Which PSU for new build

B

bsmith6470

New Member
Hey all! Which of the PSU's would be the better buy? They are $10 apart in price. I have read good things about both.

The Silverstone Strider Gold 1200W:

http://www.silverstonetek.com/products/p_contents.php?pno=ST1200-G&area=

Corsair Gold AX1200W:

http://www.corsair.com/power-supplies/modular-psus/professional-series-gold-2/ax1200.html

These will be powering an i7 2600K, 2 Gigabyte GTX 570 factory OC in SLI on an Asus P8P67 Deluxe MOBO fitted with 8 GB 1.5V PC 14900 G.Skill Ripjaws RAM. Windows 7 64-bit.

It will have a Coolermaster V6GT cooler, about 6 HDD (4 of which will be a RAID10), and a standard compliment of case fans. The case will most likely be the Coolermaster HAF X nVidia Edition.

Very little OC'ing to the CPU will be done, if any. I may play with GPU OC, but nothing permanent. I do not OC RAM. Ever.

I want solid, stable power with ample headroom. Two builds ago I had an Antec True Power, it died after 18 months. The present build has an Enermax. Fine PSU, but I am recently getting PSU fan RPM fluctuations. i.e., under-speed warnings on startup. Been running it for 5 years.

I want to go to a single 12v rail on this build.
 
Both are excellent PSUs. Go with the one that's cheapest.

EDIT: You already have CPU? If very little OC, then regular 2600 will be fine, no need for "K" edition
 
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yeah I'd have to agree on the cheapest
unless you have prior experiences with one and a personal brand preference
 
tech savvy said:
he can get away with a good 900w PSU,1200w is overkill.
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Even 900W is overkill, he could fit in a second 570 on that sort of unit.

AX750

http://www.corsair.com/power-supplies/modular-psus/professional-series-gold-2/ax750w.html

or 750W Strider

http://www.silverstonetek.com/products/p_contents.php?pno=ST75F-G&area=usa

would be better options money wise, as you will be saving money, having a much more efficient unit and you will still have ample amounts of power. If you plan on upgrading later down the line to a multi-GPU setup by going SLI, then go for the 900W PSU or higher.

I personally would go with the AX units, they are just exceptional, however, they don't come cheap, but you get what you pay for
 
tech savvy said:
he is doing SLI.CM power Calculator says minimum of around 800w.
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253W TDP per card, that is under load. 506 from the cards alone, the rest of the system will not be using 250W

I also just noticed I didn't read the original post properly, as he OP already wants his system in SLI
 
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Aastii said:
253W TDP per card, that is under load. 506 from the cards alone, the rest of the system will not be using 250W

I also just noticed I didn't read the original post properly, as he OP already wants his system in SLI
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it will be cutting it close. the CPU is 95w without OC, than he has 6 HDD with an untold amount of fans.he said he might OC CPU and the GPU, so i say a good 850w would be the sweet spot.
 
tech savvy said:
it will be cutting it close. the CPU is 95w without OC, than he has 6 HDD with an untold amount of fans.he said he might OC CPU and the GPU, so i say a good 850w would be the sweet spot.
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150W from hard drives, optical drives, peripherals, memory, mobo and fans?

Around 7-8W per drive at most, there is 40-50W

Memory is probably using around the same, maybe a little extra, let's say 80

Fans only consume 2-3 at most, and that is if he is running inefficient or very high RPM fans, let's say he has 5, that is 10-15

It will be running around 90% of full load (not rated), which is the most efficient point
 
I did some more research and have settled on the Silverstone Strider 1000 Gold series. I do not feel comfortable going any less than that. I have a 750W PSU in my present system: AMD FX-60, 7800 GTX 512, 2GB Dominator RAM, 5HDD, 2 optical and 5 fans and is rock solid. In my mind the SLI setup alone warrants a jump to a 1000W PSU. The other part of original post that seemed to get missed is I want solid, STABLE power with lots of HEADROOM.

Thank you all for your input.

p.s. I do save $80 with the 1000W.
 
bigfellla said:
Overkill
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Not helpful in the least. Thanks.

I just have to comment about this overkill venom that people seem to like to spout. Maybe it is, maybe it isn't.

If the GPU manufacturer recommends a minimum of a 600 watt PSU for one card, adding a second card will add roughly another 150. Add in all the other stuff and now your close to 800 watts. I realize that number is under stress. So I ask, if I want a system with big headroom in the PSU department, why would I go less than a 1000W PSU? It doesn't matter why because that is what I want for my system.

