PSU Upgrade with Fractal Design R3 Quiet System

[Van G]

Upgrading my case to keep things quiet at my desk and am considering changing out my current Antec TPII-430W:

Fractal R3 Design Case w/ 3 fans
Asus M4A88TD-V EVO
AMD X6 1055T (o/c)
MSI N240GT-MD1G-D5 (o/c)
2 x 1 TB 7200 RPM RAID
1 x 128 GB SSD
1 x 750 GB 7200 RPM
BD-R Drive

NewEgg Calculator says I'm right around if not slightly over 430W.

What PSU should I look at for some future proofing (500W)?

Suggestions for a nice, quiet, reliable brand?

Found these on NewEgg:
Antec EarthWatts EA-500D ($70 less 15%)
SILVERSTONE Strider Plus ST50F-P ($80)

 

[jpeyton]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151093

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817182068

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817207013

 

[pelov]

Kingwin, Seasonic, Enermax, Corsair, XFX. Personally, I dislike Antec and it seems that reviews of Antec PSUs have been nonexistent on popular HW sites. I guess NZXT as it's based on Seasonic's design just as Corsair and XFX are, but NZXT seems to be a bit too expensive.

what's your budget? For >$100 I'd go with one of these two.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817121094
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817194094

 

[Van G]

The Rosewill CAPSTONE Series CAPSTONE-550 & SeaSonic M12II 520 Bronze 520W ATX12V v2.3 both look like they fit the bill at $80.

Rosewill using Seasonic as well?

 

[pelov]

Get the Seasonic. No question.

 

[Van G]

Why is a single +12V rail a selling point? Spec'd to allow higher current pass through a single wire?

Does it mean anything to me?

The Rosewill seems to be a current release and built on trusted "Super Flower Green" and has Gold 80 Plus rating. Should I pay attention to the 8% difference in efficiency?

 

[Van G]

pelov, that ENERMAX NAXN 82+ ENP650AWT B 650W you suggested is the same price as the SeaSonic M12II 520 Bronze. Do I take 650W over 520W?

 

[pelov]

Rosewill has a reputation of poor quality, though having never tried their PSUs I can't speak on that end. They make everything from office chairs to power supplies, so I'd be a bit wary. Kingwin uses a Superflower design as well, but it also comes down to build quality, QC and warranty. These are thingse Rosewill isn't known for...

I would opt to go with the Seasonic because it's partially modular. As far as quality is concerned, both are top notch but the Seasonic has a slightly higher warranty, 5 years versus 3 for the Enermax.

You generally want fewer rails but there are certain PSUs that do quite well with more than a single rail, Enermax, Kingwin, etc. It really doesn't matter too much so long as the rails have enough power and are stable.

HardOCP reviewed the 620W version of that same Seasonic PSU here

Whether you need more wattage depends on whether you're looking to upgrade to a more power hungry GPU(s). Are you looking to do any upgrades?

 

[Van G]

Thanks for the details. Just about hit buy on the Rosewill.

I typically parts like this for longevity so if I can future proof with quality then I'm open to the cost.

I'm going to put a new GPU (GTX 550Ti) in this build and will stay with this hardware until I see fit for upgrade (no gaming: business user, personal photo and video) to possibly IvyBridge when they come down in price (12 months).

From what I read, I shouldn't buy a PSI with too much headroom, so I targetted something in the 500 to 600 range.

If there are quality PSU's out there that have better value: quality, efficiency, reliability, quiet -> then I'm interested.

 

[Van G]

Going through the Seasonic Line:
Seasonic SS-560KM - $45 premium over M12II
SeaSonic X Series X650 - $55 premium
SeaSonic M12II 620 Bronze = $10 premium

How close do I need to match current power needs? Can I go with 25% + headroom for future builds?

 

[pelov]

~500W-600W should be more than ample for your needs. Considering you're not gaming I'm assuming you won't spend a lot of money on very powerful very power hungry GPUs, so an efficient and quality PSU around that range is more than enough. The rule of thumb is to double the wattage of your system and buy a PSU in that range, which would likely put you in the ~500-600W area. PSUs also tend to be the most efficient when in that 50% capacity. The higher quality and more efficient the PSU the better it is at putting out accurate voltages and power through all the ranges. The gold and plat systems from the higher end PSU manufacturers can often put out even more power than they're rated for.

How much are you looking to spend? Usually the more efficient the PSU the higher the cost, but also the less heat produced. Seasonic is always a safe bet, and among the PSUs you've listed above it really depends on how much you value the extra headroom. Ivy Bridge will sip power and will very likely consume less power than your current setup.

 

[Van G]

Budget = $125

Agreed that the next upgrade will likely use less power than the this so I should simply buy PSU that suits my needs now.

 

[pelov]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151095 would be my choice. 5 year warranty with a generally hassle-free manufacturer. The wattage should be more than enough and it's a great price.

 

[Van G]

Thanks for the input. Will take you advice.