Inexpensive (not cheap) PSU for my setup?

[GilmourD]

OK, I'm looking to upgrade again, soon. Currently, I'm rocking a CoolerMaster RS-450-ACLY that's just not cutting it. If the machine's been on and warmed up and I shut it down, I can't turn it back on without waiting several minutes for it to cool down.

Anyway... I'm going to be running the following:

Processor: Athlon64 Venice 3000+ LBBLE 0520GPCW @ 2250 (9x250 4xHT) @ 1.497vcore (so far) (also eventually upgrading to an X2)
HSF: Thermalright XP-90 Retail (with included Thermalright 92mm fan)
Motherboard: DFI nF4 SLI Infinity
RAM: 2x1GB G.Skill F1-4000USU2-2GBHZ @ 200MHz (which I believe is held back by the PSU)
Video: eVGA GeForce 7900GS (one at first, but eventually a second for SLI)
Hard Drives: Western Digital WD1200JB and WD1600JS
Optical: BenQ DW1655 DVD/CD-R/RW
Digital Audio Recording: m-audio Delta44
Fans: 4 80mm fans (2 w/blue LEDs)

I'd like to keep it below $100 if possible. I'm thinking a Sparkle FSP in the 400-500 watt range, but figured I'd ask for my options, since reading everywher else has left me sorta :confused: . LOL

[burebista]

Silverstone Element Plus 500 (http://deadeyedata.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=7_33&products_id=93).

[GilmourD]

Silverstone Element Plus 500 (http://deadeyedata.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=7_33&products_id=93).

If only the checkout didn't bring up errors, as I had mentioned in the other thread.

Is this the only option for me? I know it's a good one, but if there's anything I learned from my crazy mom it's to shop around and get all your options before committing. :D

[jonnyGURU]

I emailed Dead Eye Data about the error.

As for "options," I'll typically go to froogle.com and type in what I'm looking for, sort from lowest to highest price and then go with the vendor I know has a good reputation.

[clsA]

Here's another option the Enhance 500w
http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?name=PS-E5150GH

and the XCLIO GOODPOWER 500W is another good choice
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817189005

[GilmourD]

I'm pretty set on the ST50EF-Plus, but what I was wondering... How well do you think this would handle two 8600GTs in SLI? Of course, this is theoretical, since the 8600GT hasn't actually come out, yet... But... Whatcha think? :)

[madmat]

I dunno if there will be an 8600. The EVGA rep mentioned the 8500 and the 8300 Saturday at the nVidia event.

[GilmourD]

I dunno if there will be an 8600. The EVGA rep mentioned the 8500 and the 8300 Saturday at the nVidia event.

Well, I guess, then, that the 8500 would be the mainstream 8 series card, like the 7600 is the mainstream 7 series card. But would a 500 watter with 36A on the 12V rails be enough for two of them, theoretically?

[madmat]

Dunno, I had no details as to what they are other than names and that could've been smoke up my butt for all I know.

[GilmourD]

Dunno, I had no details as to what they are other than names and that could've been smoke up my butt for all I know.

I guess what I really want to know is if I'd be dumb for dropping extra money on the ST60F instead of the ST50EF. It's 42A on the 12V as opposed to 36A on the ST50EF, but I don't know how the efficiency's compare. But if the ST50EF would be good enough... I'd go for that as it's better for my overall budget. LOL

[CAD4466HK]

I guess what I really want to know is if I'd be dumb for dropping extra money on the ST60F instead of the ST50EF. It's 42A on the 12V as opposed to 36A on the ST50EF, but I don't know how the efficiency's compare. But if the ST50EF would be good enough... I'd go for that as it's better for my overall budget. LOL

Unless your going to be running 10+ of those PSU's,
I woulden't worry about the efficiency too much;)
And don't belittle yourself for wanting to get a higher model,:D
It all comes down to money and your preference

[GilmourD]

Unless your going to be running 10+ of those PSU's,
I woulden't worry about the efficiency too much;)
And don't belittle yourself for wanting to get a higher model,:D
It all comes down to money and your preference

Well, no, I'm not going to be running 10 systems... Although... I do have three PCs running 24/7 in my house... Hmmm... LOL

Anyhow, it's more along the lines of necessity that will stretch my budget. If it's plausible that a pair of the 8 series mainstream cards will be too much for 36A of 12V, then I'd want to go to the next step. But the 500 will definitely handle a pair of 7900GSs... So, I guess I shouldn't be too worried.

[madmat]

Thing is there's no telling if the mainstream 8 series cards will even have PCI-e power cons or not. The 7600's certainly don't and I'm confident you could get away powering two of them in SLI off the ST40EF as long as your system wasn't absofrickenlutely ludicris with 12V power draw. I'd say a simple dualcore with a single hdd and maybe 2 optical drives and a few fans would run fine with an ST40EF and SLI'd 7600's. 7900GS's on the other hand, no.

[GilmourD]

Thing is there's no telling if the mainstream 8 series cards will even have PCI-e power cons or not. The 7600's certainly don't and I'm confident you could get away powering two of them in SLI off the ST40EF as long as your system wasn't absofrickenlutely ludicris with 12V power draw. I'd say a simple dualcore with a single hdd and maybe 2 optical drives and a few fans would run fine with an ST40EF and SLI'd 7600's. 7900GS's on the other hand, no.

