Recommended PSU's - True/Tested

freakdiablo · 02-29-12, 08:40 AM

Figure I should ask this here - I've been considering going crossfire for a while so I was looking in to upgrading my PSU since I think 600w is cutting it close. Dunno if I get a response before the sales over, but any comments on the OCZ ZX 1250w? It's on sale over at the egg - $200 w/ code, $170 after MIR. I noticed the 1000w version is listed here, just not thd 1250w one. I'm ok with dropping the extra bucks for the 1Kw seasonic platinum though if it's a better built PSU. Planning on using whichever PSU I get for a while.

EarthDog · 02-29-12, 08:55 AM

1250W is highly overkill... so is 1KW.

I would grab Seasonic X850 as that will power 2 of any single GPU videocard. Its a great PSU. You can get a cheaper PSU though... COrsair HX850 to name one.

diaz · 02-29-12, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by freakdiablo

Figure I should ask this here - I've been considering going crossfire for a while so I was looking in to upgrading my PSU since I think 600w is cutting it close. Dunno if I get a response before the sales over, but any comments on the OCZ ZX 1250w? It's on sale over at the egg - $200 w/ code, $170 after MIR. I noticed the 1000w version is listed here, just not thd 1250w one. I'm ok with dropping the extra bucks for the 1Kw seasonic platinum though if it's a better built PSU. Planning on using whichever PSU I get for a while.

The ZX series have all looked really solid. I wouldn't hesitate with a ZX.

Quote:

Originally Posted by EarthDog

1250W is highly overkill... so is 1KW.

I would grab Seasonic X850 as that will power 2 of any single GPU videocard. Its a great PSU. You can get a cheaper PSU though... COrsair HX850 to name one.

True, he can save money. But if he can get his hands on a 1250w psu at a really low price, then that's fine too, since now he'll just have a very quiet and cool PSU running his gear..

freakdiablo · 02-29-12, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EarthDog

1250W is highly overkill... so is 1KW.

I would grab Seasonic X850 as that will power 2 of any single GPU videocard. Its a great PSU. You can get a cheaper PSU though... COrsair HX850 to name one.

Well the reason I was thinking about the ZX was because of what Diaz said - currently the code puts it cheaper than the x850 and the rebate puts it in line with the hx850. But if you think even 1k is overkill than that knocks out the KW seasonic. I'll think about it. Thanks though.

Edit - Got it. Yeah it's overkill, but it's $70 off total, free shipping, and at this point future proof. Please don't hate me :P

dalek2.0 · 02-29-12, 05:52 PM

When I buy a P/S, or even a case, I take a fairly extreme future into account. I may build a rig with one hard drive but end up with 5 or 6 of them later on. I may also start with a less than powerful video card but upgrade later on to a more powerful card. Fans are another thing I usually add too. It may just be to cool a chipset or something but they still add up, especially at start up.

If I add things and get to say 300 watts, I generally double the wattage to 600 watts. Why? It then it runs at a good efficient point in the power curve. As I add things, it still will not be overloaded or even close to it. I have built some do it yourself P/S's for various projects and I always allow for extra. I also had larger than needed heat sinks too.

If you are going to buy a really nice power supply, why not buy one that will last as long as the rig needs even with some nice upgrades? Usually the difference is not going to be that much on the front end but it can cost you dearly on the back end if you over load a P/S.

RollingThunder · 03-28-12, 01:22 PM

Silver Bullet by Seasonic

diaz · 03-28-12, 03:37 PM

Updated!

johan851 · 03-28-12, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RollingThunder

Silver Bullet by Seasonic

This is pretty funny. Silver Power takes a Seasonic PSU and slaps a gorilla on it, and the reviewer notes the excellent PSU and the dumb gorilla. They couldn't even rebadge it well.

diaz · 04-17-12, 06:12 PM

Lepa 1600 and Antec HCP Platinum 1000 added, thanks RT!

johan851 · 05-02-12, 12:00 PM

Bobnova · 05-02-12, 02:37 PM

Dead links are dead.
I agree though, I have a 650 W platinum that is fairly cheap (weird, I know) in my hands right now, its review will go live sometime vaguely soonish.

diaz · 05-02-12, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johan851

True, I haven't seen any solid PSU ratings in reviews in a while, I also haven't seen many PSU's reviewed under 600watts..

I do agree that 200-400watt PSU's need to get more exposure since SFF is going to start trending more and more..

