Need help deciding on a PSU (Needs SLI)

S

S_G

Limp Gawd
Joined
Dec 17, 2005
Messages
358
Well, when it came to power supplies in the past I've been... Stingy, to say the least. I've seen the light, so now I'm going to start prepping for another system. I won't be getting all the parts now, but since I could use a PSU anyways, I feel I should get at least that.

And note: I live in Canada. Prices I post will be CDN$ unless otherwise noted (almost $1 US as of today: $0.90!).

I am expecting to run SLI. No ATI, too much power, CF boards = more expensive.
I'm thinking dual 7900GT, because it would be 64 watts x 2, which is only 128w (still less than a single x1900xtx). But, if for some reason I have to underspend on a vid card, dual 7800GT: 74 watts x 2 = 144w.

The PSU does NOT need to be SLI-certified or have two PCI-E connectors, just needs enough power for the above SLI. One with a PCI-E connector and I can use a Molex->PCI-E adaptor for #2. BUT, if it has two PCI-E connectors, it saves me a headache.

Alright, with the vid card out of the way, the sys is being planned for whatever bang for buck processor I can get my hands on. Conroe is looking nice compared to AMD; Intel's prices are sliding and Core CPUs seem to use very little power.


Now, I personally have found some good (I think so, at least) power supplies. If you suggest sites that ship to Canada, I'd appreciate it. I could definitely use other PSU suggestions, but for now, this is what I've got:

  • CDN$89.99 SilverStone Power Supply (SST-ST50EF) with Active PFC 500W Efficiency over 80%, Dual+12v
    # Efficiency over 80%
    # Dual +12V rails for advanced systems
    # Dual PCI-E connectors (SLI & CrossFire ready)
    # Silent running 120mm fan
    # Support for ATX 12V 2.2
    # Active PFC
    I couldn't find much info on this PSU, but if it's anything like other SilverStone power supplies, it should be awesome. 500W should be more than enough. SLI-certified.

  • CDN$96.00 Enermax Liberty 400W ATX 12V Ver2.2 Power Supply *Support ATX/BTX systems, Dual CPU, Dual PCI-E , SLI or CrossFire.
    It's an Enermax. Need I say more? The only problem is that I'm paying $6 more for 100w less. I don't know if this has the juice to meet my expectations. It's SLI-certified, but for what? 6600s?

  • CDN$85.99 Fortron FSP AX500-A 500W ATX12V 2.0 24PIN Blue Storm Power Supply W/ 120MM Fan Retail
    500W, but it's a Fortron, I'm not too sure about it. It only has one PCI-E connector, but with a Molex->PCI-E adaptor, will it be powerful enough?

  • CDN$69.99 ($10 MIR) OCZ OCZ45012U-450W Modstream Power Supply PCI-E Ready W/ Ezmod Cable System & Blue LED Fan
    Much less pricey than the others. Also only one PCI-E.


I'd like to go with the cheapest solution possible, but I don't want something that will die on me after a few months.

Well, I'll let your comments POUR IN (slowly, I assume).
 
Those are good, but the TPII-550 is $30 more than the Silverstone 500w I put in my list. As of now, I'm pretty much leaning towards the Silverstone.
 
Wattage doesn't mean a damn thing. What are the specs on the rails? I've seen some so-called 500W power supplies that have a measly single 12V rail sporting 18A----and I have 350W's with that much. I'm not trying to be a dick, and the Silverstone looks to be a great choice, but still---wattage is like CPU MHz: The bigger number doesn't mean it's necessarily good or better.

The specs on the Silverstone are great, but a second choice would be the Fortron AX500.

I don't know if it's in your price range, but the Enermax EG565P-VE is another good choice.
 
I see what you're getting at. I know wattage doesn't mean much in most cases, but Silverstone seems to have quality power supplies. I'm trying to stay under CDN$100 for a PSU, if possible. By the way, I appreciate your being blunt with me, I've got to learn some way.

Code: 
combined+3.3,+5V          210W
combined +12V             35A/420W (peak 38A)
Input Voltage             90V ~ 264V (Auto Range)
Input Frequency Range     47Hz ~ 63Hz
PFC                       Active PFC (PF>0.95 at full load)
Efficiency                Typical >80%
MTBF                      100,000 hours at 25¢XC, full load
Operating temperature     0 ~ 50¢XC
Protection                Over current protection, Over voltage protection, Short circuit, No load operation
Connectors                6 x 4-pin IDE power connector (500mm + 250mm + 150mm)2 x 6-pin PCI-E (550mm) 2 x dual SATA power connectors (500mm + 250mm) 2 x 4-pin floppy power connector (500mm + 250mm + 150mm +150mm)
Color                     black (lead-free paint)
Cooling System            Single 80mm ball bearing fan by Sanyo Denki
Noise Level               24 dBA minimum
Weight                    2.5 kg
Dimension                 150 mm (W) x 86 mm (H) x 150 mm (D)


As for the AX500, I did manage to find it at NCIX on sale for CDN$85.99. From what I can gather, this should be enough to run SLI (with a molex adaptor), as long as it's not dual 7800GTX or 7900GTX. Am I correct on this?
 
trust_no1 got to it first. The Powerstream is the best PSU I've ever owned. I have a Modstream in my other box, but the Powerstream is by far more stable, quieter, and just plain cooler
 
That is a pretty damn nice PSU, but a bit out of my range. The $20 rebate is nice, but I'm not a fan of MIR.

How about an Enermax All In One 535W? Seems to do very well, with the exception of the 3.3v doing around 3.26-3.3 at full load. According to a review I saw, it's enough to power two 7800GTX cards.


Okay, how about this: If you were forced to choose between the following (for 7900GT SLI), which would it be:
the Fortron AX500 500W, the Enermax All In One 535W or the SilverStone SST-ST50EF 500W?

Edit: Nevermind! Already went with the Enermax All In One 535W, I'm too impatient. :D
 
Buy a Enermax Liberty 500

It very quiet and efficient

personally I think its better than the PC & PowerCooling 510 sli ( Very Loud)
 
I went with the "Enermax All-in-One 535W," which looks pretty good. From this review, it seems very stable, though slightly off on the 3.3v.
test1.jpg
 
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