djr777
Premium
join:2005-01-25
Pacific Grove, CA
| I'm looking for a new quiet running PSU....Is yours quiet?
I had a few minutes to look around for a new PSU and realized that I had to find one that was going to run as quiet as possible.
I know a lot of you guys here work on computers for a living so you know that some of those PSU fans are noisier than others. I learned today that the smaller fans are going to be noisier because they have to run harder.
What is the quietest running PSU that you have come across?
I'm looking for one in the 500w-650w range.
Thanks
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...there will be an answer. let it be |
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Fat City
Premium
join:2003-03-10
Freedonia | Corsair CMPSU-620HX...620W
Much quieter than my old 400W Antec.
Modular cables, solid construction, good reviews. |
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srr2
join:2001-12-20
Bethlehem, PA
 ·RCN CABLE
| reply to djr777
I've never bought anything other than Seasonic. I've never heard one running and have never had a failure.
The closest one came to failing was the fan speed controller drifted due, most likely, to some drift in one of its sensing components. The symptom was that the fan was running slower than it should have been. That supply was 5 years old at the time and was brought back to normal operation by a 10 minute surgery and addition of a resistor to the controller. |
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HarryH3
join:2005-02-21
Georgetown, TX
 ·Verizon Online DSL
| reply to djr777
I put one of these »www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a···-Product in my sons PC. That giant fan turns very slow and quiet. I can't even hear it.  |
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veloslave
Geek For God
Premium
join:2003-07-11
Pleasant Hill, CA
 ·PHONE POWER
·SONIC.NET
1 edit | reply to djr777
WHAT????
Type louder man... I can't hear you over the drone of 2 servers, 3 workstations and one laptop in my 11' x 11' home office.
(I keep telling myself... going to go for quiet stuff next time... don't think it will ever happen though) 
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Mom was right.... I NEED fiber! |
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djr777
Premium
join:2005-01-25
Pacific Grove, CA
1 edit | lol
Edit: Thanks mod for moving this here. I didn't even know that this forum existed. |
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pnjunction
Teksavvy Premium
Premium
join:2008-01-24
Toronto, ON | reply to Fat City
The Corsair HX series are top quality. The TX series is also good and a bit cheaper.
Both the 620HX and 650TX have a quiet 120mm fan, just that the HX has modular cables. |
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djr777
Premium
join:2005-01-25
Pacific Grove, CA
| said by pnjunction  :The Corsair HX series are top quality. The TX series is also good and a bit cheaper. Both the 620HX and 650TX have a quiet 120mm fan, just that the HX has modular cables. Well that's two votes so far for the Corsair 620HX
»www.legitreviews.com/article/371/1/
1 vote for Seasonic
»www.silentpcreview.com/article247-page1.html
1 vote for FSP Group Blue Storm II 500W ATX 2.2
»www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a···-Product
...anybody else want to ante up.
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...there will be an answer. let it be |
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Fat City
Premium
join:2003-03-10
Freedonia
| »www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a···17139001
The CMPSU-520HX...520W might be a good lower-cost alternative for you and it's in your 500-650 W range. $70 after a $40 MIR is a pretty good deal. That was my first choice for a PSU, but at the time I was buying, rebates and sales made the price for the 620HX only $12 more so I grabbed it. The 520HX is also modular.
Rumor has it that Seasonic manufactures PSUs for Corsair, but I can't find outright proof. The company reps on the Corsair Forum are very coy when asked about it, only hinting that Seasonic might be making them to Corsair's specs.
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The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side.
- Hunter S. Thompson (1937 - 2005) |
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rabidmoose
join:2008-12-09
Arvada, CO
| reply to djr777
It's a little pricey, but in my opinion, you can't beat the Enermax Modu82+. Review, and at Newegg. |
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benyto
Premium
join:2000-07-09
Chico, CA
| Add my vote for Seasonic. I've used quite a few of their PSUs at home, at work, and in builds I've done for friends. They are fairly priced and do what they are supposed to do: provide power quietly and efficiently. I have had no complaints in the years I've been using their PSUs. |
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downshft
join:2001-12-17
1 edit | reply to djr777
I've heard good things about Seasonic. No problems here with my three Antec Earthwatts PSUs.
Just thought I'd say it's nice to see this subforum. Had never seen it before. BTW stumbled upon it via Google. |
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srr2
join:2001-12-20
Bethlehem, PA
·RCN CABLE
1 edit | reply to djr777
While we're on the subject of power supplies here, no one has mentioned 80plus.org. They are the sanctioning organization for high-efficiency electronic products, including ATX power supplies. It's well worth a visit. Go here:
»www.80plus.org/manu/psu/psu_join.aspx
I think, in addition to the high efficiency that the manufacturers on this list have gone the extra mile to make better than average products. There's nothing about noise unfortunately, but you can probably make some assumptions that the Bronze, Silver and Gold level units are made with better quality components and designs.
