Im gonna buy new graphics card, need help with PSU opinions.

El trauco

Commendable
Apr 3, 2016
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1,510
Hello, im about to buy an asus r7 360 oc v2 graphics card, but my current PSU is too weak and my case is too small, so i have 3 options:

-Buy seasonic s12iibronze-430w power supply, and a friend will give me/sell me for cheap his old case.
-Buy Coolermaster Force 500 case with PSU included (Thermal master 2 450w it has 12v1 10amp and 12v2 13amp i think)
-Buy Coolermaster Elite 371 case with PSU included (Thermal master 420w it has single 12v 20amp rail i think)

My current set up is:
-Intel pentium G645
-4GB DDR3 Ram
-Lenovo motherboard (Comes with Thinkcentre M72e)
-Seagate barracuda 500GB 7200 rpm
-Combo optical drive (cd and dvd read/write)
-Acbel 240w power supply.

Those 3 options are the only ones i have so please dont suggest other stuff because its probably too expensive for me or isnt avaliable where i live. (Can't buy from internet ATM)
I have another question: Does each 12v rail provide power to different things or do they power multiple stuff and balance according to how much power each thing needs?
Also i wont be overclocking anything.
Thanks in advance.
 
Solution
Disclaimer: Not an expert; I encourage you to get a second opinion if possible (especially since I can't answer your question about the 12v rail.)

Having said that: I wasn't able to turn up anything at all about the specifications of the motherboard in the Thinkcentre M72e--I'm assuming you have the tower version of that model and not the small form factor version? You also didn't say what kind of case your friend is offering. So if you haven't already done so, the first thing I'd do is double-check that the MB's mounting points are in the right places to match the standoffs in your friend's case (or that the standoffs can be moved to match them,) that the MB will accept the connectors supplied with the Seasonic, and that the power...

Ambular

Respectable
Mar 25, 2016
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1,960
Disclaimer: Not an expert; I encourage you to get a second opinion if possible (especially since I can't answer your question about the 12v rail.)

Having said that: I wasn't able to turn up anything at all about the specifications of the motherboard in the Thinkcentre M72e--I'm assuming you have the tower version of that model and not the small form factor version? You also didn't say what kind of case your friend is offering. So if you haven't already done so, the first thing I'd do is double-check that the MB's mounting points are in the right places to match the standoffs in your friend's case (or that the standoffs can be moved to match them,) that the MB will accept the connectors supplied with the Seasonic, and that the power supply itself isn't too large to fit into that case.

If that all looks good, and if the free/cheap case is one you like and is in acceptable condition: in your shoes, I'd go with that and the S12-II. Seasonic comes highly recommended, and the S12-IIs are Tier Two units, which means they're quality PSUs with a decent track record for stable and reliable service. 430 watts should be adequate for those system specs, and the unit should be compatible with your new video card.

On the other hand, I can't find a single person here or elsewhere who's got anything good to say about Thermal Master PSUs. They're apparently a cheap line that Cooler Master only sells bundled with some of its lower-priced cases. None of them are even mentioned on the tiered power supply list, and I found reports that they've been known to die within hours of purchase or actually explode under load. So yeah, for the safety and longevity of the system, I'd choose Option 1.

In the event you do go with one of the Cooler Master cases for whatever reason, I'd really recommend replacing the PSU with a better one as soon as you can manage it. You might get lucky and have no problems with the included Thermal Master units, but a bad one could kill all your other components. (Further disclaimer: Any PSU could turn out to be a lemon, including the Seasonic, but your odds seem much better with that one.)
 
Solution

El trauco

Commendable
Apr 3, 2016
4
0
1,510
Im pretty sure my MB is microATX, my friend's case is a normal atx case mid tower, and is in good condition. Also i asked because im not sure if the 17 amps om the 12v rail of the seasonic will be enough for cpu, card and motherboard.