Bobnova · 05-02-12, 04:09 PM

I think it's probably tough for the PSU companies to get them reviewed.
I doubt many (if any) sites that do PSU reviews actually pay their reviewers. I know neither site I review for does!
All my review related income comes from selling PSUs. Given that there is about the same amount of time and energy put into reviewing a $350 1275W unit (which was excellent) as there is time and energy put into reviewing a $45 430W unit (which was okish), I think you can figure out why you don't see many reviews of lower end units!
Especially given that with no warranty you're in very good shape if you can sell the unit for 50-66% of it's initial cost, minus the $15 shipping costs you.

My total time spent photographing, testing (actively, any burn in time is not included), taking apart, putting back together and writing about a PSU is between four and six hours. Some units (the CM Silent Pro Hybrid 1300W for instance) take longer still due to extra features (fan controller, etc.) that need testing.

Let us do some math here!
We'll use five hours as a total time spent number, it's about right for me most of the time.
That $45 430w unit will probably sell for around $30 shipped, it fits in a $10 flat rate box. $20 profit.
Divide by five and I worked for $4/hour. Not great. No tips here either.

The $350 unit sold for $200 and fit in a $15 box, so $185 profit. Divide again and we have $37/hour.
(In reality that review took longer too, we'll ignore that)

On a more realistic note there is an "average" high end unit, $200 new.
Sells for $100-150, fits in a $15 box. That gives $17 to $27/hour. Not bad.

I think you can figure out why nobody reviews entry level units!

I'd like to do more low wattage units despite it being an economic disaster, for exactly the reasons given above. Most people don't need top end stuff, and if I could identify a $30 unit that was actually worth buying I'd probably be hailed as a hero and become famous. Of course, I'd have made $2/hour for the review.
The other tricky thing with that is that few manufacturers will send those units, some of them know what will happen and hence don't send them (be suspicious of a unit with no reviews!), others are made by companies that don't care about reviews or figure they can't get their units reviewed. Or companies that don't want to spend the $15 (per reviewer!) shipping units off for review!

As a final note, if any of you have a PSU you would like to see reviewed let me know and I'll try to get the ball rolling. If all else fails and it's cheap you can simply buy the thing and send it to me, I'll review it. Or send me the money to buy it and review it, either way. Given the above rundown of how much I get paid I think you'll understand that I'll want to sell the unit afterwards! Assuming, of course, that it doesn't explode.

johan851 · 05-02-12, 04:18 PM

I suppose that if I have enough time between knowing I'll need a new PSU and actually getting it, I can ship it to you in the interim...

diaz · 05-30-12, 05:26 PM

30 May 2012 update done

ryantt · 06-06-12, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by diaz

30 May 2012 update done

My 8yrs+ old pc power and cooling 750w silencer just died 2 days ago i want it another of them but they do not carry modular so i went and bought a thermal take 750w could not hold my overclock went and bought a 850w peak 1000w cooler master didn't hold it either finally got an ultra x4 750w gold mine holding 12.1v no matter what stress test u put in great psu might want to put that one in .... only $119 compusa ...But if pc power an cooling ever decide to go modular i will forever go with them..

THIS PSU IS WORKING ON MY SIGNATURE OVERCLOCK PASS ALL TEST

Bobnova · 06-06-12, 02:10 PM

A good 550w would do that sig rig just fine, though that sig rig doesn't draw what a IB and two 590s would, or even close.

ryantt · 06-06-12, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bobnova

A good 550w would do that sig rig just fine, though that sig rig doesn't draw what a IB and two 590s would, or even close.

Yeah if you say so ...i just order a watt metter i will let you know how much watt my pc is pushing later ....You seem to know how much you think ?

ryantt · 06-06-12, 02:26 PM

Same psu and exactly what it was doing to me lol http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tz6NrvHH--U

Bobnova · 06-06-12, 03:20 PM

TR2 series are lousy PSUs.
Terrible, even.

