can I blame all this on my PSU?

[alyarb]

I have an Antec Earthwatts 500w unit that is 4 or so years old. For most of that time, I had an undervolted e6300 at 2.7GHz and a 7900 GT. The system was stable all of the time. Recently I've upgraded the CPU to a Q6700 and I can get it stable at 3.5 GHz, possibly more. I can run core damage or OCCT all night and it's fine.

However, when I turn on Crysis, I can get it to crash (just crysis.exe, not the whole system) at will by doing anything physical. I can run the chip at 2.66GHz with 1.4 volts and it will still crash. any clock/voltage setting will crash in crysis. Voltage regulation on this unit is horrible. my 12v says 11.15 volts in speedfan, for instance. I know that isn't the most reliable measurement but the figure is very far away from 11.8 or 11.9 if you get what I mean.

I assume that with both the CPU and GPU loaded up, the earthwatts just can't please everybody. I never ran into this with the dual core but it looks like the quad was the last straw for this thing. Am I correct to assume that?

I'd like to upgrade to a nice power supply so my overclocking escapades can proceed. There is one condition, however. I cannot use any extended-form factor power supplies. Units like the HX1000 or PCPC Silencer 750 will not fit in my case. I cannot use any "rectangular" units because there isnt enough room for them due to my radiator. I can only use square-type units such as the HX620, TX750, or Seasonic M12D or whatever it is. I really would like to get a powerful one this time so that I don't have to worry about high loads or upgrading components.

If I could be guaranteed that a HX620 is good enough to run an OC'd bloomfield + GT300 system, I guess I would just get that one. However if someone could tell me that the TX750 isn't as bad as everyone makes it out to be, then I would go with that as well. I'm sure we all prefer Seasonic to CWT, and I really do want a big 12v rail. The M12D is a killer at 300 bucks but if it's my only choice I guess I will figure it out.

what do you guys think?

 

[theAnimal]

Originally posted by: alyarb
I have an Antec Earthwatts 500w unit that is 4 or so years old.

There's your problem...it was only released about 2 years ago!

For most of that time, I had an undervolted e6300 at 2.7GHz and a 7900 GT. The system was stable all of the time. Recently I've upgraded the CPU to a Q6700 and I can get it stable at 3.5 GHz, possibly more. I can run core damage or OCCT all night and it's fine.

Have you stressed the GPU while running core damage or OCCT? I'd suggest Furmark if you haven't.

However, when I turn on Crysis, I can get it to crash (just crysis.exe, not the whole system) at will by doing anything physical. I can run the chip at 2.66GHz with 1.4 volts and it will still crash. any clock/voltage setting will crash in crysis.

I'm not quite sure what you mean by "doing anything physical"?

Voltage regulation on this unit is horrible. my 12v says 11.15 volts in speedfan, for instance. I know that isn't the most reliable measurement but the figure is very far away from 11.8 or 11.9 if you get what I mean.

See the sticky on how to read voltages.

I assume that with both the CPU and GPU loaded up, the earthwatts just can't please everybody. I never ran into this with the dual core but it looks like the quad was the last straw for this thing. Am I correct to assume that?

Possibly, but you know what they say about assuming. Your PSU should have more than enough power for your system unless you have a lot of hard drives in there or a TEC cooler.

 

[alyarb]

buildings, paraphernalia, actors, trees, vehicles and so forth can all be physicalized in crysis. if you set off a grenade next to a hut, pieces of it fly everywhere. if you set off a nuke in a village, you can imagine how that goes. whether I blow up something with a grenade, or with a nuke, sooner or later Crysis will crash, at any frequency, at any voltage. It never did this with the conroe chip and I haven't changed anything about the system. Crysis is the only program that crashes unless I'm running OCCT with too few volts.

and, sorry, to clarify it is an antec smartpower SP-500. there is just a "GREEN PRODUCT" sticker on it and... well I don't know why I confused the names.

 

[theAnimal]

Originally posted by: alyarb
and, sorry, to clarify it is an antec smartpower SP-500. there is just a "GREEN PRODUCT" sticker on it and... well I don't know why I confused the names.

Get the HX620, the Smartpower should be replaced ASAP.

 

[alyarb]

and why the sudden change in your view? I realize the system is not even stable at stock settings, but what do you know about the smartpowers that I don't?

 

[theAnimal]

They have a tendency to fail after a few years due to bad capacitors.

 

[alyarb]

interesting, thanks. what if I said that an unmovable geometric hazard in the case did not allow me to use modular plugs, and that I had to use a non-modular unit so i can stuff the cables behind the obstacle? Is the TX750 my only choice? voltage regulation on the tx is decent considering i won't load it very high, and I guess the ripple is liveable. but i'm really in a bind with the space that I have... and this radiator butting right up against the back of the unit.

 

[theAnimal]

TX650 or Antec Earthwatts 650

 

[alyarb]

please explain. assume i'm retarded illiterate and blind. i thought all corsair TX were CWT. what is wrong with the 750?

 

[theAnimal]

TX650 is Seasonic. AFAIK there's nothing wrong with the 750.

 

[alyarb]

if the TX 650 is made by Seasonic, why does everybody gush over the 620HX, particularly when it costs $60 more? Surely not everyone will pay $60 for modularity. Are there any technical differences between the TX650 and HX620 other than the cables that make one greater or lesser?

 

[Zepper]

You can find reliable reviews of PSUs on jonnyguru.com or hardwaresecrets.com and with the focus on noise rather than other factors on silentpcreview.com

.bh.

 

[BlueAcolyte]

Originally posted by: alyarb
if the TX 650 is made by Seasonic, why does everybody gush over the 620HX, particularly when it costs $60 more? Surely not everyone will pay $60 for modularity. Are there any technical differences between the TX650 and HX620 other than the cables that make one greater or lesser?

No, not really.