Need Help Picking PSU

[llee]

Hey everyone. I need to pick a 450-500 watt ATX power supply to accommodate an upgrade to my home server. It will be upgraded with an HD5870 for encryption calculations. I've found a few power supplies below but they all seem to be similar, competing products.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817371007
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817139018
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817171031
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817256061
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817341038
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817703016

Is PC Power & Cooling overrated? Is Corsair dominant at the low-end stuff? Or should I just go with the Cooler Master product (5 out of 5 working in previous experience)?

Thanks

edit: current system specs are:

AMD 3800+ AM2 CPU
2 DIMMs of DDR2 RAM
7200RPM HDD
DVD Burner
Silverstone 300w 80-Plus PSU

MOD EDIT: We have a "Power Supplies" forum for some obscure reason. - Zap

 

[mnewsham]

Something like this is my recommendation. If you aren't gaming or running something extremely powerful (xeon's and 10 HDD's) that PSU should be enough. If you give us your total system specs we can give you a better choice possibly.

 

[BoomerD]

Antec, SeaSonic, XFX, or Corsair.

Without all your specs, it's hard to give an accurate recommendation, but 500 watts will power MOST PC's...even gaming rigs.

PCP&C is very over-rated...they've sold good PSU's over the years, (they don't make them, they just sell them) but Corsair is usually considered to be a better quality brand...at least in their higher-end models.

Something like this is my recommendation. If you aren't gaming or running something extremely powerful (xeon's and 10 HDD's) that PSU should be enough. If you give us your total system specs we can give you a better choice possibly.

That one only has a 2-year warranty. That indicates to me that it's probably not too good. MAYBE good enough, but I wouldn't buy one.

 

[llee]

thanks, i've just posted my system specs in the OP

 

[mnewsham]

Antec, SeaSonic, XFX, or Corsair.

Without all your specs, it's hard to give an accurate recommendation, but 500 watts will power MOST PC's...even gaming rigs.

PCP&C is very over-rated...they've sold good PSU's over the years, (they don't make them, they just sell them) but Corsair is usually considered to be a better quality brand...at least in their higher-end models.




That one only has a 2-year warranty. That indicates to me that it's probably not too good. MAYBE good enough, but I wouldn't buy one.

The new antec's are supposed to be seasonic from all the stuff i have seen

 

[mnewsham]

thanks, i've just posted my system specs in the OP

You dont need a 500 watt psu i can tell you that much.

 

[llee]

I should add that the 5870 will be operating under constant load. Is 450 more acceptable?

 

[mnewsham]

I should add that the 5870 will be operating under constant load. Is 450 more acceptable?

Constant load at 100% or constant load at like 30-50%? and what load will your CPU be at?

 

[llee]

cpu will hover around 30-50%. gpu will operate at 100% load 24/7.

 

[mnewsham]

cpu will hover around 30-50%. gpu will operate at 100% load 24/7.

Your GPU isn't meant to be running a constant 100% load in the first place. But i would say 450w would be fine as long as your arent going to OC the GPU or CPU. I am trying to think of why you would need to run your GPU that way however

 

[llee]

how much of a buffer are leaving for the power supply if i go with a 450w?

 

[mnewsham]

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/162
The 5870 at full draw in furmark pulls about 375w or so. (that includes the whole system)

 

[llee]

interesting... i can use my SFX form factor 450w psu to power it.

 

[Slugbait]

...they've sold good PSU's over the years, (they don't make them, they just sell them)

Please specify which year that PP&C quit innovating and stopped manufacturing their own power supplies. Link would be nice. Thanks.

 

[Slugbait]

That one only has a 2-year warranty. That indicates to me that it's probably not too good. MAYBE good enough, but I wouldn't buy one.

AFAIK, the VP-450 is manufactured by FSP, so I would definitely buy one if it were cheaper. However, my new NEO ECO 520c is currently in transit, which is a rebadged Seasonic. Got it for $40 shipped, no rebate, but that deal is dead now.

