PSU Recommendation

[vpr]

Hello,

I'm currently living in China and decided that it was time I built a decent system for myself. This has proven more difficult then I originally thought it would be. I've built numerous system back in the States, none of which having any real problems. However, the system I'm building here is my most powerful system yet.

Currently I have:

C2D E6300
1gb DDR2-800
X1950 Pro
160gb SATAII HD
DVD-RW

I had bought a 350W power supply, because I figured that it'd be enough. However, after looking at ATI's website it states a 450W PSU is needed. Furthermore, I decided to look at the rails (I can't read Chinese mind you) and found out AFTER bringing it home that it might not be what I need. It's so annoying, because all the PSU's I've seen are not the types I'm used to (Enermax, OCZ, Antec, etc.), they're all "Chinese" brands, which I'm not familiar with. I questioned the guy that I was buying stuff from, and he recommended this brad stating that it was his favorite. I believe him, after talking about various things.

The url link for the PSU I currently have is here:

HuntKey 350W

I noticed on their website, they have some other units too:

HuntKey 550w
HuntKey 460w
HuntKey 400w

They all seem to have 2 +12V rails - not sure if this is good or bad? I put my basic system into a PSU calculator v2.0 and it stated that I'd only need a 290W power supply before over clocking.

My question is this, Is the 350W I have going to be sufficient to run my system, or should I try to take it back (never done this here) and exchange it for a higher wattage one. Eventually I plan to add more ram, and maybe another HD. I have yet to purchase the case, fans, heat sink replacement (only have stock Intel one) or monitor. The PSU is sitting in it's box right now.

Thanks,
vpr

 

[Gamingphreek]

350 would be seriously pushing it. I would venture to say that if you leave the system as is it will run, but you are really going to be pushing the PSU.

Also I have never heard of HuntKey and would NEVER use them. I would get rid of that PSU regardless of whether it can power your system. I would look at Seasonic and Corsair. 400 Watt would give you much more leeway and would put a constant stress on your components.

-Kevin

 

[happy medium]

Originally posted by: vpr
Hello,

I'm currently living in China and decided that it was time I built a decent system for myself. This has proven more difficult then I originally thought it would be. I've built numerous system back in the States, none of which having any real problems. However, the system I'm building here is my most powerful system yet.

Currently I have:

C2D E6300
1gb DDR2-800
X1950 Pro
160gb SATAII HD
DVD-RW

I had bought a 350W power supply, because I figured that it'd be enough. However, after looking at ATI's website it states a 450W PSU is needed. Furthermore, I decided to look at the rails (I can't read Chinese mind you) and found out AFTER bringing it home that it might not be what I need. It's so annoying, because all the PSU's I've seen are not the types I'm used to (Enermax, OCZ, Antec, etc.), they're all "Chinese" brands, which I'm not familiar with. I questioned the guy that I was buying stuff from, and he recommended this brad stating that it was his favorite. I believe him, after talking about various things.

The url link for the PSU I currently have is here:

HuntKey 350W

I noticed on their website, they have some other units too:

HuntKey 550w
HuntKey 460w
HuntKey 400w

They all seem to have 2 +12V rails - not sure if this is good or bad? I put my basic system into a PSU calculator v2.0 and it stated that I'd only need a 290W power supply before over clocking.

My question is this, Is the 350W I have going to be sufficient to run my system, or should I try to take it back (never done this here) and exchange it for a higher wattage one. Eventually I plan to add more ram, and maybe another HD. I have yet to purchase the case, fans, heat sink replacement (only have stock Intel one) or monitor. The PSU is sitting in it's box right now.

Thanks,
vpr

You need a 400watt psu with 26 amps or more on the 12+ rail. The amps on that 400 watt Huntkey are 13 and 14. If thats not a high quality psu it won't cut it.I go for the 460 watt to be safe with the 2- 18 amp rails.

 

[vpr]

Originally posted by: Gamingphreek
350 would be seriously pushing it. I would venture to say that if you leave the system as is it will run, but you are really going to be pushing the PSU.

Also I have never heard of HuntKey and would NEVER use them. I would get rid of that PSU regardless of whether it can power your system. I would look at Seasonic and Corsair. 400 Watt would give you much more leeway and would put a constant stress on your components.

