# Is a modular PSU very important to you?



## hat (Jun 30, 2010)

I used to think that having a modular power supply was a must for me. The thought of being able to remove unused cables seemed very nice, rather than throwing them all above the optical drive... however, I just thought that whether or not a power supply is modular doesn't really seem all that important to me now, considering how even with the modular cables, I still end up throwing excess connectors up there (I have a single molex is use for a case fan, but I have to have a whole molex wire with 3 connectors is use for that...), and excess cabling as well. This in mind, I'm starting to think that power supply modularity really means nothing and is a gimmick, since there will always be excess cabling no matter what.


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## Wile E (Jun 30, 2010)

Not with a bench station. It's just an added bonus if it's in my price range.


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## hat (Jun 30, 2010)

I'm What about a tradtional case?


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## Wile E (Jun 30, 2010)

hat said:


> What about a tradtional case?



It's preferred, but not necessary. Depends on how many things I have in the case.


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## NdMk2o1o (Jun 30, 2010)

I tend to agree, I normally would use the sata connector and a molex though end up using just as many cables as a non modular because of routing, multiple drives/fans etc and end up still having to hide the buggers behind the back panel. My next PSU might be modular or not, doesn't really matter. 

I have owned 3 modular PSU's


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## RejZoR (Jun 30, 2010)

As a microATX case user, yes, it's very important. I had LC 550W before this one and 3/4 of the cables were not used and just stuffed somewhere, killing the airflow i had left there. Now all that garbage is gone. I have the Corsair HX750 and i just love it.


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## p_o_s_pc (Jun 30, 2010)

For me in my case it is a must.I have even paid extra to have modular. In my A300 after being modded i have no place for cables.


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## brandonwh64 (Jun 30, 2010)

hat said:
			
		

> Is a modular PSU very important to you?


 No not really. If i have a case that has a lot of room for hiding my cables then it doesn't matter which PSU type i have BUT if i was building a smaller case with almost no CM spots then i would go for something like that to reduce the amount of wires that need to be hidden


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## r9 (Jun 30, 2010)

I don`t have modular PSU. I would not say that is a must but it is a nice feature to get rid of not needed cables.


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## _JP_ (Jun 30, 2010)

r9 said:


> I don`t have modular PSU. I would not say that is a must but it is a nice feature to get rid of not needed cables.



+1
My toughs exactly.

If you are very good at sleeving cables and cable management inside a ATX case, modular isn't a priority. mATX cases, in the other hand, might come in handy.
But even if your PSU is not modular and you still want to get rid of some cables you don't need, just unsolder them.


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## MohawkAngel (Jun 30, 2010)

I have a Cooler Mster eXtreme power 500w with lot and lot of unused cables.

The main 24 pins, the 4 pins, a molex and a sata. thats all i need since i got one hdd and one cd-dvd burner. 

Routed the wires properly...watched for the length i needed then I opened the psu cutted thewires i dont even use, cutted and shortened the other ones at good length and Voila ! 

No need of a modular PSU.


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## dr emulator (madmax) (Jun 30, 2010)

i like my modular corsair hx 650w although i've got to agree that having extra connectors is a pain,
it would have been nice if (for the premium i paid for it) corsair would have put a few more varying lengths cables and different amount of connectors on the wires, in the bag 

hopefully they have when this newer one comes out


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## Yukikaze (Jun 30, 2010)

I have several non-modular PSUs and one modular PSU. Quite frankly ? I don't need the modularity of my Enermax. I seem to be able to route and hide excess cables just fine anyway, especially in the cavern that is my main rig - The ATCS 840 is just huge.


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## Mr McC (Jun 30, 2010)

Modular PSU's certainly help, but not as much as I would have liked.


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## WhiteLotus (Jun 30, 2010)

I prefer the cables that I don't use, to not be there.


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## caleb (Jun 30, 2010)

Can't see any FPS boost. For me - a computer USER  - I would say modular PSU when I could addin 100W of power. IMHO the whole subject is a 100% marketing 'HOW TO GET A FEW BUCKS MORE FOR NOTHIN' .


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## FordGT90Concept (Jun 30, 2010)

There's many reasons why I prefer modular:

1) It makes it really easy to swap a PSU for another PSU of the same model.  The wires are already ran so all you gotta do is change them at the source.

2) All modular cables are sleeved.  It improves airflow and neatness in the case.

