Need a better PSU but no cash to spend on the "big boys" PCP&C etc...

[KevC]

So I'm stuck with an Antec 300W and my rails are sh!te! I mean really. I can't overclock my beloved JIUHB cos of my PSU.

Now I'd love to get a PCP&C or Antec TrueControl 550W, but I just don't have the cash for that. I'd like to spend around $70CDN MAX... if that's possible. That leaves me with...

SilverStone 400W ATX (SST-400) $65
SilverStone 350W ATX w/ PFC (SST-35F) $69
Thermaltake Silent PurePower 420W (W0009R) $68
Thermaltake Silent PurePower 420W Active PFC (W0008R) $75
Zalman ZM300A-APF 300W Noiseless PSU $69

Any of these okay? Or should I just save up my pennies for a TruePower 550W for like ~$130?

[SJetski71]

So I'm stuck with an Antec 300W and my rails are sh!te! I mean really. I can't overclock my beloved JIUHB cos of my PSU.

Now I'd love to get a PCP&C or Antec TrueControl 550W, but I just don't have the cash for that. I'd like to spend around $70CDN MAX... if that's possible. That leaves me with...

SilverStone 400W ATX (SST-400) $65
SilverStone 350W ATX w/ PFC (SST-35F) $69
Thermaltake Silent PurePower 420W (W0009R) $68
Thermaltake Silent PurePower 420W Active PFC (W0008R) $75
Zalman ZM300A-APF 300W Noiseless PSU $69

Any of these okay? Or should I just save up my pennies for a TruePower 550W for like ~$130? They're hard to find in Canada but try to get a 400+ watt Sparkle/Fortron "FSP" series. They're rock solid and worth a heck of a lot more than they charge for em. Other alternatives would be:
A smaller Antec True 380/430/480
Enermax Noisetaker 420/470 dual +12v lines baby
TTGI: any model over 400w preferably (these are supposedly produced at the same factory as enermax)
Silverstones/Thermaltakes/Enlights/Enhance are mfr by Sirtec and are known high quality for the most part.

[ycchan]

woah..never knew truepower 550w was that cheap. Its 1000 HK here ~178 Cdn lol
I just got the Zalman 400B hehehehe :D

[aug1516]

I have used both of those Thermaltake models and was very satisfied. They had good voltage rails, were stable when overclocking,and are extremely quiet.

[mwarps]

I have a few smaller antecs here and they OC fine.. 350 driving a 2100 JIUHB to 2.4GHz.. Check your rails with a multimeter. Don't trust your motherboard sensors.

[felix88]

the Antec TrueControl 550 i owned had horrable rails(measured with a DMM), i suggest staying away from it.

Sparkle/Fortron Source or TTGI are good choices if you can find them.

[xonik]

Isn't the point of the TrueControl that you can adjust said rails to ATX compliance?

[KevC]

Hm. I might just get the Silverstone, since you guys say it's of relatively high quality. 400W or 350w/PFC?

[xonik]

I don't know what your laws are in Canada, but in much of Europe, active PFC is required in power supplies. If not, go with the 400 watt unit; there is no advantage to PFC that you would care about.

In case you're wondering PFC stands for Power Factor Correction. Active PFC attempts to adjust the power factor angle to 0 degrees. You'd need a bit of an EE background, but if the power factor angle is at 0 degrees, your power supply is 100% efficient and uses all of the AC power it takes. In reality, of course, the power supply isn't nearly that efficient. 60 to 70% efficiency is what most power supplies can do.

[felix88]

Isn't the point of the TrueControl that you can adjust said rails to ATX compliance?

yes it is, but even with the rails adjusted to the max, i wasn't getting acceptable readings. they also fluctuated quite a bit more than i like under load.

anyway, i agree about the PFC. if it's not required, go with the 400w unit.

[Vertigo Acid]

Silverstones/Thermaltakes/Enlights/Enhance are mfr by Sirtec and are known high quality for the most part.

Thermaltake power supplies are manufactured by TTGI/Superflower

yes it is, but even with the rails adjusted to the max, i wasn't getting acceptable readings. they also fluctuated quite a bit more than i like under load.

anyway, i agree about the PFC. if it's not required, go with the 400w unit.
Sounds like you just got a bad unit, Antec generally is known for making high quality supplies. If they were that low, why didn't you RMA it for a new one? Everyone has duds, even PC Power and Cooling

[SJetski71]

Thermaltake power supplies are manufactured by TTGI/Superflower
Sure about your sources on that one? I'm 99.9% sure that Enlight and Thermaltake are manufactured by the same company (Sirtec) along with a few others. Go to Newegg and compare them both and you'll see what i mean (specs are identical and looks very similar).

TTGI/Superflower is manufactured by Enermax's oem factory, TTGI even looks like the older/lower end Enermaxes (check out Dan's Data review on the Superflower for more info/evidence).

If you have anymore PSU/MFR information/rumor/linkage, please help us untangle that mysterious web of affilitaions in this thread: Hardcore Psu Info (http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=702661)

[SJetski71]

Hm. I might just get the Silverstone, since you guys say it's of relatively high quality. 400W or 350w/PFC?
The higher the better. If you can't find any of our other recommendations then get the thermaltake/enlight 420 watt or the seasonic 400watt.

[Vertigo Acid]

http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=252752&page=4&pp=30

Yep, looks like you were right abot Sirtec and Enlight ;)

[SJetski71]

Found a canadian supplier of FSP fortrons here http://www.computerboulevard.ca/retail_productList.asp?CatID=18&SubCatID=130&offset=0

Those Canadian prices sure look high, Does a typical Canadian have to work 3 days to buy a fortron? (snicker total j/k)