Power Supply

[Nikolay]

What do I need to know before I buy a new power supply? It's definitely time to upgrade from my 250W PSU especially now because I'm going to be installing a 1 TB HDD. I know how to install one, I just want to be completely sure I have everything I need to buy the correct one.

What do you think about this one? Also has 20% off til 12/20.
Newegg.com - Rosewill Green Series RG530-S12 530W Continuous @40°C, 80 PLUS Certified, Single 12V Rail, Active PFC "Compatible with Core i7,i5" Power Supply - Power Supplies

 

[Dwarf]

Hi Nikolay,

Looks OK. However, you would benefit from a higher rating to give you longer life and expansion capabilities. What is the absolute maximum that you are willing to spend on it?

 

[Nikolay]

Around $70 would be my max.

 

[Dwarf]

OK. Here are some alternatives, all under $75.

Newegg.com - COOLMAX CL-700B 700W ATX 12V V2.3 Power Supply - Power Supplies
Newegg.com - RAIDMAX AURORA 2 RX-700F 700W ATX12V V2.2 / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready Power Supply - Power Supplies
Newegg.com - RAIDMAX QUANTUM RX-700 700W ATX12V V2.2 / EPS12V SLI Certified CrossFire Ready Active PFC SLI Power Supply - Power Supplies
Newegg.com - Rosewill Green Series RG630-2 630W Continuous @40°C,80 PLUS Certified,ATX12V v2.3,SLI Ready,CrossFire Ready,Active PFC"Compatible with Core i7, i5" Power Supply - Power Supplies

There are many more available. Here are the 2 highest rated in that price range.

Newegg.com - COOLMAX RM-750B 750W ATX12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready Active PFC Power Supply - Power Supplies
Newegg.com - Diablotek PHD Series PHD750 750W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply - Power Supplies

You are strongly advised to read the reviews before making a decision. Out of the ones that I've selected, my choice would be this one.

Newegg.com - RAIDMAX QUANTUM RX-700 700W ATX12V V2.2 / EPS12V SLI Certified CrossFire Ready Active PFC SLI Power Supply - Power Supplies

 

[Nikolay]

Newegg.com - RAIDMAX QUANTUM RX-700 700W ATX12V V2.2 / EPS12V SLI Certified CrossFire Ready Active PFC SLI Power Supply - Power Supplies

That's the one I was really considering. I think I'll go with that one since we both see eye to eye on that PSU.

Also, peripheral = molex?

 

[Orpheous]

There is usually a direct correlation between the weight of a power supply and the quality of it's internal components. Better quality PSU's tend to have heavier guage wiring, bigger capacitors and larger heatsinks inside them which all add up to an increased weight. For this reason, I like to pick up a selection of similarly rated PSU's before I buy. I also look at the rated current (amperage or "max output") for each voltage rail (ie. 3.3V, 5V & 12V), especially the 12V rail as many of the lower priced PSU's are lacking in that section.

If you're not sure about what wattage you'll need, there's an excellent article here:
Choosing The Right Power Supply that goes into detail on how to choose.

 

[Orpheous]

That RAIDMAX Quantum has some decent specs:
Output +3.3V@36A,+5V@30A,+12V1@18A+12V2@18A,+12V3@18A,+ 12V4@18A,[email protected],[email protected]
Looks good

 

[Dwarf]

Newegg.com - RAIDMAX QUANTUM RX-700 700W ATX12V V2.2 / EPS12V SLI Certified CrossFire Ready Active PFC SLI Power Supply - Power Supplies

That's the one I was really considering. I think I'll go with that one since we both see eye to eye on that PSU.

Also, peripheral = molex?

Correct.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Do you know how much power your PC consumes?


Start here:

Your graphics card uses 175 watts at full load.

ATI HD 4670 512MB GDDR3 Video Card Review - Page 16

You might want to read this:

Power Supply Fundamentals | silentpcreview.com

And maybe take a look here:

http://www.extreme.outervision.com/PSUEngine

The PC in my system specs uses 165 watts at full load by actual measurement.

