Psu for overclocking a i5-2500k?

[NAGZS]

Hello, I just purchased a new computer and was planning on doing major overclocking, however my dreams may fall short because I didn't realize that overclocking might take a better power supply than what I had ordered...
Right now on my build I have:
HD 6970 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161356
i5-2500k
8gb ram http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231460

23" asus monitor http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236117

z68 asrock pro3 mother board http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157251

And a really old sata2 clavier blue hard drive



NOW, here comes my mistake.... For some reason I assumed that overclocking wouldn't maske a difference on the power supply so I order this...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817339009

All I really care about being able to overclock right now is the i5-2500k, preferably in the upper four Ghz section, near 5Ghz

So can this thing pull it off? or am I going to have to cut my losses and get a better power supply?

 

[SpeedTester]

Don't use that thing. Get a corsair or similar power supply that has good ratings/reviews. You should never skimp on the power supply even more so when you plan on overclocking.

 

[janas19]

Wow.

I hate to kick a man while he's down, but that was a bad call on the PSU. If you spend the extra cash to get a K chip, you had better damn well buy a quality PSU. I tell you what, send that thing back to Newegg, and at least get the Antec Earthwatts 380-D which is on sale until Christmas for 29.99.

 

[FalconHorse]

In many ways, the PSU is the most important part of any build. You always want to invest in a high quality PSU if you care about the PC you are putting together. I only have experience with Corsair, but from what I've read Seasonic, Enermax, and Antec are high quality too. Check Newegg for deals on any of those brands. As far as how much power, I'm not sure. 650 should probably be good enough? Maybe someone more in the know about that can chime in.

 

[peonyu]

Id spend atleast $80 on a brand name PSU, its worth the money. The PSU you have there, might be ok but chances are it wont be in the long run. Even if it works out of the box on a overclocked unit, it can fail in another month or two. And if it does fail it can take alot of your expensive parts with it. Ive had cheap PSUs before and two of them died in different ways. One [a Allied 450w], killed the motherboard when its thin [cheap] copper wiring for the ATX connector burnt and caught on fire. The second PSU [a Deer unit] had a capacitor blow up inside the unit but took nothing with it. The allied unit is still working since i soldered new cables onto it /knocks on wood. But its in a crap system now. In a expensive system like yours I wouldnt risk running it on a inexpensive psu.

 

[mrjoltcola]

I have a stable 5.0Ghz overclock on a 2500K @ 1.43v using a Corsair CX 430 (430W) that I had already. The board is an ASUS Maximus Gene-Z Z68 board.

I just threw it together on a whim, then never replaced the PSU.

I would take a cheap Corsair over a no-name brand that isn't even an 80-plus PSU.

 

[Markfw]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817139020

$85 after rebate. Every dime you spend on this will pay you back 10 fold over that POS you linked to.

NOTE: NO INSULT INTENDED, ITS JUST A CRAP PSU.

 

[Bman123]

Yeah bad move on that power supply, that's the one part you never want to buy a off brand of.

 

[NAGZS]

WOW, thanks for all the reply's, that was all great advice, but now that I know that the psu isn't quite as good as I thought, once I send it back I'll have 50-70$ left to spend on a new psu.
Any specific suggestions that's in that range?

Also on another note, is that old sata2 hard drive bottle necking the build or is the difference so measly that's its not noticeable?

edit -would a 650w Antec/Corsair psu be able to handle both the cpu AND gpu overclocking, or just the cpu?

 

[FalconHorse]

Some good deals, IMO:

$60 (AR) 600W Corsair: www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?...82E16817139028 (don't know if the 'builder series' is as good as their other lines, though)

$50 (AR) 600W Enermax: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817194087 (nice price!)

$50 (AR, code) 700W OCZ modular: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817341018 (super price if OCZ is still a top tier PSU brand, however word is their rebates are iffy)

BTW: Free shipping on the last one.

Edit: the reviews on the OCZ are a bit concerning.. :sneaky:

 

[zlejedi]

400-450W unit would be enough if you bought a good one.
But the one you have is of "your mom's rig" class so get something like 500-600W corsair/seasonic/antec

 

[Magic Carpet]

400W might not be enough if OP is planning to rely on 6970 overclock.

2) Ideally, you want 50-75% load on PSU.

