Which PSU for $200?

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10-01-2006, 07:07 PM
Istasi

Which PSU for $200?

Hello everyone,

With all this talk of how much power DX10 is going to draw, I figure it's time to get in the market for a new PSU. I'm looking for a few key things with this PSU:

-Performance/Power (able to handle DX10)
-Quiet
-Cable Management (modular would be great, but otherwise easily managable wires are good too)
-Around $200 or below

Here are a few choices that look good to me...

PCP&C Silencer 750W - $199.00
http://www.performance-pcs.com/catal...d174571d339a11

Silverstone Strider ST75F 750W (Modular Version) - $199.95
http://www.performance-pcs.com/catal...7ec71e3e3e16a7

Corsair 620HX - $169.95
http://www.performance-pcs.com/catal...ducts_id=20607

Seasonic M12 700W - $209.99
http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16817151031

XClio Greatpower 750W - $189.99
http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16817189011

AeroCool ZeroDBA 620W - $113.99
http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16817331002

If you see an option that's not on the list that you think should be up there, suggest it!

Right now the Corsair is looking like the most attractive option, opinions?
10-01-2006, 07:29 PM
perkam

This one: http://www.directron.com/sstst75zf.html

Perkam
10-01-2006, 08:18 PM
Haltech

I second what Pek stated.. Silverstone make nice PSUs... Ive been using them for a couple of years now. Im just not a fan of modular psu's.
10-02-2006, 06:01 AM
Istasi

While that looks like it meets my performance/power requirement, I'm sick and tired of having unsleeved cables (especially in a case like the P180 where they're nigh-impossible to manage.)
10-02-2006, 06:10 AM
Zardokk

PC P&C Silencer 750 FTW! One huge 12v rail pwns 4 small 12v rails.
10-02-2006, 08:05 AM
EsaT

Seasonic M12. Well sleeved modular cables and secondary fan should help considerably in cooling of front end of PSU which gets very little airflow with standard 12cm fan design.

That Silverstone ST75F looks to be exactly similar to ST60F which at least isn't quiet
http://www.matbe.com/images/biblio/a...0000045208.png

PC P&C is officially one rail design and while Corsair should have three 18A rails jonnyguru managed to get 30A from one cable so three rails looks to be just for marketing.
Both are made by Seasonic and have exactly similar design as M12 which besides has only two points in PCB where 12V wires start, just like in Corsairs and that PC P&C.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Haltech

I second what Pek stated.. Silverstone make nice PSUs...

I would be more confident about that if they didn't have built in EMI transmitters:

With the ST85ZF installed, I immediately noticed something with my digital K-type thermometer. It went haywire! Fortunately, I had other probes. So I replaced the probes and the thermometer readings were still bouncing all over the place. I then replaced the 9V battery and the readings still went all over the place.

One could assume that the thermometer has gone tits up, but once I stood three feet from the power supply (without tripping over a computer sitting on the floor) the readings for each probe went back to 22ºC; the room's temperature. Furthermore, this had happened to me before and it happened to be while I was testing the ST75ZF!

I've heard that electrical interference can affect digital thermometers, but I can't imagine why there would be so much interference and why only the ST75ZF and ST85ZF were doing this, but if I had a Geiger Counter I'd bust it out in a heartbeat!
http://www.jonnyguru.com/PSU/ST85ZF/index2.htm

(Not that Geiger counter could measure that, it reacts to ionizing radiation)
10-02-2006, 08:10 AM
Istasi

Quote:

Originally Posted by EsaT

Seasonic M12. Well sleeved modular cables and secondary fan should help considerably in cooling of front end of PSU which gets very little airflow with standard 12cm fan design.

That Silverstone ST75F looks to be exactly similar to ST60F which at least isn't quiet
http://www.matbe.com/images/biblio/a...0000045208.png

PC P&C is officially one rail design and while Corsair should have three 18A rails jonnyguru managed to get 30A from one cable so three rails looks to be just for marketing.
Both are made by Seasonic and have exactly similar design as M12 which besides has only two points in PCB where 12V wires start, just like in Corsairs and that PC P&C.

The M12 and the Corsair were really the two I was considering most, followed by the PCP&C 750. Modular would be a huge plus to me, and Seasonic's are always very quiet.
10-02-2006, 08:51 AM
TheDro

Concerning the M12 series psu, the 60mm fan is a "Temperature activated fan, rotates only when required" (quoted exactly from User's manual). I liked the idea of replacing my S12 in favor of the M12 because of the extra fan, since heat would build up at the top of my silverstone tj-06 case, and I didn't want to do any modifications such as adding a top 120 or 80mm fan. Too bad it doesn't stay on constantly, since I'd probably get another one (need to replace the one I got... defective) but will probably stick with the S12 instead.
10-02-2006, 09:35 AM
Shift

I would probably go with the TT Toughpower 750w
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817153038

It did extremely well in jonnyGURU's tests
http://www.jonnyguru.com/PSU/Toughpower750W/

Edit: Didn't see Perkham's post. I would go with that Zeus 750w
10-02-2006, 10:14 AM
J-Mag

My vote goes for the 750w Silencer, although I am biased since I just got one. It is quiet compared to my turbo cool 510w and 60amps on the single 12v rail is unparalleled.
10-02-2006, 11:07 AM
ssabripo

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shift

I would probably go with the TT Toughpower 750w
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817153038

It did extremely well in jonnyGURU's tests
http://www.jonnyguru.com/PSU/Toughpower750W/

Edit: Didn't see Perkham's post. I would go with that Zeus 750w

I got the 700W version of that...looks impressive, and will report back later:banana:
10-02-2006, 11:23 AM
perkam

PCP&C 750W has heat issues.

