PSU: Power Supply Guide for Today's & Tomorrow's Computers

[Computer101]

so no tru430? not enough...

[downsideup16]

Hey david I have been doing alot of shopping around for the ocz powersupplies and here's the different places that have them for the cheapest. The prices are 420w $90.00 & $1.00 shipping, 470w $109.00 & $7.70 shipping, 520w $134.00 & $1.00 shipping, and the new 600w you can preorder at monarchcomputer.com for $190.00 & $7.50 shipping. now the links for each one.
http://www.pcmicrostore.com//PartDet...x?q=p:10501691
http://www.monarchcomputer.com/Merch...ct_Code=100116
http://www.pcmicrostore.com/PartDeta...l:1;p:10501693
https://www.monarchcomputer.com/Merc...ct_Code=100118

oh and by the way the rails for the new 600w are 3.3v/28A 5v/46A 12v1/20A 12v2/18A and the eta for delivery is 11/4. i don't know if you want to switch these prices with the ones in your guide but i thought after all the looking around i did for the cheapest prices i thought i might as well post them

[twiggy]

Originally Posted by Computer101

so no tru430? not enough...

Yeah it'd be fine. I use a 420w PSU and I have alot of stuff hooked to it.

[davidhammock200]

Originally Posted by Computer101

so no tru430? not enough...

All Antec's are of very high quality, in fact I have that (430W) powering this (A64) system.

The PS came with this GREAT case, on sale at new egg of $99 shipped .

The 430W is just too expensive for having only 20A on it's 12V rail.

That (price) is the only reason the 430W is not spefically listed.

From downsideup16:

Hey david I have been doing alot of shopping around for the ocz powersupplies and here's the different places that have them for the cheapest. The prices are 420w $90.00 & $1.00 shipping, 470w $109.00 & $7.70 shipping, 520w $134.00 & $1.00 shipping, and the new 600w you can preorder at monarchcomputer.com for $190.00 & $7.50 shipping. now the links for each one.
http://www.pcmicrostore.com//PartDe...px?q=p:10501691
http://www.monarchcomputer.com/Merc...uct_Code=100116
http://www.pcmicrostore.com/PartDet...pl:1;p:10501693
https://www.monarchcomputer.com/Mer...uct_Code=100118

oh and by the way the rails for the new 600w are 3.3v/28A 5v/46A 12v1/20A 12v2/18A and the eta for delivery is 11/4. i don't know if you want to switch these prices with the ones in your guide but i thought after all the looking around i did for the cheapest prices i thought i might as well post them

This is GREAT! I thank you for all the members & visitors who will save money as a result of your efforts.

Thanks again,
Dave

[Xtremist]

How about this I dont know if it is "Premium" maybe but Bjorn3d likes it...
http://images10.newegg.com/productim...159-033-01.JPG

+3.3V@30A
+5V@50A
+12V@35A

$79.99 http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...159-033&depa=0 I dont know if its good but the rails have alot of amps!

Bjorn3d

If flawless operation is any indicator of performance and quality, I have to say that I am very satisfied with this power supply. Not only has the overall system temperature dropped a couple degrees due to the large amount of air moved by the 140mm fan, but I have noticed that the noise level is better than acceptable even on the "high" speed setting. My computer has far more potential computing headroom now that I have a power supply that can handle almost anything I can throw at it, whether it be an array of SATA drives or the latest graphics card and CPU.

Further, the CR-500B performs well even under high-stress. Although it can be foreseen that the power supply will take an output hit under such situations, all fluctuations were minimal and thus well within the acceptable ~5% range. This unit performs admirably.

And it has a 140mm fan weeeee

[davidhammock200]

Here are some very interesting PDF's from PC Power & Cooling.

PC Power & Cooling: http://www.pcpowercooling.com/home.htm

[Victim]

Originally Posted by mnemonik23

Also, how those 2 rails work? Should I put my pump and fans and lights on 18A and the rest on 20A? Something like that?

I'd also like to see this answered. I'm looking at this Enermax: http://www.coolergiant.com/products/...es/EG475P.html

I'm interested to know whether it'd be best to go with something with a single large +12V rail (ie. Antec True550) or if two smaller +12V rails will function as well or better?
Are two seperate +12V rails equalling 31A comparable to a single +12V rail that also provides 31A?

NB: Is the PSU I've linked here worth my dollars? I only see 1 Enermax PS listed...and it's in the "Bang for Buck" section.

[davidhammock200]

Originally Posted by Victim

I'd also like to see this answered. I'm looking at this Enermax: http://www.coolergiant.com/products/...es/EG475P.html

I'm interested to know whether it'd be best to go with something with a single large +12V rail (ie. Antec True550) or if two smaller +12V rails will function as well or better?
Are two seperate +12V rails equalling 31A comparable to a single +12V rail that also provides 31A?

NB: Is the PSU I've linked here worth my dollars? I only see 1 Enermax PS listed...and it's in the "Bang for Buck" section.