I'd recommend any Gold standard 500-600W. They are all the same, more or less. Unless you can source bespoke models (Dell for example).

If you want something special and going to be "light" on overclock. I could recommend you the Seasonic X-460W model. Good quality. No fan. Can be re-used in your HTPC later. As it is completely silent.

Any case, spend your dollar, wisely ;-p

 

[Avalon]

Yeah, sorry OP, that won't work. What you really need to be concerned about is the quality and power that can output on the 12v rail. That may be a '585W' PSU, but it only has 19A on its two 12v rails, and probably outputs no more than 30-32A total.

I was in the same boat when I had a heavily OC'd Core2 E8400 and bought a GTX 460 HAWK (OC'd and overvolted factory card, pulls a lot of power). I was running my 500W Enhance GH-5150, which, while rated very well by JohnnyGuru, just didn't have enough 12V amps to hold up (I think it was also 19A on two rails as well, for a combined 33A).

I wound up going with a Seasonic X650 gold. Works great. I'd be looking for something in the 520-650w range, with solid output on the 12v.

 

[jacktesterson]

Its a 250w Power Supply first of all.

2nd, I wouldn't run it in anything other than a Pentium 4 or older computer. (meaning something I wouldnt care about losing)



By a XFX Core CPU.... 650w model. Seasonic made, often on sale.

 

[jacktesterson]

Read this... word for word

This is a Sunbeam "580w" PSU very similar to the one you bought.

http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story&reid=204

 

[NAGZS]

Alright, thanks everyone.
Right now I think I am going to get one of the ones falconhorse recommended, probably the OCZ modular one....
Do the rest of you think the ones he recommended are good enough, specifically the OCZ model?

Also, while I'm waiting for it, can I use the powersupply that I had already ordered to keep everything at CLOCK speeds, and then when the new one gets here ship it back? Or is it too unreliable for even a few days?

 

[TemjinGold]

Do you feel lucky, punk?

 

[peonyu]

The OCZ 700W should be fine, its a good choice.

 

[Avalon]

Alright, thanks everyone.
Right now I think I am going to get one of the ones falconhorse recommended, probably the OCZ modular one....
Do the rest of you think the ones he recommended are good enough, specifically the OCZ model?

Also, while I'm waiting for it, can I use the powersupply that I had already ordered to keep everything at CLOCK speeds, and then when the new one gets here ship it back? Or is it too unreliable for even a few days?

It should be able to keep the machine powered up at all stock clocks until you get a new unit.

 

[NAGZS]

Lastly, the 6970 is REALLY heavy, never had anything like it... will the screws hold it in place or will I have to make a support beam to keep it from drooping over?

 

[Rhoxed]

Also, while I'm waiting for it, can I use the powersupply that I had already ordered to keep everything at CLOCK speeds, and then when the new one gets here ship it back? Or is it too unreliable for even a few days?

that PSU doesn't even have the 8-pin connector for your video card, unless you use an adapter, which i don't recommend on that psu.

 

[peonyu]

Lastly, the 6970 is REALLY heavy, never had anything like it... will the screws hold it in place or will I have to make a support beam to keep it from drooping over?

1 screw is all thats needed, there are cards heavier than that with aftermarket heatsinks and they are fine.

 

[toyota]

400-450W unit would be enough if you bought a good one.
But the one you have is of "your mom's rig" class so get something like 500-600W corsair/seasonic/antec

bad advice on suggesting a 400 watt unit. with a 2500k and 6970 system the very minimum psu to get for mild overclocking would be a high quality 500-550 watt psu. with extreme over clocking in mind then a very high quality 600-650 watt would have things covered.

 

[Jacky60]

I have still 3 psu's after purging 4 really crap old pwer supplies. When it comes to building a PC buy a really good PSU and case. Otherwise you spend loads more money incrementally upgrading. Buy a huge full tower with good airflow -1 off cost generally and a big beefy over specced psu. -thats 10 years til the end of pc gaming or your life. They rarely fail if quality (Enermax, Corsair) and 1000-1250W means no new psu ever. I learned this the hard way and have thrown away 7 crap cases and more psu's over the last 10 years.

 

[Jacky60]

Do you feel lucky, punk?

I'm gonna make your day dude-it was five shots not six.