Surprised to see it with a cpu fan (it shouldn't need one).
Lots of 800 MHz C3s came with fans. Tradeoff was enormous (expensive, too big) heatsink or cheap heatsink/cheap & noisy fan. LinITX pageSPCR page
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The Eden is also guaranteed to run without a fan while the C3 is not. Fanless not guaranteed
As is so often the case, "it all depends..."
For only 14 watts, one can get a 1.4 GHz processor for AMD Socket A. Same chipsets used as with AMD Athlon cpus (e.g., KM266 Pro+ VT8235).
Large Socket A heatsinks may well allow fanless. Certainly, one could achieve lower noise than C3 fans by use of undervolted 80mm fans on Socket A cooler. CPU OverviewCPU specsCPU & Micro-ATX mobo for US$85
Via has always been kind of half-hearted in supporting C3/C7 and Mini-itx/Nano-itx for consumer & hobby use. Promises made, unmet, etc, etc, etc. Driver issues for Linux.
AMD, OTOH, never bothered offering Geodes for consumer/hobbyist. Doesn't mean we shouldn't use them. I've even seen them on mini-itx.
I think the Geode probably offers the best performance/watt in low power, low cost CPUs. I don't think the Vias can touch them.
Add US$25 256 MB DDR memory, salvaged Socket A heatsink/fan & ATX/micro-ATX case and one would have a pretty nice US$110 DSL pendrive machine. If one had to buy case & HSF, add US$40.
Needless to say, DSL & DSL-N would be extremely fast on a Geode. Substantially faster than on a C3.
original here.
