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Need some reassurance on this OCZ 700w PSU choice

imported_RedStar

Senior member
Mar 6, 2005
526
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I had discounted this choice previously..i forget why. (i am biased towards OCZ for some reason which is why i can't completely trust my instinct)

but this review is awesome:

http://www.extremeoverclocking.com/reviews/cases/OCZ_GameXStream_700W_1.html

over 83% efficient / 4 rails each marked how they are split between computer components -18 a on all 4 rails.

(i ultimately want to use nvidia 7900 gtx sli) --not sure how many amps 1 of them uses.

@new egg one person says it will not do the premium ati crossfire solution..because 1 card draws more than 18 a.

4 others out of 67 ( i checked) mention loud/ high pitched fans --so it seems a minor issue as long as i make sure my fan is not broke :)

But the biggest reason that i want this psu now is that it is a rebranded FORTRON!!

so...yes or no? :)

PS: (oh, and interestingly --this PSU is light but is still rated better quality because of the great design and "high end components" --which is the opposite of what you here from everyone. A new standard?)

TIA 4 helping :)
 

dBTelos

Golden Member
Apr 17, 2006
1,858
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It is a great PSU at a good price, but the 12v ripple goes out of spec at times. I don't see why you need this 700W monster of a PSU. a 500W enermax liberty would be good.
 

imported_RedStar

Senior member
Mar 6, 2005
526
0
0
well using the calculator (extreme tech) i will need 605W --more is better than not enough. I agree with this.

as for the ripple..the review said it did not go out of spec. Do you have a link on this pls?

TIA :)

edit: under ac ripple test results:

"If anything is out of the ordinary then we will report it, otherwise just take our word that everything is okay.

Everything checked out okay with the OCZ GameXStream 700W power supply, all numbers were well within tolerance and very consistent with other high-quality power supplies we have tested
"
 

drakore

Senior member
Aug 15, 2006
449
0
0
That is a sweet PSU, and reviews around the web praise it. I dont know if price is an issue, but have you looked at the Corsair 620W PSU?
 

imported_RedStar

Senior member
Mar 6, 2005
526
0
0
no..previously i had been set on a seasonic s12 600W but was worried that my power requirements would be borderline met.

I am pretty sure i will opt for this OCZ unless i hear 1 very good reason to pass on it :)
 

imported_RedStar

Senior member
Mar 6, 2005
526
0
0
lol..that was the review i read before and why i first discounted this. now i remember.
heh ..but i think i will ignore it now i have seen other reviews.

ty for link!

edit: i am going to email OCZ and see what they say about this.
 

dBTelos

Golden Member
Apr 17, 2006
1,858
0
0
"but i think i will ignore it"

Don't ask for help, if your going to "ignore it".
 

PurdueRy

Lifer
Nov 12, 2004
13,837
4
0
Originally posted by: dBTelos
"but i think i will ignore it"

Don't ask for help, if your going to "ignore it".

especially if he won't even post his computer he will be powering with it
 

Bobthelost

Diamond Member
Dec 1, 2005
4,360
0
0
Originally posted by: RedStar
well using the calculator (extreme tech) i will need 605W --more is better than not enough. I agree with this.


Since those things are conservative, ignore the 12V rail ampage (the only value to look at) and all round innacurate...

You don't need more than a 500-550W PSU for 7900GTX SLI, yes this is true even if you're overclocking.
 

imported_RedStar

Senior member
Mar 6, 2005
526
0
0
As i said..i am going to email OCZ.

we have 2 reviews..one says no problem the other says problem..so we have a problem :)
(i did not mean to bend you so out of shape...i did thank you for reminding me of why i intially passed on this pSU..didn't i) :)

I am building a system if you don't believe i am told i will need 605 w for my system, i can only say i intend to be getting:

e6400 or e6600 if it becomes available
3 sata2 HDD drives
1 sound card
4 usb devices
2 nvidia 7900 GTX
1 p180b case (4 120 mm fans)
asus nvidia 590 intel board when it becomes available
PSU
edit: 2 gig of DDr2 800+ ram... still deciding on compatible --waiting to see when board released
edit 2: 3 DVD writers

---
allow for 10% ageing/10% surge

edit: i have asked for clarification in OCZ's PSU support forum.

edit 2: oh, i finally understand what you ment by the "Post full system specs here. " hehe. a bit slow was I :)

http://www.extreme.outervision.com/psucalculator.jsp

edit final: while i wait for OCZ response and the editor of extreme overclockers i note this hexus review PSU round up that goes to OCZ:

http://www.hexus.net/content/item.php?item=6507&page=10

here, corsair replies and specifically mentions the ripple:

"Ripple/noise effect
Your test results did not include data on ripple/noise effect. High ripple/noise has a long term damaging effect to components such as video card and hard drive. We feel that this important criterion should have been included in your overall evaluation. "

So now i know why ripple is bad :)



 

imported_RedStar

Senior member
Mar 6, 2005
526
0
0
that was fast...got email back from the editor/reviewer of

http://www.extremeoverclocking.com/reviews/cases/OCZ_GameXStream_700W_1.html

"

"The ripple on mine was well within spec. A long time ago someone else
emailed me asking the same question, I guess they saw the review on that
site too and was concerned. If you really want, I can dig through my old
emails trying to find it as I sent him the exact numbers, or you can simply
take my word for it.