What is especially nice about this is that there's a data sheet for EVERY power supply that shows exactly what it can do. No marketing or sales BS. ACTUAL DATA.
There are a lot of familiar names there (all that appear in this thread have something on the list) and some unfamiliar. I assume some of these are OEM suppliers. |
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djr777
Premium
join:2005-01-25
Pacific Grove, CA
| reply to Fat City
Here is a way to see what size PSU your system requires:
»www.corsair.com/psufinder/default.aspx
I still have not had time to get that computer fixed. It looks like if I want Corsair or Seasonic, I will have to order online. No one around here carries them. I would like to make sure my old one matches with a new one in size.
Are all PSU's the same dimension?
...my computers PSU is set inside a little sheet metal spot that looks like the sheet metal flange was built around the PSU.
On modular PSU's, do all connections have the same hook up inside the PSU to the various computer components?
Thanks
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...there will be an answer. let it be |
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srr2
join:2001-12-20
Bethlehem, PA
·RCN CABLE
1 edit | said by djr777 :I still have not had time to get that computer fixed. It looks like if I want Corsair or Seasonic, I will have to order online. No one around here carries them. I would like to make sure my old one matches with a new one in size. Are all PSU's the same dimension? On modular PSU's, do all connections have the same hook up inside the PSU to the various computer components? Have a look at this: »www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a···17151059
$42 shipped for a Seasonic 300W 80-Plus Bronze supply. Nothing fancy, but it has all the essentials.
300W is plenty for any recent generation machine. Plenty. Don't fall for all the power fanboys around here who think everyone needs a 1.4KW power supply. The only situation where 300W would be marginal is where you have a very power-hungry graphics card. They can draw quite a bit. Those online "power estimators" are designed to sell power supplies, you know. They tend to overestimate like crazy. For example, I just tried it for my desktop. Now I already know that this machine draws about 80W under normal use and about 120W when the processor is loaded up. It has a old 350W Seasonic supply in it now. Corsair thinks I ought to buy a 650W power supply. ROFL! Idiotic.
As far as dimensions are concerned, ATX cases are supposed to be standardized in power supply mounting and available space. However there are some unspecified properties in some cases, such as a "shelf" that protrudes from the back panel under the supply (technically allowed) that blocks a bottom-mounted fan inlet.
What do you mean by "modular" PSU? Removable cables or something else? As a matter of practice, I dislike removable cables. Having them removable introduces another set of connectors in the power supply wiring harness while history says that connectors are always a weak link in reliability. Minimizing the number of unnecessary connectors is always a good idea.
Otherwise, the connectors from any standard ATX power supply you'd find these days are standardized, more or less. You'll find a variation in the number of each type, so you'll have to figure out how many you need. One exception is the so-called "pci-e" connector that you'll find on recent high-power supplies. These are for video cards. That Seasonic supply above does not have one of those, logically enough. If you plan to include a monster video card, look elsewhere, otherwise this particular supply has an adequate array of connectors for a typical desktop machine. |
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pnjunction
Teksavvy Premium
Premium
join:2008-01-24
Toronto, ON
·TekSavvy Solutions..
| reply to djr777
said by djr777 :Are all PSU's the same dimension? ...my computers PSU is set inside a little sheet metal spot that looks like the sheet metal flange was built around the PSU. On modular PSU's, do all connections have the same hook up inside the PSU to the various computer components? They are all the same width and height (5.9"x3.4"), but the length can vary from 5.5" for small ones, 5.9" for bigger ones and larger for huge ones. It seem all of the Corsairs 650W and under are 5.9" while the only 5.5" are the VX550 VX450 and CX400. They have the lengths on the website, I'm sure other manufacturers do as well if it's not on the Newegg page.
Does the sheet metal constrain the width or length? Hopefully the width and not length...otherwise you might be stuck with 5.5" supplies?
I don't know what you mean by 'same connector inside the PSU'. You'll get all the standard plugs, the number depending on the model. The plugs into the PSU itself are proprietary, you have to use the cables that come with it. Sometimes you get more cables than there are plugs on the PSU so you have options (ie. more video cards or more hard drives with SATA or molex power plugs). |
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pnjunction
Teksavvy Premium
Premium
join:2008-01-24
Toronto, ON
·TekSavvy Solutions..
1 edit | reply to srr2
There are better power calculators out there but you must have a pretty low-draw system if you don't even have an extra connector for your video card. I wouldn't get one without unless you're not planning on a video card at all. I've used one since my 7900GS on PCIe (the 7600GT didn't need it) and now two with my 4870.
