PC Peripherals Choosing SMPS: calling all Gurus

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H

hatter

Galvanizer
Ok, here is the thread for discussion and I hope once the dust has settled, we will have some clear winners for:

Entry Level Rig: 350 to 450W, should support a 9600GT/9800GT Class gfx card and a C2Q CPU, 1 HDs, One DVD-RW, 2 120mm fans etc
Mid-end rig: 450 to 650W, should support a 4870/GTX260 Class gfx card or two 9600GT/4850 class gfx cards, Overclocked C2Q, 2 HDs, 1 DVD-RW, 4 120mm fans etc
High-end Rig: 650 to 800W, should support 4870X2, GTX280 SLI, Overclocked C2Q, 4HDs, two DVD-rw, 5-6 120 mm fans etc
We are looking for best VFM, reliable power that can provide decent power supply. Everuthing is under consideration including Active PFC, Efficiency, Price/performance, Availability and warranty.

Everybody invited... lets reach a conclusion that can last till December end :P In each category we can have maximum of two recommendations
 
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My Recomendations

Entry Level Rig:

1. Corsair VX450 (quality and performance wise)
2. CM 460 (VFM)

Mid-end rig:

1. Corsair 650TX/620HX (quality and performance wise)
2. Tagan 600W non-modular (VFM)

High-end Rig:

1. Tagan BZ800
2. Corsair 750TX
 
To give the thread a bit of push, here are my suggestions

Entry level:

Best VMF: CM 460W Plus @ 2.4K

Why: because it's the cheapest in its class. efficiency may not be that great but CM 460 Plus is better than Zebbies and similarly priced VIP SMPS because it still adheres to some basic quality Control norms and can provide reliable power at its rated output unlike no name PSUs which inflate rated output.

CM 460W has a 24-pin Mobo connector, 8-pin CPU connector, 4 SATA connectors and 5 peripherals connectors and most importantly one six-pin PCIe connector.

As far as power distribution is concerned it has: 312W (total available) on two 18amps rails of +12V and total 165W on +3.3V (22amps) and +5V (25 amps).

It may not provide best protection against short circuit or power fluctuations, but for the price this is the best you can get.

The Competitor: Corsair CX 400W @ 3.2K

Why: because we hope it will be as good as other PSUs from Corsair, comes with superb Corsair ASS and has a 80% rated efficiency. The PSU has better protection against power surge and short circuit, active PFC and other bells and whistles.

CX 400W has a 24-pin Mobo connector, 8-pin CPU connector, 6 SATA connectors and 6 peripherals connectors and most importantly one six-pin PCIe connector.

As far as power distribution is concerned it has: 360W (total available) on single 30amps rail of +12V and total 130W on +3.3V (20amps) and +5V (20 amps).

Price is not right, but quality is better than the CM one. It's a new product so prices may settle soon. Till then I think it has to play second fiddle to CM460W in terms of recommendations. Though if you have 3.2K and want peace of mind, CX 400 is better than CM460W Plus.

Interesting thing to note is: despite 460W, CM PSU is inferior to CX 400W as far as power distribution is concerned. So first, more Watts does not necessarily make a PSU better :-)

Why not: CM 600W ExtremePower which sells for 3.4K: Because it has only one 4-Pin CPU power connector. No 8-Pin here :rofl: also mobo connector is 20+4 and not 24

More soon... depending on how many people are interested

@ Gamepagol: Now V450W is around 3.8K. Why you suggest that over CX400. because I think, it's no longer VMF at that price now that CX is 3.2K
 
entry level: VIP 500w gold /cm460w 1.75k / 2.4k

mid level: corsair vx450 / cm rp550 3.7k / 4.2k

high level: corsair tx650 to other high end...hazy idea abt these.
 
ultimabasher said:
Okies m here. Prove me wrong :)
Click to expand...

Efficiency means how much input a SMPS needs in order to output the power required by the computer. So a SMPS rated at 400W with 80% efficiency will/should be able to:

Provide at least 400W of power if required by PC without any trouble on 24/7 basis. (though it's not at all advisable to run a SMPS on 100% of its capacity for prolong periods, however good it is).

Now because it's efficiency is 80% rated (and I believe it's actual as well) it will draw 500W from the wall to provide 400W of power. So efficiency governs Y amount of power that SMPS needs from the wall to provide X amount of power and not that an 80% efficient SMPS that is rated at 400W will only provide

400 X 80/100 = 320W of power.
 
Sei said:
Is the VX450W in the entry level or the mid level rig? :S
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I don't think it's anywhere, now that CX is here. Unless Hardware Secret and Johnny Guru term the Cx400 an epic fail.
 
