[SOLVED] File/media server replacement for Atom D525MW - low power CPU needed

[mossi]

Hi all

I've got my ageing and struggling Atom D525MW running a file/media server in my LAN with Windows 7 but I'd like to get something newer and potentially faster to get it to do a few more things like perhaps HTPC(playback 1080p) or some light browsing.

The requirement is to have a lower power solution so it stays on 24/7

Is there an affordable solution £50-60 max (they all seem to be 80+) for a motherboard with SoC that is relatively new and you guys would recommend? I'm happy to AMD or Intel depending on who's got the best value for money.
I've got a mATX case to fit that so could go both ITX or mATX.

Thanks

 

[kanewolf]

I would recommend one of the embedded CPU motherboards like this -- https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157808
It doesn't meet your price requirement, but the higher up front cost will mean a longer lifespan, performance wise.

 

[mossi]

Yeah that's the sort of thing I'm looking at but this is a bit over budget.. in the UK it costs #115

Are there any AMD embedded ones?

 

[racksmith101]

Could always use a raspberry pi.

 

[mossi]

I have a raspberry PI 3 and so far I've been less than impressed in terms of stability with raspbian, osmc, any kodi distribution you name it.. I'd like a more care free solution to run Windows from it so I can use it for other things too. Initially I did try to use a raspberry PI for this purpose but I had a 2 TB drive formatted as NTFS full of media that I would have had to re-format as ext4 and basically I gave up on it..

 

[kanewolf]

Yeah that's the sort of thing I'm looking at but this is a bit over budget.. in the UK it costs #115

Are there any AMD embedded ones?

Newegg has a whole category on embedded motherboards -- https://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007623%208000%204814&IsNodeId=1

Your power usage will be lowest and performance best with the newest hardware.