3) All cables that aren't used are removed.  The higher power PSUs, this becomes a serious problem because you have enough power cables to run 4 GPUs when you only got one in the case.  You also got enough cables to run 12+ hard drives when you only got 2.  It's a lot of mess that is best completely removed.


Modular only has two drawbacks:

1) A slight drop in efficiency due to it not being a straight-shot to the device (extra contacts = more electricity lost as heat).

2) Price--it costs more to create all those connections and sleeve the cables.


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## InnocentCriminal (Jun 30, 2010)

FordGT90Concept said:


> There's many reasons why I prefer modular:
> 
> 1) It makes it really easy to swap a PSU for another PSU of the same model.  The wires are already ran so all you gotta do is change them at the source.
> 
> ...



+1 QFT!


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## Sasqui (Jun 30, 2010)

Personally, I won't even consider a PSU unless it's modular.  

Stuffing unused cables into crevases in a case is untidy and potentially dangerous.  A build also looks much better without useless cables hanging out in a case.

That's my opinion.


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## MohawkAngel (Jun 30, 2010)

QFT ??? what that means ? lol Quote For That ??? maybe


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## inferKNOX (Jun 30, 2010)

MohawkAngel said:


> QFT ??? what that means ? lol Quote For That ??? maybe



QFT = Quite F***in' True


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## Thrackan (Jun 30, 2010)

inferKNOX said:


> QFT = Quite F***in' True



Or "Quoted for Truth".

Anyway, modularity is very important to me. I'm a true nitpicker when it comes to looks, and I just can't stand loose cables dangling in my case. Modular PSU's eliminate that problem (except of course when some smartass decides to make both a 4-pin and an 8-pin plug for the motherboard :shadedshu)


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## tianhui (Jun 30, 2010)

Modular PSUs do much better in a stuffy case like mine. Modular is preferred


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## erocker (Jun 30, 2010)

It depends on the case for me. If the cables can be routed well, no, modular cables aren't important to me.


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## newtekie1 (Jun 30, 2010)

erocker said:


> It depends on the case for me. If the cables can be routed well, no, modular cables aren't important to me.



It all depends on the case for me also.

Small Micro-ATX style case = Modular is a must.
Normal Sized Case with not Window = Modular is pointless.
Normal Sized Case with a Window = Modular is preferred, but not required.


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## qubit (Jun 30, 2010)

I didn't used to care whether it was modular or not. Then I got my first modular PSU and there was no going back.

I permanently have the side panel off my PC and fiddle around inside it often. Being able to reduce the cable clutter by completely removing unneeded cables helps to keep it tidy and everything easily accessible.


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## Frick (Jun 30, 2010)

Naah. I've had one in the past, and while it was nice to have fewer cables in the case (especially if you have a low end system) I never felt it was worth the extra money I spent. It could improve airflow and looks and all that, but I'm not really into that stuff anymore.


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## inferKNOX (Jul 1, 2010)

Thrackan said:


> *Or "Quoted for Truth".*
> 
> Anyway, modularity is very important to me. I'm a true nitpicker when it comes to looks, and I just can't stand loose cables dangling in my case. Modular PSU's eliminate that problem (except of course when some smartass decides to make both a 4-pin and an 8-pin plug for the motherboard :shadedshu)



Ooor "Quantum Field Theory" 

I don't have modular, but want to go modular on my next PSU for that little bit extra. I, however, don't believe it's absolutely necessary to have one if you love your system enough to take time and cable-ties for some proper cable management.


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## DanishDevil (Jul 1, 2010)

I have a plexiglass techstation, and also buy high-end PSUs with a good amount of cables. I usually use 1-2 modular cables, the hard wired ones, and that's it. I definitely buy modular.


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## majestic12 (Jul 1, 2010)

My last few builds have been uATX form factors.  If there's a good place to stuff the extra cables on a non-modular unit, it's not really that big a deal, but I really like having only what I need -especially when space is at a premium.  Less cables=better air flow as well, plus it looks a lot cleaner.


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## Darknova (Jul 1, 2010)

I had a modular PSU, but then went back to non-modular. It's just not that important for me, I no longer run cases with windows, and my current case has a seperate PSU bay at the bottom where I can hide all the unused cables without affecting airflow.

I'll buy a PSU based on quality, if it's modular or not, doesn't matter to me


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