Silverstone 750W is the one Shamino uses for Ln2 runs...need I say more ?

Perkam
10-02-2006, 11:41 AM
J-Mag

Quote:

Originally Posted by perkam

PCP&C 750W has heat issues.

Heat issues? What are you talking about?

Edit: Still can't explain it or what? I have a feeling sometimes that you are an algorithm.
10-02-2006, 12:29 PM
EsaT

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shift

I would probably go with the TT Toughpower 750w
It did extremely well in jonnyGURU's tests
http://www.jonnyguru.com/PSU/Toughpower750W/

You seem to have curious definition of "extremely well".

During test 6, the power supply would continuously shut down after about 1 minute of use. At which time, I simply turned the power supply back on, took some more readings, and proceeded until the power supply shut itself off again 1 minute later. If I had to guess, I would say it was a thermal shut off and not an overload since the load was static. Sure, the exhaust temperature was only 38°C but that's not going to account for how hot the MOSFET rectifiers are.
And with hotbox...
Test 6 says"OFF" in all of the cells because the PSU immediately shut off once I cranked the 12V rails up to 14A. Since the PSU would run for at least a minute when it was "cold" with this load on it, there's no doubt in my mind that this is an issue of overheating 12V rectifiers. Unfortunately, that's going to be the only mark against this power supply in the power supply category. Perhaps the load on the 12V rail was too high since the total power output of test six is actually less than test 5? I'm not sure. But the documentation lead me to believe that 14A on each 12V rail wouldn't be too much.

While you would have to have pretty damned rig for drawing that much power PSU should still be capable to delivering promised power, especially when it's supposed to be high quality PSU. In this case it fell short of rated 12V load while total load was well under rated so I wouldn't call that as "extremely well".
10-02-2006, 12:38 PM
Shift

Ok sorry about that, skimped through the TT review, but in other areas the PSU did fine.

Here is another choice that isn't bad, COOLMAX 850w PSU
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817159019
10-02-2006, 03:05 PM
taemun

Shift: read this: http://www.jonnyguru.com/PSU/CTG-850/

The ST85ZF is better.

t
10-02-2006, 03:48 PM
tommrussell

Quote:

Originally Posted by Istasi

The M12 and the Corsair were really the two I was considering most, followed by the PCP&C 750. Modular would be a huge plus to me, and Seasonic's are always very quiet.

i just installed the corsair 620 over the weekend to replace my pcp&c 850 and i gotta say the corsair is xtremely quiet
10-02-2006, 03:57 PM
yaddam205

PCP&C > Everyone else.

More stability and better consistency then silverstone.. (in my expirence)
10-02-2006, 04:18 PM
Super Nade

If you are willing to spend $200, why not get the best?
http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=479745

:)
10-02-2006, 05:00 PM
Anemone

I'd say hold on to your 550 till you know exactly what kind of power draw you'll need and then get one.
10-03-2006, 07:07 AM
EsaT

Quote:

Originally Posted by Super Nade

If you are willing to spend $200, why not get the best?
http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=479745:)

Sorry to shoot you down but I checked specs of this "mighty" Zippy and that PSU would be classified as low safety product here in Finland and importer/seller would be requested to withdraw product from sale and refund moneys for those returning PSU.

Quote:

DIELECTRIC WITHSTANDING VOLTAGE：PRIMARY TO SECONDARY 1800VAC FOR 1 SEC, PRIMARY TO FG：1800VAC FOR 1 SEC.
http://www.zippy.com.tw/P_PRODUCT_LI...wer&lv_rfnbr=2

Requirement is 3000Vac/1min.

Also efficiency is quite substandard: 71%@170W
For example Seasonic would produce well over 30W less heat at that load.
10-03-2006, 09:44 AM
perkam

Quote:

Originally Posted by EsaT

Sorry to shoot you down but I checked specs of this "mighty" Zippy and that PSU would be classified as low safety product here in Finland and importer/seller would be requested to withdraw product from sale and refund moneys for those returning PSU.

Requirement is 3000Vac/1min.

Also efficiency is quite substandard: 71%@170W
For example Seasonic would produce well over 30W less heat at that load.

jG is going to kill you now :p:

Perkam
10-03-2006, 10:01 AM
zillaoc

PCP&C Silencer!!!
10-03-2006, 12:58 PM
Praxis1452

Quote:

Originally Posted by EsaT

Sorry to shoot you down but I checked specs of this "mighty" Zippy and that PSU would be classified as low safety product here in Finland and importer/seller would be requested to withdraw product from sale and refund moneys for those returning PSU.

Requirement is 3000Vac/1min.

Also efficiency is quite substandard: 71%@170W
For example Seasonic would produce well over 30W less heat at that load.

Seasonic still does not have as great a build Quality as zippy does. I'm not exaclt ysure about the 3000Vac because that's not anywhere near my area. However efficiency does not rate a psu. 71% at 170W is still pretty good because this is a single rail design. They suffer from low efficiency at low loads. At 170W I doubt a Seasonic will do 80+ efficiency either with a single rail design at low loads. I doubt the zippy will do 80+ but efficiency isn't a very good judge. Efficiency is often a good judge if you are looking for silence but the zippy unit uses high speed Sanyo Denki's so unless you fanmod you shouldn't expect quiet. Someone else will better explain the part you mentioned.
10-03-2006, 03:42 PM
Istasi

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anemone

I'd say hold on to your 550 till you know exactly what kind of power draw you'll need and then get one.

That's probably the logical thing to do, but I'm just itching to upgrade ;)

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