# Best power supply for the $$



## wojo (Jul 4, 2010)

I'm looking for a good PSU for my latest round of upgrade's, It has a plain old dvd burner with plans for an blu-ray, a brand new amd X3 720 BE, a brand new Gigabyte 890GPA, Also a brand new 1 terabyte HD, and a 2 gig stick of ddr3 that I have yet to buy. I dot have a lot of money for those that have not see it in one of my previous post I can't work any more and money is tight so it's taken some time to get the other parts.  this will be a Birthday gift for me on this july 24th from dear old mom and grandma I will most likely get around $150 to  $200. Bellow is a link to one PSU I'm looking at please let me know if it's a good one if you ever used it are let me know of a better one.
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5250581&CatId=2534

Thanks to all in advanced for the great answers I know that you will all give.
Bob


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## segalaw19800 (Jul 4, 2010)

don't get it will die on you less then a week


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## RejZoR (Jul 4, 2010)

I suggest you add some more and take this instead:
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3438607&CatId=1483

You don't need 850W unit and this Corsair is certainly much better... Coolmax, to be honest, i never heard of them. Tigerdirect doesn't seem to have any Seasonic units and they also don't have lower end Silverstone Striders/Dechathlones which are also very good. I suggest you take the Corsair...


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## JrRacinFan (Jul 4, 2010)

Better options for you to look at ....

OCZ ModXStream Pro OCZ600MXSP 600W ATX12V V2.2 / E...

ePOWER EP-600NE-XV 600W ATX12V v2.2 / ESP12V v2.92...


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## blkhogan (Jul 4, 2010)

Ive ran Coolmax for years with no problems. The current one I am running has worked perfectly for about 2.5 years under 5 or 6 different builds.


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## wojo (Jul 4, 2010)

Thanks all, I can probably add some more cash and go up to around $100 to $125 and if I would wait until the end of july $150 but I'm tired of using my wife's computer and she's tired of me using it also.
Bob


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## crazyeyesreaper (Jul 4, 2010)

Corsair, PC power & Cooling, Seasonic, Silverstone thats about it


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## Midnite8 (Jul 4, 2010)

^^ Antec.


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## trt740 (Jul 4, 2010)

RejZoR said:


> I suggest you add some more and take this instead:
> http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3438607&CatId=1483
> 
> You don't need 850W unit and this Corsair is certainly much better... Coolmax, to be honest, i never heard of them. Tigerdirect doesn't seem to have any Seasonic units and they also don't have lower end Silverstone Striders/Dechathlones which are also very good. I suggest you take the Corsair...





wojo said:


> Thanks all, I can probably add some more cash and go up to around $100 to $125 and if I would wait until the end of july $150 but I'm tired of using my wife's computer and she's tired of me using it also.
> Bob






I would agree here but at 109.99 after a rebate you cannot beat this psu,  get this and it's all you need and then some. It is hands down the best PSU in it's classCORSAIR CMPSU-850TX 850W ATX12V 2.2 / EPS12V 2.91 ...


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## crazyeyesreaper (Jul 4, 2010)

some antecs are good others are complete junk im not familar with which lones are which thus why i stick with the big 4 above


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## RejZoR (Jul 4, 2010)

But does he really need 850W monster? His system is like half of mine and my HX750 is hardly utilized. I mean, last time i checked with watt-o-meter my system was using roughly 380W during a UT3 bot match with 64 bots. Shouldn't use more than 450W under very heavy load. TX650 will be enough even for further upgrades unless you'll go SLi/Crossfire.

But if you really have to, TX750 or TX850 are decent price/performance units.


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## Zen_ (Jul 4, 2010)

JrRacinFan said:


> Better options for you to look at ....
> 
> OCZ ModXStream Pro OCZ600MXSP 600W ATX12V V2.2 / E...



When I was doing PSU research I came across quite a few post in various forums saying to avoid that model like the plague. Additionally there are many complaints on newegg concerning OCZ's rebates. Anecdotal evidence is usually weighted towards negative experiences, but there seems to be something fishy with OCZ in general. 

@ OP: Why do you need an 850w PSU? A good high efficiency 350-400w model like this, this or this would be more than enough for your needs. I can say from experience that Corsair honors their rebates and PSU warranties; Seasonic has always been rock solid as well over the long haul (as evident by their 5 year warranty).


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## Flak (Jul 4, 2010)

For budget systems I have had great luck with Antec Earthwatts PSU's.  Haven't had a single one come back yet.


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## AhokZYashA (Jul 4, 2010)

Corsairs, Enermaxs, PCP&C, Seasonics are good..
make sure you pick PSU's from one of them..


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## zithe (Jul 4, 2010)

Here's a nice silverstone model SILVERSTONE OP650 650W ATX 12V 2.2 & EPS12V SLI Re...


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## FuzzyDunlop (Jul 4, 2010)

If you planning to stay on onboard graphics, thenAntec Basiq BP500U 500W is more than enugh, even 400-450w one will do. But for future upgrades this is a good choice aswell Antec BP550 Plus 550W (enugh for ati hd5xxx series, maybe bit too low for fermis). You really dont need 650w ones.


