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| Hardware Advice Corner Want to know what RAM would best suit your CPU/Motherboard? What flux capacitor best boosts your warp drive? This is the place to ask. |
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29-March-06, 11:58 PM
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 #1 (permalink)
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| Apex Tech Maniac Supreme  |  The PSU shopper's guide - read this before asking "What should I get..." So you want to buy a new PSU... Last update: 12/11/06 - Minor updates This is part 2 in the ultimate shopping guide. The guidelines are the same - I am making my selections based on the most bang for the buck. The main criteria for qualifying are: 1. Quality 2. Value 3. Active PFC 4. Modular 5. Quiet And again, the top picks provide exceptional value so a PCP&C will probably not be listed unless it's on sale... EDIT: The 750W PCP&C now provides exceptional quality and price so I have actaully created a new category to reflect this. A low quality PSU may offer a short life span, unstable rails, low efficency and will not survive a short. A high quality PSU should be able to handle anything you throw at it within it's specs. A brand name PSU is normally backed-up by a warrenty and offers some peace of mind. mATX - version I mATX has two variants, this is the one inside most of the OEM systems. Dimensions:125x100x76.4mm FSP300-60GLS 300W $40 Newegg.com - Once You Know, You Newegg ENERMAX EG285S-VB (Dimensions:125x101.5x80.3mm) Dual Fan $34.5 http://www.mwave.com/mwave/skusearch...iteria=BA21254 mATX - version II mATX has two variants, this is similar to ATX but isn't as deep. Dimensions:150x100x86mm SPARKLE FSP250-60SPV $30.5 Newegg.com - Once You Know, You Newegg ATX 300W and lower FSP Group Green PS 300W ATX Computer Power Supply FSP300-60GLC, Active PFC, 20+4 Pins, Supports SATA $35 Fortron-Source Green PS 300W ATX Computer Power Supply FSP300-60GLC Active PFC Supports SATA FSP Group PSU 20+4 Pins-Best Computer Online Store Houston Buy Discount Prices Texas-Directron.com 300W-400W Sparkle ATX-350PN 350W SATA&24pin Power Supply $23 eWiz.com Sparkle ATX-350PN 3500W SATA&20+4pin Power Supply FSP Group FSP400-60GLN Dual Rail, Active PFC 120mm fan PCI-Express $47 eWiz.com FSP Group FSP400-60GLN ATX 12V V2.0 400W Power Supply w/12cm Fan 400W-500W CoolerMaster eXtreme Power 430W 120mm fan $35 Cooler Master eXtreme Power RS-430-PCAR 430W ATX 12V V2.01 Antec SmartPower 2.0 SP-500 $67 Antec  SP-500 SmartPower 2.0 500W Power Supply at ZipZoomfly Thermaltake TR2 W0070 ATX 430W $30 After Rebate Newegg.com - Thermaltake TR2 W0070RUC 430W Power Supply - Retail OCZ ModStream ATX 2.01 450W $65 AR Miva Merchant: Fatal Error 500W-600W Cooler Master Extreme Power 600W Power Supply 20+4PIN PCI+SLI Ready $56 After Rebate ClubIT Product - Cooler Master 713001180 eXtreme Power 600W 20+4-Pin Power Supply OCZ ModStream OCZ52012U ATX, BTX, SATA, P4 and EPS12V 520W $80 After Rebate Newegg.com - Once You Know, You Newegg Epower Tagan TG-530U15 530W SLI Ready Modular $92 eWiz.com IS YOUR BEST FRIEND! We do the product pricing for you!# Hiper Type-R 580W Modular Power Supply SLI $115 Hiper Type-R 580W Modular Power Supply - Blue (SLI Certified) SeaSonic S12-600 ATX12V 600W $128 New Version Seasonic S12-600 600Watt Power Supply ENERMAX Noisetaker 600W EG701AX-VE SFMA 2.0 SLI ATX 12V V2.0 $145 Enermax (by Coolergiant) EG701AX-VE (W)SFMA (All In One Series) Noisetaker AX Series 600W ATX Power Supply ATX 2.2 with EPS12V, SATA, PCI-Express Ready Dual Fan Speed Control, NVIDIA SLI Certified Power Supply: EG701AX-VE (W)SFMA (20/24 Pin, Retail!) 