That's the issue, not the wattage

02-29-12, 08:40 AM	#261
freakdiablo Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Here	Figure I should ask this here - I've been considering going crossfire for a while so I was looking in to upgrading my PSU since I think 600w is cutting it close. Dunno if I get a response before the sales over, but any comments on the OCZ ZX 1250w? It's on sale over at the egg - $200 w/ code, $170 after MIR. I noticed the 1000w version is listed here, just not thd 1250w one. I'm ok with dropping the extra bucks for the 1Kw seasonic platinum though if it's a better built PSU. Planning on using whichever PSU I get for a while. __________________ Main: MOBO: MSI P67A-G45, CPU: i7 2600k w/ VenX (4.4ghz @ 1.33v), RAM: 2x8gb Kingston HyperX Blu Red Series DDR3 1600, GFX: Galaxy GTX670 GC, PSU: OCZ 1250w ZX, CASE: Corsair 500R, HDD: 120gb Samsung 840, Samsung 2TB EcoGreen F4 Quick, Cheap, and Dirty NAS: Sempron 140, Hyper 212+ with 800RPM Scythe Slipstreams, 4gb ram, 5x2tb Hitachis in RAID5, Seasonic SSR-360GP, Antec 300, Biostar Tpower motherboard, APC BR700G UPS, Buffalo WZR-HP-AG300H router Laptop: Lenovo Thinkpad X220 HTPC: Zotac ZBOX AD04-U w/ 4GB Samsung 1333mhz, 64GB Adata Premier Pro SP900 Sandbox: Q9550, DFI Lanparty Jr. P45-T2RS, 3GB mismatched ram, 1TB Samsung F1, Antec Neo Eco 400w, cheapo case Lanbox: APEX TX-381-C case, MSI 760GM-P34 w/ cheap MOSFET heatsinks, AMD PII 965 BE, 8gb Corsair XMS3 1333MHz, 120GB OCZ Vertex 3, CM 212 Evo, MSI 5850 OC Project 1UP Bored of games? Nothing good on internet radio or youtube? Dont waste your GHz, find them before they find us. SETI
	QUOTE Thanks

02-29-12, 08:55 AM	#262
EarthDog Senior PITA Member Overclockers.com Editor Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Stuck in Maryland...	1250W is highly overkill... so is 1KW. I would grab Seasonic X850 as that will power 2 of any single GPU videocard. Its a great PSU. You can get a cheaper PSU though... COrsair HX850 to name one. __________________ Should I R0 my SSD? / SandyBridge / Ivybridge Overclocking Guide / AMD Overclocking Guide / Power Supply Guide SSD Reliability/Write Endurance / JOIN THE BENCHING TEAM! / Bulldozer Overclocking Guide / Forum Etiquette Want to see your writing featured on the overclockers.com Front Page? PM me, I can help! "We have more information and more ways of accessing it than ever, yet seem increasingly less inclined to do so."- Michael Wilbon
	QUOTE Thanks

02-29-12, 05:52 PM	#265
dalek2.0 Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Mississippi USA	When I buy a P/S, or even a case, I take a fairly extreme future into account. I may build a rig with one hard drive but end up with 5 or 6 of them later on. I may also start with a less than powerful video card but upgrade later on to a more powerful card. Fans are another thing I usually add too. It may just be to cool a chipset or something but they still add up, especially at start up. If I add things and get to say 300 watts, I generally double the wattage to 600 watts. Why? It then it runs at a good efficient point in the power curve. As I add things, it still will not be overloaded or even close to it. I have built some do it yourself P/S's for various projects and I always allow for extra. I also had larger than needed heat sinks too. If you are going to buy a really nice power supply, why not buy one that will last as long as the rig needs even with some nice upgrades? Usually the difference is not going to be that much on the front end but it can cost you dearly on the back end if you over load a P/S. __________________ My rig: Gigabyte GA-770T-USB3 mobo \|\| AMD Phenom II X4 955 3.2GHz \|\| ZALMAN CNPS10X Performa CPU cooler G.SKILL 16GB DDR3 PC3 12800 Memory \|\| Nvidia GT-220 video card \|\| LG W2253 Monitor HP Deskjet D4260 printer \|\| LG GH22NS50B DVD R/W \|\| WD1600AAJS & WD2502ABYS & Samsung HD753LJ hard drives Cyberpower 1250AVR UPS \|\| Cooler Master HAF-932 Case If you want to know about myspace or facebook, PM me.
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03-28-12, 01:22 PM	#266
RollingThunder Moderating "The Dark Side" Premium Member #12 Join Date: Jan 2005	New High Scoring Power Supply: Review by Oklahoma Wolf Silver Bullet by Seasonic __________________ Intel E8500 @ 3608 MHz...............Intel E7500 @ 3333 MHz Home Server DFI DK P45 T2RS Plus.................Same WD Velociraptor 150 & WD Raptor 74...Raptor 74 - WD160 ATI 5750.............................ATI 6200FX Dell Ultra Sharp 2209WA..............Dell Ultra Sharp 2007 1600x1200 2 x 2 GB GSkill PC8500 @ DDR2 960....2 x 1 GB GSkill PC8500 Corsair HX520........................Corsair HX520 Coolermaster NV 690..................Lian-Li PC-K7 Vista 64.............................XP Pro There are two kinds of people, those who do the work, and those who take the credit. Try to be in the first group; there is less competition there.
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03-28-12, 03:37 PM	Thread Starter #267
diaz Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Canada	Updated! __________________ \m/ OverClockers mATX L33T Club \m/ >>>JOIN NOW<<< Main Rig i5 3570k EVGA GTX 680 Asus Maximus V Gene mATX Silverstone TJ08E mATX 16G Corsair Vengeance Corsair H80 Silverstone Strider Plus 850 Crucial M4 256G SSD // Seagate 750G 7200.12 Storage Recommended PSU's - True/Tested/***/Intel C2D/Q/X Thermal Designs Explained Heatware
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Recommended PSU's - True/Tested

