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Power supply cooling options?

B

BroadbandGamer

Senior member
As some of you know, I'm in the market for a new PS. I want to get one of the NVIDIA quad SLI certified power supplies on this list.

I was leaning towards the PC Power & Cooling Silencer 750 but I don't know if it's going to be too long for my case (it's 180mm long). Also, I'm not sure about the 80mm fan blowing hot air into the case.

Wouldn't it be better to get a PS with a 120mm or bigger fan on the bottome of the PS blowing hot air out of the case through the PS?

I'm not leaning towards the Thermaltake ToughPower 750W. It's got a big 140mm fan and it looks nice.

So what do you guys think? I need to order a PS today. Which PS on this list to you recommend and why?
 
Originally posted by: VinDSL
Talking about PSU cooling...

I've got a sick fascination for the ZM600-HP!

I think this is the way of the future! And, I mean the future... :laugh:
Click to expand...

How that is wild. Is that PS suppose to be any good?

I've been told to stay away from modular power supplies. I can't remember why.
 
Now versus two years earlier: We can see that the market has shifted to favor enthusiasts just within the last two years. For instance, SLI and Crossfire suit enthusiast gamers; Intel's shift toward over-clock-able BIOS options do the same. Power-supply manufacturers have all improved their products for higher efficiency, more output, more voltage stability and lower ripple.

That being said, some new entries like the Mushkin 650 (as marketed in the US) do not feature Active PFC.

But PSU's of a couple years ago would have been expected to show efficiency ratings between the high 60's percentages and the mid -70% range. Now you can see the improvement to as much as 85% efficiency. OCZ's PowerStream was not all that great for efficiency, but now the GameXStream boasts efficiency in the low 80's.

A rule of thumb is to pick units with the longest warranty period, but it pays to read several reviews of the same PSUs to validate manufacturer efficiency specs, the presence of Active PFC, voltage stability under load, and low voltage ripple.

That still leaves a choice between the traditional ventilation design using 80mm fans front and rear, versus the 120mm fan design. I would previously have chosen the former, because it simplifies ducted-motherboard mods and designs. For the future, it probably doesn't make much difference. The manufacturers usually make the fan-speed temperature-dependent, and spin the fans at the lowest rpm possible to promote air-flow through the PSU. With higher efficiency ratings, lower airflow becomes more feasible, but with higher sustainable wattage designs, there will still be more thermal dissipation under those higher efficiency ratings.
 
Originally posted by: BroadbandGamer
Originally posted by: VinDSL
I've been told to stay away from modular power supplies. I can't remember why.
Click to expand...
Here's the way I feel about modular power supplies...

I think they're fine, as long as the cables for the mobo are hard wired into the PSU. The rest of them, who cares if they goof up from time-to-time, you know?

You also want these hardwired cables exiting the PSU on the side closest to the mobo tray. That way, wire management will be a LOT easier!

If you'll notice, all the GOOD modular PSU manufacturers do this... 😉
Click to expand...
 
Originally posted by: BroadbandGamer
Originally posted by: VinDSL
Talking about PSU cooling...

I've got a sick fascination for the ZM600-HP!

I think this is the way of the future! And, I mean the future... :laugh:
Click to expand...

How that is wild. Is that PS suppose to be any good?

I've been told to stay away from modular power supplies. I can't remember why.
Click to expand...

Whoa.. There's a heatpipe in it
 
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