• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Quiet, Quality Power Supply

S

ShmooDude

Member
I've done some searching on Anandtech forums but couldn't really find an article/forum post on the subject. I'm upgrading my computer with the following:

DFI Ultra-D NF4 Motherboard
Athlon64 3000+ Venice core w/ Zalman CNPS700B-ALCu Heatsink
Gigabyte X800 Silentpipe

I'd like one that's quiet, good quality with a PCI-e plug (in case I upgrade to a video card that requires one at a later date) and 2 floppy power plugs (one for mb and one for my floppy drive). I can pickup a Y cable at a local computer store if it doesn't have one on its own. Any help will be appreciated.

EDIT:
I think I'll go with an S12 based on www.silentpcreview.com research.

The question is do I go with the 430W @ $100 or the 500W @ $130. Now I know my computer (or chances are anything built in the foreseeable future) will pull even close too 430W, the issue is connectors.

The difference between the 500 and the 430 is the 430 has zero PCI-e connectors and the 500 has two.

The DFI board will eat up one molex and one floppy. My hard disk and CD-ROM will eat up two more molexes. I will also be hooking up a floppy drive as I need that for college (teachers usually prefer things turned in on floppies...). That leaves three molex connectors. Should I add a graphics card using >125W? at some point that will eat two more and leave me with one.

So, the question is do I spend an extra $30 on an already expencive power supply and not have to worry about it or get the 430 and possibly end up using a Y cable sometime in the future? Are there ever problems with using a Y cable?
 
Read through Power Supply 101 for more information. I believe that power supplies with a single 120mm fan are quieter than power supplies with two 80mm fans. I have two computers with 120mm fan power supplies and have never noticed the noise from them in comparison to the rest of the system.
 
Originally posted by: rise4310
http://www.antec.com/us/productDetails.php?ProdID=22480
Click to expand...

Nice link! 🙂

It looks like the S12 series seems to be the verdict. The first model to come with a PCI-e connector is the 500W model and that's about $60 ($130 vs $70) more than most of the PSU's (like the Antec TruepowerII480). Though by getting an extremely strong (and quiet) PSU now should prevent me from needing to upgrade it for a long time (barring another speification change).

And thanks for the help.
 
Seasonic S12's are the quietest you can get. OCZ Powerstreams/Modstreams ARE quiet, but if you're a maniac about quietness, Seasonic S12's or PCP&C Silencers (Seasonic makes them) are definately the quietest you can get.

-TPG
 
I can't hear my Fortron Bluestorm 500w over my XP-90, so I'm assuming it's pretty quiet. 🙂

Only ~$70
 
Whats the deal with the ultra x psus? Everyone on these forms seem to trash them up and down, but what exactly is so bad about them?
 
Originally posted by: Deinonych
Originally posted by: Kensai
Take a look at Seasonic's S-12 series.
Click to expand...

:thumbsup:
Click to expand...

:thumbsup:

Originally posted by: Ansris
Whats the deal with the ultra x psus? Everyone on these forms seem to trash them up and down, but what exactly is so bad about them?
Click to expand...

Simple, it's a low quality PSU marketed by Tiger Direct; all the trashing it get's it's earned.
 
I think I'll go with an S12 based on www.silentpcreview.com research.

The question is do I go with the 430W @ $100 or the 500W @ $130. Now I know my computer (or chances are anything built in the foreseeable future) will pull even close too 430W, the issue is connectors.

The difference between the 500 and the 430 is the 430 has zero PCI-e connectors and the 500 has two.

The DFI board will eat up one molex and one floppy. My hard disk and CD-ROM will eat up two more molexes. I will also be hooking up a floppy drive as I need that for college (teachers usually prefer things turned in on floppies...). That leaves three molex connectors. Should I add a graphics card using >125W? at some point that will eat two more and leave me with one.

So, the question is do I spend an extra $30 on an already expencive power supply and not have to worry about it or get the 430 and possibly end up using a Y cable sometime in the future? Are there ever problems with using a Y cable?

Thanks.
 
Originally posted by: w00t
modstream.
Click to expand...

I'd rather go with an S12 for the better effiency and quieter running (they're both fairly quiet though, quieter is all relative). The S12s are extremely efficent which should cut down on the heat in my room (now if only I could afford some LCDs to replace the heat pumping CRTs...) somewhat. The question is will I regret not having the extra plug two or three years down the line...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top