OCZ 500W ModXtreme Enough for Me?

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the.ronin

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OCZ 500W ModXtreme Enough for Me?

I’m shopping around for a modular power supply. Modular since I’m using a Cooler Master Elite 360 small form factor box so I need all the space I can get.

I was looking at the OCZ 500W ModXtreme. Or if you have a recommendation that’s modular and even more affordable?

My system specs are (* indicate likely upgrade soon):

Gigabyte GA-MA785G-UD3H
AMD Phenom 9950 BE *
4x 2GB OCZ DDR2 RAM
GeForce 9400GT 512MB DDR2 *
2x WD 500GB HDs
1x OCZ Vertex 60GB SSD
1x DVD DL RW
1x Zalman CPU fan
2x 120mm fans
3x 80mm fans
6x USB (at most)

According to some online wattage calculators, I’m requiring anywhere from 370 to 480 watts. Sporadic talk about PSUs catching on fire are kinda freeking me out.
 
Last edited:
EXTREME = CATCHING ON FIRE!

I dont have any reccomdation but i will say, stay away from the corsair modular PSUs under the 650 model.
Posted via [H] Mobile Device
 
I would not suggest that OCZ PSU, primarily because there are much better units out there. OCZ PSUs from that time are also known to have ripple suppression issues. The power supplies 4LC4PON3 recommended are good.

I would also look at:
Antec TruePower TP-650W
Seasonic M12 700W
 
Thanks for the recommendations everybody ... I hope the negativity towards OCZ is primarily directed to their power supplies.

I was hoping to find a decent modular PSU. It seems everything listed are not modular unless I overlooked the description.
 
what is your budget. Modular PSU's are pretty pricey. i can recommend you modular if you got the cash.
 
xLAMBIEx said:
I dont have any reccomdation but i will say, stay away from the corsair modular PSUs under the 650 model.
Posted via [H] Mobile Device
Click to expand...

And why is that?

@ OP
The negativity is mostly aimed towards their PSUs.

There are quality modular PSUs out there but they cost quite a bit of money. There's basically no such thing as a confirmed cheap but good quality modular PSU IMO.

Personally, I really hope to see a review of the $65 Antec BP550 Plus one of these days. It's Delta built so it does have a good chance of being a good PSU. With that said, judging from the price, it is a probably a low quality Delta built PSU and a low quality Delta can fail proper testing sadly.
 
I've not heard anything good about OCZ PSU's. I have had great luck with Seasonic and Corsair myself. Modular is more expensive, but alot easier to deal with cable management wise (Obviously)
 
Hi Danny, yeah that question was actually in reference to your post - I should've quoted your post. I appreciate everyone's thoughts on power supplies but the Antec you wrote about had a very compelling price point and seems to be respected as far as I've been reading.
 
Has anyone here actually had this 500w psu fail on them? Is this a poor review site?

overclock3d review

I ask because OCZ psu's are constantly slammed on this forum, mostly because of one hardocp review (700w), and I was wondering if it is across the board for all their psus. OCZ ram gets recommended frequently.

I did get this psu because it was cheap and the modular was awesome. I have a very basic system, just one of everything and so far it has been working without a hitch.
 
I say stay away from all the 500 watt PSs...(had aweful luck with all of the ones I had, OCZ died within a few min, 2 Seasonics died, 1 in a day and 2nd in a couple weeks and I had a bunch of Ultra 500 ones (bought about 10 of them) that were mostly 75% DOA(but that was a few years ago and Ultra was practically giving them away, kind of like OCZ lately)) And none of those comps drew more than 200 watts
(I monitor my comps power draw very close)

The Wattage calq is way wrong, ur comp needs less than 50% of what they are saying. Get a "Kill A Watt" its cheap and you will know for sure, no more guessing.

A good 400 watt PS is Plenty for yuor comp, but if you think you may upgrade in the future the Corsair 650 (or any of the HX PSs) would be an excellent foundation to build on.
 
I have an OCZ GameXStream...for the price its good, wont buy one again though because i have stability issues at high clocks, on identical systems to people pulling higher overclocks(yes i know that overclocking varies...but i had a 5000+ BE that didnt go past 2.8 stable, and they did get above 3 regularly).......

any corsair would be a good choice, or a PC P&C


though the new OCZ golds seem to be performing quite well....just expensive
 
DarrisBard said:
Is this a poor review site?

overclock3d review

I ask because OCZ psu's are constantly slammed on this forum, mostly because of one hardocp review (700w), and I was wondering if it is across the board for all their psus. OCZ ram gets recommended frequently.
Click to expand...
Actually, it's not because of one review. It's due to three reviews:
http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story&reid=24
http://hardocp.com/article/2007/06/12/ocz_1000w_power_supply_duel/2
http://hardocp.com/article/2008/11/12/ocz_700w_modxstream_pro_power_supply/

Considering that their lower wattage version of those PSU lines are based on the same platform, it's fair to say that their PSUs are not of good quality. But yes, the OCZ Z Series is of good quality.

