Corsair PSU Recommendation??

[ggg]

Hello:

I stumbled onto this site while investigating power supplies for my kids new rig. Wow! Some very high knowledge folks and great in depth reviews here! My kids has all the parts needed for the new machine except GPU and PSU:

Tyan K8E
AMD Opteron 180
2 x 1 GB DDR400
2 x 150GB WD 10K Raptor
DVD-RW
Antec Solo - 1 x 120mm, 2 x 92mm fans

I don't know what GPU will end up but something perhaps a Radeon 1950 Pro/XT or comparable nVidia. Something around $200 range as bleeding edge is not in our budget.

A larger HD (or two) may be added at some point to store their music, etc. (Internal/External??). Probably a sound card upgrade as well but other than that I cannot think of much else.

Based upon information I've gathered thus far the Corsair 520HX seems like it would be a good match. I'm wondering, however, whether I should get the 620HX for a bit more "future proofing" in light of the insane power requirements graphics card makers are citing these days. Since this is essentially a new machine I wouldn't want to have to upgrade the PSU to accommodate a GPU upgrade 2 yrs. down the road, but neither do I want to spend the extra money for the 620 if the 520 will handle anything this system is reasonably likely to see in it's lifetime.

Thank you for any help you may provide.

GGG

[burebista]

With HX520 you're fine even with Kentsfield and 8800GTX and overclock.
Opteron 180 ~11A (http://www.amdcompare.com/us-en/opteron/details.aspx?opn=OSA180CDBOX)
X1950PRO ~5.5A (http://www.xbitlabs.com/images/video/x1950pro-gf7900gs/power_1950pro_7900gs.gif)
Raptor's ~2A (http://www.storagereview.com/articles/200601/WD1500ADFD_power_SATA.png)
MB ~3A
MEM+PCI Cards ~nothing (http://www.silentpcreview.com/article265-page4.html). :)
Optical drive ~1.3A (http://www.silentpcreview.com/article265-page4.html) in full speed

Total 22-23A in full load with all components (virtually impossible). Corsair HX520 has 40A on 12V and it's a single 12V rail PSU, plenty.

[kimandsally]

The 520 is easily good enough, but if you want to start overclocking then that will increase the load by quite a big amount, so if it were me because I overclock everything I would have the 620, no overclock the 520 has plenty or margin for upgrades.

[ggg]

With HX520 you're fine even with Kentsfield and 8800GTX and overclock.
Opteron 180 ~11A (http://www.amdcompare.com/us-en/opteron/details.aspx?opn=OSA180CDBOX)
X1950PRO ~5.5A (http://www.xbitlabs.com/images/video/x1950pro-gf7900gs/power_1950pro_7900gs.gif)
Raptor's ~2A (http://www.storagereview.com/articles/200601/WD1500ADFD_power_SATA.png)
MB ~3A
MEM+PCI Cards ~nothing (http://www.silentpcreview.com/article265-page4.html). :)
Optical drive ~1.3A (http://www.silentpcreview.com/article265-page4.html) in full speed

Total 22-23A in full load with all components (virtually impossible). Corsair HX520 has 40A on 12V and it's a single 12V rail PSU, plenty.

Thank you very much.

I do not recall finding any specific info about the Corsair-520HX but the M12-500 specs 38A, which seems like it should be more than enough. I read on Powercolor's website recommendation of minimum of 30A for their 1950 Pro and XT cards, and 38A for Crossfire configuration. They didn't give any specs for just the GPU, per se, and I assume this is for full system load, not just the GPU. This system will only ever have a single GPU but these requirements got me to wondering what we might expect to see 1-2 years down the road, as if 2 years ago someone would have prognosticated needing >30A to keep the GPU of a mid-range gaming system happy we probably would have thought thery were on crack... Is a mid-range GPU going to be needing 40A, 50A, 60A to be happy??? Or is all this just inflated hyperbole from the GPU makers trying to make it sound like their cards are more powerful?

P.S; I don't think this system will be overclocked. My kid is not into that kind of stuff (yet) and I'm just a "workstation" user. Also, I don't think the 180 is a very good overclocking CPU. It was great back in the day, however, to have overclocked my $90 Celeron 300A and gotten a 450Mhz system that ran stable for years, as PII450's were going for around $500 at the time....:)

[burebista]

Corsair specs (http://www.corsair.com/corsair/HX_power_supply.html) and jonny's review (http://www.jonnyguru.com/review_details.php?id=28).
And about future power requirements for GPU's, who knows? Now an 8800GTX in DX9 in full-load at stock speeds needs ~12A from 12V. In DX10 maybe a couple more Amps.
R600 it is rumored to draw even more, PCI-E standard has changed, probably ATX standard will change too. Bad signs, unfortunately...

[ggg]

Corsair specs (http://www.corsair.com/corsair/HX_power_supply.html) and jonny's review (http://www.jonnyguru.com/review_details.php?id=28).
And about future power requirements for GPU's, who knows? Now an 8800GTX in DX9 in full-load at stock speeds needs ~12A from 12V. In DX10 maybe a couple more Amps.
R600 it is rumored to draw even more, PCI-E standard has changed, probably ATX standard will change too. Bad signs, unfortunately...

Thanks again. I just reread the review and it reminded me that I wanted to ask if other users are seeing the noise issue with the 520 or was it just a sample issue?

[burebista]

...I wanted to ask if other users are seeing the noise issue with the 520 or was it just a sample issue?
Take a look here (http://www.silentpcreview.com/article692-page1.html). ;)
The HX620W and HX520W deliver clean, ultra-stable power under a wide range of demanding conditions. They also happen to be about the quietest fan-cooled PSUs we've tested to date, matching the best of the Seasonic S12s. They are also energy efficient, matching and even besting many of the 80 Plus certified models we've tested.

[GalvanizedYankee]

The only noise issue for the Corsair HX units *might* be a bad fan and Corsair will RMA it in a heart-beat.

[ggg]

Take a look here (http://www.silentpcreview.com/article692-page1.html). ;)

Thanks once again - with all the reading I've done the past couple days I'd forgotten about that review. That about seals it - think I'll grab a 520HX from ZipZoom - $106 with a $10 rebate... ;)

[burebista]

... think I'll grab a 520HX from ZipZoom - $106 with a $10 rebate... ;)
Oh boy, sometimes I hate my country. :(
Here we have only one reseller and it's $152... :mad:

Anyway, some thoughts about purchase will be nice. :)

[ggg]

Oh boy, sometimes I hate my country. :(
Here we have only one reseller and it's $152... :mad:

Anyway, some thoughts about purchase will be nice. :)

Well, if I actually see the rebate it will be nice to have an under $100 solution that seems to be pretty well regarded. As for performance, etc. I don't think I have the background to add much to what's already here...:o