Psu Help

[ceewi1]

The question now will be on having a supply that is SLI ready. That model at the link there doesn't support it. If you are not planning an SLI setup sometime there's enough power to run the present system.

A unit does not need to be SLI certified to support SLI (a second PCI-E connector can be formed via an adaptor), although sub-$50 PSUs won't be adequate for high-end SLI setups.

Given his stated intentions, I doubt it will be an issue.

 

[PC eye]

A unit does not need to be SLI certified to support SLI (a second PCI-E connector can be formed via an adaptor), although sub-$50 PSUs won't be adequate for high-end SLI setups.

Given his stated intentions, I doubt it will be an issue.

I didn't think Wuggy was setting up SLI at this time. If that video model card is later swapped for a newer model the added power plug will be needed then. That's when an SLI ready supply would have to be used. For now a good supply with enough power should work.

 

[Linderman]

Hello:


Making a purchase decision on such a critical component fro your PC as is the PSU based soley on cheap price is a VERY flawed decision.

There are many factors that need to be looked at to determine if a PSU is suitable for a certain rig.

Efficiency rating is a biggie more than 70% is very desirable
active or passive power factor correction (PFC) is another = active is better
method used to determine the wattage rating, most sleasy PSU makers test and rate their PSU's at 20C >>>> there is no PC in the world that going to have an internal case temp of 20C ! therefore the hotter the PC gets the less stable it becomes.

It amazes me how guys will spend full boat for the fastest CPU, video cards and plenty of memory then buy a $40.00 ULTRA psu !

Please dont even speak of Ultra and Antec in the same breath. And if you think ULtra is even a medium quality unit, you better look up Johhny Guru's PSU website >>>> those units have very wobbley 12V rails when pushed hard. Granted they are not as bad as the Allied & Dynex type psu's but one thing you must remember, when you burn up a motherboard, ram or expensive video card & hard drives that extra $40.00 you saved will be long forgotten !

There is no other single component that can wreck as many parts as can a faulty PSU.

If you are tight for budget, look on newegg.com for the Fortron 450watt PSU thats costs $51.50 I guarantee that unit will kick the dog snot outta the 500 watt Ultra.

Another thriffty buy is the Antec SP-500 for $68.00

Speaking of Antec units as if they are overkill and budget wasting is wreckless. Antec acutally is the lower tier of the High Quality PSU's.

"The sweetness of low prices is long forgotten when the bitter reality of poor quality sets in! "
goodluck to you if you already bought that PSU.


best regards

joe

 

[SirKenin]

There is nothing wrong with that damn PSU for the money, and yes I have used hundreds of them. Just because it doesn't meet your "perfection test" doesn't mean there is anything wrong with it. Like I said, a quick search on Google reveals tons of satisfied reviewers. You don't HAVE to buy an Antec. Hell, I have some old piece of crap in one of my servers that has never let me down, so I never bothered changing it.

You just got sucked in, that's all. You fell for the technobabble, but you haven't used the product yourself, so in all honesty, apart from a review, you have no clue.

I am more than familiar with Antec products. I sell them. I don't need you to brief me on the product line, thank you. Pretty sure it's safe to say that I already figured it out for myself.

Although I do not condone going for the cheapest PSU you can find, or the most watts, most assuredly, I do recommend you doing your homework. Going to a review site and taking someone else's word for it is hardly doing your homework. For instance... When I talk about RAID on here... I know what I'm talking about. I'm not just taking a website's word for it... I used it myself quite extensively. One of the advantages of being a VAR. I can try out whatever I want.

Chances are he had a defective one. I did a search on Google and could not replicate his findings ANYWHERE. That says a lot.

I am not saying that it is top notch or anything, but I AM saying that it is well within his needs and there is nothing wrong with it. This after experience with hundreds and hundreds of PSUs.

 

[Linderman]

I will sure as hell take the findings of a man with an oscilliscope and other associated equipement !


to each his own; but you still speak of none of the values that need to be considered when selecting a PSU !

 

[SirKenin]

I will sure as hell take the findings of a man with an oscilliscope and other associated equipement !


to each his own; but you still speak of none of the values that need to be considered when selecting a PSU !