As for that review site, definitely a plus that they use an ATE. With that said, it looks like the PSU was tested at room temperature which means that those results are not indicative of real world usage. In addition, I can't tell what they used exactly to measure the ripple/voltage. in fact, there's no Oscope readings as far as I can tell. So basically, not that good of a review site IMO.

markkleb said:
I say stay away from all the 500 watt PSs...(had aweful luck with all of the ones I had, OCZ died within a few min, 2 Seasonics died, 1 in a day and 2nd in a couple weeks and I had a bunch of Ultra 500 ones (bought about 10 of them) that were mostly 75% DOA(but that was a few years ago and Ultra was practically giving them away, kind of like OCZ lately)) And none of those comps drew more than 200 watts
(I monitor my comps power draw very close)
Click to expand...
Thats some pretty shitty luck. Not all 500W PSUs are of shitty quality.

markkleb said:
The Wattage calq is way wrong, ur comp needs less than 50% of what they are saying. Get a "Kill A Watt" its cheap and you will know for sure, no more guessing.
Click to expand...
Actually Kill-A-Watts are just as inaccurate:

Paul_Johnson said:
Yes and a quick search would turn up this topic a million times over. Here is the recap:

1) APFC can fool Kill-A-Watts into giving you abnormally low readings (some times giving better than 100% efficiency)

2) Power supplies derate with temperature anywhere from 2w/c above a nominal rated at value to 10w/c.

3) Kill-A-Watt's and most power meters sample too slowly to catch transient loads (the Transient load from our tests is 117w and is COMPLETELY missed by Kill-A-Watts).

4) Power supplies last longer if you stay in the 40% to 60% range of their output.

5) power supplies are quieter if you stay in the 40% to 60% range of their output.

6) Power supplies are cooler if you stay in the 40% to 60% range of their output.

The power meters in UPS software are just as bad. You have to spend some change before you get anywhere near an accurate power meter when your PSU has APFC.
Click to expand...

Here's Paul Johnson's post about the inaccuracy of the Kill-A-Watt:
http://hardforum.com/showpost.php?p=1032190998&postcount=7
 
I owned a corsair 520watt modular PSU and that thing was loud..Also if you would put it under too much load it would make noises. The 620 didnt have this issue though.
 
Danny Bui said:
Actually, it's not because of one review. It's due to three reviews:
http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story&reid=24
http://hardocp.com/article/2007/06/12/ocz_1000w_power_supply_duel/2
http://hardocp.com/article/2008/11/12/ocz_700w_modxstream_pro_power_supply/

Considering that their lower wattage version of those PSU lines are based on the same platform, it's fair to say that their PSUs are not of good quality. But yes, the OCZ Z Series is of good quality.

As for that review site, definitely a plus that they use an ATE. With that said, it looks like the PSU was tested at room temperature which means that those results are not indicative of real world usage. In addition, I can't tell what they used exactly to measure the ripple/voltage. in fact, there's no Oscope readings as far as I can tell. So basically, not that good of a review site IMO.


Thats some pretty shitty luck. Not all 500W PSUs are of shitty quality.


Actually Kill-A-Watts are just as inaccurate:



Here's Paul Johnson's post about the inaccuracy of the Kill-A-Watt:
http://hardforum.com/showpost.php?p=1032190998&postcount=7
Click to expand...

LOL,
Are you seriously trying to compare Kill A Watt to all the $$ equip in that post????

the Kill A watt is fine, close enough for its cost (under $20) Its MUCH better than online voltage calqs that are WAY off.

in the last year I went through 621 Power supplies (I am so pissed I had to go through all my invoices and count just for you) and I have had way worse luck with 500 (not 520 or 550watt) power supplies than all the rest together. Another tidbit to me is it seems like companies that made high quality PSs before are now making cheaper PSs to compete in the lower end of the market that are no way close to the quality ones sold a year or so ago. (like Seasonic)
 
Dude if you're going through that man PSUs, thats pointing towards an electrical problem.

Anyway, you missed my point: the Kill-A-Watt is so inaccurate, it's just as bad as as those online power calculators.
Posted via [H] Mobile Device
 
lol, they are for over 600 different builds.

The Kill a watt isant perfect but it is MUCH better than online calqs. and if you cant see that well, sorry.
 
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