Antec Power Supply Unit Research Help Needed.

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I am planning to build a gaming PC/HTPC sometime between late July and mid-August after Intel gets the USB 3.0 bug issue resolved with the Haswell motherboards and CPUs. A PSU calculator program stated that I needed around 700 watts to power the computer that I plan to build. The PC case that I will get is an Antec 1200V3. I also plan to buy additional case fans, a CPU fan, and a PSU manufactured by Antec for easier hardware compatibility. I have no plans to overclock, but I may add other components in the future such as an additional hard drive, or a dual video card setup. Besides gaming, I will also be doing C++ activities as a side project (with no plans to do heavy duty graphics), and using FSX for flight training. I want a PSU, along with the case, that will last for at least two builds, with each build lasting between two and three years.

The three Antec PSUs that I am looking at are:

1. HCG-900

2. HCP-1000 Platinum

3. HCP-1200

I know that there is a $130 price difference between the HCG-900 and HCP-1000 and am leaning toward the former unless the latter or HCP-1200 is guaranteed to last me for four to six years.
 
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Here is my list. Please note I am going with either an Intel 4770 or 4770K, A CPU fan designed for the 4770, Asus Sabertooth Motherboard or equivalent for the LGA 1150, and a GTX 770. I am assuming the power consumption will not be much different from the current generation of hardware.

Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium HD (THX TruStudio Pro)

Intel Core i7 3770 3.4GHz LGA 1155 Processor

ASUS SABERTOOTH Z77 LGA 1155 Z77 ATX Intel Motherboard

Antec TriCool 120mm Blue LED Fan [ x 2 or x 3 (I plan to fill all of the vacant cooling fan slots)]

Antec KUHLER Flow Universal CPU Cooler

Crucial Ballistix Sport 16GB DDR3-1600 PC3-12800)

Seagate Barracuda 3TB 7,200 RPM SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" (x 2)

StarTech 5.25" 3-Fan Drive Bay Hard Drive Cooler (x 2)

Crucial M500 Series 240GB SATA 6.0Gb/s 2.5" Internal SSD

ASUS BC-12B1ST 16x DVDRW Burner/12x BD Reader (Internal Blu Ray Drive)

ASUS DRW-24B1ST Internal DVDR/RW Burner - OEM

EVGA 02G-P4-2678-KR NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670

TP-LINK TL-WDN4800 Wireless N Dual Band PCI Express

Sabrent 4-Port SuperSpeed USB 3.0 PCIe Controller
 
Normally a single system with a GTX 670 would need a 500W psu. With the extra fans I wouls say at least 550W. That is still a cry from needing 700W and buying 900-1200.

It is not necessary to buy an Antec psu because of the case. They are all compatible at least all of the standard ATX supplies.

If you insist on staying with Antec I would recommend this first http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371055
followed by this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371044

But in order I would recommend
1. Seasonic 620 Bronze http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151096
2. Seasonic 650W Gold http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151125
Then the two Antecs.

Get the 650W gold if you can afford the extra price.
 
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Thanks for the suggestions. I have another question. Basically I plan to load Windows 7 and the software for the hardware components to the SSD, my music on one HDD, and games on the other HDD. Depending on how things go with C++, I may purchase an additional HDD that is identical or similar to the Seagate HDDs that I listed later on. Would any these power supply units still run efficiently if I add another HDD or should I look for a PSU with a higher wattage?
 
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My other questions are, how often are the power plugs on the PC components, such as the motherboard, GPU, and HDDs changed and what indications or information should I look for that tell me whether or not the PSU is designed to last? Also, my PC build is going to be somewhere in the $2000 range. What are the advantages of 80 Plus Gold besides more efficiency and less heat? I want a PSU that can last me for two builds and a total life span between 4 and 6 years, if that is possible.
 
You generally don't change them unless either the part itself dies or the PSU dies or the PSU cables is faulty.

The efficiency rating does tell you that the parts used to build the PSU isn't complete crap. You gain no real advantages to buying a 80 Plus Gold over a 80 plus bronze. The efficiency rating is so minimal that if you had two computers on 24/7 for a whole year, the gold one will save you a whopping $3.00-$5.00 total. (That's three dollars to five dollars, not three hundred to five hundred.) The difference in pricing between an 80 bronze PSU and an 80 gold PSU is at least (average) $50.00. So by savings, you will have to run the gold PSU for at least 10-17 years to just pay off the difference.

Most quality PSU can last a good amount of time. I have one for years now.
 


I don't agree. Not sure what you base that on.
Here I have two XFX 750W supplies. Both are modular. One is Bronze and the other is Gold and they cost the same> You just have to look at the prices and find a decent buy.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817207023
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817207029

As far as the efficiency payoff goes lets use a 400W system draw at 10cents a Kilowatt at 50% draw. The Bronze is 85% efficient at 50% draw so 400/.85=471W off the socket
The Gold is 90% efficient at 50% so 400/.9= 444W off the socket.
The difference is 27 watts.
.10 per kilowatt = .1/1000 =.0001 watt/hr.
27watt difference x .0001 watt/hr = .0027 dollars or less than 1/4 cent per hr.
.0027 x 24 hrs = .065 dollars a day
365days x .065 = 23.65 dollars a year

So even if it was a difference of $50 it would only take 2 years to break even. Now maybe you are in an area that pays alot less per kw then 10 cents the calculations are the same. If you pay 5 cents then it takes 4 years to make up $50.

The more reasonable calculation is computer on for 8-10 hrs and then it does take more time to recoup.
 
True. You can always try to find the best value. Though, I still say that most Gold PSU are much more than their Bronze counterpart. Even skimming the list on PCPartPicker, it's noticeable.

I see where I made the mistake. It was $3-$5 a month, not year. Oops. So $36-$60 a year saved. That is with the world average (min-max) in terms of power consumption. I didn't get the min-max for the PSU average globally. That was hard to find. So it'll take about 1.5 years to pay it off. Still a long time and the save is still negligible.
 
I was refuting a specific statement that said " The efficiency rating is so minimal that if you had two computers on 24/7 for a whole year, the gold one will save you a whopping $3.00-$5.00 total. " I also said "The more reasonable calculation is computer on for 8-10 hrs and then it does take more time to recoup." The only ones I can see that would be on 24/7 are the bit coin miners out there.
I didn't even get into the fact that the lower efficiency psu's add more heat to the system requiring more airflow which requires more power to be drawn which adds more heat etc (assuming your psu draws from outside and vents into the case).

I would ask how many platinum supplies does he review that do cannonballs on the warerbed?

I don't recommend supplies just because they are Gold but when I see a top end system that will draw 400-500 watts and he is spending 1500 or more it is easy to tell them to get a gold supply.