they make nice "silent" systems.

RECOMMENDED.

 

[keakar]

But you simply can't build a computer (no monitor, kb, mouse) for $280 as far as I know. Let me newegg for a bit, see if I can put something togeather using socket AM2

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811164097 - 38.98
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151160 - 29.83
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136112 - 57.13
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820146573 - 28.48
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813138088 - 63.32
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103046 -59.99

total: 277.73

heh, I guess it CAN be done, and these are prices with the shipping included, and will be much faster than the craptastic wal-mart computer. All you gotta do is build it.... which is easy enough.

but hat that was $280 including vista home basic, it was $198 with the free gOS Software operating system so its even cheaper

 

[suraswami]

Mobo+CPU combo: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813135058 -
HDD: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822144102
Case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811164097
DVD: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151160
Mem: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145505
CPU Heatsink:http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103007

Above comes to $260 with shipping. If you load Ubuntu it will be cheaper.

I think what you were looking at is a good one. You should give it a try.

But on top of it you need to buy a Monitor. If they are ok, buy the cheap $399 laptop + mouse. It should server them well.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[candle_86]

The C7 lacks most modern x86 features, SSE2+, and 3dnow, i belive they added SSE and MMX a few years back but they tend to be really slow, I had a C7 667mhz and my Celly 466 beat it.

 

[keakar]

Mobo+CPU combo: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813135058 -
HDD: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822144102
Case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811164097
DVD: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151160
Mem: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145505
CPU Heatsink:http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103007

Above comes to $260 with shipping. If you load Ubuntu it will be cheaper.

again its $198 without vista so this is close but the $280 version had vista home basic

 

[keakar]

if they have been around for a while i dont see why they havent upped the processor yet?

even slow as chit its a tempting little system

 

[snuif09]

i think youre better with an old second hand pentium 3 then

 

[suraswami]

or buy from me

 

[hat]

That system, while cheap, is pretty much crap. At least give him dual channel ram...

 

[suraswami]

hey its good everyday puter

 

[keakar]

how long have these guys been around anyway?

some of you guys know about them but i just found out there was this 3rd little company making processors.

i thought this was a new company or something just starting out.

 

[ChillyMyst]

i have setup at least 6 boxes using c7 mITX boards, they arent as underpowered as you would guess, they arent speed deamons by any strech but they are great for little work boxes or HTPC's, the 1.5gz versions with the proper chipset can play back 1080p video with ease, yes 1080p h264 video eather with coreAVC or current ffdshow, the most important thing is to be sure the video isnt the older chipset used on some boards(specly the matx boards by pc chips and the like......) give the video 64mb ram(32 minimum....) and your set.

these systems can be great since you can build them in cases of other older devices.

toasters
NES systems
wooden craft boxes, almost anything you can fit the parts inside will do!!!

honestly these rigs are great, and really thats a good value(non vista version)

slap windows 2000 USP5 on it and away you go(2k still gets support and is easy to get drivers for, 9x isnt.....) and for 40bucks or less u can alwase throw a 2gb ram kit into it to give it a little more power.

you wouldnt want to game on these or try and do video encoding but for everday use like watching movies or surfing the net or typing up reports/papers they are more then enought power.

 

[Polaris573]

how long have these guys been around anyway?

They've been around since the late 1980s. Their chipsets and other ICs are more common than their processors.

 

[ChillyMyst]

via bought cyrex name and tech from IBM, they also bought the IDT the cpu devision of Centaur eletronics, they used these 2 cpu designs and created various chips, some more successfull then others, Via spun what they got into one of the best low watt cpu's you can find.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WinChip

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyrix_6x86

some background on what built the c3/c7 chips, the c3 and c7 are more based on the IDT winchip then the cyrex chips, cyrex used CISC designs like amd and intel still do, on the other hand IDT was an RISC chip, the links im sure explain it in far more detailt then i care to type here.
basickly an RISC chip only supports in hardware the most commonly used instructions of the cpu, the rest is run in software mode, this design means its FAR easyer to update the design due to it being far less complex, via could by now have hit the 3+gz mark if they wherent trying to stay in the ultra low watt market and also trying to keep Intel from cancling their cross licence deal, i would like to see them move to making/offering multi core chips for small servers and the like, i bet u could fit 6-8 of their cores in the same space as a c2d or x2 chip(cores are uber small!!!)

may not be a speed deamon but could be fun for alot of diffrent uses