Power Supply (PSU) Tech Guide
- Thread starter linkin
- Start date
Go for it. Perhaps a High/Mid Range/Low quality list? With the PSU guides, I was mostly concerned with updating the power recommendations and buyers guides. If we can improve upon the good/bad list, that would be fine too.
linkin
VIP Member
For now I have removed the good/bad lists, I will sort those out into low/midrange/high quality table later. I removed the Silencer Mk II as bomber pointed out the original Silencer beats it.
I'm going to be reading a lot of reviews today for powersupplies to put on the recommended list.
I'm going to be reading a lot of reviews today for powersupplies to put on the recommended list.
I would not remove the Silencer Mk II, even though they changed manufactures and its not up to spec. with the original. Its still a good supply. Still better than alot of supplies.
bomberboysk
Active Member
Ideally there should be lists of "Good power supplies" and then "Power supply recommended Buys", in which case it would fall better under the first category, as for the price many other units that easily exceed its specs can be had, with an attempt to maximize value for money for the buyers of power supplies.
Aastii
VIP Member
Nice guide; Newegg don't stock the CX400W anymore
So far as I know the CX400W is, or is very soon going to be, discontinued, which is why it isn't stocked. The 430 is the replacement for it, but Corsair cheaped out and got CWT units to rebadge, rather than Seasonic. A CX430W is essentially an OCZ MedXStream 400W (also discontinued now I think, though I'm not certain on that)
fastdude
Active Member
Thanks for the clarification.
I'm pretty sure they don't make 400W ModXStreams anymore.
Do the non-modular StealthXStreams use the same parts?
Benny Boy
Active Member
Perhaps bomber didnt mean to keep up with the prices, I don't know.
Maximizing the value would be done at time of purchase.
IMO,,(<which I know doesn't carry any weight around here
)If someone needed a ps they could check the current price of the listed units.
Which reverts back to linkin's original 'by wattage' that has good merits.
Wattage range, then g/b/b list for each range. When looking at the list a person could go to the wattage catagory, go to the g/b/b list below it, and have the name of the ps a link for specs and pricing from a web page. You wouldn't have to put the watts or price by the unit name in the list, as the web will supply that info. I know not everyone can or will buy from the same place, but seems like an easy way list it, look it up, and the specs/pricing.
Maximizing value:
An advisory to look for deals in other listed catagories,,as in - a better unit/deal for the $. More than that could be something like "deals of the week" or "rebates". If something like that was ^ used members could help linkin keep up with them. Just send him the link!
edit: just 2 catagories may be ok, but there may be a few that you'd want as the best.
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linkin
VIP Member
Hey look, GTX 570 specs released:
http://www.techpowerup.com/135450/GeForce-GTX-570-Specifications-Release-Date-Leaked.html
http://www.techpowerup.com/135450/GeForce-GTX-570-Specifications-Release-Date-Leaked.html
bomberboysk
Active Member
You may want to change "multiple card" to dual card, as tri and four way crossfire/SLI setups are becoming a bit more common.
Also, i would tend to suggest against recommending the OCZ units, for the most part they are Sirtec or FSP units that won't stay within ATX specs under load.
Also, i would tend to suggest against recommending the OCZ units, for the most part they are Sirtec or FSP units that won't stay within ATX specs under load.
Okedokey
Well-Known Member
Also, the total amperage on the 12V rail should be explained. You cannot simply attribute the stated amperage or divide Watts by 12V to determine how the amperage distribution will apply.
What about sizing considerations? ATX etc....
Im also of the opinion that no PSU below 26A should be recommended for any PCIe card.
Without needing to do everything shown here, have a look here for a good PSU guide: http://www.techsupportforum.com/har...92217-power-supply-information-selection.html
What about sizing considerations? ATX etc....
Im also of the opinion that no PSU below 26A should be recommended for any PCIe card.
Without needing to do everything shown here, have a look here for a good PSU guide: http://www.techsupportforum.com/har...92217-power-supply-information-selection.html
Okedokey
Well-Known Member
Absolutely, but some standards specifry that a 'rail' will be dedicated to the CPU and thus a simple addition of the rail amperages (12V) is not correct. I would suggest we recommend for PSU's presented as 'multi rail', the user should deduct 12V+1 as a rule and then we recommend a min amperage from that.
A good example is a 500W PSU for example with 2 x 16A rails on the 12V. Apart from immediately indicating and older design (when less components drew from the 12V rail and more on 5V or 3.3V), if the particular design standard specifies an isolated 12V+1 rail for the CPU, this pevents the rail 'sharing' load and thus effectively means the whole 12V rail system minus the CPU needs to run on the remaining (12V+2) 12V rail. 16A isn't enough for a system with a PCIe card - and this is without a doubt due to quality (efficiency, active power factor control, MTBF blah blah).
My point is, that for some PSUs, the amperage and wattage ratings don't tell the whole story. I think this problem is important in the 400 - 550W category from what I have seen and the above point many need to be included in that section. These are the PSUs that you see go pop and take a nice new 5890 with it, or just basically give intermittent errors forevermore. Simply because it 'looked like it had' 32A on the 12V rail.