Entry to OCed C2Q + 4870 and GTX 260 = VX450/VX550 (if priced good)

Rest: HX620 or HX1000 for super high end.
 
morgoth said:
Efficiency means how much input a SMPS needs in order to output the power required by the computer. So a SMPS rated at 400W with 80% efficiency will/should be able to:

Provide at least 400W of power if required by PC without any trouble on 24/7 basis. (though it's not at all advisable to run a SMPS on 100% of its capacity for prolong periods, however good it is).

Now because it's efficiency is 80% rated (and I believe it's actual as well) it will draw 500W from the wall to provide 400W of power. So efficiency governs Y amount of power that SMPS needs from the wall to provide X amount of power and not that an 80% efficient SMPS that is rated at 400W will only provide

400 X 80/100 = 320W of power.
Click to expand...

That is exactly what i meant to say but you have elaborated it while I am lazy so I cut it short.

I short term, efficiency determines the power sucked it from AC output to give the amount of power needed by system.

Hence let us say that if the system requires 250w of power and we have an smps that is only 60% efficient, then the total power that has to be sucked in from the source would be 250 * 100/60 = 416w.

It just that you said said bottom part of coin is heads, i said well top part of the coin is tails.

So we were explaining the same thing but in diff perspectives.
 
adder said:
when did that come,sorry i havent upgraded from p4 northwood era which has 4-pin CPU connector :P
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Well, new CPUs will run with 4-PIN connector but 8-Pin improves stability and OC.

In Fact, it is highly advisable that you get a mobo with support for 8-pin CPU connector specially if you are getting a quad core.
ultimabasher said:
That is exactly what i meant to say but you have elaborated it while I am lazy so I cut it short.

I short term, efficiency determines the power sucked it from AC output to give the amount of power needed by system.

Hence let us say that if the system requires 250w of power and we have an smps that is only 60% efficient, then the total power that has to be sucked in from the source would be 250 * 100/60 = 416w.

It just that you said said bottom part of coin is heads, i said well top part of the coin is tails.

So we were explaining the same thing but in diff perspectives.
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did you say that.? I think you said (in red)
^ CX400 is still better , cm600w gives combined 30amps on +12v and 70 % efficiancy . CX400 gives same but with 80 % efficiancy .

Yeah but something odd here.

600w * 70% = 420w

400w * 80% = 320w
You decide.
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600w * 70% = 420w

400w * 80% = 320w

By that, I meant the max output that can be provided by that SMPS when taking the rated power from an AC source. Duh
 
ultimabasher said:
600w * 70% = 420w

400w * 80% = 320w

By that, I meant the max output that can be provided by that SMPS when taking the rated power from an AC source. Duh
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But you can't really control how much power a SMPS will draw from a socket. It is automatically adjusted according to the load on SMPS.

Now if you mean to say that CM 600W SMPS can only suck 600W power and CX400 can only Suck 400W from wall, then you are wrong. Agree on this point? :)
 
^^wth ultima n morgoth u two discussing on efficiency on since 10 posts...modz clean this up. both know wt it means n still..:|
 
Agreed to that. :P

Thats why in the next post I even mentioned that these are just examples or a kind.

Some smps can even draw much more then they are rated at.
 
ultimabasher said:
Agreed to that. :P

Thats why in the next post I even mentioned that these are just examples or a kind.

Some smps can even draw much more then they are rated at.
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The rated does not mean that "it can only draw the rated Watts" but it means that "it can provide only that much Watts". It's input and output difference. Bah! is it so tough to understand :chair:
 
Entry Level Rig: CM 460W

Mid-end rig: CM 550W RP

High-end Rig: Corsair HX 1000W

Corsair has best SMPSs in all categories but not VFM @ all.
 
Firstly, am no GURU :ashamed: , so apologies in advance if i missed something obvious. :bleh:

But what about the Tagan BZ500 PipeRock Series Modular Power Supply ?

And the Tagan TG600 U33 600W Power Supply (Non-Modular) ?

According to Hardware Canucks review, it seems a great quality alternative to a more expensive Modular Unit.

And Tagan build quality is SOLID imo, they are suppliers for ABS Power Supplies.
 
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