A rough start if you have a pretty standard system (not loaded with hard drives) is the minimum requirements of the video card. My 7600GT said 350W, 7900GS (OC model) says 450W, the 9600GT says 400W, my 4870 says 550W.
I would add a bit for future-proofing. I went with the Corsair TX650 when I got the 4870. There's no reason (unless you're on a small budget) to go less than 450 or 550 these days, 650 if you like big video cards like I do and 750 or 850 if you're going multiple cards. The good ones get 80% efficiency or better at any load. |
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srr2
join:2001-12-20
Bethlehem, PA
·RCN CABLE
| said by pnjunction :There are better power calculators out there but you must have a pretty low-draw system if you don't even have an extra connector for your video card. I wouldn't get one without unless you're not planning on a video card at all. I have yet to see a "power estimator" that doesn't grossly overestimate. Among other flaws, they make the assumption that every component will simultaneously draw its worst-case power, which is both logically and statistically highly improbable, and frankly, not borne out in the hundreds of power measurements I've made. PCs draw a lot less, on average, than either the manufacturers or the power supply manufacturers would have you think.
That desktop I mentioned has a passively-cooled 8600GT video card. It does not have a separate pci-e power connector on it.
I misquoted the power for that system. I was thinking of a different desktop and typing half-asleep. The idle power is somewhere around 100 and full load about 150. I ought to measure it again because of my defective memory and there have been a few changes since I measured it the last time.
However the point is still the same. With the exception of the video card power, practically no one needs anything larger than that Seasonic I mentioned above.
What you buy when you get one of those grossly oversized power supplies, even the 80-plus types, is reduced efficiency. If you look at the efficiency curves, you see that all of them hit their peak efficiency around 40%-60% of full power. So if you way overbuy power, and have a typical machine, you're going to be operating at a very unfavorable point on the efficiency profile.
I'm about to order three of those Seasonics right now. The one in that desktop is over five years old and of dubious efficiency. Plus I have other systems here that run 24/7 that could definitely benefit from improved efficiency. I'll take before-after power measurements on them and post the results as I get them replaced. PP&L (the power company) is telling us that our rates are going to go up 50% when the "Transition Caps" (to market-pricing of generation, hahahaha) come off at the end of the year. I figure if I can save 25W from each of these machines, those new supplies will pay for themselves in under a year. |
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pnjunction
Teksavvy Premium
Premium
join:2008-01-24
Toronto, ON
·TekSavvy Solutions..
| That's a pretty old mid-range card. Even a 9600gt system will pull about 200W. I had a 420W when I had a 9600gt system.
While gaming the CPU and GPU can or will be pretty close to maxing out their power ratings. It will be at 250-350W for a high-end single card system, maybe 450 with an i7 9-series and a hungry card.
Sure the supplies are more efficient at 40-60% but the proper 80% efficient ones are 80% efficient across the entire range like the Corsair TX650TX measured here. I think it's wiser to put that peak efficiency at the maximum load, so have the maximum load be about 50% of capacity. This way you're generating less heat under load, putting less stress on the unit and it's cooling system (it will be quieter as most today have temp-controlled fans).
Doing this for a 250-350W system gives you about 500-700W, which is what most gamers are getting and for good reason. My 4870 system that might burn 300W under load has a 650W supply and it's fine with me. Could I put a 500-550W in there, or maybe even keep my old 420W? Probably...but the card requirements say 550W and I'd rather have too much than too little for several reasons including upgrading stuff later.
I've never seen anyone recommend getting the smallest supply possible. With today's good supplies being 80% efficiency across the entire range it's just silly unless you really want to pinch pennies. Skimping and getting 450W for $75 when you could get 650W for just $25 is foolish, unless you're never going to run a high-end card. If you're running low-end, old mid-range, or integrated graphics just about anything will do. |
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srr2
join:2001-12-20
Bethlehem, PA
·RCN CABLE
| said by pnjunction :That's a pretty old mid-range card. Even a 9600gt system will pull about 200W. I had a 420W when I had a 9600gt system. Yeah, it is. I don't do games, so the only thing it's useful for is mpeg decoding, for which it's perfectly adequate. If I were buying new again, I'd probably skip the separate video card entirely and get whatever the latest generation of Intel's onboard video is and save more money and power.
I think we're in agreement on most of these principles. Shoot for 50% power supply loading. My point is that *everyone* overestimates the power that their machine draws and buys a supply that's much too large. Really. Just look at the typical power supply discussion in the Hardware Review forum here. It's positively ridiculous. Worse, virtually none of the rabid participants in those discussions knows what the hell they're talking about because none of them have made real measurements. Okay, that might be a slight exaggeration, but the standard conduct of those discussions is largely fact-free.
Those three supplies are on the way. I'll post power measurements as soon as they're available. |
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