Basically I want to build a very low power PC for file serving so I can stop using my power hungry 4ghz i7 920 and I was wondering how important is it to get a higher 80 plus rated psu? As far as newegg is concerned there is only one Platinum rated PSU and the markup in price is $30~ versus a gold rating with equal wattage. Really just wondering if it would be noticeable on a powerbill over the course of 1-2 years.
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When making a low power pc how important is 80 plus rating?
- Thread starter Sojuuk
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For low-power PCs, the advantage of getting an 80Plus Gold or Platinum PSU over an 80Plus Standard PSU is not that significant. Unless the cost difference between the PSUs is small (which it usually isn't), you're better off just going with a budget PSU with Standard or Bronze efficiency.
drescherjm
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I think it is important to get a smaller power supply or make sure that your idle will at least 20% of the power supply's rating.
Tsumi
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Short answer, no. It would take you at least 5 years to save in energy bills for what you pay for the premium in efficiency. Unless electric prices go up dramatically.
Just a note, the 80Plus rating only applies to loads of 20%/50%/100%. If your load is < 20% efficiency drops DRASTICALLY on just about any and all power supplies, so in terms of efficiency you want to shoot for minimum 20% load above anything else (why it's so silly to see people buying 1200Watt Gold rated PSUs for machines that may not even pull 200Watts).
In terms of cost savings, the lower your power usage the lower your savings. If you use 600Watts from your system 24/7, the difference between gold and platinum may be as high as $2/mo, but if more likely you are using on average 250Watts for 10 hours a day, the savings will be like 20¢ a month (I'm not even sure they make a platinum rated PSU sub 500W, so a very low power load system would be unlikely to see any platinum benefit).
In terms of cost savings, the lower your power usage the lower your savings. If you use 600Watts from your system 24/7, the difference between gold and platinum may be as high as $2/mo, but if more likely you are using on average 250Watts for 10 hours a day, the savings will be like 20¢ a month (I'm not even sure they make a platinum rated PSU sub 500W, so a very low power load system would be unlikely to see any platinum benefit).
well this is somewhat concerning actually. How much would 6hdds and a i3 2100t pull
under 200w
well all I need to do is get above 110w to sort of have a reason to use platinum.
At idle, it would be less than 110W. Mind you, an 80Plus Platinum PSU would still be more efficient than a Standard, Bronze, Silver, or Gold-rated unit with the same total output rating and the same load, but the decrease in wasted power at that load level would be pretty much insignificant.
Tsumi
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The cost savings of platinum vs regular 80+ electric-bill wise is minimal at best. Unless your hard drives are spinning at full speed 24/7 (extremely unlikely) and you're running your i3 at full speed all the time (doubtful), your idle wattage is probably in the neighborhood of ~80 watts. Going from 80+ to platinum nets you about 10-15 watts in saved energy at the most, and would probably be lower than that. Your savings would probably amount to only cents per month, almost certainly less than 25 cents a month, depending on how you use your computer. Is that worth going from a $17 CX430 to a $150 550 watt platinum? I certainly don't think so.
well I would agree, however, I will never put a $17 psu in any computer I build. Now the challenge is finding the best low+CLEAN power and high efficiency model out there but price is important as well..... TO RESEARCH!!!
Butcher9_9
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i would aim for something like a corsair VX450 or some such. As long as you don't put a big GFX in there you should be fine.
So what your saying is you believe that a product will be better if it cost's more.. The cx430 is a good PSU & at 17 bucks its a down right steal..
Personally I have the older 400cx in my server & its been doing a mighty fine job for some time now. & its a Phenom x4 9150e w/ 6 Samsung HDD's
Tsumi
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The CX430 delivers clean power (much better than 99% of sub-$20 power supplies, and at least 80% of sub-$40 power supplies) and is decently efficient (approximately 80+ based on JonnyGuru). How about you do your research?
maddude
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I picked up an Antec 380 Earthwatts Green about 6 months ago for a WHS build. My system pulls less than 100W at load.
This is the unit:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371033
I was able to get it under $40 at MicroCenter. It's been quiet and cool, worth looking into if it goes on sale, or fits your budget.
This is the unit:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371033
I was able to get it under $40 at MicroCenter. It's been quiet and cool, worth looking into if it goes on sale, or fits your budget.
no need to get hostile.
same could be said about your above post..
Lazier_Said
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If it's just a file server then a Marvell or Atom based NAS is lower powered than anything you're going to build yourself. My 4 drive QNAP draws 25 watts when streaming data and less than 10 idle with the drives spun down. 7 watts from changing power supplies won't up on your bill but 50 watts will.
when I said "TO RESEARCH!!!" I was personally saying it. Like a superhero might say "TO THE BATMOBILE!!!". If there was anything else that could be misread as hostile point it out.
No that was pretty much it..