Minor upgrades- is 480w enough or do I need a better psu?

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And238

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Mar 23, 2013
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Hi all,

I have this setup right now:
Mobo: Gigabyte 78lmt-s2p am3+ rev 5x.o
CPU: AMD phenom II x6 1045T
Cooling: Stock cooling
Hdd: 250gb Seagate Barracuda 7200rpm
OS: Windows 7
RAM: corsair xms3 8GB ddr3 1333 (1x8gb)
GPU: evga GeForce gtx 650 Ti
Case: CFI Prime 211
PSU: logisys ps480d

And I'm looking to make some minor upgrades:
-Add another 8gb 1333 stick
-Add a Samsung 840 (non pro) ssd 250gb (for a boot drive then using the seagate as storage)
-Add a u3s6 pci express card, since my current mobo doesn't have sata III and USB 3.0
http://www.amazon.com/Transcend-4-port-Express-Serial-Adapter/dp/B0056TYT66/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1366599562&sr=8-2&keywords=U3s6
-lastly, Upgrade cooling to cm Hyper 212 plus, which I hope will fit in this case and on the micro atx board.

My question is, will my current psu be able to handle it all? I really won't be overclocking because I'm not even sure if this board can support it, but I do a lot of video editing/rendering, and gaming, plus it's usually on most of the day.

Should I look into getting a better psu? The logisys ps480d is a pretty cheap power supply. Some like it, others don't. But if it could handle what I'll be upgrading for a while, then I'd like to stick with it.

Any advice much appreciated!
 
Solution
Danra
Given the information that you have provided, the Corsair CX Series 600 power supply will be fine.

Note: Edited for clarification.
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envy14tpe

envy14tpe

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Mar 3, 2012
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http://www.thermaltake.outervision.com/ to find power needed.

I'm not a fan of that PSU but if it has worked so far why change it?

As for upgrades: Evo is a good choice and useful for years to come. If you have 8gb RAM already then i see no purpose in 8gb more unless you do alot of editing work. 840 can be found for a good price, solid buy.

480W is enough.
 
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And238

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Mar 23, 2013
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Well ive used an asus g74sx that has 16gb to do most of my editing and when i monitor it, i see it go up to at least 10gb. So in my case the extra ram will be used.
 
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And238

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Thats a great site thanks for the insight. Forgive my ignorance but what did you mean by "Evo is a good choice for an upgrade" is that a psu brand?
 
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envy14tpe

envy14tpe

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That calculator is decent. It shows what you need but I'd want at least 50W more to be safe.

The Evo comment was about you wanting the 212 +. Cooler Master has a new model called the Evo, which gives slightly better cooling than 212+.

 
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johnnyb105

johnnyb105

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I don't see a reason why it wouldn't work. But adding the extra ram wont gain you much if anything at all. I would take the money for safety sakes that you would have spent on the ram and get a good 500 or 600 watt power supply. A power supply that fails can take part if not your entire system with it good 50 to 75 bucks could prevent that.
 
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And238

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Mar 23, 2013
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I thought about it, but I just wouldn't know what to do with this motherboard if I upgraded. Is there any place that would allow a trade in +cash for a newer motherboard? What do people usually do with their mobo's when they upgrade?
Mine isn't old either, I'd say about a month used only.

Another thing, my case isn't the best for regular atx motherboards, according to reviews. The only micro ATX motherboard I found that fits my needs is http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157323
but again, I just don't know what to do with the perfectly working motherboard I have now. what would you suggest?

And about the EVO, i figured that's what you meant by CM hyper 212. I saw it on amazon, but the reason I felt the hyper 212 plus was better for me was because my case isn't that big. I believe the width is about 7.2 inches or 18cm, and the hyper 212 plus is a little shorter than the EVO.
 
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And238

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Mar 23, 2013
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Yea i agree with your logic. It makes sense.
I guess I shall invest in a better quality psu. Does anyone have suggestions on a cost efficient, yet good quality psu (that wouldn't be overkill)?
Is 600w overkill? I may be upgrading my cpu in the future maybe in a year or two, and I'd prefer a psu that has good headroom for expansion.

I would like modular also, since I have a slightly smaller case and like less clutter would be best for cable management/air flow (although this case doesn't have the best cable management).
 
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And238

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Interesting article. I guess sata III isn't on the top of my priorities any longer for now til i look into a new mono.
Thanks again for the extra sites
 
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envy14tpe

envy14tpe

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Best modular GPU: Seasonic 550RM. It is plenty power for any system. (600W is overkill.) 500W is enough even for future upgrades. The psu I listed is modular and gold certified (wastes less power and less heat generated.)

A good option: Seasonic 520W modular.

Best brands: Seasonic and Antec.
 
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Danra

Danra

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Because we do not know what you will be upgrading to in the future I suggest at least a 550 watt Corsair.

Note that many PSUs are "peak" watt rating, you want one that is "continuous" rating. Get a PSU that at least been tested and certified an 80 plus rating.

Corsair has received more 80 Plus Bronze [which is better] than 80 Plus, however, both will do a good job for you.

The rating numbers show how efficient a power supply is, or in simple terms, if tested at 50% or 100% load, how much power is not wasted. For example a power supply may be rated at 82% at 100% load; that means is 18% "wasted".

Sorry, I do not feel like getting any deeper than that, it is 2:30 in the morning here.

Corsair certified 80 Plus ratings:

http://www.plugloadsolutions.com/80PlusPowerSuppliesDetail.aspx?id=25&type=2

Here is a 600 watt modular Corsair 80 Plus Bronze, in the reviews one person gave it 3 eggs [same as 3 out of 5 stars], and his claim for that rating is in error.

I have a 1/2 modular and I do not use all of the cables, and I can overclock my CPU to 4.8GHz, but it gets too hot for my liking on just an air cooler - I have had it to 4.8GHz, so, I know it will do it.

You can check my computer specs by letting your mouse hover over my avatar picture to the left of my post, you will have to scroll down to see all of it. My Intel CPU being too hot is not the fault of the power supply, but the CPU cooler.
 
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And238

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Mar 23, 2013
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What psu are you using? Btw, I love the certification chart. Really helpful.
Would this be fine and future proof for me?
http://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Series-Modular-Bronze-CX600M/dp/B00ALYOPSS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1366614610&sr=8-1&keywords=Modular+corsair

The only future upgrades I may be doing is the mobo to support newer cpu's and a new CPU (possibly an 8350). But this is later down the road in2 years or so, along with an ssd, hyper 212, and maybe ram. I just want a psu that will last future upgrades.
Again, I am novice to oc'ing so I most likely will not be experimenting with that.
Should 600w suffice, or should I jump to 650 just in case, or even 700w? I'd rather be safe and future proof than sorry
 
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