Quietest 500W+ Modular PSU?

[Akinos]

Hey guys, about to buy an all new rig, looking for some advice. Hope this is the right sub-forum for PSUs, didn't see one.

I want a modular PSU around 500W, beyond that my main concerns are noise levels and quality. I think I've narrowed it down to one of these two, though I am open to any suggestions:

ENERMAX Liberty ELT500AWT ATX12V 500W Power Supply - Retail

or

CORSAIR HX520w ATX12V v2.2 and EPS12V 2.91 520W Power Supply - Retail

I don't plan on OCing or SLI, I just want to put my computer together and have it run quietly. 🙂

Here's the rest of my planned rig. Maybe I don't even need 500W, though this is a gaming rig.

Antec Performance I P180B
ASUS P5B-E (Actually still undecided on this, but it's what's on my wishlist at the moment)
eVGA 512-P2-N635-AR GeForce 7950GT 512MB GDDR3
Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 Conroe 2.4GHz
CORSAIR XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TWIN2X2048-6400
Seagate Barracuda 7200.9 80GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive
Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 320GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive
SAMSUNG 18X DVD±R DVD Burner With 12X DVD-RAM Write Black E-IDE/ATAPI Model SH-S182D

Many thanks in advance. 😀

 

[Rommel44]

Try Seasonic M-12 500w - its modular, quiet and high quality.

 

[lopri]

I'd get the Corsair HX520.

 

[pkme2]

Either one, both made by Seasonic.

 

[sbuckler]

I presume you are ignoring this for a reason as it must have occurred to you being as you plan to buy the Antec case, but I'll mention it anyway - Antec neo HE

It's very quiet, modular, designed to fit your case (i.e. all the cables are long enough, it fits in the mounting, has the right airflow), gets very good reviews, has a 5 year warranty, comes in 500W and 550W designs. It's even made by Seasonic to satisfy all the Seasonic lovers.

 

[crydee]

Corsair HX520 looks to be better made then that Antec neo HE from all the bad egg reviews and rma they complain about. I am getting the HX520 for my P180B. The cable selection with the HX520 looks really nice too.

 

[sbuckler]

Originally posted by: crydee
Corsair HX520 looks to be better made then that Antec neo HE from all the bad egg reviews and rma they complain about. I am getting the HX520 for my P180B. The cable selection with the HX520 looks really nice too.

Look at the layout of the Antec 180 case and the fan positions on the corsair unit. The case only really allows front->back airflow, the corsair has a huge bottom fan that will not be able to suck air in the P180, hence is a pretty terrible choice.

 

[GalvanizedYankee]

Originally posted by: sbuckler

Originally posted by: crydee
Corsair HX520 looks to be better made then that Antec neo HE from all the bad egg reviews and rma they complain about. I am getting the HX520 for my P180B. The cable selection with the HX520 looks really nice too.

Look at the layout of the Antec 180 case and the fan positions on the corsair unit. The case only really allows front->back airflow, the corsair has a huge bottom fan that will not be able to suck air in the P180, hence is a pretty terrible choice.

Errr... http://www.silentpcreview.com/article255-page3.html


...Galvanized

 

[sbuckler]

Originally posted by: GalvanizedYankee

Originally posted by: sbuckler

Originally posted by: crydee
Corsair HX520 looks to be better made then that Antec neo HE from all the bad egg reviews and rma they complain about. I am getting the HX520 for my P180B. The cable selection with the HX520 looks really nice too.

Look at the layout of the Antec 180 case and the fan positions on the corsair unit. The case only really allows front->back airflow, the corsair has a huge bottom fan that will not be able to suck air in the P180, hence is a pretty terrible choice.

Errr... http://www.silentpcreview.com/article255-page3.html


...Galvanized

I have a P180, I know exactly how much space there is, about 1cm. So all the air has to funnel through from the front through the hd's and then squeeze into a 1 cm space along the bottom of the psu to get sucked in. This is very inefficient. If you assume that the cooling suffers sufficiently that the psu runs 10 degree's warmer then a psu with front/back fans and 10 degree's temp increase halves the life of the caps then you are halving the life of your expensive psu using it in that case.

 

[GalvanizedYankee]

Originally posted by: sbuckler

Originally posted by: GalvanizedYankee

Originally posted by: sbuckler

Originally posted by: crydee
Corsair HX520 looks to be better made then that Antec neo HE from all the bad egg reviews and rma they complain about. I am getting the HX520 for my P180B. The cable selection with the HX520 looks really nice too.

Look at the layout of the Antec 180 case and the fan positions on the corsair unit. The case only really allows front->back airflow, the corsair has a huge bottom fan that will not be able to suck air in the P180, hence is a pretty terrible choice.

Errr... http://www.silentpcreview.com/article255-page3.html


...Galvanized

I have a P180, I know exactly how much space there is, about 1cm. So all the air has to funnel through from the front through the hd's and then squeeze into a 1 cm space along the bottom of the psu to get sucked in. This is very inefficient. If you assume that the cooling suffers sufficiently that the psu runs 10 degree's warmer then a psu with front/back fans and 10 degree's temp increase halves the life of the caps then you are halving the life of your expensive psu using it in that case.

I am not arguing.

Not once in the last year have I read or heard of such an issue with the P180.
The only issue has been short cabling on some PSUs.

 

[Howard]

Originally posted by: sbuckler

Originally posted by: GalvanizedYankee

Originally posted by: sbuckler

Originally posted by: crydee
Corsair HX520 looks to be better made then that Antec neo HE from all the bad egg reviews and rma they complain about. I am getting the HX520 for my P180B. The cable selection with the HX520 looks really nice too.