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## RejZoR (Jul 4, 2010)

Are these Silverstone Olympia any good? I only heard that Stride series are good. And Decathlone.


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## ckoons1 (Jul 4, 2010)

crazyeyesreaper said:


> Corsair, PC power & Cooling, Seasonic, Silverstone thats about it



ditto


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## Easo (Jul 4, 2010)

Chieftec wasnt so bad, and relatively cheap. But of course, if you have the chance, OCZ or Corsair will do better.


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## RejZoR (Jul 4, 2010)

If you're looking for decent and cheap PSU's, look at LC Power. Good units for dirty little money.
Many will disagree with me, but i only have positive experience with them.


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## wojo (Jul 6, 2010)

Thanks, There are other up grades I want to do when I get the money, like a 57** or 58** GPU. don't think it matter's but I'm running duel monitor's crt's I want to get lcd's but as I said earlier money is tight. I also have plan's for a Blu Ray burner and another hard drive or two. I do a lot of photoshop and video editing with it. The room it's in is on the same wall as our bedroom tv and I will connect it up to it to use the windows media center. I probably should of added that from the start, I just want to make sure I have something that will last most further upgrades. 
Bob


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## cdawall (Jul 6, 2010)

Coolmax uses a shitty oem I would go with one of the ones jr poster


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## MohawkAngel (Jul 6, 2010)

JrRacinFan said:


> Better options for you to look at ....
> 
> 
> 
> ePOWER EP-600NE-XV 600W ATX12V v2.2 / ESP12V v2.92...



Look like a Cooler master eXtrempower 500w like mine but without stickers and with blue led fan instead of the black one.


btw Zithe your link to solaris utility dvd is dead


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## Timonthy (Jul 6, 2010)

FSP/Sparkle Makes decent bargain PSUs in the 500-600W range. OCZ uses them for their ModStream/SteathStream series I think.


Other than that, Ultras, Coolermasters, and Apevias are alright for low-budget. Besides being heavily overrated. they are actually not too shabby, just make sure to subtract ~150W to get their real outputs.

But Id suggest a lower-end Corsair/Seasonic/Antec/PC Power&Cooling/Enermax regardless. The fact is a usually an 400W Corsair gives more and cleaner power than a 650W Generic.


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## dr_dream (Jul 6, 2010)

wojo said:


> Thanks all, I can probably add some more cash and go up to around $100 to $125 and if I would wait until the end of july $150 but I'm tired of using my wife's computer and she's tired of me using it also.
> Bob


The Corsair HX650 would be a good deal. However, if you want something cheeper, go for the Corsair TX series


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## twistedspark (Jul 7, 2010)

"Picture a raft full of PC components.  It'll take seven days for the rescue boat to arrive, but only five days of food and water remains.  Who gets pushed off the raft first?  The GPU?  The CPU?  No way.  They're first-class passengers.  The case?  The lowly keyboard?  Don't kid yourself.  The power supply will be the first to go.  Do you know why?  Because no one respects the power supply.
  And sadly, that's the strategy everyone takes when they build a budget PC.  We mean everyone.  Hell, we've even occasionally given the PSU short shrift when push came to shove.
  Fortunately, Corsair's 750TX is one component that might force something else to swim with the sharks.  (Yeah, take that, mouse!)  With a 5 year warranty, a high power-efficiency rating, and a single 62 Amp rail, this PSU will keep any budget PC running, even on those sweltering summer days when your components are broiling at 120 degrees.  With a street price of $99 and SLI certification for dual Geforce GTX 470 cards, the 750TX strikes a good balance between budget and midrange.  Sure, it lacks modular cables, but that just means you can't misplace the cables."  -MaximumPC July 2010

I use the 750TX on my system.  I pieced my system together for $4000 in 2008.  I wouldn't risk this equipment to anything less.

*Corsair* *750TX*


P.S. - On the device, it's called TX750W, but it's listed as the 750TX.  ??  Somebody at Corsair must be dyslexic.


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## freaksavior (Jul 7, 2010)

Im not going to read the whole thread. I read the first post and this came to mind.

Buying a power supply is a lot like buying shows Buying the cheapest never last. EVER! Period! End of discussion. Buying the most expensive is like buying a pair of designer shoes, sure it looks pretty but it can be the worst pair of shoes ever. (not always true on psu's)

Buying a reliable brand is going to last you much longer than if you buy the cheapest most powerful you can find. Stick with a name brand psu, i've had my silverstone for 4 years now and ran trip gtx260's 12gb ram 3 hdd's etc quality matters.


