mikeymikec
Lifer
When building computers for customers, I have been using the Antec HCG-400, however recently I've noticed that Seasonic's low-end PSUs have re-appeared in the UK after disappearing for quite a long while. Price-wise they're the same (comparing the HCG-400 to the S12II-380), warranty is the same as well as noise level (extremely quiet, IMO). However, the Seasonic S12II-380 lacks the EPS12V connector (the 8-pin CPU power connector), it just has the single 4-pin CPU power connector.
The typical PC build I do tends to be a low-end CPU (usually a Sandy Bridge Pentium or Ivy Bridge Core i3), a bit of an overkill board (I'm using the ASUS P8Z77-M PRO currently), with expandability and long-term reliability in mind (I try to make the PC long as last as the customer needs it - my first generation of PCs started being replaced after 8 years and were only replaced because the customers in question wanted something significantly faster). These days I'm typically using integrated graphics, a single disk, DVD drive, and a micro-ATX case with the PSU at the top.
I'm pretty sure I don't need the EPS12V connector even if these PCs received say a Core i5 upgrade at some point in their future, and I assume that the wiring of the power supply means that the two connectors for EPS12V are probably being pulled off the same rail anyway (so no load balancing). EPS12V is to supply over 150W to the CPU isn't it?
On one hand Seasonic has the best reputation (though AFAIK Antec is pretty respectable), on the other hand the Antec has EPS12V and I've been using it longer than I have Seasonic-branded PSUs (though I was using the Corsair VX450W for a long time, which I'm pretty sure is Seasonic). I don't have any complaints about either PSU in action. The only black mark against Seasonic IMO is that I don't like the idea that their PSUs might disappear again from the UK market. I'd rather stick to a brand that I can be fairly sure will be in constant supply.
Is the technical logic I'm using correct? Any further advice?
The typical PC build I do tends to be a low-end CPU (usually a Sandy Bridge Pentium or Ivy Bridge Core i3), a bit of an overkill board (I'm using the ASUS P8Z77-M PRO currently), with expandability and long-term reliability in mind (I try to make the PC long as last as the customer needs it - my first generation of PCs started being replaced after 8 years and were only replaced because the customers in question wanted something significantly faster). These days I'm typically using integrated graphics, a single disk, DVD drive, and a micro-ATX case with the PSU at the top.
I'm pretty sure I don't need the EPS12V connector even if these PCs received say a Core i5 upgrade at some point in their future, and I assume that the wiring of the power supply means that the two connectors for EPS12V are probably being pulled off the same rail anyway (so no load balancing). EPS12V is to supply over 150W to the CPU isn't it?
On one hand Seasonic has the best reputation (though AFAIK Antec is pretty respectable), on the other hand the Antec has EPS12V and I've been using it longer than I have Seasonic-branded PSUs (though I was using the Corsair VX450W for a long time, which I'm pretty sure is Seasonic). I don't have any complaints about either PSU in action. The only black mark against Seasonic IMO is that I don't like the idea that their PSUs might disappear again from the UK market. I'd rather stick to a brand that I can be fairly sure will be in constant supply.
Is the technical logic I'm using correct? Any further advice?
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