Look at the layout of the Antec 180 case and the fan positions on the corsair unit. The case only really allows front->back airflow, the corsair has a huge bottom fan that will not be able to suck air in the P180, hence is a pretty terrible choice.

Errr... http://www.silentpcreview.com/article255-page3.html


...Galvanized

I have a P180, I know exactly how much space there is, about 1cm. So all the air has to funnel through from the front through the hd's and then squeeze into a 1 cm space along the bottom of the psu to get sucked in. This is very inefficient. If you assume that the cooling suffers sufficiently that the psu runs 10 degree's warmer then a psu with front/back fans and 10 degree's temp increase halves the life of the caps then you are halving the life of your expensive psu using it in that case.

I'll agree that air doesn't get into the PSU as easily and so there is less airflow, but there are two things you seem to have forgotten:

1) When the temperature rises, the fan speeds up
2) The ambient air is cooler than if the PSU were above the CPU

 

[JEDIYoda]

Originally posted by: sbuckler

Originally posted by: GalvanizedYankee

Originally posted by: sbuckler

Originally posted by: crydee
Corsair HX520 looks to be better made then that Antec neo HE from all the bad egg reviews and rma they complain about. I am getting the HX520 for my P180B. The cable selection with the HX520 looks really nice too.

Look at the layout of the Antec 180 case and the fan positions on the corsair unit. The case only really allows front->back airflow, the corsair has a huge bottom fan that will not be able to suck air in the P180, hence is a pretty terrible choice.

Errr... http://www.silentpcreview.com/article255-page3.html


...Galvanized

I have a P180, I know exactly how much space there is, about 1cm. So all the air has to funnel through from the front through the hd's and then squeeze into a 1 cm space along the bottom of the psu to get sucked in. This is very inefficient. If you assume that the cooling suffers sufficiently that the psu runs 10 degree's warmer then a psu with front/back fans and 10 degree's temp increase halves the life of the caps then you are halving the life of your expensive psu using it in that case.

I Googled this to no avail. It`s a non issue in the bigger scheme of things!!

 

[Akinos]

Interesting... I'm really wanting the Corsair, but if it might not be compatible with my case (which I already ordered, 90 w/free shipping at frys.com!)

And I don't mind paying for the best quality, but the Antec Neo HE 550W is on sale for 69.99 at frys.com, which sounds like a great deal.

http://shop1.outpost.com/product/4653878

 

[dBTelos]

Seasonic M12, Corsair HX, Enermax Liberty. From most to least quiet (also from highest to least quality).

 

[Bobthelost]

If you want quiet and you don't need that many hard drives check out the P150. It comes iwth the NeoHE 430W which is enough for that system and it's easier to silence than a P180 is. I've got one of each and while both are good their strengths are different.

The NeoHE's straight line airflow is better for the P180 and other dual chamber designs than the right angle of most PSUs but it's not really worth worrying about.

 

[sbuckler]

Originally posted by: Howard

Originally posted by: sbuckler

Originally posted by: GalvanizedYankee

Originally posted by: sbuckler

Originally posted by: crydee
Corsair HX520 looks to be better made then that Antec neo HE from all the bad egg reviews and rma they complain about. I am getting the HX520 for my P180B. The cable selection with the HX520 looks really nice too.

Look at the layout of the Antec 180 case and the fan positions on the corsair unit. The case only really allows front->back airflow, the corsair has a huge bottom fan that will not be able to suck air in the P180, hence is a pretty terrible choice.

Errr... http://www.silentpcreview.com/article255-page3.html


...Galvanized

I have a P180, I know exactly how much space there is, about 1cm. So all the air has to funnel through from the front through the hd's and then squeeze into a 1 cm space along the bottom of the psu to get sucked in. This is very inefficient. If you assume that the cooling suffers sufficiently that the psu runs 10 degree's warmer then a psu with front/back fans and 10 degree's temp increase halves the life of the caps then you are halving the life of your expensive psu using it in that case.

I'll agree that air doesn't get into the PSU as easily and so there is less airflow, but there are two things you seem to have forgotten:

1) When the temperature rises, the fan speeds up
2) The ambient air is cooler than if the PSU were above the CPU

A major reason for the choice of PSU is noise - if your configuration causes the fan to spin faster then it needs to and hence make more noise then it's not a good configuration.

Then there is the problem of equally cooling all components - I suspect that the bottom cpu fan will pull air up at the front of the psu where the vent is, however this will cause negative air pressure at the back of the psu (far side from the vent) this will be balanced by the fan causing the components at the back of the cpu to see very little air flow at all. Depending on the position of the temp probe that controls the fan speed these components could always be running too hot.

I do agree it's not a be and end all factor - if I had a psu with a bottom fan I would use it, but if I was buying a new psu I'd buy one that fitted the airflow of the case - it's just common sense really.

 

[VinDSL]

Originally posted by: Akinos
ENERMAX Liberty ELT500AWT ATX12V 500W Power Supply - Retail

or

CORSAIR HX520w ATX12V v2.2 and EPS12V 2.91 520W Power Supply - Retail

Though I am open to any suggestions...

Between those two... the Liberty!

However, if I was going to order a PSU today, it would be the Zalman ZM600-HP!

That would be MY suggestion... 😉

 

[kevinf2090]

i have the enermax, and it is extremely quiet, the fan does not spin at its fastest when it is just normal computing, but when you put heavy loads on the comp then it speeds up a little, even then i still couldn't here it. so i would get the enermax

 

[Zebo]

Originally posted by: lopri
I'd get the Corsair HX520.

Me too. It's same as Seasonic's someone recommended above, both same seasonic interals and fan controller, however Corsiar backs it better with 5 years warranty.

Its cheaper too. $119 fedex to you door @ ZZF.