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Recommend me a budget PSU

Droc

Droc

2[H]4U
Joined
Mar 20, 2007
Messages
3,424
I have an older system thats been running on an even older 10 year old 430w thermaltake PSU with no issues.

System below
Asus P5N32-E SLI Plus
Intel E6400
4GB OCZ 6400 DDR
BFG 9600GT
Auzen X-Raider 7.1
Standard multidrive
4 HDDs + 4 more on USB
6x 120mm fans(yates and gentle typhoons)

Im sure my PSU is probably at its max capacity, and thats fine since Im not about investing money in this old box, and with kids, money is a rare thing these days.

Long story short, I got a hand-me-down second Nvidia 9600GT and was considering tossing it in the box for SLi.
Im sure my 10year old 430w probably wont take it, so was wondering what I can do to grab a budget PSU?
Im thinking I should look towards something around 600w

I like quiet, and reliable as this machine is on 24/7/365 for gaming and media streaming.
A quick look around I can find all kinds of OCZ units, but I heard there was mass recalls and hence why they are on massive sale everywhere for the past couple of years.

So, anyone recommend me a cheap ~600w PSU
 
You'll be just fine with this:
$50 - Antec NEO ECO 400C 400W PSU

Though if you have money to burn:
$64 - Antec NEO ECO 520C 520W PSU
 
Every wattage estimator I used says I should be looking for upwards of 540w?
 
Droc said:
Every wattage estimator I used says I should be looking for upwards of 540w?
Click to expand...
That's because they're wrong. Either of the PSUs that Danny recommended would be perfectly sufficient for your system.
 
Zero82z said:
That's because they're wrong. Either of the PSUs that Danny recommended would be perfectly sufficient for your system.
Click to expand...

So its quite possible my current 430w may run my system with Sli?
 
No, because your current PSU is a pretty shitty one. The units that Danny suggested are both very good.
 
When shopping for the two recommended, I spotted a few for cheaper and would like some recommendations to help me pull the trigger.

Coolermaster Extreme Power Plus 550W ATX 12V V2.3 Silent Power Supply 20/24PIN 120MM Fan
$54
Thermaltake TR2 600W ATX12V V2.2 24PIN Power Supply with 120MM Fan
$62
Powercolor Gaming 500W Powersupply ATX 12V 80PLUS CrossFire SLI 120MM Fan Powersupply
$55
Silverstone Strider Essential ST50F-ES 500W Power Supply ATX 24PIN 120MM Fan 34A 80+ Black
$53
Corsair Builder Series CMPSU-500CXV2 500W ATX Power Supply Active PFC 120MM Fan *3 Year Wrty*
$53

Im thinking of avoiding the Corsair because despite it being a fan fav, the builder series, this unit specifically, is reviewed to emit a noticeable "humming".
The place I shop, the antec's are $10 more atleast.
I was considering the silverstone. Good brand, good reviews, 80+...Same with the Powercolor, good reviews.
 
None of those are as good as the Antecs. The Coolermaster and Thermaltake models in particular should be avoided.
 
As Zero82z noted, go with the Antecs. None of those PSUs you listed would be worth the savings you'd get.
 
I agree with Zero and Danny. All of the PSUs that you listed are either shitty or outdated. The Silverstone is probably the best of that poor lot on your list, but its design is still outdated. The Thermaltake TR2 600W is likely the biggest ripoff on that list because you'd be paying the full 600W price for what is really only a 400W PSU at best.
 
Danny Bui said:
You'll be just fine with this:
$50 - Antec NEO ECO 400C 400W PSU

Though if you have money to burn:
$64 - Antec NEO ECO 520C 520W PSU
Click to expand...

I had gotten a bad 430 watt that was really loud and kept locking up the system. I can't even hear the 520. It seems dead silent and no lock ups since installing it. I would 100% go with that one.
 
I originally ordered: Powercolor Gaming 500W Powersupply ATX 12V 80PLUS CrossFire SLI 120MM Fan Powersupply
$55
During the wait, since I was getting the shakes from withdrawl, I picked up the antec neo 520. It was DOA in the box. I had to wait till today to return it, but on my ride in, my wife called and said my package with the powercolor PSU arrived.

have to admit, its slick. build quality is impressive, dead silent. Pleased so far, and heck, for $55, if just needs to last me until my next build.
 