600W-700W FSP Group FX700-GLN 700W EPS 12V 24/8/6pin PFC ATX Power Supply $125 eWiz.com FSP Group FX600-GLN 600W EPS 12V PFC V.2.2 ATX Power Supply Thermaltake W0049RUC 680W+PFC Black $116 After Rebate Miva Merchant: Fatal Error Silverstone ST65ZF SST-65ZF Zeus 650W 650 Watt Nvidia Certified SLI $143 Case-Mod.com - Silverstone SLI Certified Power Supply 650W >700W OCZ GameXStream OCZ700GXSSLI 700W Miva Merchant: Fatal Error PC Power & Cooling 750W Silencer Power Supply PC Power & Cooling 750W Silencer Power Supply This PCP&C costs the same as the older 510W but offers an additional 240W and is SLI certified. EU Pricing - Thanks TDR! mATX Fortron/Source Micro-ATX 270W Bulk, 20pin FSP SFX12V FSP270-50SNV 12.5 cm x 13 cm x 6.4 cm Komplett.nl - Fortron/Source voeding Micro-ATX 270W Bulk, 20pin € 48,00 Enermax EG285SX-VB (G) SFM 270 Watt Azerty Hardware € 44,01 Fortron/Source voeding mATX 200W, 2.03V, 10cmx12.5cmx6.4cm, OEM 10 cm x 12.5 cm x 6.4 cm Komplett.nl - Fortron/Source voeding mATX 200W, 2.03V, 10cmx12.5cmx6.4cm, OEM € 40,00 ATX 300W-400W Fortron, FSP-60THNP Blue Storm 350W 2.0V 24/20 PIN 12CM FAN RETAIL Dimension: 150*140*86mm http://www.gsmhut.net/productenv.php?id=42676 € 49,00 Seasonic S12-380 380 Watt 120mm Pcdrome EURO 64,00 400W-500W Zalman Power Supply 460W Active PFC Noiseless Auto-Switch ZM460B-APF Zalman Power Supply 460W Active PFC Noiseless Auto-Switch 115/240V gevonden bij RAX.nl - Kopen zonder lopen € 82,95 Antec PSU SmartPower 2.0 500 Watt Salland Automatisering | Webwinkel | www.SallandAutomatisering.nl € 72,99 Thermaltake Silent Purepower 460W, 120mm Fan, 2xSATA, ATX, PCI-E, 20/24pin Komplett.nl - Thermaltake Silent Purepower 460W, 120mm Fan, 2xSATA, ATX, PCI-E, 20/24pin € 81,00 OCZ Powersupply Modstream 450W 4Launch € 78.50 BeQuiet Dark Power P6-470W MR Computertechnik - 99,90 EUR 500W-600W Be Quiet Dark Power BQT P6-PRO-600W - Pro Edition Caseking.de - The Modding Source - Hier ist NICHTS Standard Be Quiet Dark Power BQT P6-PRO-600W - Pro Edition 139.90 € Sunbeam NUUO Series 550Watt Silver Empc - Voor al uw wensen op computergebied € 93,44 OCZ Powersupply Modstream 520W 4Launch € 99.00 Tagan TG-530-U22 530 Watt "2FORCE Series" Dé PCZAAK €101.88 Hiper Type-R 580W http://www.icomputers.nl//product_de...=423&SS_ID=992 € 106,00 SeaSonic S12-600 600W http://www.icomputers.nl//product_de...423&SS_ID=1286 € 129,00 Enermax PSU Liberty620W 620 Watt ActivePFC, Dual Core / SLI Ready Salland Automatisering | Webwinkel | www.SallandAutomatisering.nl € 146,00 >600W 700 Watt PSU - Aopen AO700-12ALN ATX - 700 Watt PSU - Aopen AO700-12ALN Silent €172 79 Thermaltake PurePower V2.01 680 Watt ActivePFC, Zilver, EPS12V Salland Automatisering | Webwinkel | www.SallandAutomatisering.nl € 117,00 SilverStone ST65ZF 650 Watt PFC Salland Automatisering | Webwinkel | www.SallandAutomatisering.nl € 135,01 Last edited by PurpleDiamond; 11-December-06 at 03:49 PM.. | |
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I received your PM's and get to work on an EU version of this!|
30-March-06, 12:17 PM
| #3 (permalink) | |
| Apex Tech Demi-God  | Great write up not many on PS's out there. I have a question thou, what is really wrong w/ the cheaper ones? I've been using a 400watt $14 PS for 8 months no problems, i did however replace the fan. So what exactly makes these "bad" besides there not name brand? | |
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30-March-06, 02:25 PM
| #4 (permalink) | |