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04-17-12, 06:12 PM	Thread Starter #269
diaz Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Canada	Lepa 1600 and Antec HCP Platinum 1000 added, thanks RT! __________________ \m/ OverClockers mATX L33T Club \m/ >>>JOIN NOW<<< Main Rig i5 3570k EVGA GTX 680 Asus Maximus V Gene mATX Silverstone TJ08E mATX 16G Corsair Vengeance Corsair H80 Silverstone Strider Plus 850 Crucial M4 256G SSD // Seagate 750G 7200.12 Storage Recommended PSU's - True/Tested/***/Intel C2D/Q/X Thermal Designs Explained Heatware
	QUOTE Thanks

05-02-12, 12:00 PM	#270
johan851 Insatiably Malcontent Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Seattle, WA	You know, it seems like we don't have a lot of recommended PSUs on the list for the lower wattage range despite there being a lot of well qualified models out there. It makes it look like no one uses 500-600w PSUs. Maybe that's why everyone thinks they'll need a 750w+ unit. Can we start adding some? Seasonic, Corsair, and others have some good candidates: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817151094 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817151093 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817151096 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817139020 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817151095 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817139031 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817151098 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817139012 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817151088 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817139035 Do we not have enough data on these or something? And we don't have anything in the 300-400w category. __________________ ASRock Z68 Extreme3 Gen3 \| 2500K @ 4.6GHz \| 2x4GB Samsung DDR3 \| GTX460 768mb 120GB Crucial M4 \| 2x 2TB Samsung F4 \| Seasonic S12 600w AV-710 --> y2 DAC --> Custom M^3 --> Custom LM3875 ChipAmp --> Modula MTs Dual Dell 2007WFP \| Watercooled
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05-02-12, 02:37 PM	#271
Bobnova Air Superiority Senior Member Benching Team Leader Join Date: May 2009 Location: Humboldt	Dead links are dead. I agree though, I have a 650 W platinum that is fairly cheap (weird, I know) in my hands right now, its review will go live sometime vaguely soonish. __________________ "Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe." -- Einstein (maybe) How to check your PSU with a multimeter. 17bXw5t51rEBXGavJFMJsC8g7HQgThUGc7 Heatware.
	QUOTE Thanks