I have have been building rigs for 10 years or so and pride myself for building them to be stable under all conditions I might put it through. I read about others that complain their rig doesn't boot, or it crashes or some other weirdness due to overclocking or God knows what else. If you were to really investigate you may find under-powered PSU's behind allot of that. Not for me thanks.

The rig has a hard enough time running by itself and certainly doesn't need a wimpy PSU to add to that complexity. So I ask you all, why not give the rig a break and make the juice you give it trouble free?

End rant. Thanks and I will be happy with my 1000W PSU.
 
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The average system with 570 in SLI will pull around 475/525w. A good quality 850W would do just fine with overhead.

XFX BE XPS850
Seasonic X-850
Silverstone ST85F-P 850
Corsair AX850
 
bsmith6470 said:
Not helpful in the least. Thanks.

I just have to comment about this overkill venom that people seem to like to spout. Maybe it is, maybe it isn't.

If the GPU manufacturer recommends a minimum of a 600 watt PSU for one card, adding a second card will add roughly another 150. Add in all the other stuff and now your close to 800 watts. I realize that number is under stress. So I ask, if I want a system with big headroom in the PSU department, why would I go less than a 1000W PSU? It doesn't matter why because that is what I want for my system.

I have have been building rigs for 10 years or so and pride myself for building them to be stable under all conditions I might put it through. I read about others that complain their rig doesn't boot, or it crashes or some other weirdness due to overclocking or God knows what else. If you were to really investigate you may find under-powered PSU's behind allot of that. Not for me thanks.

The rig has a hard enough time running by itself and certainly doesn't need a wimpy PSU to add to that complexity. So I ask you all, why not give the rig a break and make the juice you give it trouble free?

End rant. Thanks and I will be happy with my 1000W PSU.
Click to expand...

You can purchase whatever you want. If you always were going to buy a 1000W PSU, then just do it. You clearly don't really understand what you are talking about though, because you focus on wattage, rather than other much more important factors such as 12V rail amperage, voltage control, active PFC, MTBF, temperature rating, efficiency etc etc.

ONce you understand these, you will also understand that a wattage number means very little. There is no way in hell, that PC will need a 1kW PSU ever. I don't care if you put 20 hard drives and overclocked, overvolted everything. Even a 3-way SLI 580 system consumes less than 750W from the wall.

The guys above have explained what you need, if you don't believe them then go ahead waste your money. An AX750W would do the job nicely with 62A (744W) on the 12V rail (which powers most of the computer). Way more than you will ever need.
On a lighter note, I hope you enjoy your system.
 
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bigfellla said:
The guys above have explained what you need, if you don't believe them then go ahead waste your money. An AX750W would do the job nicely with 62A (744W) on the 12V rail (which powers most of the computer). Way more than you will ever need.
On a lighter note, I hope you enjoy your system.
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On this point, it should be noted that a decent PSU will be able to output the full rated wattage on the 12V rails, even if it is over and above what it says on the label before it cuts out. The protection will usually allow a bit of headroom, and that bit of headroom on a high quality unit will not cause any problems at all, it will still be straight out, clean power. Would I ever put it on that point though? No, but what I am saying is that it has a bit extra over what it says, the rated power is always different to the actual power, be it much lower on a poor quality unit, or slightly higher before protection cuts out on a high quality unit.

@OP, you said that the 1kW unit will sake you $80. I am hoping you haven't fallen into the trap of "higher wattage therefore MUST be better", because as has been explained, wattage means very, very little, it is a guideline at best.

If it is with MIR though, and that MIR is with Corsair, expect to be saving less than that, if you do save at all - Corsair are notorious for having their MIR's pretty much impossible to get. Every single bit of it has to be perfect, including the quality of the MIR form. Then, once you go to cash it in, expect there to be "hidden" charges that have accumulated from the point that the product was shipped, so that $80 99% of the time won't be
 
bigfellla said:
You can purchase whatever you want. If you always were going to buy a 1000W PSU, then just do it. You clearly don't really understand what you are talking about though, because you focus on wattage, rather than other much more important factors such as 12V rail amperage, voltage control, active PFC, MTBF, temperature rating, efficiency etc etc.

ONce you understand these, you will also understand that a wattage number means very little. There is no way in hell, that PC will need a 1kW PSU ever. I don't care if you put 20 hard drives and overclocked, overvolted everything. Even a 3-way SLI 580 system consumes less than 750W from the wall.

