Corsiar AXi 760i or 860i for my rig (or no upgrade needed)?

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Eggz

Eggz

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Hi all,

I currently run a Delta 600w PSU. It works well and has been very reliable, but I am going to add a dedicated PhysX card. Since I sometimes push the PSU already, adding the card might be getting a little too close for comfort. Maybe I don't even need a PSU upgrade. My goal is to stay within the 20% to 80% range that 80 Plus recommends. What do you think based on my specs below?

3930k @ 4.2 Ghz (130 watt TDP)
32 RAM GB 2133 (8 GB x 4 sticks)
GTX 780 ti (250 watt TDP)
EVO 750 GB
Barracuda 2 TB
Asetek 510lc All-in-one cooler
Blue ray drive
InfiniTV 4 PCI-e

My upgrade plan consists of dedicating a 750 ti to PhysX calculations. That card has a very low TDP of only 75 watts. Right now, I could theoretically pull 400 to 500 watts if everything were under load, but I've never actually had everything run at load all at once.

While gaming something crazy (e.g. Crysis 3), I might be running about 400 watts. That's 67% of my PSU, and that puts me squarely within the 20% to 80% range 80 Plus reccomends. If I am going to upgrade, I'd like to get one of Corsair's AXi PSUs for the reliability that comes with 80 Plus Platinum certification, as well as the Corsair Link software. Ideally, I'll spend as little as possible, but I also don't want to get too little and regret it later. My inclination would be to go with the 760i (if I upgrade at all), since it's significantly cheaper and I don't plan to SLI - ever. Thoughts?
 
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expl0itfinder

expl0itfinder

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I would absolutely not get a dedicated PhysX card. With a GPU as powerful as the 780Ti, using a 750 for PhysX may actually make the system slower. In this case, I really don't think the upgrade is necessary at all, especially since your current PSU is working fine. And even if you were to get a little bit better overall performance, it would not be worth the price. I suggest investing in an SSD, or something that will have a more prominent effect on system performance.
 
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D

dariens007

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i'd definitly upgrade to the 760i just to make sure. and if you plan on adding anything later down the line go with the 860i to make sure you have enough power for future upgrades. like if you want to have 2 graphcis card, one for display and one for dedicated physics
 
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expl0itfinder

expl0itfinder

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That's honestly a waste of money. As stated earlier, there is no need to upgrade anything in the graphics department, as a dedicated PhysX card would not benefit a system as powerful as the OP's.
 
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Eggz

Eggz

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I appreciate the replies so far. As for expl0itfinder's remark's, there's no need to assume I'm proposing a plan for no logical reason:


It's a bit rude. I've researched this quite extensively, and dedicating PhysX makes a more substaintial difference the more high-end a system gets. Before getting into the PhysX stuff, though, I should point out that I already have an SSD, and I listed that in my system specs (i.e. Samsung EVO 750 GB).

But on to PhysX, last generation's tests for dedicated PhysX were very strong. A gtx 650 has been proven to handle PhysX calculations better than a pair of GTX Titans in SLI.

Let's pause and reflect on what this means. In one scenario, the PhysX was being rendered by a humble, budget-oriented GTX 650. In the other scenario, the PhysX was being rendered by two Titans.........and the Titans lost.
Click to expand...
This generation's results with the 750 ti have been even better. Adding a 750 ti to the 780 ti results in better performance in PhysX games than a pair of 680s (or 770s) in SLI, and that is quite impressive indeed.


Not answering the question is one thing, but spreading misinformation is quite another.

. . . However, this is entirely beside the point, and I apologize. We are here to discuss adequately powering my setup. Thank you to everyone who has been responsive, and I hope to keep getting good feedback.
 
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Eggz

Eggz

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My only plan is to run a 250 watt card (780 ti) and a 75 watt card (750 ti) together. I do keep the computer on 24/7 because it serves many purposes, including home server use. It also hosts all Cable and DRV use at home. The Delta power supply I have is 80 Plus (not gold or any other metal, though), and it is a server PSU. I wonder how long it would take for either of the AXi PSUs to way for themselves in efficiency, if ever.
 
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expl0itfinder

expl0itfinder

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Why did you ask if you already knew the answer? A solid 650w (seasonic, xfx, Corsair TX AX and HX series) will do more than fine. I gave you a blunt response, because I want to warn against it as a strongly as possible. Money could be better spent. Anyway, there are very few modern titles that use PhysX for primary effects. I did miss the SSD in the description however, so ignore my previous statement on that. If I may, why are you against SLi? If you plan on upgrading the PSU, then I would suggest saving up for another 780TI as well. It will give you FAR better performance overall than any dedicated PhysX card will. For dual 780TIs, you really only need 750W, again, from the brands previously mentioned. You can try other brands, but be warned, a PSU is not a part you want to skimp on.
 
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Eggz

Eggz

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If 650w would be fine, maybe I should just try running it on what I have for now? The 750 ti's in the mail anyway. Currently, the system runs solid with a single 780 ti. Adding a small 750 ti isn't much power, and it only costs $180. If it doesn't work, Amazon takes free returns and pays for shipping. If it works, and I don't need more power, I'll stick out what I have for a little while. But if I get a significant improvement in PhysX games (which are the bulk of my playing time) but I need more power, then I'll be in the place to ask my original question about which AXi PSU to get.

With the 760i, the 20% to 80% range would be running between 152 watts and 608 watts (380 watts at 50%). The 860i's 20% to 80% range would be between 172 watts and 688 watts (430 watts at 50%). If I pull 450 during a heavy gaming or editing load, then I guess either one will be as good as the other, unless I'm missing something.

As for SLI, I only play 1080p, so that would be overdoing it. One 780 ti is perfect for 1080p on max settings. It can run everything at that resolution with a constant 60 fps except Crysis 3 and heavy PhysX games (which is the reason for my PhysX card). I think 780 ti + 750 ti is the best solution for me right now because of how much I use PhysX.
 
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expl0itfinder

expl0itfinder

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That's all information that would have been great to know in the beginning of the the thread, I would not have come at you so strong. And I think that system, even with the 750, will run fine on the current PSU. You'll know if you need more power, as the system will likely crash once put under load, but I think you will be pleasantly surprised to find out you have all the power you need.
 
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Eggz

Eggz

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Yeah, considering I got the 780 ti for only $100 out-of-pocket, paying an extra $180 for the 750 ti really isn't bad at all. The real cost for me would be the power supply. If I were to get one, I'd want to get the best and most reliable one I can get, but they are expensive. I'd rather avoid that cost all together. If my current power supply works, then I'll only be $280 into my graphics solution, and it will consist of the fast single-processor gaming GPU on the planet, backed by the 750 ti for PhysX.

My only hope is that I am able to fit the card into my computer. I have to use a riser cable because the PCI-e configuration is 16x, 16x, 16x, 1x. The cable card needs to take up a slot, and the 780 ti needs to take up two, because both cards need to be mounted for things to plug into them. Because of the spacing arrangement, there is no room to plug the 750 ti directly into the motherboard. I do, however, have a 7.5 in 16x PCI-e extender ribbon. That should work because nothing will plug into the 750 ti, and it doesn't require a solid mount. My plan is to mount it away from the PCI-e slots in the same way I've mounted my SSD, which is with Velcro tape. It's surprisingly sturdy, and I got the suggestion from Linus Tech tips. He uses it in high end builds to mounts things from SSDs water cooling reservoirs. Again, though, if any of this doesn't work, I have the safety net of Amazon's free returns (even if the video card has been unwrapped and used). Time to tinker! :D
 
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