-Kevin

As I mentioned in my post, I'm unable to find brands that are familiar due to where I'm living at the moment. Trust me, I'd never buy a psu I didn't recognize either, the problem being they were ALL unrecognizable.

Originally posted by: happy medium
You need a 400watt psu with 26 amps or more on the 12+ rail. The amps on that 400 watt Huntkey are 13 and 14. If thats not a high quality psu it won't cut it.I go for the 460 watt to be safe with the 2- 18 amp rails.

Thanks, I'll see about exchanging the PSU for the 460 one.

 

[s44]

Do the Chinese PSUs have UL/US numbers you can look up?

 

[vpr]

Originally posted by: s44
Do the Chinese PSUs have UL/US numbers you can look up?

You mean telephone numbers?

 

[DivideBYZero]

I'm running an almost exact config, with the exception of a C2D 6400@3Ghz, on a 400w PSU.

Used the calculator and even overclocked as it is it reckons only 304w.

 

[happy medium]

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
I'm running an almost exact config, with the exception of a C2D 6400@3Ghz, on a 400w PSU.

Used the calculator and even overclocked as it is it reckons only 304w.

The Huntkey psu's are operating at a 79% efficiency level. That said, 80% of 400watts is 320watts. You are cutting it close. With no room for upgrades.

 

[herbiehancock]

Originally posted by: happy medium

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
I'm running an almost exact config, with the exception of a C2D 6400@3Ghz, on a 400w PSU.

Used the calculator and even overclocked as it is it reckons only 304w.

The Huntkey psu's are operating at a 79% efficiency level. That said, 80% of 400watts is 320watts. You are cutting it close. With no room for upgrades.

That is not what the efficiency rating means. The efficiency rating means that, in a unit rated for ....say 80% efficiency, that 80% of the power consumed by the power supply is converted to useable DC current and the rest is lost as heat. As efficiency levels go up, theoretically, heat production decreases because the unit is using more of the electricity from the wall socket in making DC current and making less heat.

Using your formula, no power supply would ever reach its rated output, but just browsing JonnyGuru's website and reviews, many good power supplies actually produce more wattage than the unit is rated to produce. Mind you, it's typically not much over rating, but it does happen.

Here's a clearer explanation: (From Hardware Secrets)

The efficiency of a power supply shows the AC percentage of the network that is being effectively converted into DC. It's the difference between the power consumption that is being provided in the power supply outputs and what is effectively being absorbed from the electrical system.

For example, let's suppose that a power supply is at the same time supplying its output with 150W and consuming 200W of power from the electrical system. We conclude that this power supply has an efficiency of 75%. The difference, the 50W on this example, is dissipated in the form of heat.

This means that power supplies with a higher efficiency index will generate less heat inside the case than power supplies with a lower efficiency index.




To figure the output, theoretically, you take its rated amperage on the +12V rail(s) (the most important rails to be considered these days), mult. by volts (12 in this case) to get output wattage.


You need to go to his website and start reading........

 

[happy medium]

Originally posted by: herbiehancock

Originally posted by: happy medium

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
I'm running an almost exact config, with the exception of a C2D 6400@3Ghz, on a 400w PSU.

Used the calculator and even overclocked as it is it reckons only 304w.

The Huntkey psu's are operating at a 79% efficiency level. That said, 80% of 400watts is 320watts. You are cutting it close. With no room for upgrades.

That is not what the efficiency rating means. The efficiency rating means that, in a unit rated for ....say 80% efficiency, that 80% of the power consumed by the power supply is converted to useable DC current and the rest is lost as heat. As efficiency levels go up, theoretically, heat production decreases because the unit is using more of the electricity from the wall socket in making DC current and making less heat.

Using your formula, no power supply would ever reach its rated output, but just browsing JonnyGuru's website and reviews, many good power supplies actually produce more wattage than the unit is rated to produce. Mind you, it's typically not much over rating, but it does happen.

Here's a clearer explanation: (From Hardware Secrets)

The efficiency of a power supply shows the AC percentage of the network that is being effectively converted into DC. It's the difference between the power consumption that is being provided in the power supply outputs and what is effectively being absorbed from the electrical system.