Enermax has been making quality PS's for years, however not all of them are priced so as to be "great bargins" compaired to their competition. "BEST BANG for the BUCK" is pretty much "USD Price vs +12V Amperage" for known quality name brand PS's. New Egg, Monarch, ZipZoomFly, TigerDirect, Direction & the other larger PS retailers really control what PS's get on the "BANG" list.

As to the question of dual or more rails, I will post very soon. You are very right in suggesting that we address this in the PS guide.

Thank you for your most valuable input,
Dave

[Xeophonix]

Apologies in advance if this has been discussed, but I have to rush out asap.

Currently have a Thermaltake 480w Butterfly, think it's fairly loud and the 12v is a bit shabby, So looking to get the OCZ PowerStream 470w, however, I have seen a 420w for £20 less, would that be ok for an A64 system, or would the extra £20 be worth it?

Thanks.

[davidhammock200]

Cheap, but Good Power Supplies!
(Updating 2-22-09)

Modular Power Supplies
(Updated 3-15-09)

Name Brand Recommendations:
(Updated 2-21-09)

Single Rail Recommendations:
(Updated 2-21-09)

Multi-Rail PSU Recommendations:
(Updating 2-22-09)

PSU’s: The Best of the Best of the Best! http://forums.extremeoverclocking.co...&postcount=770
(Updated March 7, 2007)

What Dave Would Buy: http://forums.extremeoverclocking.co...&postcount=431
(Updated March 9, 2007)

Why Recommend Only Single Rail PSU's?

This is a work in progress & it will never be finished (10-25-04).

The only precise way to choose a PS is to add up the maximum current (amperage)
draw for each individual rail and then provide at least an additional 30% for overhead.
All PS calculators use averages, they are not precise.
A 1000Watt PS is useless if that wattage is delivered on the wrong rail(s)!

Voltages & Amperage: Only the +3.3V, +5V, +5Vsb, -12V & +12V are used by modern computers. Spec is usually +/- 5%. When the original ATX spec was written the +3.3V & +5V were far more stressed by heavy usage demands than they are in today’s computers. Almost any high quality ATX/EPS spec PS of 300Watts or more can supply far more +3.3V & +5V amperage than today’s computers require. Today’s computers, stress the +12V rail the most, requiring far more amperage than was originally called for in the original ATX/EPS specs for the +12V rail. Video cards are the biggest +12V resource hogs!

Wattage: Voltage times Amperage equals Wattage. Wattage is the ability to do work; it can be converted into Horse Power. A PS’s wattage rating is the total combined wattage output of all the rails combined. Older ATX designs created most of their wattage in the +3.3 & +5V rails, creating very little on the +12V rail. Newer ATX/EPS designs are creating ever more wattage on the +12V rail(s), to meet the needs of today’s & tomorrow’s computers.

To see why total wattage should never be used to select a power supply, but that the properly allocated wattage is very important in selecting the proper PS, please click on the following link to the ONLY "Power Supply Calculator" that I can & DO RECOMMEND, provided by & constantly updated by "mnemonik23": http://www.extreme.outervision.com/

PC P&C Power Supply Selector: http://www.pcpowercooling.com/produc...lies/selector/

Hold Up Time: Measured in milliseconds (ms) is how long the PS will continue to supply in spec voltage & amperage, once the AC input voltage is removed. The longer the hold up time, generally the higher the quality of the PS. Hold up time gives the time necessary for an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) to switch to batteries and allow uninterrupted operation of the computer.

Efficiency and Temperature: There are no electronic devices that are 100% efficient & PS’s are no exception. Typically PS’s operate between 70% and 90% efficiency. The more efficient the PS, the less power that is lost as heat and the lower the cooling requirements. Newer PSU's meeting the 80 PLUS specs have efficiency ratings from 80% to as high as 90%. The "80 PLUS" certification requires 80% or higher efficiency at 20%, 50% & 100% load.

Reading and Adjusting Voltages: BIOS and software such as Motherboard Monitor 5 (MM5) can not be fully trusted to give accurate voltage readings and since many of today's better PS's allow the user to easily adjust their voltages, it is very important that a voltmeter/multimeter be used to measure these voltages correctly.
How Measure PS Voltages (Rails): http://forums.extremeoverclocking.co...d.php?t=137886
Recommended Digital Multimeter (DMM): http://forums.extremeoverclocking.co...&postcount=491

PFC: Power Factor Correction: This has always been important for large scale commercial applications,
now it is something that the home & small office user should also consider.
Required by law in the EU, it is becoming a "big deal" for the home & small office users in North America.
Active PFC will cause the "apparent" electrical load measured in V/A to approximately equal the "true" electrical load, measured in watts.
ActivePFC requires a "True Sine Wave" VAC input to operate properly and will overheat, possibly causing serious problems if operated on a "stepped" wave or "modified sine wave" for an extended periods of time.
Lower cost UPS battery backs usually produce a "stepped" wave or "modified sine wave" when running on battery power and should not be used for extended periods of time.
High-end UPS, such as the APC Smart BackUps series produce a "True Sine Wave" and should be used exclusively for longer periods of battery run time.

new egg: I started using new egg as the primary reference source for several reasons including their popularity, broad selection, low prices & format. There is also the fact that I’m basically lazy & using new egg made this much easier! I am now trying to link the factory specs & use Google/Froogle for lowest pricing.

