Smallest size power supply for mini-itx?

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KafeinOvrdose

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May 6, 2013
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Planning on a build just unsure if i can find a matching power supply, build as follows:
Core i5 3570k
Gigabyte GA-H77N-WIFI
EVGA GeForce GTX 660 SC 2GB
G.SKILL Ares 8GB(2x4GB) DDR3
SanDisk 120GB extreme SSD
WD Scorpio Blue 750GB SATA2 HDD

Also as per title can someone suggest me a small power supply for this? Is 500W enough? I've looked into TFX and 1U power supplies and 1U ones seems more appealing, as i know nothing about electrical can someone tell me if the voltage and amperes appropriate for a mini-itx? The max height needs to be less than 3". Also can someone also suggest me an appropriate heatsink.....

Thank you SO MUCH in advance :)
 
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KafeinOvrdose

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May 6, 2013
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sorry um i'm using a custom made case approx 270mm*264mm*75mm.

thanks a lot :)
 
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DarkSable

DarkSable

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Sep 27, 2012
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So what dimensions are you going to want for the heatsink? (Trying to figure out if you want a low profile, or just a small tower cooler.)

As for the power supply, look at a seasonic x-series; they tend to be smaller than other high-wattage power supplies are. They're also far better built and considerably more expensive, but hey.
 
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KafeinOvrdose

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May 6, 2013
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Well overall judging by the layout possible i'd say nothing would be on top of the headsink? So i would say the height plus the motherboard can't exceed around 3".

I've put up my build here so it's easier to see http://pcpartpicker.com/user/KafeinOvrdose/saved/1z7C
Now i'm doubting about how much voltage i would need.....if it is correct here then a seasonic tfx 350w psu would be sufficient? Also do you have opinions on pico-psu's? I see that they're extremely small compared to normal psu's...

Thank you so much again for helping and all my noobie questions :)
 
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DarkSable

DarkSable

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I'd go with a Cooler Master GeminII with an aftermarket 140mm fan, then.

I'd go with a decent 400w power supply. Something else to consider is that in small form factor, you HAVE to have a modular power supply; you simply don't have space for all the cables, otherwise.

What exactly will you be using this computer for? A pico-PSU isn't going to give you any power for overclocking and won't be nearly as reliable.
 
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KafeinOvrdose

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May 6, 2013
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i guess this is to max out for gaming? what has always been the trouble is the height of the case as nomal power supplies are 86mm tall and the case is only 75mm.... the gemini cooler is REALLY cool but it wont fit into the case....i will try looking up something similar tho.

If a pico-PSU wont work for this then how about tfx or sfx or 1U PSUs?

Thanks again :)
 
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DarkSable

DarkSable

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Unfortunately, it's going to be very, very hard to find an ATX power supply that's that slim. 1U is probably your best bet.

Just a question... since this is a custom case and you're obviously comfortable modding, why don't you raise the height of the case just a little bit? It wouldn't take much to make an ATX power supply and a nice cooler like that fit.
 
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KafeinOvrdose

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Great 1u then it is. Then for the brand performane of Seasonic or Sparkle?

Oh sorry i said i was using a custom case before i'm actually trying to use a xbox 360 premium console case that i got cheap and since i need a desktop when why not have a try?

So this is my build for now... http://pcpartpicker.com/user/KafeinOvrdose/saved/1z7C any suggestions? is the fan enough to cool the entire machine or shall i add extra case fans? Also is the psu wattage sufficient enough? i've seen the digital storm bolt and they have a 500w psu for a 3570k with gtx660 ti card.

Thank you so much :)
 
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DarkSable

DarkSable

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Seasonic is the best pick, but don't discount FSP; they're still reliable manufacturers.
Ahh, that makes sense - I once built a computer in a gamecube for much the same reason.

As for the build, just a couple things:

1) You can't and won't be overclocking; go with an i5-3350p for less money and less heat.
2) Nice find on that CPU cooler, but if it's right up against the case, you're going to want to drill air holes for it.
3) You can get a far better hard drive for cheaper; I'd go with a western digital blue.
4) How are you going to mount the card? I'm presuming with a PCI riser?
 
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KafeinOvrdose

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May 6, 2013
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LOL a gamecube is a good choice actually it's really intuitive.

Is there any particular reason why i cant overclock with this build? Is it the heat management or the psu? as i really really want to overclock it......and as for cooling i was hoping to maybe add one or two case fans on the sides and drill a vent right where the cooler is. i was wondering actually about the hard drive as i have a few old laptop ones and maybe use them first then upgrade when i find a cheap one in auction. the card would be mounted using a pci riser and directly on top would be the psu.

Also a curious question do you think it is worth waiting for haswell to release which is within a month time? i've seen the performance test with a haswell ES cpu which is an i5 vs a 3570k and there's roughly only 7% upgrade in performance, but the price would be higher than the 3750k and the motherboard would also need to be upgraded.

Thank you for your help :)
 
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DarkSable

DarkSable

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Erm... if you want to overclock it, then you have to get a z77 motherboard. H77 can't overclock. As long as you have sufficient ventilation, you'll be able to overclock just fine.

As for the hard drives, it honestly depends on how much you're pressed for money... that being said, the western digital blue I mentioned is not only faster and FAR more reliable, but should be cheaper, than the Hitachi you have there. (But heck, engraving your data in wax suspended over a bonfire would be more reliable than a Hitachi drive.)

Only thing to be careful about is if the PCI riser 1) is fast enough to not completely bottleneck the system, and 2) doesn't cause the card to stick out over anything important. I might consider looking at a low profile graphics card just to make sure you have no size constraints.

I don't think it's worth waiting for Haswell, no. It's coming soon, but the performance isn't going to be all that much of an increase, and the motherboards, from everything I've seen, are going to be MUCH more expensive for any board that can overclock.

Last bit of advice I have for you is this, condensed from years of work with small form factor builds: It's a lot like watercooling. There's no way of telling what you can and can't do until it's in your hands and you're doing it. If you want to do it right, then screw the pooch, and buy twice what you think you need; make the build work, and then worry about trying to return what you couldn't use.
 
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liheat-1313311

liheat-1313311

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May 2, 2013
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In addition to the 75mm thick volume
All the answers, it should be in my post
tfx450w/12l/gtx680+i5-3470
http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-1669342/forum-held-purchase-option-vote.html
 
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