For example, let's suppose that a power supply is at the same time supplying its output with 150W and consuming 200W of power from the electrical system. We conclude that this power supply has an efficiency of 75%. The difference, the 50W on this example, is dissipated in the form of heat.

This means that power supplies with a higher efficiency index will generate less heat inside the case than power supplies with a lower efficiency index.




To figure the output, theoretically, you take its rated amperage on the +12V rail(s) (the most important rails to be considered these days), mult. by volts (12 in this case) to get output wattage.


You need to go to his website and start reading........

Thank for the info.

Edit: So my power supply has a 312 watt 12v+ rail? It a 350 watt enermax with 26 amp rail.

 

[herbiehancock]

Take it back and exchange it. Taking the two +12V rails' listed amperage, adding them, mult. by 12, and you get 312 watts off the +12V rails, and that's probably optimistic.

Go get the highest powered unit you can find.....I know the 550W unit should come close to powering your rig without harming it, I hope.

You have to remember, as a power supply approaches its listed max. output, typically the voltages begin to sag and ripple on the rails increases. It usually takes a high quality power supply to get one that won't sag much approaching full load or have excessive ripple. Ripple is the small fluctuations in the output of the power on that particular rail....the worse the ripple, the shorter the life you may have in your CPU or RAM or motherboard. ATX spec calls for 120mV of ripple MAX on the +12V rail(s). But there are more than a few that exceed max ATX spec when pushed.

I'd buy as big as you can find.....give yourself plenty of headroom so the ps isn't straining at all.

 

[happy medium]

Originally posted by: herbiehancock
Take it back and exchange it. Taking the two +12V rails' listed amperage, adding them, mult. by 12, and you get 312 watts off the +12V rails, and that's probably optimistic.

Go get the highest powered unit you can find.....I know the 550W unit should come close to powering your rig without harming it, I hope.

You have to remember, as a power supply approaches its listed max. output, typically the voltages begin to sag and ripple on the rails increases. It usually takes a high quality power supply to get one that won't sag much approaching full load or have excessive ripple. Ripple is the small fluctuations in the output of the power on that particular rail....the worse the ripple, the shorter the life you may have in your CPU or RAM or motherboard. ATX spec calls for 120mV of ripple MAX on the +12V rail(s). But there are more than a few that exceed max ATX spec when pushed.

I'd buy as big as you can find.....give yourself plenty of headroom so the ps isn't straining at all.

The 460 watt one has 18 amps on the 12v rail and 2 rails = 36 amps. Thats plenty!

 

[happy medium]

Originally posted by: vpr
Hello,

I'm currently living in China and decided that it was time I built a decent system for myself. This has proven more difficult then I originally thought it would be. I've built numerous system back in the States, none of which having any real problems. However, the system I'm building here is my most powerful system yet.

Currently I have:

C2D E6300
1gb DDR2-800
X1950 Pro
160gb SATAII HD
DVD-RW

I had bought a 350W power supply, because I figured that it'd be enough. However, after looking at ATI's website it states a 450W PSU is needed. Furthermore, I decided to look at the rails (I can't read Chinese mind you) and found out AFTER bringing it home that it might not be what I need. It's so annoying, because all the PSU's I've seen are not the types I'm used to (Enermax, OCZ, Antec, etc.), they're all "Chinese" brands, which I'm not familiar with. I questioned the guy that I was buying stuff from, and he recommended this brad stating that it was his favorite. I believe him, after talking about various things.

The url link for the PSU I currently have is here:

HuntKey 350W

I noticed on their website, they have some other units too:

HuntKey 550w
HuntKey 460w
HuntKey 400w

They all seem to have 2 +12V rails - not sure if this is good or bad? I put my basic system into a PSU calculator v2.0 and it stated that I'd only need a 290W power supply before over clocking.

My question is this, Is the 350W I have going to be sufficient to run my system, or should I try to take it back (never done this here) and exchange it for a higher wattage one. Eventually I plan to add more ram, and maybe another HD. I have yet to purchase the case, fans, heat sink replacement (only have stock Intel one) or monitor. The PSU is sitting in it's box right now.

Thanks,
vpr

For that system,it's more than enough.