| Apex Elite Expert Tech  |  I can answer that one for you, musclecars&computers...my answer might not be complete, so others might want to add their comments...but I'll give it a shot! Building a quality PSU might not be such an easy task... the PSU has to have stable rails & high efficiency at all voltages and all loads (low-med-high). Stable rails are a MUST for a stable computer... "high efficiency" saves energy (money!) & equally important generates....a LOT less heat... also contributing to stability plus the benefit in the "cooling department"... Important is a well thought of design... allowing the highest "combined power rating" as to the "advertized" total power rating.... and now I'm not even taking ATX & BTX 'specs, "modular cabling" & others into consideration.. A quality PSU is made of "quality" components.... and here I mean ALL components... high quality pcb, resistors, capacitators, ic's, cabling, shielding, large & efficient heatsinks, quality low noise but good performing fans, fan controlling circuitry, protective circuitry, PFC,... you name it... saving costs on these parts isn't a good idea... you lose quality... inevitably.... & thus either/and/or stability, efficiency, rated power and even long livety..... These components do cost a bit more...but they are wort it... But.... the brand NAME always plays a big role as well...they are the ones who can as the 'max price forv their quality stuff... Of course, like always, there might be some Chinese (or otherwise) company offering a Rock Solid part at a very low price....even made of of decent parts.. that's just "economics".... people don't know the brand, they often don't know if it is any good, they just buy it because it comes with the 'case or if the 'add looks good..... I you get lucky you can buy a real quality PSU this way... but rest assured... once it is tested as "good" on the 'Net or in magazines, the price usually "soares up"... Hope this answers your questions... (or part of them)... TDR | |
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12-April-06, 11:19 PM
| #8 (permalink) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Apex Advanced Techie | Nice writeup....OCZ Powersupply Modstream 450W FTW!! I love this thing...SILENT!!
I would hardly call Ultra powersuplies high end... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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14-April-06, 09:59 PM
| #9 (permalink) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Apex Tech Fanatic | Good List.
People don't buy a Ferrari because it's cheap, why would it be any different for PSUs? Spend over a grand for two top cards in SLI and spend $220 for the highest quality PSU, it doesn't sound so strange when I write it that way. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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14-April-06, 11:41 PM
| #10 (permalink) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Apex Elite Tech  |
The problem IMO is that there's virtually no standardisation and regulation of sellers for PSUs. *We* know that an Ultra is not as good as a Sparkle or an Enermax, but there's no legal restriction to ensure EVERYONE knows it, and who knows wether a (Brand X) is good? As long as both boxes say 500 watts on them, a lot of people will buy the $19 one over the $120 one, and that will keep the crap-peddlers in business. If we had a watch-dog go after PSU makers.... buy blind samples, and every time they get one that doesn't meet the ratings on the label, start dishing out fraud suits... then we'd see some improvement and fast. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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15-April-06, 11:45 AM
| #12 (permalink) | |
| Apex Elite Expert Tech | I guess the Antec NEO series could very well be in the list....I based the list I made on PurpleDiamonds list trying to find his choices here in the EU... turns out that some are easy to get in the EU and others aren't.... As Antec concerns... I've see lot's of Smartpower units in local webshops... as opposed to the NEO ones... Ah well.. they are quality units, indeed! TDR | |
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