1) How about you don't take the words of one man and his oscilloscope, ESPECIALLY when the results are not replicated ANYWHERE else on the internet? What does that tell you? That tells me that he probably had a faulty regulator in his test unit.. No big deal, it has a lifetime warranty.

2) I don't need to speak to the values of anything. I have no interest in confusing the guy. I told him what he needs to know. The technicalities are immaterial.

 

[Impr3ssiv3]

is the Antec Smartpower 2.0 really that bad of a PSU because its the one i ordered

 

[SirKenin]

No, it's fine. Nothing wrong with it at all. I'm sure you'll like it.

 

[Impr3ssiv3]

i hope so cuz ive waited too long to have to delay it again for a RMA.


i already had to RMA my OCZ RAM due to compatibility issues with mobo.

 

[PC eye]

Hey SirKenin do you have a link with overall comparison that separates the good from the bad supplies? What's needed here is a good lists of mid to high quality supplies to look over with a list of crap brands to veer away from. The reason I run Antec supplies is due to two things. The first is never having one fail. The second is availability.

What do office supply stores sell? The ones around here strictly carry Antec. ThermalTake, Coolermaster, and Enermax until late have been on the recommended lists along with some others. When people mention ordering cases with a supply included I often have to advise them to buy that separate unless they know that a good brand is what is included. When you go out and a case for under a certain amount it doesn't take much to figure out that the supply included is a useless piece of...!

 

[SirKenin]

I agree that the included PSU is usually crap, but the exception to that is Antec cases (obviously).

I can't point you to a list on the internet per se. I guess one will have to do their own research. There are quite a few good PSUs out there, but not all PSUs from any one company are necessarily decent, but I guess that goes without saying. One just has to weigh in all the relevant factors and know their stuff.

 

[PC eye]

You will note that I run True Power models due to running more than one hard drive as well as other hardwares. The SP models are good for the average case used for email, web browsing, and an occasional game without problem. Without OCing I usually prefer the heavier models for work horse builds.

ThermalTake cases as well as Antec offer supplies included with their cases. But you know right off that they are not making their own cases just stamping their name on them. Now if you need something heavier for a strictly gaming or server case take a look at the 650w, 700w, and even 1,100w supplies that are out. Don't cross any wires on those! !!!

 

[ceewi1]

What's needed here is a good lists of mid to high quality supplies to look over with a list of crap brands to veer away from.

PSU101 has quite a few. Here's a little more 'light' reading:
http://forums.extremeoverclocking.com/showthread.php?p=1590883#post1590883
http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=792566
http://club.cdfreaks.com/showthread.php?t=130148
http://www.overclockers.com.au/wiki/Power_Supply_Unit
http://www.computercreators.com/showthread.php?t=39

ThermalTake cases as well as Antec offer supplies included with their cases. But you know right off that they are not making their own cases just stamping their name on them. Now if you need something heavier for a strictly gaming or server case take a look at the 650w, 700w, and even 1,100w supplies that are out. Don't cross any wires on those! !!!

I certainly wouldn't consider most Thermaltake PSUs (particularly the ones included with a case) to be in the same legue as Antec. Many are downright terrible. The TR2 430W, for example, is actaully a rebadged HEC 300W, if Xbitlabs is to be believed.

Underspending on a PSU can be disasterous, but don't think you need a $100+ PSU to power an regular system. There are many $40-$50 PSUs that are more than adequate for most systems.

 

[PC eye]

I just ordered an Antec TP II 550w for $84.99 at newegg. That's to have onhand for the next build if I don't add a SATA array in this one. Let's compare brands with who makes them.

Know to be good:
Antec- ChannelWell
Aopen- FSP Group
Coolermaster- AcBel Polytech
Athena Power- Topower
EPower- Topower
OCZ- Topower
Mad Dog- Topower
PCMCIS- Topower
SuperFlower- Topower (same company)
Tagan- Topower
Turbolink- ChannelWell
TTGI- Topower (older ones)
Vantec- Topower


Known to be bad:
Aspire- Youngyear
Logisys- Youngyear
Rosewill- ATNG (AP models), Youngyear (RE models)
TTGI- Youngyear (newer ones)
Ultra- Youngyear (X-connect ?)

