Recommended power supply brands

Hanniblex

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I need to buy a new power supply to run 2 gtx 560 ti GPUs, but I want to find a quality part. Which power supply brands do you guys recommend? Which ones do you stay away from?

I know not to buy a $50 850 watt power supply on ebay or anything. I want to know about the ones sold at newegg or tigerdirect. The more popular brands.
 
I have the Corsair AX850. I got it because I will eventually be running a pair of GTX 680s and this will handle them without a problem with the desktop setup mentioned in my sig, so a pair of GTX 560 TIs shouldn't be a problem.
 
Any of the Seasonic rebranders like xfx or Corsair as does Antec and Seasonic themselves sell a nice psu...if there was one big name label iI'd avoid it is Thermaltake
 
Any of the Seasonic rebranders like xfx or Corsair as does Antec and Seasonic themselves sell a nice psu...if there was one big name label iI'd avoid it is Thermaltake

I endorse this post
 
Brands don't matter. It's the specific models that matter. Older Thermaltake models tend to be crap, but there are a number of new ones that are very good. Same with Antec, Coolermaster, etc.

What's your budget?
 
Brands don't matter. It's the specific models that matter. Older Thermaltake models tend to be crap, but there are a number of new ones that are very good. Same with Antec, Coolermaster, etc.

What's your budget?

I am trying to stay on the good side of $100.
 
My last 3 PSUs have been OCZ, and they all have been rock solid. And, I'm not joking. I love my current Z-Series in my sig.

/runs
 
I would highly recommend enermax for a few important reasons:

1. The fans tend to go out before the actual psu do on most psu's, that being said Enermax uses a quiet long lasting fan to cool that uses magnets instead of traditional bearings. I used them in my last build and they are running dead silent 5 years later.

2. Very efficient and quality psu's overall, check the reviews on Hardocp foryourself.

3. Warranty of 5 years... speaks for itself
 
My last 3 PSUs have been OCZ, and they all have been rock solid. And, I'm not joking. I love my current Z-Series in my sig.

/runs

You're lucky. OCZ generally runs from crap to mediocre at best. That Z series you're rockin is made my Sirtec, known for their complete and total mediocrity.
 
in the last 10 years I have only had to buy 3 PSUs and they are all still going

2 x Tagan and 1 Enermax

One of the Tagans is a 420W 2Force that has run in a Gaming rig then a server and has run probably 4 full years in total, amazing stuff.

PS

Its been on a UPS though
 
You're lucky. OCZ generally runs from crap to mediocre at best. That Z series you're rockin is made my Sirtec, known for their complete and total mediocrity.
http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/942

It was able to run my 2x 570s SLI and a 480 folding 24x7 with peaks of 850 and avg of 830w I know that's not near Max... but its been rock solid with what I've been able to throw at it for it being 24x7... now it just purrs with just one 670 and Ivy Bridge. Been a great PSU and the reviews also speak for themselves. In the review I linked, they were able to Max out their equipment on it and it didn't die. Now obviously an equipment limitation, but they wouldn't have posted it if the PSU didn't rock. Its a High dollar Gold certified PSU and I expect it to last a long time.
 
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From what I hear most of the PSU's that get shipped out are made by the same Chinese kid, in the end its about customer support. What I mean is, when poop hits the fan, how quickly is your brand going to help you.
 
Seasonic X models are great...
never had any problem with seasonic power supplies and the x models are very quiet
 
From what I hear most of the PSU's that get shipped out are made by the same Chinese kid, in the end its about customer support. What I mean is, when poop hits the fan, how quickly is your brand going to help you.

Completely not true.

How bout SilverStone Strider ST1500 1500W DC output (1600W peak)
100% modular cables with cable bag
mine is running on 240v

if you going to upgrade why fool around get somthing built to last

http://www.silverstonetek.com/product.php?pid=226&area=en

Extremely bad advice.
 
http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/942

It was able to run my 2x 570s SLI and a 480 folding 24x7 with peaks of 850 and avg of 830w I know that's not near Max... but its been rock solid with what I've been able to throw at it for it being 24x7... now it just purrs with just one 670 and Ivy Bridge. Been a great PSU and the reviews also speak for themselves. In the review I linked, they were able to Max out their equipment on it and it didn't die. Now obviously an equipment limitation, but they wouldn't have posted it if the PSU didn't rock. Its a High dollar Gold certified PSU and I expect it to last a long time.

Yes its a 850w platform. When you goto 1kw, it goes out of spec on the ripple. Like I said, its mediocre at best.
 
Reaching 1500W DC output (1600W peak), the Strider ST1500 is effectively at the limit of what an internal PC power supply can achieve in terms of wattage rating. For SilverStone, getting to this maximum power was only part of the goal for a consumer-level power supply so every desirable feature known were added to create a dream product. The list starts with unprecedented eight +12V rails with each capable of up to 25A and ntinues with features such as 100% modular cables, 80 PLUS Silver worthy efficiency ratings, and quietness level that matches most 500W PSUs. If there is one upgrade that will likely outlast a PC enthusiast’s interest in computing, the ST1500 may just be it.
 
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It's stupid because when OP is idling, he will be under 10% load, where power supplies are extremely inefficient.

1500 watt power supplies cost ~3 times their 750 watt equivalents. That's money stupidly wasted for absolutely no purpose at all.

Good quality power supplies are rated at full continuous output at 40-50 C. That means good quality power supplies can provide 24/7 full rated output for their MTBF. "Working harder" does not apply to power supplies to any significant degree.

