Need a Quiet PSU Under $50

[iCzMan]

I'm currently building the following rig and I'm stuck at choosing a budget yet quiet PSU for it.

Core 2 Duo E6750 (Aiming to OC to 3.5G)
EVGA GeForce 8800GTS 320M
GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3L
Crucial Ballistix 2GB DDR2 800

Right now I see two options for my $50 budget:

Fortron AX400-PN 400W ($48 Shipped)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16817104953

Antec NeoHE 500W ($50 AR)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16817103940

Which one should I get? Or there are better deals with other models?

 

[JEDIYoda]

not to sound mean but...
why scrimp on your PSU?
You have approx $750 give or take worth of stuff and you want to buy a cheap PSU?

The PSU is the most important part in your computer.....

 

[iCzMan]

I just don't see the need to spend so much on a PSU. From all the reviews I've read so far, I don't think there's a need for me to get SeaSonic/Corsair grade PSU.

Please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong... I would love to hear what other people think of this. Thanks.

 

[iCzMan]

Besides, Antec NeoHe 500W is not a crappy PSU by all means. It retails $89 at NewEgg and $50 is the after rebate price.

 

[MarcVenice]

antec earthwatt 430w/500w. I wouldn't go much cheaper. Perhaps the coolermaster 650 extreme power which comes fairly cheap, but isn't all that quiet ... Perhaps the corsair vx450, for 80$ ...

 

[Jhhnn]

Either one is entirely adequate, with the antec being a better deal because it's on sale and because of the higher efficiency rating. Possibly quieter, too, because of the higher efficiency.

Hot deals aside, the Fortron/Sparkle line constitutes the point of diminished returns for price vs quality in home computer systems... tough to beat for the money.

 

[thecoolnessrune]

Enhance 5150GH

Come now, $30 more for rock solid and whisper quiet. It's even running free shipping. Its a no-brainer. Swing the extra cash for the security.

 

[Accipiter22]

Thermaltake: http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16817153023

 

[John]

The NeoHE 500 for $50 AR is an excellent deal on a quality Seasonic built psu. It's modular, 80% efficient, quiet, and comes w/ a 5 yr. warranty.

 

[s44]

Fry's has the Earthwatts 500 for $40 (no rebate).

 

[John]

Originally posted by: s44
Fry's has the Earthwatts 500 for $40 (no rebate).

Hot deal! http://shop3.outpost.com/product/5086635

jonnyGURU review: http://www.jonnyguru.com/review_details.php?id=51

 

[MarcVenice]

Not long ago the antec sonata III was coming for 100$ with the antec earthwatts 500w included. That was at compusa, might be worth checking out.

 

[kush23]

dude just get a seasonic/corsair..

when your psu dies and you have a crappy antec your gonna have one hell of a time going through Antec RMA.

 

[RallyMaster]

Originally posted by: kush23
dude just get a seasonic/corsair..

when your psu dies and you have a crappy antec your gonna have one hell of a time going through Antec RMA.

I agree with this post. Get a Corsair HX520. It's 79.99 right now at frys.com and worth every penny. Do NOT skimp on your PSU. And yes, it does suck to go through Antec RMA even though they ship out the replacement within the week. I got my Corsair before I shipped out my SmartPower 2.0 so I didn't go a whole week without a PC.

 

[John]

Originally posted by: RallyMaster

Originally posted by: kush23
dude just get a seasonic/corsair..

when your psu dies and you have a crappy antec your gonna have one hell of a time going through Antec RMA.

I agree with this post. Get a Corsair HX520. It's 79.99 right now at frys.com and worth every penny. Do NOT skimp on your PSU. And yes, it does suck to go through Antec RMA even though they ship out the replacement within the week. I got my Corsair before I shipped out my SmartPower 2.0 so I didn't go a whole week without a PC.

What's wrong with Antec's online RMA? I've used it a few times over the past couple of months and it's not all that inconvenient. You fill out the initial online support web form with detailed info. Within a day or two you get an email with a case number that requires you to go back to the online web form, then an RMA number is sent to your email. Turnaround time was 1-2 weeks, and occasionally you will get an upgrade.

 

[vegeto456]

What about this HEC 585w PSU? link I'm going to be powering a q6600, and an 8800gts. I've heard good things about HEC's.

 

[dclive]

Originally posted by: vegeto456
What about this HEC 585w PSU? link I'm going to be powering a q6600, and an 8800gts. I've heard good things about HEC's.

Here's Anandtech's article on how much power you'll probably actually need:
http://www.anandtech.com/cpuch...howdoc.aspx?i=3066&p=2

Figure about 215W, under load, with an 8800GTX and Q6600. If you overclock, up the numbers to 280W or so.

 

[John]

Originally posted by: vegeto456
What about this HEC 585w PSU? link I'm going to be powering a q6600, and an 8800gts. I've heard good things about HEC's.

While the HEC will work, it is of low quality and rated at peak power. I would put that HEC on the same level as this nice Allied 500W unit.

If you can afford a Q6600+8800GTS then you can afford a quality psu. There's no doubt that a quality 380W psu will power your system.

"How Much Power Do You Really Need For Your PC? Yet Another Experiment"

A Corsair VX450, Antec EarthWatts 430/500, and Enhance 5150GH (only has a 1yr. warranty) are all solid choices that will do your rig some justice, plus they'll also give you additional headroom.

 

[Aluvus]

Originally posted by: kush23
dude just get a seasonic/corsair..

when your psu dies and you have a crappy antec your gonna have one hell of a time going through Antec RMA.

The Antec in the OP's post is made by Seasonic.