Help with a SLI Power Supply

Zeal · Aug 11, 2007

I recently ordered the following form newegg...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817153028

In retrospect I think I might have made a mistake. For one, I spaced out and didnt realize the damn thing doesnt have a power connector for my pci express video card. And two, it says the thing is NOT sli ready (something I would like to do down the road).

So two questions..

1.) Cant I just buy a 4 pin molex converter at comp usa and use that to power my video card? Is that safe?

2.) Isnt 500w really enough to do sli (two 8800gts)? I mean I dont have a lot of fans. Only one hd and one dvd player, thats it.

Sigh.. or maybe since it looks like the order hasnt shipped yet I can send newegg a email and change the order before monday morning... If the answer to my above to questions is 'no, youre screwed', can anyone please reccomend a good psu (from newegg pref) for around 50-70 bucks?

Thanks!

Drew@PSU · Aug 12, 2007

1) Yes, you can, but I believe it takes up two Molexs

2) It "should" be enough. Part of the problem is that manufacturer ( or OEM more accurately ) is the important part of the equation in PSUs. If the Thermaltake was built by a good OEM, then the 500watt dealie might hold out ( like my Corsair HX520, ran a SLI setup no problem ), but if it was a crappy OEM, like, uh, one of those other guys, then that PSU might max at 350 watts in actual delivered power.

I think you should be alright for now. It will run your rig, and when you go to get SLI, you can grab a better PSU ( Corsair HX620 or PCPC 610 or etc. etc., ask around ). This is, of course, assuming you still want to do SLI and don't hop up to the next set of cards.

Here is a decent PSU ( I believe, reputable manufacturer, OEM too I think ) for a shade under 80. Honestly, if you are considering SLI, don't leave the PSU to come last in consideration, it needs attention too.

Zeal · Aug 12, 2007

Hmm thanks for the info. So what 'numbers' should I be looking at when comparing powersupplies? I mean the specs for my Thermaltake..

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817153028

..look nearly identical to the one you posted. And that one you posted is only 450w? I know wats isnt everything, but still.. Is thermaltake really that bad? The numbers on the 'specs' tab seem the same..

Thats good about the pci express adapter.. it wont by 'less efficient' than using a powersupply with built in connectors will it?

*Akk and heres another 500w powersupply, again the 'stats' look about the same, but this one claims it can do SLI.. gah..

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817103940

SeasonalEclipse · Aug 12, 2007

Their not bad. THeres better, and theres a lot worse. I run one because I found a deal on it.

shirker · Aug 12, 2007

I doubt that thermaltake could handle that without a hitch; they're really not known for being remarkable power supplies, just known for not being utter crap like some other brands. I'd really recommend just extending your PSU budget by around $20 more or so and get the 520HX. Why? even though it's rated at 520w, it's been stress tested and was capable of handling roughly 700w loads, AMD 5600+ and dual 8800s (GTX?). It would definitely be stable with your dual 8800GTS.

Automata · Aug 12, 2007

shirker said:
I'd really recommend just extending your PSU budget by around $20 more or so and get the 520HX. Why? even though it's rated at 520w, it's been stress tested and was capable of handling roughly 700w loads, AMD 5600+ and dual 8800s (GTX?). It would definitely be stable with your dual 8800GTS.

Do you have a link for the 700w load? I trust you, but I find that hard to believe

Zeal · Aug 12, 2007

20 bucks more? That psu seems to be 114 even after a mail in rebate...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139001&Tpk=520HX

I really cant go above 90 maybe 100...