So, 7900GSs would need the ST50EF?

One thing I discovered last night (on here) that cemented the ST50EF even more in my mind... If I happen to go with dual 8 series cards in the future, there's the FSP BoosterX 3 and the Thermaltake Purepower Power Express 250W that I could power one card from.

Does anybody happen to have a comprehensive chart of the actual power draws for GeForce cards (or maybe all components) so I could do my own math? :)

[burebista]

Does anybody happen to have a comprehensive chart of the actual power draws for GeForce cards (or maybe all components) so I could do my own math? :)
Here (http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/video/display/power-noise.html) you go.
Or ATI Radeon X1950 Pro against Nvidia GeForce 7900 GS (http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/video/display/x1950pro-gf7900gs.html).
...7900GS's on the other hand, no.
Why? 4A (http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/video/display/x1950pro-gf7900gs_6.html)/card is so much for an 18A +12V rail?
My rig (X2 3800+, BFG 7900GS OC, 1GB Corsair, HDD, ODD, M-12 500) at stock speeds in full-load draw ~135W from the wall so I need ~110W for components. Another 4A will be ~160W so even an S-12 330 should be plenty. :)

[madmat]

Not really but I know the 8800GTX is pulling less than the 225W it was first claimed to pull. I think the mainstream 8's would would be about half what the 8800GTX's are pulling if not even less.

No, the ST40EF won't SLI with the 7900GS due in part to not having 2 PCI-e connectors and in part due to the 12V1 rail not having enough ass to do the job. It's only 18A max and that's shared between drives, peripheral devices (Fans, controllers, disco lights, Etc.) and the PCI-e. That's just too much stuff to expect 18A to support if you add in a 2nd card on adaptors.

[madmat]

Here (http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/video/display/power-noise.html) you go.
Or ATI Radeon X1950 Pro against Nvidia GeForce 7900 GS (http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/video/display/x1950pro-gf7900gs.html).

Why? 4A (http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/video/display/x1950pro-gf7900gs_6.html)/card is so much for an 18A +12V rail?

4A per card or 8A, 2A surge per HDD and 2A per optical drive if burners, God only knows how much per fan and other stuff. Now do you see why I said no?

note: That's 18A maxed, in reality that rail is whatever isn't used out of 30A total up to 18A. The rails are rated at 16A/18A with 12V2 being 16A. The CPU runs on there and everything else is on 12V1. If the CPU pulls over 12A then the other rail will decrease in output by the amount the 2nd rail went over 12A.

[burebista]

Now do you see why I said no?
Nope. :o

[madmat]

Do the math. 8A + let's say 4A for 2 hdd's and 4 for 2 burners. That's another 8A. So far 16A max load on the rail. Are you with me so far? Good, I hoped so. Add another 24W for fans plus 12W for a single CCFL. Now you're at 19A max for that rail. In the event the CPU hits above 12A draw (not yet but quad cores...all bets are off) that rail will begin to drop in max output. Say the CPU hits it's limit of 16A the peripheral rail is now wallowing at 14A. Now do you see? You have a theoretical max of 19A and a rail that will possibly drop a full 48W in operation. These are not good things to combine.

[burebista]

Now let's do my math. :)
8A for GPU's, 2A (http://www.silentpcreview.com/article657-page3.html) for 2 HDD's, same for 2 ODD's, max.0.24A/120mm 12V fan =~13A, but keep in mind that never ever you'll have both GPU's and CPU and HDD's and ODD's at full-load simultaneously so the real load is way lower than my math. ;)
And a Conroe with 65W TDP means ~7A from 12V (if we assume 80% Vcore circuitry efficiency) so I'd say that this PSU is fine with 2x7900GS SLI.

[GilmourD]

Here (http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/video/display/power-noise.html) you go.
Or ATI Radeon X1950 Pro against Nvidia GeForce 7900 GS (http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/video/display/x1950pro-gf7900gs.html).

Why? 4A (http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/video/display/x1950pro-gf7900gs_6.html)/card is so much for an 18A +12V rail?
My rig (X2 3800+, BFG 7900GS OC, 1GB Corsair, HDD, ODD, M-12 500) at stock speeds in full-load draw ~135W from the wall so I need ~110W for components. Another 4A will be ~160W so even an S-12 330 should be plenty. :)

I also found this:

http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/archives/000662.html

It's one chart with most cards in one place. :) I hope they keep something like this updated. It would be nice if gpureview.com added power consumption to their video card comparisons.

[clsA]

I also found this:

http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/archives/000662.html

It's one chart with most cards in one place. :) I hope they keep something like this updated. It would be nice if gpureview.com added power consumption to their video card comparisons.

that was a fun read ..thanks for sharing that

[GilmourD]

that was a fun read ..thanks for sharing that

No prob. :) I wish I had the resources to keep such a list up to date... That would be a lot of video cards to play with and would REALLY help people pick their power supplies. No more guessing when you have actual current draw figures. :)

[madmat]

Well, your math might be correct for hdds under load but on spin up they can draw up to 3A total and 2A on the 12V rail. This is why guys with a ton of hdds in big raid machines stagger their hdd spins.