It's a mystery:
Akasa- Enhance
Chiefman- Powmax
Chiefmax- Powmax
Chieftec- Sirtec
Coba- ATNG
Coolink- ATNG
Coolmax- ATNG
Demon- Powmax
Startech- ATNG
Zippy- ?

 

[ceewi1]

For everyone viewing, keep in mind that this list is neither exhaustive nor completely accurate. OCZ, for example, have shifted their production from Topower to FSP, and many companies use different producers for different model PSUs.

There are certainly more complete lists around, for those who are willing to search.

BTW, the TPII-550 would have no trouble at all with a SATA array (or pretty much anything else, for that matter), short of high-end dual video card setups.

 

[PC eye]

Why would the TP II 550w model be a problem when the TP II 480w is SLI certified already? If you are worried about not having any power you could go with a 1,100w model. Here's a review seen on one model.

Introduction

It seems like only yesterday a 350w power supply was more than enough to power your high end pc. Since then a lot has happened in the world of computers, and power consumption has shot through the roof. People looking for the ultimate gaming machine have been turning to dual graphics card solutions such as SLI and Crossfire and realising that their generic 500w unit no longer has the grunt to power their systems.

Then came along the real power supply killer - Quad SLI. Released back in March 2006, Quad SLI combined 4 high-end graphics cards for the ultimate gaming experience. Due to the sheer power consumption of this new technology and the fact that it required 4 PCI-E power connectors, no power supply on the market at the time was able to reliably power the cards.

Today I'll be taking a look at one of very few Quad SLI certified units available on the market - the Tagan Turbojet 1100w TG1100-U95.
http://www.overclock3d.net/reviews.php?type=3&id=96&page=1&desc=tagan_turbojet_1100w_quad_sli_psu

 

[Linderman]

Prowl around in here fellas; and you will soon hear what factors are used to evaluate a PSU


I for one would NEVER run a $300.00 video card with a $40.00 PSU !

http://www.jonnyguru.com/

 

[Linderman]

The Antec TP-550 is a great PSU especially for the money @ $89.00 ish dollars you cant go wrong. I havent seen any PSU that sells for that range that can out perfrom it, The TP-550 is kinda like the baseline for powerdesk tops in my book.

My only gripe with Antec is the policy of having to supply the original sales receipt when requiring an RMA who keeps that 2 years later when lightening hits near your house ?????

The biggest thing to watch is air flow insude your case, good air flow and low internal case temps is the same as getting a "free" 50 watts of power potential.


I have sold over 20 systems with the TP 550 in them and none have been returned to me for service; and I give a one year no charge service contract with each new machine sold (does not include program crashing) . Let me tell ya, when you sell machines with clunker PSU's the free one year service will eat your butt alive !

I have built around 5 or 6 gaming machines SLI's with dual video cards installed. The TP 550 runs these ok, NOT great when pushed real hard like battlefield2 or WOW when pushed real hard with dual video cards the 12V rail will droop down to 11.85 to 11.90 which although is not critical it does bear observation.
When I used a 600 watt enermax EG 701 AX-VE the voltage never dropped below 12.0 even when gaming hard. but not many people want to swallow the extra $90.00 for that unit. They will poor money out for CPU, video card, memory & hard drives but the PSU is where the price chopping begins.


enjoy

 

[PC eye]

When you go with the crap you get crapola results. The first everyone wants to do with a gaming rig is OC the heck out of it and wonder why they see problems with their new $500-$700 video card setup. The TP II 550w will easily handle any stock setup with that amount of power available. When you are trying to crank everything up then the Tagan model reviewed at the article is closer to the idea of what supply you need.

 

[SirKenin]

Nice list PC Eye. But instead of ripping off somebody else's list, why don't you come up with your own? (Yes, I did a Google search for your list)

We can then talk about what you REALLY had experience with and not just a shot in the dark of your opinions (which is all that BS is).