I did find some of those molex to pciexpress cables on newegg for 5 bucks.. sigh but id rather just catch the order in time and switch the psus

*Can anyone else reccomend any other good psus that are in the 70-80 price range?

shirker · Aug 12, 2007

thideras said:
Do you have a link for the 700w load? I trust you, but I find that hard to believe

whoops, it was actually a corsair 620HX running stable at 800 watts

not the 520HX as I remembered, but impressive nonetheless, and both the 520HX and 620HX are made by seasonic, so that reliability assurance is quite nice.

zeal, you said your PSU budget was 50-70 bucks? well extend by 25, and you can score the 520HX for $95 after $10 rebate from ZZF

Automata · Aug 12, 2007

shirker said:
whoops, it was actually a corsair 620HX running stable at 800 watts

I didn't realize I picked that nice of a PSU!! Thanks for the link!!

Zeal · Aug 12, 2007

Hmm well i can get one of those 520x's and a big typhoon (rev 2, which i hear is easier to mount) from buy.com for 150 with free shipping..

Hmm maybe I can just tell newegg to cancle that psu..

It WILL save me 5 bucks on a pci-express power converter... lol im gonna regret this when I have no food money cry... ah the things we do for these damn computers..

Automata · Aug 12, 2007

Zeal said:
It WILL save me 5 bucks on a pci-express power converter... lol im gonna regret this when I have no food money cry... ah the things we do for these damn computers..

And it also saves the money/time that you would have to put into your video cards and other hardware when the TT power supply died and took everything with it

Zeal · Aug 12, 2007

I dont know I had a thermaltake psu 420w in my last machine, and it has run great for the last 2 years.

In fact, the reason im building a new machine now is because my old comp got fried by lightning (it was on a hefty battery backup, but that didnt help). My first instinct was to blame the psu, but it seems to still be working (it powered my other old computer at least)! Maybe the surge came in over the ether line (cause my modem and router exploded too). *On the other hand maybe the 'less than quality' psu was partly to blame...

But anyway, one of those 520hx's and a big typhoon for 150 (free shipping) sounds good then?

Automata · Aug 12, 2007

Zeal said:
But anyway, one of those 520hx's and a big typhoon for 150 (free shipping) sounds good then?

Well, thats a pretty good deal if that is what your asking. How much just for the heatsink though?

shirker · Aug 12, 2007

thideras said:
Well, thats a pretty good deal if that is what your asking. How much just for the heatsink though?

$53.31 or so

the psu is 99.99 by itself

zeal, I'd get a thermalright ultra-120 extreme or even a tuniq tower 120 for $45 on newegg; both are better heatsinks than the big typhoon

Zeal · Aug 12, 2007

Buy.com has the big typhoon for 50 and the psu for 100, both free shipping. So its about 15 cheaper than newegg. Plus the typhoon from buy.com looks to be revision 2, which has a different mounting bracket (non of that behind the motherboard crap). Although it worries me a little just mounting it with regular clips.. hope it wont fall off (I hear those things are heavy). I might tie some string on it just so I dont have to worry about it so much lol..

And yeah I know the ninja or thermalright 120 are a little better, but the foxconn mb and case I got dont give me a lot of room around the cpu. So thats why I like the typhoon, since its less fat and more tall. Plus it looks like it will be nice for cooling my ram too.

Now I just need to hope newegg gets my email to cancle the old thermaltake psu before they ship on monday..

inkfx · Aug 12, 2007

Check what time they are opening and give them a call or get on their online chat support. That's what I would do. You know how e-mails can be...

shirker · Aug 12, 2007

usually if your order is on step 3 or past that though, they'll give you a pretty damn hard time cancelling that order

Zeal · Aug 12, 2007

Well theyve already sent me a email saying my cc has been charged, so I guess im on step 3?.. oh well it has a 30 day return policy I hear newegg is really good about returns.. ill just have to pay the 5 bucks or so to ship it back..

Man I hate lightning

Drew@PSU · Aug 12, 2007

They are very good about returns, at least in my experience, and sorry to hear about your lightning experience, been there once. Now I go back to reading books during lightning storms.

I found the link for the review of that Corsair I recommended, thought it might help explain some of what I was saying. Check out Jonny's site for plenty of reviews and such. And I can vouch for the HX520 at any rate, an awesome PSU ( although I think my silencer is even better, but then again ).

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