future proof

A

akapaulk

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Jun 21, 2002
Messages
1,315
My Antec True Blue power supply just died out on me in my P4 3.0 computer.

I am going to replace this 3.0 computer one day in the future, so my question is, should I get a regular true blue replacement - or should I get a nice powerful power supply with modular cabling so when I update my rig to a quad core, 4gb ram, top of the line graphic card, etc - I can reuse this new power supply?
 
If I were you, I would purchase a power supply that would allow me to get by until I am ready to upgrade. Future proofing doesn't really work out too well from my point of view.
 
In general I have heard Antec quality has gone down recently. At the same time I have heard good things about Seasonic. I am currently using an OCZ brand psu and it's been working out ok. That's as much as I can tell you.
 
I'm gonna go against the grain and say, since you're looking to upgrade at some point soon anyway, just get a PSU that's going to work for your next build. Why buy 1 more power supply than you have to? It's money down the drain. Some power supplies have up to a 5 year warranty! It'll also help you avoid the temptation to buy a cheapo junk PSU now, which is just going to cause more trouble than it's worth.

So what do you want to upgrade to, eventually? Maybe quad core CPU, the basics: OD, couple of hard drives, at least 1 video card? Think you might be going SLI or CF? Are you going to be buying the latest and greatest, or just good solid mid-range or lower parts?

If you're going with the mid-range parts, 1 video card, less than 6 hard drives, you don't need whole lot. A good 500-700 watt PSU is more than enough, and will ensure that you have enough good, clean power through a couple of upgrades. If you want high end, and SLI or CF, then you'll want to think higher, like 700-800 watt PSUs. What is most important is if you have sufficient power on the 12v rail. Look for 40a+ for mid-range, and 60a+ for high end, as a starting point.

Also figure out what you want. Modular cables? Quiet operation? Extra long cables? Bling factor?

I won't recommend several options for each of the possibilities above right now, but if you let me know roughly what you have in mind for your next build, I can try to suggest some good options. If you'd like to do some extra research yourself, good reviews and discussions can be had here, but also here: http://www.jonnyguru.com
 
Thanks NLW,

I would upgrade to a speedy duo or quad core. No SLI. I would want stability and quiet operation.
 
If you want modular cables, I'd go with this one:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139001

If modular cables don't matter, you can save money by getting this one:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139004

Lots of people use the Corsairs around here, and the entire line gets uniformly good reviews, from even the toughest reviewers. Feel free to ask around. A 5 year warranty doesn't hurt, either. You might be able to get them cheaper at buy.com, but buy where you're comfortable. I have the HX520, and I expect to keep it when I eventually get a build kinda like the one you're looking at. It's so quiet I can barely hear it when I have my ear right at the back of the case.

One more thing - don't let people talk you into buying a crazy expensive uber-watt PSU. They're unnecessary. They'll just run hotter and waste more electricity. Unless you're doing multiple GPUs, no one really needs more than 600 watts (12v 50a+).
 
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