Corsair CX 430W Power Supply with Modular Cabling

paradigmGT · 01-22-2013, 09:44 PM

I am totally new to the world of desktop upgrades. I want to turn my Dell Inspirion 530 (~6 years old) into a machine that can run some decent games. It has an Intel Core 2 Quad Core processor (Q6600, 2.4ghz), 3gb DDR2 memory, 350watt PSU, & 2 hard drives (the oem 7200rpm 320gb & a WD Green 5200rpm 1.5tb).

I decided to purchase a Corsair CX 430W modular PSU because it was on sale. It hasn't arrived yet, but I now worry that it may not work with my machine, because apparently some Dell's use different pin-outs. Is there anyway I can look at my machine and verify this?

Also will this power supply be a safe bet with say an HD 6750 or HD7750 GPU?

Torn Mind · 01-22-2013, 10:05 PM

For this particular Dell, you don't have to worry about proprietary pinouts.

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=176703

http://en.community.dell.com/support.../19315035.aspx

https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&....1.BvA0x2APPcw

The 7750 might work if you can find the model of the PSU. The info should be on the side of the PSU.

paradigmGT · 01-22-2013, 10:16 PM

The OEM PSU makes 350w peak.

The Corsair I just purchased is 430w. I think I wasted my money on purchasing a unit that makes only 70w more than before. But then again that 70w may be the saving grace to a future failure...

gazhen · 01-22-2013, 10:56 PM

I have Dell 530 and have upgraded my PSU to the Corsair CX 430 and have a HD 5770, you should have no problems.

Torn Mind · 01-22-2013, 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paradigmGT

The OEM PSU makes 350w peak.

The Corsair I just purchased is 430w. I think I wasted my money on purchasing a unit that makes only 70w more than before. But then again that 70w may be the saving grace to a future failure...

The peak power of the Corsair can go higher than 430 watts. It's previous non-modular versions could pull up to over 500 watts, although under 80% efficiency.

http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/artic...-Review/1200/8

V2: http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/artic...-Review/1284/8

max347 · 01-23-2013, 12:24 AM

They make a modular cx430 now? Where can you find them?

Necc · 01-23-2013, 05:33 AM

I'm running a HD7850 1GB with a Corsair CX430v2, if the card requires only 1 PCI-e connector then the CX430 is plenty. (unless crazy oc and 12+ fans

)

Quote:

Originally Posted by max347

They make a modular cx430 now? Where can you find them?

Newegg

Eureka · 01-23-2013, 06:55 AM

The CX430 is rated at continuous power, which means it'll peak higher than it's rating. The Dell, if rated for peak power, has a much lower continuous rating... for $30-50, it's not a bad upgrade to the CX430.

Now, I actually think you could've scraped by with the 350W. Even if its continuous rating was around 300W, the Q6600 only needs 100W and the 7770 needs 80W. With the hard drives you might peak around 250W.

That said, it's not a bad idea to go with the CX430, and the modularity will make things cleaner inside your case. The CX430 will most likely be enough for any single GPU upgrade you will have in the future, or at least until they switch over to a new connector type for GPUs. If the CX430M was available when I did my shopping it would be in my rig right now.

Charlie98 · 01-23-2013, 08:36 AM

I've got a non-modular CX430 in my new HTPC build and it works fine, it's a lot quieter than I though it would be. TBH, the non-modularity doesn't bother me... I use every cable except the string of molex connectors.

jonnyGURU · 01-23-2013, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paradigmGT

The OEM PSU makes 350w peak.

The Corsair I just purchased is 430w. I think I wasted my money on purchasing a unit that makes only 70w more than before. But then again that 70w may be the saving grace to a future failure...

Incorrect. Because the CX is roughly based on CWT's DSAII platform, they assume it can only do 350W because that's what the DSAII does. But the Corsair has a double sided PCB and twice the number of rectifiers as the DSAII. So if you bought a 430W, you got a 430W.

paradigmGT · 01-23-2013, 05:10 PM

Thanks for the info guys. Time to see if I can cancel my Corsair order...

Torn Mind · 01-24-2013, 04:34 AM

I doubt the system can even consume 300 watts. The 6750 is not a very hungry card, and the 7750 is even less so.

Bman123 · 01-24-2013, 10:55 PM

I have one in my sig rig, not a modular one and I have had no trouble with it at all and I am running a HD6850 on mine. It's a really good power supply considering how cheap the price is on it.

blastingcap · 01-25-2013, 01:12 AM

Be careful because HP and Dell and others sometimes use unusually-sized cases, PSUs, etc. that makes their stuff incompatible with others.