The guys above have explained what you need, if you don't believe them then go ahead waste your money. An AX750W would do the job nicely with 62A (744W) on the 12V rail (which powers most of the computer). Way more than you will ever need.
On a lighter note, I hope you enjoy your system.
Click to expand...

First off, you don't know me from Adam, so how could you possibly ascertain what I do or do not know? I was speaking in watts because that is the info I have to work with from reviews, mfg websites and such and frankly, the easiest to communicate in. Yes I know all about I = P/E, E = P/I, P = I x E blah blah blah, at least some part of my electronics degree didn't go to waste. And if I didn't understand all of these things you claim I don't, why in God's green earth would I choose to spend premium money on such highly rated PSU's that I clearly don't understand? Those things are the EXACT reason I chose those 2 brands. If I didn't understand them, I would convince myself that all of those ratings were hype and buy something cheaper because I could afford it.

And speaking of money, I invest allot of it into my rigs and expect, no DEMAND them, to run trouble free for 5 years. Look at it this way, if you build a 700HP engine, you sure as hell aren't going to run 100 octane gas in it because it "saves me money." Yes it will work, but you are damaging it in the long run and you will end up ruining your investment via burnt pistons or worse.

Secondly, I read the PSU info you provided via a link in your sig. You clearly told me a 3-way 580 setup consumes less than 750W, basically saying an 850W PSU would be fine. Hmm, the info on that site states and I quote,

"We would expect those who venture in this area to use quad core CPU's and two or more of the latest and greatest video cards. The sky is the limit with these machines and the power needs will demand a bare minimum of 900 watts from a power source in order to achieve the optimum performance that is expected by these elite computer enthusiasts. A 900 to 1200+ watt power supply would be the most appropriate for those who want to have the ultimate machine and professional gaming experience."

What they say is EXACTLY what I was saying. Always provide your system AMPLE power with good quality PSU's.

Another quote from the site:

"When a buyer chooses to enjoy the visual pleasure of these graphics cards, they must think of a 1000+ PSU if you want that “King of The Hill” card(s) to work correctly and keep your new rig safe from damage." i.e., the octane comparison.

So which is it? 850 as you claim or at a bare minimum 900? or to use my earlier comparison, 100 octane or good 120 octane?

Thirdly, understanding that the numbers are probably overstated, why does eXtreme Power Supply calculator always come up with a minimum recommended rating of 1000W for the system I am trying to build. I have done it various ways and it comes up the same. I figured they were the best calculator out there as I have seen them referenced many times as well as on the page you so proudly put in your sig.

So instead of being a general pain, try offering constructive help instead of this anger laden/worrying about what someone else chooses to spend crap, because if someone truly doesn't understand, and wants to build a quad-sli 580 rig to run Word, then what you offer is nothing but frustration and more anger.

I challenge you to back up what you say with solid empirical numbers that support what you claim and what other non-empirical info disputes.

All of this for asking which PSU brand was better, Silverstone or Corsair. Baffling really.

I am done here, good riddance.
 
bsmith6470 said:
First off, you don't know me from Adam, so how could you possibly ascertain what I do or do not know? I was speaking in watts because that is the info I have to work with from reviews, mfg websites and such and frankly, the easiest to communicate in. Yes I know all about I = P/E, E = P/I, P = I x E blah blah blah, at least some part of my electronics degree didn't go to waste.
Click to expand...

First off, to address your entire essay, I don't need to know you to know you kill plants with too much fertiliser ;). Also to tell that you are not actually an electronic engineer. My assessment is you're an audio electronics enthusiast. A quick search using your username on Google attests to that. If I’m wrong, im sorry, but why then do you need us to tell you which PSU is better? Secondly, using Ohm's law as a statement of education is a bit lame. It’s taught to 14 year olds.