If he never exceeds two GPUs, he will never need more than 850 watts. Not everyone has $2000 to waste on GPUs.
 
corsair series , i been using them for over 7 years now in over 100 builds, many different series too , entry series , mid range and recently high end ones for tri fire , tri sli builds.
 
It's stupid because when OP is idling, he will be under 10% load, where power supplies are extremely inefficient.

1500 watt power supplies cost ~3 times their 750 watt equivalents. That's money stupidly wasted for absolutely no purpose at all.

Good quality power supplies are rated at full continuous output at 40-50 C. That means good quality power supplies can provide 24/7 full rated output for their MTBF. "Working harder" does not apply to power supplies to any significant degree.

If he never exceeds two GPUs, he will never need more than 850 watts. Not everyone has $2000 to waste on GPUs.

12% load (100W) on my 850W PSU is 85% efficient. Idle is over 100W. It doesn't necessarily follow that you are extremely inefficient at around 10% load (or idle) on higher end units. And at that low of a load, the difference in power cost/yr is an insignificant blip.
 
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12% load (100W) on my 850W PSU is 85% efficient. Idle is over 100W. It doesn't necessarily follow that you are extremely inefficient at around 10% load (or idle) on higher end units. And at that low of a load, the difference in power cost/yr is an insignificant blip.

With a 20% load on a gold rated 500w power supply vs a 10% load on a gold rated 1000w power supply, the 1000w can be 5-10% more inefficient than the 500w power supply, although power supply manufacturers have been working towards improving low load efficiency.

Anyways, my point was I was just countering his claim that it would be more efficient. Which, it won't be.
 
So what would that cost you per year. Say you run that idle 24x7 and say it is 10% less efficient and electricity is 12c per KWh

that is .1 * .100w/1000 * 24 x 365 *.12 = $10. And I would guess you would either turn it off, or put it on standby for more than half the time so that is $5/yr, worst case.

In general it won't be more efficient, yes (though a good 1kw PSU might be more effiicient than a crappy 500w at 100w load). But I don't think it matters if it is at idl since it is asmall percentage x a small power. Unless you are running a data center..
 
So what would that cost you per year. Say you run that idle 24x7 and say it is 10% less efficient and electricity is 12c per KWh

that is .1 * .100w/1000 * 24 x 365 *.12 = $10. And I would guess you would either turn it off, or put it on standby for more than half the time so that is $5/yr, worst case.

In general it won't be more efficient, yes (though a good 1kw PSU might be more effiicient than a crappy 500w at 100w load). But I don't think it matters if it is at idl since it is asmall percentage x a small power. Unless you are running a data center..

So basically, not only would getting a too large piwer supply cost more upfront, it would cost more in the long run as well for absolutely no reason.
 
So basically, not only would getting a too large piwer supply cost more upfront, it would cost more in the long run as well for absolutely no reason.


Well I can speak only for myself. No it would not cost significantly more in electricity. I think maybe you are making a mountain out of a molehill. In fact, mine is 850W and 85% efficient at 100W so that amounts to absolutely nothing.

My old Antec 650 was not performing well and needed replaced. Right sizing for me now would be 650W, for the next couple of years 750W. But the X-850 unit I ended up getting only cost me $120 on sale - $30 less than the X-750. The price in high quality high power power PSU is coming down so there is even less incentive to shave off watts to save a couple of bucks that you might regret in the future IMO.

I planned for this PSU buy to last many years (it has a 7 year warranty), I want a quality (and quiet) PSU as I overclock, and I plan to upgrade my system with additional components in that time (SLI e.g.). There is no reason why I would need to upgrade my PSU for 5-7 years - I plan on keeping it for a while. In addition, the higher power units often have better quality and more durable components, so there is peace of mind and longevity there as well. Amortize that $15 more initial outlay over 7 years - again nothing.

So it is not "for no reason" for me at least and I am sure for others as well.

Just my 2c.
 
im just wondering why you are pushing low watts psu when the ski is the limit and apparently the ski is @ 1500w -1600pw im thinking im ready for whatever the future has instore with having to go out and buy another psu
 
Well I can speak only for myself. No it would not cost significantly more in electricity. I think maybe you are making a mountain out of a molehill. In fact, mine is 850W and 85% efficient at 100W so that amounts to absolutely nothing.

My old Antec 650 was not performing well and needed replaced. Right sizing for me now would be 650W, for the next couple of years 750W. But the X-850 unit I ended up getting only cost me $120 on sale - $30 less than the X-750. The price in high quality high power power PSU is coming down so there is even less incentive to shave off watts to save a couple of bucks that you might regret in the future IMO.

I planned for this PSU buy to last many years (it has a 7 year warranty), I want a quality (and quiet) PSU as I overclock, and I plan to upgrade my system with additional components in that time (SLI e.g.). There is no reason why I would need to upgrade my PSU for 5-7 years - I plan on keeping it for a while. In addition, the higher power units often have better quality and more durable components, so there is peace of mind and longevity there as well. Amortize that $15 more initial outlay over 7 years - again nothing.

So it is not "for no reason" for me at least and I am sure for others as well.

Just my 2c.

Recommending 100-200 watts over due to a better value power supply, and recommending twice what is needed is two completely different things.

im just wondering why you are pushing low watts psu when the ski is the limit and apparently the ski is @ 1500w -1600pw im thinking im ready for whatever the future has instore with having to go out and buy another psu

We don't need you flaunting how much money you have around here. Apparently money seems to grow on trees for you.
 
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