Most of the brand names you see are in fact made by someone else. So vendor X may request manufacturer Y to make a power supply with certain specifications. The vendor X controls the individual components and the manufacturer makes the supplies using those components. The same manufacturer may make other power supplies of higher or lower quality, depending on the specifications provided by the vendor. Some manufacturers (Seasonic and Fortron/FSP/Sparkle) also market their own PSUs under their own name.

 

[bobkn]

Your graphics card uses 175 watts at full load.

ATI HD 4670 512MB GDDR3 Video Card Review - Page 16

I believe that 175W figure is for the system used in the test.

The 4670 gets all its power through the PCI-E X16 slot, so it should never draw more than 75W.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

bob:

Yeah, you are right; this link

Actual Power Consumption And Current Requirements - Review Tom's Hardware : How Much Power Does Your Graphics Card Need?

says about 57 watts for the card alone at load.

So that drops the required PS for this poster even lower.

 

[Dwarf]

You also need to be aware that the rating of many PSUs is the absolute maximum that they can deliver and that is only for short bursts. The continuous operational power rating is more important, and you should ensure that the load of your system does not exceed this value. A rule of thumb which I use is to add up power requirements of each component in your system, add 10% to that and then add 10% to the total. Look for a PSU that can supply at least that amount of power.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Here is a list of energy efficient PSUs between 400 and 500 watts and under $75.

Newegg.com - Computer Hardware,Computer Cases,Power Supplies,$50 - $75,80 PLUS Certified,401 - 500W

That's plenty for your system. Your video card maxes out at 57 watts (under 5 amps). The CPU is rated at 65 watts. Everything else will be considerably less.

The 1 TB drive you are getting may use no more watts than your existing drive, but minimal in any case.

Stick with a major brand:

Corsair, FSP, Seasonic. maybe OCZ.

Off that list, I would go with the $64.99 Corsair. If you get the rebate, it's $10 less than that.

Don't agonize over the additional details. Just make sure it will fit into your case and has the appropriate number of connectors.

You have a low to midrange system, so any PSU should have enough connectors. You may want to consider a modular PSU to minimize clutter---you can disconnect the unused cables.

 

[Nikolay]

Well, what do you think about this one?

Newegg.com - RAIDMAX QUANTUM RX-700 700W ATX12V V2.2 / EPS12V SLI Certified CrossFire Ready Active PFC SLI Power Supply - Power Supplies

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Why did you choose that? Random choice?

You don't need anywhere near 700 watts and Raidmax PSUs are undoubtedly made by someone else--an unknown pedigree. Why deal with unknowns?

It's probably no accident it is marked down from $130.

 

[Nikolay]

I chose the raidmax because it had 700W and it seemed pretty decent for the price.

I'm really considering this one you recommended because of all the good reviews about it Newegg.com - CORSAIR CMPSU-450VX 450W ATX12V V2.2 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply - Power Supplies

Where would "1 x 12V(4+4Pin)" go into?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

That 4 pin probably connects to the motherboard near the CPU to provide extra power.

PSU manufacturers think buyers will figure that more watts is necessarily better. Stereo manufacturers do the same thing. What's the first thing you see mentioned in advertising for either--a number. Trouble is, the wattage numbers are frequently exaggerated and not measured according to known standards.

You can be sure Newegg is still making money off that 700 watt Raidmax at 60 bucks.

It's unlikely your PC will ever break 250 or 300 watts as presently configured. So, 400 to 500 gives you plenty of headroom and puts you in the middle of the efficiency curve.

All you can do beyond that is buy a good brand from a reliable dealer and hope it doesn't break--that can happen regardless of your choice.

 

[Nikolay]

That 4 pin probably connects to the motherboard near the CPU to provide extra power.

I couldn't find any 4 pin connectors on my motherboard when I installed my CPU. Is there like an adapter where I could plug in the 4 pin head and plug the other end into a 3 pin connector?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

You have an old motherboard and relatively low powered machine.

If it doesn't have that connector on the mobo, that means you don't have to use that cable from the power supply.

The connector I am talking about looks like this.



So, don't worry about an adapter. Some cables on the PSU you will need and some you won't.

 

[Nikolay]

Oh, I was thinking of something different. I think I have those available.