However, I will be nice and I’m sorry if you have taken offense. Doesn't mean you're right though. If you had been around for more than 20 posts, you would know that I am a strong advocate of quality and sufficient power supplies. But hey, buy what you like mate, happy for you to spend $300 bucks on a PSU when something half that cost will do. You have to understand, we could've said oh yeah, the Corsair is way better, but ok, how is that responsible? What is responsible is making sure the OP knows that the alternatives they are proposing are both flawed. In this case, overkill.

bsmith6470 said:
I challenge you to back up what you say with solid empirical numbers that support what you claim and what other non-empirical info disputes.
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You've asked for empirical data, ive shown some, can you show me empirical data where 100A will be used on the 12V rail? Really? More like 50A MAX! MAX! Even then, you would still have over 12A (25% head room) on the 12V rail with the AX750. In terms of the GTX570 min PSU and other wattages, your figures quoted are wrong. The min wattage PSU nVidia recommends is 550W for one card. Each card will draw just under 220W at full load. Add a serious OC and you looking at around 300W per card MAX! I cannot see a situation where you will be maxing out a SLI 570 system at full OC. Even if you did, you'd have plenty of headroom with the AX750.
bsmith6470 said:
Secondly, I read the PSU info you provided via a link in your sig. You clearly told me a 3-way 580 setup consumes less than 750W, basically saying an 750W PSU would be fine. Hmm, the info on that site states and I quote,

"We would expect those who venture in this area to use quad core CPU's and two or more of the latest and greatest video cards. The sky is the limit with these machines and the power needs will demand a bare minimum of 900 watts from a power source in order to achieve the optimum performance that is expected by these elite computer enthusiasts. A 900 to 1200+ watt power supply would be the most appropriate for those who want to have the ultimate machine and professional gaming experience."

What they say is EXACTLY what I was saying.
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:cool: The link you refer to is TSF. AMAZINGLY I was a Hardware Mentor for TSF and helped write aspects of that guide . I must also say I clashed with the old school Admins as that forum IMHO overstates risk. I am also an engineer (electronic) and doing my PHD in energy physics at UWA. I am quite happy to discuss empirical data with you to support this further, however if you wish to be close minded, go ahead, buy a 1kW PSU, but please relax while doing it. Just remember though, a 500W PSU of 10 years ago with the same 12V rail amps, is a very different PSU to something today.

However what you failed to say is, almost the very next sentence is

"Those who favor the SLI configuration will find these units will easily power multiple Nvidia GTX 580 video cards."
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The word 'easily' is very important here! What we meant is, it would power a small city. Just think mate, people put 1.5kW (200W less) photovoltaic systems on their roofs to power their whole house!

Also in the same section it reads: "Because of the increased power consumption of the new high-power video cards the recommended minimum for +12V is 26A, for SLI 35A". That funny, 35A for new high-power video cards in SLI. As I said, 50A would be MAX! The AX750 has 62A on the 12V rail. As a result, your cost ($) per amp supplied is much lower and more than sufficient in terms of power. Most other specifications are covered in all the PSU's - although again, the Corsair 1200W is the better of the two.

Anyway, I give up; I was actually trying to save you money.

One of the things you are missing, is 100.4A on one rail is a bit dangerous. Forget voltage protection or overload, the issue I refer to isn't covered. The PSU (having 1 rail) will provide all the power. This is fine at 50A, a different story at 100A. I think this will be nearing the end of single (rather than TRUE multi-rail designs) if we want higher current specs. Remember an ARC welder uses around 100A on MAX.

Why is such high current an issue? Well even with 18 gauge wire (thick), should you have a partial failure and 12V spike load you could seriously **** shit up. I mean seriously as in component toast instantly. This is of significance to you as the P67 sandy bridge chipset (on your motherboard) does just that over time and has been recalled. http://vip.asus.com/forum/view.aspx...7&id=20110201012121081&page=1&SLanguage=en-us I would prefer to see a true twin rail (i.e. 2 x 500W PSUs slammed together) PSU here as in the 1000W Corsair - although even this is massive overkill. Do us a favour man, please come back and post your wall consumption full load (my guess, 450W) - photos with necessary screen shots in view - or it didn't happen. I can even send you a 'killawatt' if you want. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kill_A_Watt Also made in Australia ;)

In summary, you're wasting your money, get 580's with the money you save and a AX750 which will own it (580s only 40W more in SLI). Apart from the necessary power, the AX750 also has a 40oC rating (rather than 25oC for the Silverstone) to MTFB, meaning it will run for 7 years on average (warranty), at over 88% efficiency providing 62A. You could even dedicate a 8800GT / 9600GT or similar to CUDA operations in the third PCIe slot.

Lol even THREE (3) GTX480s which pull 250W each (12A + more), are certified to use the AX1200. Lol http://www.nvidia.co.uk/object/sli_technology_components_uk.html#power_supplies

I run my system plus a 500W car stereo and sub woofer in my lounge off the TX750. Tested 12V rail with multimeter - no worries.
 
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