Other PS’s: I am not perfect or all knowledgeable, it is highly probable that I have made errors of omission, please forgive me as I have done more or less the best that I could given the restraints of the real world. I am sure that there are other PS’s that deserve to be recommended and with any major price changes my recommendations might have been different.

I update this guide as often as possible, already (11-4-04) as a result of suggestions by knowledgeable EOCF members 4 additional PS's have been added to the recommended list. Please add your experiences, comments & recommendations to this thread. They will be appericated.

APC UPS: American Power Conversion (APC) http://www.apcc.com makers of IMO the world’s finest Uninterpretable Power Supplies (UPS), check them out, I promise that you will be glad you did.

APC Recommendations:



Use 2 or more PS’s: It is often better & cheaper to use more than one PS to power your computer. Fortron (FSP), Thermaltake and others offer "GPU Booster" PSU's. These are mounted in the front 5.25" bay(s) and provide an extra 250W to 650W of +12V for the GPU's.

Also, there are two methods of using 2X ATX/EPS PSU's together in one system. The first is simple & safe, the second requires the skills of an electronics technician and if performed improperly could damage your system, and so we will concentrate on the safe & simple method.

Use a second PS to power your lights & fans and maybe your HDD’s, FDD’s & OD’s. Allowing your main PS to concentrate on your MoBo, CPU & Video Card(s). As your lights, fans & various drives are electrically isolated from your MoBo, this is safe & simple, allowing you to use as many PS’s as required, to power all of the eye candy imaginable. Turn your Fans & Drives "ON" first & turn them "OFF" last.

To be recommended to power a modern system the power supply must meet the following criteria:

(1) It must meet all usual ATX/EPS, AMD, Intel & UL standards for USA operation,

(2) It must have been manufactured by a well known reputable company, known to offer products of high quality, their products having been used, tested, reviewed & recommended by many experienced & knowledgeable users, and

(3) It must supply the required +12V amperage rail(s), to power its intended class of system.

[djmixmasterb]

what do you guys think about the Aspire 500 watt ps with the clear case and uv cables. I bought this power supply for 49.00 and its been excellent so far. No probs and has plenty of power to run 4 cathodes, 9 fans, and a whole bunch of other stuff. Plus it looks cool as hell. Not to sure about Oc'ing.. Ive only tested it a little but my ram is holding me back. **** PNY pc2700

[Evolution VII]

Would you say this power supply is good cos I'm think about it.

[davidhammock200]

Originally Posted by Evolution VII

Would you say this power supply is good cos I'm think about it.

Well, it is kind of hard to think about as even Qtec doesn't list the output sepic's on their website. Oversight or hidding something?

[Evolution VII]

Yeah I know but I would have thought you know cos your good at psu

[Orion]

Originally Posted by davidhammock200

Well, it is kind of hard to think about as even Qtec doesn't list the output sepic's on their website. Oversight or hidding something?

Look at the warranty page...they give all kinds of details but carefully avoid telling how long the warranty is.

[Evolution VII]

I had a quick look at the box today and it says +12V-30A and +5V-20A. Is that good?

[davidhammock200]

Originally Posted by Evolution VII

I had a quick look at the box today and it says +12V-30A and +5V-20A. Is that good?

If the ratings are realistic, then you shouldn't have any problems, +12V@30A is great!

[vcas5]

try to avoid qtec they are not q-technology qtec use peak power ratings not max power ratings i have a 450w qtec and it aint all that and they r noisy they are not to stable they over volt under volt you name they do it lol.......davidhammock have you seen the akasa paxpower 460w??is has a good review in custom pc a uk mag im trying to find more about it.it has dual 12vrails @14a and 15a 5v@30a and 3.3v@30a it has 120mm fan and blue led or no led looks quite good to me i need some help in deciding an upgrate it also supports btx mobo's thanks

[davidhammock200]

davidhammock have you seen the akasa paxpower 460w??is has a good review in custom pc a uk mag im trying to find more about it.it has dual 12vrails @14a and 15a 5v@30a and 3.3v@30a it has 120mm fan and blue led or no led looks quite good to me i need some help in deciding an upgrate it also supports btx mobo's thanks

I have never heard of it. Can you post some links?

[vcas5]

http://www.akasa.co.uk/spec/power_su..._p460fg_bk.htm




no led.. and the other is there

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/Akasa_PSU.html



the review i read was in custompc and it says it output the full 460w but it did undervolt on the 5v rail a little

i was also considering the http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Produ...oductID=129219

or this
http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Produ...oductID=148297

or this
http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Produ...oductID=148298