Finally, if we are dedicating such a fine resource such as linkin for this task, (cheers mate
), may be we should also consider making links (with references) to other excellent sources>
Some here:
Im not saying make a link only, pull out the occassional paragraphy and reference it. Pics also. If you don't like pointing members away from CF, then simply reference the author (username/avatar).
It could look like this:
What would also be cool, is if we could have the top 10 or 20 FAQs, frequently asked questions. We could hyperlink to a referenced paragraph for each. CF's web host/admin, should be able to pull the top 10 search terms or phrases which could inform us of the right questions to use. This would increase CF.com in traffic and thus revenue too.
There are quite a few boys that would probably help too, and of course that includes me.
Also by Mark Allen -
A good example is a 500W PSU for example with 2 x 16A rails on the 12V. Apart from immediately indicating and older design (when less components drew from the 12V rail and more on 5V or 3.3V), if the particular design standard specifies an isolated 12V+1 rail for the CPU, this pevents the rail 'sharing' load and thus effectively means the whole 12V rail system minus the CPU needs to run on the remaining (12V+2) 12V rail. 16A isn't enough for a system with a PCIe card - and this is without a doubt due to quality (efficiency, active power factor control, MTBF blah blah).
My point is, that for some PSUs, the amperage and wattage ratings don't tell the whole story. I think this problem is important in the 400 - 550W category from what I have seen and the above point many need to be included in that section. These are the PSUs that you see go pop and take a nice new 5890 with it, or just basically give intermittent errors forevermore. Simply because it 'looked like it had' 32A on the 12V rail.
Finally, if we are dedicating such a fine resource such as linkin for this task, (cheers mate
), may be we should also consider making links (with references) to other excellent sources>Some here:
this one by Mark Allen is amazing
Im not saying make a link only, pull out the occassional paragraphy and reference it. Pics also. If you don't like pointing members away from CF, then simply reference the author (username/avatar).
It could look like this:
No point reinventing the wheel. :good:
What would also be cool, is if we could have the top 10 or 20 FAQs, frequently asked questions. We could hyperlink to a referenced paragraph for each. CF's web host/admin, should be able to pull the top 10 search terms or phrases which could inform us of the right questions to use. This would increase CF.com in traffic and thus revenue too.
There are quite a few boys that would probably help too, and of course that includes me.
Also by Mark Allen -
Sorry for crapping on.
Last edited:
bomberboysk
Active Member
Definitely. Rails are one of the most confusing ideas about power supplies to those who are new to them.Absolutely, but some standards specifry that a 'rail' will be dedicated to the CPU and thus a simple addition of the rail amperages (12V) is not correct. I would suggest we recommend for PSU's presented as 'multi rail', the user should deduct 12V+1 as a rule and then we recommend a min amperage from that.
A good example is a 500W PSU for example with 2 x 16A rails on the 12V. Apart from immediately indicating and older design (when less components drew from the 12V rail and more on 5V or 3.3V), if the particular design standard specifies an isolated 12V+1 rail for the CPU, this pevents the rail 'sharing' load and thus effectively means the whole 12V rail system minus the CPU needs to run on the remaining (12V+2) 12V rail. 16A isn't enough for a system with a PCIe card - and this is without a doubt due to quality (efficiency, active power factor control, MTBF blah blah).
My point is, that for some PSUs, the amperage and wattage ratings don't tell the whole story. I think this problem is important in the 400 - 550W category from what I have seen and the above point many need to be included in that section. These are the PSUs that you see go pop and take a nice new 5890 with it, or just basically give intermittent errors forevermore. Simply because it 'looked like it had' 32A on the 12V rail.
Finally, if we are dedicating such a fine resource such as linkin for this task, (cheers mate
Some here:
this one by Mark Allen is amazing
Im not saying make a link only, pull out the occassional paragraphy and reference it. Pics also. If you don't like pointing members away from CF, then simply reference the author (username/avatar).
It could look like this:
No point reinventing the wheel. :good:
What would also be cool, is if we could have the top 10 or 20 FAQs, frequently asked questions. We could hyperlink to a referenced paragraph for each. CF's web host/admin, should be able to pull the top 10 search terms or phrases which could inform us of the right questions to use. This would increase CF.com in traffic and thus revenue too.
There are quite a few boys that would probably help too, and of course that includes me.
Also by Mark Allen -
Sorry for crapping on.
Something else that you may want to add are explanations of common terms found in power supply descriptions, PFC (active vs. passive), OCP, OVP,80PLUS (80PLUS, Bronze, Silver, Gold), What ripple suppression and the ATX specs for ripple on each rail is, regulation and ATX specs for voltages by rail, what modular means, etc...
Also, just a formatting note, in most cases footnotes are usually a font size or two below that of the main text, to differentiate them from your compiled works.
Yet you areThat's quite a post there, I'll certainly have a look at everything, But I am quite sick today
Infact I shouldn't even be online
We need a health warning about how addictive computerforum may be, hehe.