Fortron Bluestorm or OCZ Powerstream

[Sentential]

I'm kinda puzzled how you would design one that didn't have the rails isolated from eachother.

Its cheaper. Man's gotta make that dough somehow

 

[CunningLinguist]

Its cheaper. Man's gotta make that dough somehow

Not why, but how. I've got an electronics degree, so I tend to analyze things a lot deeper than most when it comes to electrical/electronic components.

 

[Oklahoma Wolf]

A single winding for one rail, and then buck regulate it down to the next needed voltage. This is how many older PSU designs are set up.

 

[CunningLinguist]

A single winding for one rail, and then buck regulate it down to the next needed voltage. This is how many older PSU designs are set up.

I guess that makes sense. It's a much simpler design, not necessarily cheaper in materials, but less time to make.

 

[CunningLinguist]

Hmmmmm Now I'm kinda tempted to buy a Powerstream. You think the 420W will cut it? I really wanted to go modular, but at least the powerstream has cable management.

 

[Sentential]

Hmmmmm Now I'm kinda tempted to buy a Powerstream. You think the 420W will cut it? I really wanted to go modular, but at least the powerstream has cable management.

you are better off with a powerstream. I personally would go for the 520 or a 470

 

[gvblake22]

Unfortunately the 470w isn't too easy to find so I'll help ya out with a little linkage. I like the 470w because it has the same amps on the 12v rail as the 520 but for $20 less!
http://www.svc.com/oczpsu.html

 

[CunningLinguist]

you are better off with a powerstream. I personally would go for the 520 or a 470

UGH... a 470W is $30 more than I was planning to spend. Considering that the 420W peaks at 520W, I should be okay with it.

 

[larva]

That couldnt be further from the truth. In terms of quality OCZ is far better than Fortron. OCZ uses outsourced Topower PSU which are some of the best in the world next to PC Power And Cooling.

100% incorrect. Fortron still has the most generous component selection, component quality, and build quality of any power supply short of a Zippy or PCP&C. Topower is competent, it is not Fortron build quality.

 

[Sentential]

UGH... a 470W is $30 more than I was planning to spend. Considering that the 420W peaks at 520W, I should be okay with it.

Nah...if thats the case, get the blue-storm. Its better than the 420W

 

[Sentential]

100% incorrect. Fortron still has the most generous component selection, component quality, and build quality of any power supply short of a Zippy or PCP&C. Topower is competent, it is not Fortron build quality.

I belive I anwsered a similar reply in another thread. Im refering to the overall quality, not purely the hardware itself. THis is taking BTX and the pots and the customer service into consideration as well. Something Fortron lacks.

However in this case, he is better off getting a Fortron since he cannot afford the nicer OCZs

 

[CunningLinguist]

100% incorrect. Fortron still has the most generous component selection, component quality, and build quality of any power supply short of a Zippy or PCP&C. Topower is competent, it is not Fortron build quality.

:ATTN: FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!

 

[larva]

I belive I anwsered a similar reply in another thread. Im refering to the overall quality, not purely the hardware itself. THis is taking BTX and the pots and the customer service into consideration as well. Something Fortron lacks.

However in this case, he is better off getting a Fortron since he cannot afford the nicer OCZs

You were referring to features, not quality. Your remarks would be open to considerably less 'mis-understanding' if you said what you meant.

 

[CunningLinguist]

Nah...if thats the case, get the blue-storm. Its better than the 420W

This is where it gets kinda complicated: If I buy from Newegg, I have to pay sales tax along with a pretty stiff shipping charge. If I buy from Monarchcomputer, some of the PSU's have free shipping, and the others are cheap shipping. If I buy from Newegg, I can count on paying an extra $15 in shipping and taxes which, if I pay that much more, I might as well go with the 470W (the $30 extra was including shipping)

 

[larva]

I think either supply would please you. But for the sake of the record, and the users that might form purchasing opinions from it, OCZs have a really nice and well thought-out feature set, but Fortron is still the physical and electrical quality leader.

 

[Sentential]

I think either supply would please you. But for the sake of the record, and the users that might form purchasing opinions from it, OCZs have a really nice and well thought-out feature set, but Fortron is still the physical and electrical quality leader.

Exactally the arguement I poorly worded previously .

On that note...lemme check monarch for other Fortrons..

 

[Sentential]

Well this will make **** nice and simple:
http://www.monarchcomputer.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=M&Product_Code=100057

FSP = Fortron Source Power.

Get that. Nice and cheap and what you are looking for.

 

[CunningLinguist]

I think either supply would please you. But for the sake of the record, and the users that might form purchasing opinions from it, OCZs have a really nice and well thought-out feature set, but Fortron is still the physical and electrical quality leader.

You're right. The Fortron Blue storm is considerably better. I don't really need adjustable rails, and while isolated rails would probably be good, I don't really feel the need for it. A PSU with over 70% efficiency at minimum is pretty awesome. It's got cable management too, which is also a plus. I think I was really looking for quality over features, and this model sounds about right.

 

[CunningLinguist]

Well this will make **** nice and simple:
http://www.monarchcomputer.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=M&Product_Code=100057

FSP = Fortron Source Power.

Get that. Nice and cheap and what you are looking for.

Well dam-n! Sorry to have troubled you

 

[FIZZ3]

You're right. The Fortron Blue storm is considerably better. I don't really need adjustable rails, and while isolated rails would probably be good, I don't really feel the need for it. A PSU with over 70% efficiency at minimum is pretty awesome. It's got cable management too, which is also a plus. I think I was really looking for quality over features, and this model sounds about right.

Although an owner should verify this, I do believe that the Fortron has adjustable (beit perhaps un-marked) pots on the inside of the unit. Not very user-friendly with the shock hazard etc, but the functionality should be there.