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What wattage PSU do I need?

T

Talcite

Senior member
I'm just wondering what kinda power my system will draw. I don't see it needing alot... but well you never really know after you consider upgrades... etc. Oh and I plan to do some OCing after this system passes it's useful lifespan. (5 years)

Heres the build.

conroe e6300
1 gig pc6400
7600GS
250 gig maxline III HD. possibly expansion later
8x LG DVD burner
3 or 4 panaflo fans.

I think that's about it 0.o I will have a 540W UPS to use, and as I mentioned earlier, OCing is probably a very likely possibility.

The 500w PSU isn't too much of a difference pricewise, so i'd rather just get the 600w.

The 430W one is apparently a few db quieter than the 600w one, but of course the 600w can handle more.

Saving money is always good, but I'm not on welfare or anything so the 600w one isn't going to kill me =p.

Tell me what you think guys.

Btw, what real difference is there between back UPS RS and smartUPS UPSs is there?
 
Put it this way, my rig with OC'd dual-core Opteron and modded X1800 XT pulls around 250 (maybe 260 - AC, so prolly <210 W total) load through a Seasonic 500. Truthfully, I wish I had gotten the 430 since it's a bit quieter and hits peak efficiency sooner. Although they're all practically silent unless you're completely on water.

Even the S12-330 supplies enough 12v to run my rig...

Edit, why'd you edit out your post, hehe!! Anyways, I'm replying to something no longer extant... 😀
 
Originally posted by: OvErHeAtInG
Put it this way, my rig with OC'd dual-core Opteron and modded X1800 XT pulls around 250 (maybe 260 - AC, so prolly <210 W total) load through a Seasonic 500. Truthfully, I wish I had gotten the 430 since it's a bit quieter and hits peak efficiency sooner. Although they're all practically silent unless you're completely on water.

Even the S12-330 supplies enough 12v to run my rig...

Edit, why'd you edit out your post, hehe!! Anyways, I'm replying to something no longer extant... 😀
Click to expand...

The wattage is enough (430), but hte question is about rails. I'm not sure how Seasonic splits the rails, for CPU and graphics card, but with the 600W, you only get 18A per rail. That's decent, but if you're strapped in with a CPU and graphics card on the same rail, that's just enough. The 430W supplies 15 and 16A I believe?
 
My Seasonic purrs with Dually Opty 170 at 2400 (horrible stepping argh) and 7900GTX SLI watercooled raptor etc. but looking back I probably could have gotten the 500 but I don't think any of these Seasonic will hand SLI/Crossfire of the next generation if 300 watts is true
 
how can you run anything for 5yrs?


anyway get amd 64 3000 + 1800XT instead, no point in getting a core 2 duo(allendale) if you can't couple it with a dece3nt graphic card.
 
Originally posted by: DLeRium
Originally posted by: Howard
The 2nd rail should be allocated for CPU only, according to the ATX design spec. I think.
Originally posted by: Talcite
Even for OCing?
Click to expand...
Definitely.
Click to expand...

So if you had SLI then both cards would be running on one of the rails and the CPU on the other 12v rail?
Click to expand...
I believe so. Some supplies put each PCI-e connector on separate rails.
 
Originally posted by: akshayt
how can you run anything for 5yrs?


anyway get amd 64 3000 + 1800XT instead, no point in getting a core 2 duo(allendale) if you can't couple it with a dece3nt graphic card.
Click to expand...
your x1900xtx sucks.
 
Let me quote from SPCR, the last paragraph on that page:

What does all this mean? Essentially, the only potential benefit of dual 12V lines is improved safety, and this is questioned by the engineers I spoke with. There are many downsides to dual 12V lines, including higher cost and the extra headache of ensuring adequate 12V current for all the components in complex, high power systems. For the consumer who is trying to make a choice among the myriad of PSUs available on the retail market today, the most practical approach regarding dual 12V lines and power capacity is to consider only the combined 12V current capacity. (It will certainly be interesting to see how Intel handles this issue in the next version of ATX12V.) [Emphasis in the article.]

From about halfway down the page:

In PSUs that conform strictly to ATX12V v2.xx, it's important to know that even though there are two "independent" 12V lines, they still draw from the same main source. It's highly unlikely that there are two separate 120VAC:12VDC power conversion devices in a PSU; this would be much too costly and inefficient. There is only one 12VDC source, and each of the two lines draw from the same 12VDC source, but through its own "controlled gateway".

PSU makers' specs are misleading in that they rate the current capacity of each 12V rail independently. What really matters is the total 12V current: Generally, up to 20A is available on any one 12V line assuming the total 12V current capacity of the PSU is not exceed.

What the above means is that you don't need to worry about imbalances in power draw on the 12V lines ?as long as no single line is asked to deliver more than 20A. PSU makers seem to mark each line for max current on a purely arbitrary basis, probably more for marketing reasons than any other. A PSU rated for 32A max on the 12V lines can be labelled many different ways:

Anyway, if everyone just read that article before buying a PSU, or even only that page, the world would be a better place.
 
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