PSU suggestions

[Muse]

I'm running my main desktop on an Antec 430Tru PSU. I'm pretty sure it's noisier than anything else in my system. I value a quiet system very much. Of course, stability and reliability are very important. I don't want a PSU to go south and fry all my components! :Q

If I'm OK with the Antec, I'll keep it for a while, but if I'm on thin ice with this PSU, I'd appreciate suggestions. I just installed a new MB and CPU, and am about to install another HD.

My system:

MSI K8N Neo v2.0 H
AMD Athlon Venice 2.2 ghz, I figure I'll try overclocking it. I have an Arctic Cooling Alpine64 HSF on it (pretty quiet)
Samsung Original PC2700 2x512 MB for 1 GB
BFG geforce 6600 GT OC AGP video card
HDs: Seagate Barracudas: 120 GB, 160 GB, 200 GB; Will install Samsung 500 GB SATA HD in a few days (16 MB/7200 RPM, Model HD501LJ)
NEC DVD burner
Floppy drive
Firewire card
USR Model 2977 PCI hardware modem
MyHD HDTV 120 HDTV PCI with daughterboard

I have one quiet 80mm case fan (Vantec Stealth) on the back of the generic ATX midtower case. There's a spot for an 80mm fan on the left side, but I'm not using one yet. I'm thinking of cutting a bigger hole and putting in a 120 mm (or larger) quiet case fan.

 

[Daverino]

Recommendations will probably be geared towards the Corsair HX series PSU. It's a repackaged SeaSonic. Super high quality and extremely low noise. I have a SeaSonic and couldn't be happier.

 

[Muse]

Originally posted by: Daverino
Recommendations will probably be geared towards the Corsair HX series PSU. It's a repackaged SeaSonic. Super high quality and extremely low noise. I have a SeaSonic and couldn't be happier.

I looked up listings in Hot Deals for Corsair and found some threads. One was for the Corsair 520W SLI Certified Modular ATX Power Supply - CMPSU-520HX and the specs on the page say 520 watts output but only 18A on the 12 volt rail. Isn't that kind of meager? A guide I used to assembly my system this week said I should probably have a PSU with 24A on the 12 volt rail. My current Antec is supposed to have 20A.

Well, what it says for that Corsair is this:

18A @ 12V DC - V1Output Current
18A @ 12V DC - V2Output Current
18A @ 12V DC - V3Output Current

I don't know why it is split into 3 parts...

 

[GalvanizedYankee]

If you got $100 for a 500W PSU, the Corsair is hard to beat.

PSU tutorials can be found at http://www.jonnyguru.com/ > links or forums.

 

[996GT2]

Corsair HX520 is a good bet for < $100.

 

[RallyMaster]

I think you should just move to an Antec EarthWatts 500W or an Enhance ENP5150-GH. Both will provide ample power for the price.

 

[GalvanizedYankee]

Originally posted by: RallyMaster
I think you should just move to an Antec EarthWatts 500W or an Enhance ENP5150-GH. Both will provide ample power for the price.

For $30 more the Corsair offers a population of Japanese capacitors, it is semi-modular, has a FIVE year warranty, is built on the highly regarded Seasonic M12 design platform and it's quiet.

For about $30 less the Antc Earthwatts offers a three year warranty, a much cheaper build platform and the output/secondary side populated with crappy Chinese constructed OST capacitors.

The Enhance is non-modular and populated with decent TEAPO capacitors. Bought as bulk, it comes with a one year warranty.
I used an ENP-5140GH (400W) for my sister's rig.

 

[Muse]

Originally posted by: GalvanizedYankee

Originally posted by: RallyMaster
I think you should just move to an Antec EarthWatts 500W or an Enhance ENP5150-GH. Both will provide ample power for the price.

For $30 more the Corsair offers a population of Japanese capacitors, it is semi-modular, has a FIVE year warranty, is built on the highly regarded Seasonic M12 design platform and it's quiet.

For about $30 less the Antc Earthwatts offers a three year warranty, a much cheaper build platform and the output/secondary side populated with crappy Chinese constructed OST capacitors.

The Enhance is non-modular and populated with decent TEAPO capacitors. Bought as bulk, it comes with a one year warranty.
I used an ENP-5140GH (400W) for my sister's rig.

Thanks. For me, quiet is in itself worth $30, if it's significantly quieter than the others. As I said, I think my Antec is the major noise source in my rig. If it stick my finger in there and stop the CPU fan, the video card fan or the case fan, the difference isn't major. I suspect it's the 2 PSU fans that are making most of the noise.

I was in Frys yesterday and had a look at all their PSUs. Didn't see any Corsair. There were some Antecs. I hadn't seen the last few posts in this thread, but was already aware of the Corsair. I did see a Seasonic. Frys prices in general look quite high, with the exception of their advertized specials. I had never checked them out and was disappointed. I sorely miss the every-3-weeks-or-so computer shows that they used to have around here. I could always find some stuff at quite competitive prices that interested me and I could see a lot of stuff. When vendors presented at the computer shows, they for the most part couldn't afford to bring along the inessentials.

I'll look around for a good deal on the Corsair, online in all probability.

Does anyone have a take on the question I asked earlier in the thread about the 18A on 3 different 12 volts rails? Is that tantamount to more than 24A on the 12 volt rail? Can I be pretty sure that the 520HX is powerful enough for my rig?

 

[RallyMaster]

wait for a deal on buy.com. they always have it the cheapest from what I've seen.

 

[Muse]

Originally posted by: RallyMaster
wait for a deal on buy.com. they always have it the cheapest from what I've seen.

Thanks. Anandtech so rules... I love it!

 

[brencat]

Does anyone have a take on the question I asked earlier in the thread about the 18A on 3 different 12 volts rails? It that tantamount to more than 24A on the 12 volt rail? Can I be pretty sure that the 520HX is powerful enough for my rig?

There are 3 x 18A rails that share Amps for a max power draw of 40A at a time. So the "12v rail" on this PSU is 40A. It's larger brother...the Corsair HX620W has 50A. Check out www.clubit.com. The HX620 which I just bought was selling for ~ $117 AR + $9 shipping I think. Rebate may be over though.