 

[mnewsham]

AFAIK, the VP-450 is manufactured by FSP, so I would definitely buy one if it were cheaper. However, my new NEO ECO 520c is currently in transit, which is a rebadged Seasonic. Got it for $40 shipped, no rebate, but that deal is dead now.

They put the NEO ECO's on sale because they were getting the new antec psu's in stock

 

[Zap]

Please specify which year that PCP&C quit innovating and stopped manufacturing their own power supplies. Link would be nice. Thanks.

Right back at 'cha. Please specify when PCP&C actually manufactured their own PSUs.

PCP&C are like Antec and Corsair and most other PSU "manufacturers" in that they use CEMs in Asia to actually make their products, and don't actually own any manufacturing plants. PCP&C Silencer were Seasonic made and Turbo Cool were made by Win-Tact. Sirfa/High Power makes their "new" Silencer MKII.

PC Power & Cooling Joins the OCZ Technology Group 5/25/2007

 

[Slugbait]

They put the NEO ECO's on sale because they were getting the new antec psu's in stock

At the $40/shipped sale, Newegg ran out of the NEO ECO 520c two days ago. Instead of posting "discontinued item, they are back in stock today at $64/shipped.

The killer part of the NEO ECO was the whopping 40A on a single 12V rail, which would handle extended GPU calculations with aplomb

On the other hand, the VP-450 has two rails, mustering up just 18A each (so, let's say 30A effective). It should be fine for a budget system, but might not hold up the calcs that well.

 

[Slugbait]

Right back at 'cha. Please specify when PCP&C actually manufactured their own PSUs.

PCP&C are like Antec and Corsair and most other PSU "manufacturers" in that they use CEMs in Asia to actually make their products, and don't actually own any manufacturing plants. PCP&C Silencer were Seasonic made and Turbo Cool were made by Win-Tact. Sirfa/High Power makes their "new" Silencer MKII.

PC Power & Cooling Joins the OCZ Technology Group 5/25/2007

I stand corrected...everything I ever read was they rolled their own.

 

[Rifter]

I stand corrected...everything I ever read was they rolled their own.

they never did, but until they got bought by OCZ they did sell very high quality PSU's.

 

[BoomerD]

Please specify which year that PP&C quit innovating and stopped manufacturing their own power supplies. Link would be nice. Thanks.

I see Zap already explained it, but here's the list:

PC Power & Cooling http://www.pcpower.com

* OEM: Seasonic
Silencer 310 ~19A
Silencer 360 ~21A
Silencer 370 ~27A
Silencer 420 ~27A
Silencer 470 ~26A
Silencer 500 ~35A
Silencer 610 ~49A
Silencer 750 ~60A
Silencer 910 ~74A
* OEM: Sirfa/High Power
Silencer Mk II 500W ~36A
Silencer Mk II 650W ~54A
Silencer Mk II 750W ~62A
Silencer Mk II 950W ~83A
* OEM: Win-Tact
Turbo-Cool 475 ~30A
Turbo-Cool 510 (all versions) ~34A
Turbo-Cool 850 SSI T85SSI SLI ~54A
Turbo-Cool 860 PPCT860 ~64A
Turbo-Cool 1KW-Quad SLI T1KW-4E ~66A
Turbo-Cool 1KW-Quad SLI T1KW-SR ~72A
Turbo-Cool 1200W ~90A
Turbo-Cool PPCT1200ESA ~100A


http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=205763

 

[llee]

Corsair CX430 ftw then?

 

[Rifter]

Corsair CX430 ftw then?

its not a bad PSU, but its not a good PSU either. The older 400CX is a much better unit. If you can get a 430CX for $20 then buy it, but i would not pay more than $20 for one.

If looking in the 430w range look at the Antec Earthwatts 430w as well.

 

[Slugbait]

I see Zap already explained it, but here's the list:

Great, so my primary box is actually rockin' a SeaSonic 750. Thx

 

[llee]

good news, but I found a deal for a Corsair TX650 for just 45 bucks shipped. I think I'll pass over the ones here.