05-02-12, 04:09 PM	#273
Bobnova Air Superiority Senior Member Benching Team Leader Join Date: May 2009 Location: Humboldt	I think it's probably tough for the PSU companies to get them reviewed. I doubt many (if any) sites that do PSU reviews actually pay their reviewers. I know neither site I review for does! All my review related income comes from selling PSUs. Given that there is about the same amount of time and energy put into reviewing a $350 1275W unit (which was excellent) as there is time and energy put into reviewing a $45 430W unit (which was okish), I think you can figure out why you don't see many reviews of lower end units! Especially given that with no warranty you're in very good shape if you can sell the unit for 50-66% of it's initial cost, minus the $15 shipping costs you. My total time spent photographing, testing (actively, any burn in time is not included), taking apart, putting back together and writing about a PSU is between four and six hours. Some units (the CM Silent Pro Hybrid 1300W for instance) take longer still due to extra features (fan controller, etc.) that need testing. Let us do some math here! We'll use five hours as a total time spent number, it's about right for me most of the time. That $45 430w unit will probably sell for around $30 shipped, it fits in a $10 flat rate box. $20 profit. Divide by five and I worked for $4/hour. Not great. No tips here either. The $350 unit sold for $200 and fit in a $15 box, so $185 profit. Divide again and we have $37/hour. (In reality that review took longer too, we'll ignore that) On a more realistic note there is an "average" high end unit, $200 new. Sells for $100-150, fits in a $15 box. That gives $17 to $27/hour. Not bad. I think you can figure out why nobody reviews entry level units! I'd like to do more low wattage units despite it being an economic disaster, for exactly the reasons given above. Most people don't need top end stuff, and if I could identify a $30 unit that was actually worth buying I'd probably be hailed as a hero and become famous. Of course, I'd have made $2/hour for the review. The other tricky thing with that is that few manufacturers will send those units, some of them know what will happen and hence don't send them (be suspicious of a unit with no reviews!), others are made by companies that don't care about reviews or figure they can't get their units reviewed. Or companies that don't want to spend the $15 (per reviewer!) shipping units off for review! As a final note, if any of you have a PSU you would like to see reviewed let me know and I'll try to get the ball rolling. If all else fails and it's cheap you can simply buy the thing and send it to me, I'll review it. Or send me the money to buy it and review it, either way. Given the above rundown of how much I get paid I think you'll understand that I'll want to sell the unit afterwards! Assuming, of course, that it doesn't explode. __________________ "Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe." -- Einstein (maybe) How to check your PSU with a multimeter. 17bXw5t51rEBXGavJFMJsC8g7HQgThUGc7 Heatware.
	QUOTE Thanks

05-02-12, 04:18 PM	#274
johan851 Insatiably Malcontent Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Seattle, WA	I suppose that if I have enough time between knowing I'll need a new PSU and actually getting it, I can ship it to you in the interim... __________________ ASRock Z68 Extreme3 Gen3 \| 2500K @ 4.6GHz \| 2x4GB Samsung DDR3 \| GTX460 768mb 120GB Crucial M4 \| 2x 2TB Samsung F4 \| Seasonic S12 600w AV-710 --> y2 DAC --> Custom M^3 --> Custom LM3875 ChipAmp --> Modula MTs Dual Dell 2007WFP \| Watercooled
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05-30-12, 05:26 PM	Thread Starter #275
diaz Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Canada	30 May 2012 update done __________________ \m/ OverClockers mATX L33T Club \m/ >>>JOIN NOW<<< Main Rig i5 3570k EVGA GTX 680 Asus Maximus V Gene mATX Silverstone TJ08E mATX 16G Corsair Vengeance Corsair H80 Silverstone Strider Plus 850 Crucial M4 256G SSD // Seagate 750G 7200.12 Storage Recommended PSU's - True/Tested/***/Intel C2D/Q/X Thermal Designs Explained Heatware
	QUOTE Thanks

06-06-12, 02:10 PM	#277
Bobnova Air Superiority Senior Member Benching Team Leader Join Date: May 2009 Location: Humboldt	A good 550w would do that sig rig just fine, though that sig rig doesn't draw what a IB and two 590s would, or even close. __________________ "Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe." -- Einstein (maybe) How to check your PSU with a multimeter. 17bXw5t51rEBXGavJFMJsC8g7HQgThUGc7 Heatware.
	QUOTE Thanks

06-06-12, 02:26 PM	#279
ryantt Member Join Date: Dec 2004	Same psu and exactly what it was doing to me lol http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tz6NrvHH--U __________________ i7 920 ht on @4.5 24/7 water Wc 42c idle core temp readin 76c burn load south florida ambient gpu block swiftech mcw60 modded asus p6t dlx v2 windows 7 64 ultimate gskill 12gb mem gtx480 wc ultra x4 750w power supply 1/2tb 7200 hitachi 1/600gb 10000 rpms wd sata 37" lcd
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06-06-12, 03:20 PM	#280
Bobnova Air Superiority Senior Member Benching Team Leader Join Date: May 2009 Location: Humboldt	TR2 series are lousy PSUs. Terrible, even. That's the issue, not the wattage __________________ "Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe." -- Einstein (maybe) How to check your PSU with a multimeter. 17bXw5t51rEBXGavJFMJsC8g7HQgThUGc7 Heatware.
	QUOTE Thanks

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