I have yet to find any person that owns one and has had a problem with the
GameXStream. Feedback from owners that I have received has been very
positive.

Thanks,
Jason Rabel
Owner/Editor-in-Chief
EXTREME Overclocking
www.extremeoverclocking.com
"
 

imported_RedStar

Senior member
Mar 6, 2005
526
0
0
:) they certainly have the best reviews. But luckily for me i can say i don't have that option from my local stores.

sure is a nice hefty price. hehe :)
 

Navid

Diamond Member
Jul 26, 2004
5,053
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Originally posted by: RedStar
"Ripple/noise effect
Your test results did not include data on ripple/noise effect. High ripple/noise has a long term damaging effect to components such as video card and hard drive. We feel that this important criterion should have been included in your overall evaluation. "

I have no experience with this particular PSU.
But, that comment is very interesting.

As far as I know, there are voltage regulators on a graphics card that generate voltages in the 1V to 3V range for the GPU and the memory. I don't think other than the fan anything else directly uses the 12V rail voltage. So, I am curious about the validity of that claim.

I do not know much about hard drives though.

The same thing is true for the CPU or the system memory. Neither uses the 12V rail directly. There are voltage regulators on the motherboard that regulate (clean up) the voltage. Mind you, there is a limit to that. If the ripple is 1V peak-to-peak, we have a serious problem.
 

diablofish

Member
Nov 10, 2005
69
0
0
I have had no trouble with my 700 Watt OCZ. I've tested the ripple and it's always been within spec. JohnnyGURU is certainly a fantastic and extremely knowledgeable member to these forums, but testing a single power supply unit (a sample of 1) is not a very reliable method for extrapolating that data to the larger population of PSU's, unless each and every power supply is individually tested prior to packaging and shipment.

I'm not sure whether each and every power supply is inidiviually tested by OCZ/FSP prior to leaving the factory or if they "spot-test" to ensure overall quality. If each and every one is not tested (adds cost to the product to do this), then it should not be possible for a reviewer (any reviewer) to get a product that isn't within spec since the ones out of spec should be rejected by the tester.

Kind of like how you can get a dead hard drive on arrival - the manufacturer's don't test each and every one prior to shipment - that would be prohibitively expensive. When you do get a bad hard drive, it doesn't mean that brand X is "crap", it just means you were unfortunate to get a non-working drive as the overwhelming majority of the other hard drives in that same productio run is likely going to work just fine.
 

imported_RedStar

Senior member
Mar 6, 2005
526
0
0
i would agree ..except that he says OCZ gave him another one to test and it had same trouble. Plus a smaller model did too.

Yet so far, i can find no other confirmation. Thanks for your response though..it certainly builds confidence in this unit.
 

GalvanizedYankee

Diamond Member
Oct 27, 2003
6,986
0
0
That excessive ripple was present with the OCZ AND the Fortron Epsilon that it is
based on...OK It made itself known at near full output...OK The Epsilon uses OST caps
on the output side and these are not good'ens...OK This had been posted 16~20 times
on this Forum.
If a PSU can not meet spec, I'd pass on it ;)

OP, contact OCZ and we all know what they will say...Should I say it for them?? Do you
need to hear bullsh!t??

Fanboies! Grow-up & get a grip :p


...Galvanized
 

GalvanizedYankee

Diamond Member
Oct 27, 2003
6,986
0
0
OH! Some review sites check for ripple AFTER the mainboard caps have filtered
the PSU's output NOT BEFORE. Ripple should be checked at the PSU.

Most review sites don't even use a load tester, they just hook up the PSU to a low draw system.
What's that about?? :thumbsdown:


...Galvanized
 

Pabster

Lifer
Apr 15, 2001
16,986
1
0
Originally posted by: diablofish
...unless each and every power supply is individually tested prior to packaging and shipment.

Well, if you want to try the PC P&C 1KW model, you do get a customized report as each unit is individually tested prior to packaging and shipment :D

You're right, adding such to mainstream units would make them cost prohibitive. And testing a single unit is not adequate to ascertain the relative quality of any particular model.
 

diablofish

Member
Nov 10, 2005
69
0
0
Originally posted by: Pabster
Originally posted by: diablofish
...unless each and every power supply is individually tested prior to packaging and shipment.

Well, if you want to try the PC P&C 1KW model, you do get a customized report as each unit is individually tested prior to packaging and shipment :D

You're right, adding such to mainstream units would make them cost prohibitive. And testing a single unit is not adequate to ascertain the relative quality of any particular model.


You sure pay a pretty penny for that customized report. But, it does at least give additional peace of mind.

I'm sure there are PSU's out there whose model numbers have been tested to be within spec, yet if you tested every power supply of the same brand that was made you'd find some of them to be out of spec.

A sample size of 2 doesn't hold much more weight than a sample size of one.

I'm not an OCZ fanboie. I'm just not a fan of reading one review of one or two units then making a determination that the power supply is no good. GURU gave the unit an 8 out of ten and noted that the power supply had to be loaded to nearly full capacity to notice the fluctuation out of spec on the unit he tested.

My advice: if you're uncomfortable with the 700 W OCZ based on the review(s), get something else.