I can't have something like a PDP-11, it takes too much power and probably produces a bunch of heat than my AC would then have to cool... PI is more my budget.
I don't know for sure; I've asked some of the minicomputer fanatics over on
the Vintage Computer Forums about power draw before, and they weren't sure of anything conclusive. Later models at least are probably better (and the PDP-11 was always a mid-range sort of machine anyway, compared to the PDP-10 - which had power supplies so inefficient that CompuServe, which used a bunch of them, had to design a replacement!)
In any case, mine is not one of the classic fridge-sized minicomputer models; it's a microcomputer version (or at least inasmuch as you can say that a tower case the size of a small radiator is "micro.") The power supply's only 320W; I'm pretty sure my P4 gaming rig uses more than that. Budget's still an issue, though, since DEC gear of any kind is prey for collectors and service agencies trying to maintain ancient field installations alike; mine was a very lucky score at the recycle center, which only wanted scrap value for it - followed by an
extremely lucky score of a bunch of upgrade parts from another machine that they were obligated to scrap but let me pull the boards from.
I kinda would like a full-fledged minicomputer with a proper lights-and-switches front panel, but as I have neither the space nor the budget, my MicroPDP-11'll do just fine for now