Wow.. Droc of the list that you compiled the Silverstone & corsair are both good units. Dont go simply off of the words of elitests who think that there is nothing better then the Antec. Go to johnnyguru & look up the reviews Both of those are good units. Beyond that though either of those or the Antec Danny listed will all do well. Or if you feel like spending a few more bucks the Seasonic linked above is a very very good unit.
 
bastage said:
Wow.. Droc of the list that you compiled the Silverstone & corsair are both good units. Dont go simply off of the words of elitests who think that there is nothing better then the Antec. Go to johnnyguru & look up the reviews Both of those are good units.
Click to expand...
Neither of those PSUs has been reviewed on JonnyGURU.
 
bastage said:
Wow.. Droc of the list that you compiled the Silverstone & corsair are both good units. Dont go simply off of the words of elitests who think that there is nothing better then the Antec. Go to johnnyguru & look up the reviews Both of those are good units. Beyond that though either of those or the Antec Danny listed will all do well. Or if you feel like spending a few more bucks the Seasonic linked above is a very very good unit.
Click to expand...

I decided to be a complete rebel and go with none of the units suggested. Total badass.
 
Droc said:
I decided to be a complete rebel and go with none of the units suggested. Total badass.
Click to expand...

Guess what? That Powercolor PSU you just bought is made by Solytech, a PSU manufacturer with a history of ill-repute. In fact, Solytech started out as a "higher-grade" division of the Deer / L&C / Allied brands that have always failed (and often in spectacular fashion) when asked to provide anywhere near the PSUs' rated wattages. Newer platforms from Solytech (such as that Powercolor) might be "mediocre" rather than "total shit".
 
Newer Solytech PSUs are decent. Not great, but not bad either. That Powercolor PSU should be a solid unit.
 
Zero82z said:
Newer Solytech PSUs are decent. Not great, but not bad either. That Powercolor PSU should be a solid unit.
Click to expand...
Got good reviews and internals are decent. Build quality has been said to be impressive for the brand.
E4g1e said:
Guess what? That Powercolor PSU you just bought is made by Solytech, a PSU manufacturer with a history of ill-repute. In fact, Solytech started out as a "higher-grade" division of the Deer / L&C / Allied brands that have always failed (and often in spectacular fashion) when asked to provide anywhere near the PSUs' rated wattages. Newer platforms from Solytech (such as that Powercolor) might be "mediocre" rather than "total shit".
Click to expand...

I dont do much with power supplies. Its my 2nd fulltime PSU in 10 years. The previous being a crappy, yet stubbornly reliable thermaltake, that was put in my system to replace the antec PSU(DOA) that I got with my P180 when I changed cases.
When waiting for this PSU to arrive, I went and picked up the antec 520 recommended in this thread for more then 2x the cost only to have it DOA. Thats a fluke Im sure, but for me, antec is batting 0.000
I dont refute that the PSU is less then ideal, but it seems to work, and for half the cost. Ill tell you one thing, its a hell of a lot better then that corsair cx430 that hums like an overhead transformer.
 
Droc said:
Got good reviews and internals are decent. Build quality has been said to be impressive for the brand.


I dont do much with power supplies. Its my 2nd fulltime PSU in 10 years. The previous being a crappy, yet stubbornly reliable thermaltake, that was put in my system to replace the antec PSU(DOA) that I got with my P180 when I changed cases.
When waiting for this PSU to arrive, I went and picked up the antec 520 recommended in this thread for more then 2x the cost only to have it DOA. Thats a fluke Im sure, but for me, antec is batting 0.000
I dont refute that the PSU is less then ideal, but it seems to work, and for half the cost. Ill tell you one thing, its a hell of a lot better then that corsair cx430 that hums like an overhead transformer.
Click to expand...

years ago my Powmax Assassin worked for a solid 6 months before dying while I was at work one day, that was before I did some research and realized that a good PSU is the backbone of your system and affects a lot more than whether it just turns on or not, I thought I was getting over on everyone when I bought it, "hehehehe, I bought a $25 500w PSU (Powmax) with a $25 rebate while everyone else is paying $50-$75 for their PSUs, lolololol, I'm a genius, they just don't know", I learned my lesson the hard way, hell, I didn't even get the rebate...lol, now I use quality PSUs every time I build/upgrade, and just because it plugs up and runs initially doesn't mean anything really, suspect PSU don't just blow up the first time you plug them in...

trying to be "badass" and a "complete rebel" by going against the advice of more knowledgeable posters here reminds me of my first (and only) mistake when it came to PSUs, as I mentioned above, it's seems you got lucky though, Zero82z knows his stuff and says it's a decent PSU but not a great one, hopefully it'll work for you because it probably will get put to the test once you hook up that other 9600GT, good luck...

also, even the best of the best PSU have faulty units sometimes, it's just a fact of life, that CX430 got a very good review from one of the experts that checks them out, check it out on JonnyGuru.com, you can't read much into singular reviews that state it "hums like an overhead transformer", that was just a faulty unit, it happens...
 
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