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## cdawall (Jul 7, 2010)

freaksavior said:


> Im not going to read the whole thread. I read the first post and this came to mind.
> 
> Buying a power supply is a lot like buying shows Buying the cheapest never last. EVER! Period! End of discussion. Buying the most expensive is like buying a pair of designer shoes, sure it looks pretty but it can be the worst pair of shoes ever. (not always true on psu's)
> 
> Buying a reliable brand is going to last you much longer than if you buy the cheapest most powerful you can find. Stick with a name brand psu, i've had my silverstone for 4 years now and ran trip gtx260's 12gb ram 3 hdd's etc quality matters.



and it lasted while we killed what 3 rocketfish (topower) 700w units lol  had my 850w Tt pretty close to that length of time as well


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## MN12BIRD (Jul 7, 2010)

"i think this is a good deal for low end systems"

God I just love some of the member comments on these sites (Newegg, Tiger etc) sometimes!

Yeah cheap 850W PSU's are awesome for low end systems!  Low end systems need 4x 12v rails and 850W all the time!  No don't spend LESS of your money on something like a Corsair 450hx with 80+ certification, APFC, better filtration, better protection and just an overall better build quality!  It still has more than enough juice for a low end system!  But instead I need to spend more on a cheap 850W unit for my low end system that draws like 300W under load!

Seriously 4x 12v rails and none of them are over 18A?  That's pretty crap for an "850 Watt" power supply!

To the OP just get a Corsair 650hx it's got just as much real "usable" power than this so called 850W pile of crap, its more efficient and has better... everything else!


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## TIGR (Jul 7, 2010)

For the system you described, honestly I'd recommend a Corsair 400CX for $30 shipped after MIR and promo code. It'll provide plenty of clean, reliable power even if you add an upper mid-range video card, and at a price that you simply can't beat. Many may chime in saying, "no, that's not enough!" I assure you, it is more than adequate—ask for sources with reliable power consumption info if anyone tells you it isn't. Be aware that the 400CX has been shown to safely provide >480w of clean power.

For a little more power while remaining financially responsible, the Rosewill RG630-S12. Unlike its "bigger brother" the Performance 650w, it can actually output its rated power, and then some (670w) while staying in spec with regards to voltage and noise/ripple regulation. For $60, it's a great choice and if you are patient, you will probably see the price drop. There was a promo code in effect until yesterday that made it ~$50.


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## MN12BIRD (Jul 7, 2010)

Yeah that Rosewill (Rosewill Green Series RG630-S12 630W Continuous @4...) does look pretty good for the price.  50A on a single rail?  Nice!  Oh and 80+ cert and APFC too.  Wow looks like a great deal actually!  I'm going to keep that in mind for future use!  I know Rosewill is just a newegg brand so I wonder who really makes that for them?


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## cdawall (Jul 7, 2010)

MN12BIRD said:


> Yeah that Rosewill (Rosewill Green Series RG630-S12 630W Continuous @4...) does look pretty good for the price.  50A on a single rail?  Nice!  Oh and 80+ cert and APFC too.  Wow looks like a great deal actually!  I'm going to keep that in mind for future use!  I know Rosewill is just a newegg brand so I wonder who really makes that for them?



look in the pics of the unit UL is listed on the sticker

http://database.ul.com/cgi-bin/XYV/...n=versionless&parent_id=1073992443&sequence=1

ATNG builds these new rosewill parts they also build ABS power supplies another newegg brand. i would put them about even with FSP or Topower built units i would not trust them over 700w though that is about when the FSP, Topower and ATNG designs crap out.


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## freaksavior (Jul 7, 2010)

cdawall said:


> and it lasted while we killed what 3 rocketfish (topower) 700w units lol  had my 850w Tt pretty close to that length of time as well



hehehe good times. Goood times


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## wojo (Jul 7, 2010)

Thanks again for all your advice, I'm going to write down all the suggestion put them in a hat and pull one out to buy.
Just kidding I will look up the reviews for them and go from that.
Bob


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## Zen_ (Jul 7, 2010)

Just get the Corsair CMPSU-400CX 

More than enough power for your needs and $30 after rebate, which Corsair will honor.



> _Electrically, the Corsair CX400W performed solidly throughout the testing, including the cross-loading. It produced amazingly low ripple and noise, and maintained excellent voltage regulation throughout. It had no trouble producing full rated power and staying cool on the cool test bench or inside the extremely hot test box. Our sample lived up to all but one of the selling features that we could test (11.4 years MTBF, really?).
> 
> Review _


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## Frick (Jul 7, 2010)

I have not read this thread, but there are plenty of affordable powersupplies out there that's NOT Corsair! YOu should stay away from the cheapest ones, but the mid-range are often more than enough.


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## AhokZYashA (Jul 7, 2010)

and im using enermaxs cheapest power supply
the tomahawk 405W
and it stays stable after running OCCT linpack and furmark at the same time for 4 hours straight..
my OC at that time is E7400 @ 3.6GHz 1.4V/9600GT @ 800/2100/1800


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## Bo$$ (Jul 7, 2010)

Frick said:


> I have not read this thread, but there are plenty of affordable powersupplies out there that's NOT Corsair! YOu should stay away from the cheapest ones, but the mid-range are often more than enough.



Amen to that, not everything will explode becuase they dont cost £100, as long as they got a decent review they will do


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## caleb (Jul 7, 2010)

For me Chieftec was always ok. Just look at power/rail so youre on the safe side with Watts.
Better than average quality and a normal price.


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