Plz suggest power supply for this config

[saumya]

Hi,
This is the pc i've decided on,

x2 550
asus m4a78-em
sapphire hd 4870
4gb ddr2 ram 800mhz
500gb wd(32 mb cache)
20'' samsung lcd
altec speakers and logitech mouse...

if my budget allows i may go for x3 720 plz suggest in that case.

Also suggest a cheap cabinet.
Currently i have cm elite310 in mind but anything cheaper would be better if it doesn't affect performance.

Any other suggestions are welcome.

Thanks

 

[JohnnyLucky]

The general rule of thumb is a high quality 500 to 550 watt power supply with sufficient current (amps) on the +12 volt rail(s) can easily power a system with any single video card made. A high quality 700 to 750 watt power supply with sufficient current (amps) on the +12 volt rail(s) can power a system with two video cards operating in dual mode. There are a few exceptions like the new ATI Radeon HD 5XXX series cards which use less power due to their energy efficiency.

A high quality 500 to 550 watt psu will have a +12 volt rail rated at 40 amps. A high quality 700 to 750 watt psu will have a +12 volt rail rated at 60 amps.

In addition the power supply should be at least 80+ Bronze certified for energy efficiency. There are some models available which have achieved 80+ Silver and 80+ Gold Certifications.

Before purchasing a new psu you will need to decide whether you will eventually have a pc with one or two video cards.

Corsair, PC Power & Cooling, and Seasonic are some of the brands that have a reputation for high quality power supplies that consistently earn high marks in technical reviews. They are reliable, stable, and come with a 5 year warranty. Some of the newer models come with a 7 year warranty. Lately we've been seeing a few other brands offering some high quality units. An example would be the Antec Earthwatts series which is a major improvement over Antec’s older psu’s like the Basiq models.

The Antec 300 is a very popular pc case with gamers on a tight budget. Ventilation, airflow, and cooling are excellent:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129042

 

[saumya]

Before purchasing a new psu you will need to decide whether you will eventually have a pc with one or two video cards.

I'm going to use only one video card

A high quality 500 to 550 watt psu will have a +12 volt rail rated at 40 amps. A high quality 700 to 750 watt psu will have a +12 volt rail rated at 60 amps.

How would be a cooler master 460w.

Can you please tell some models and be more specific.

I'm on a tight budget.

 

[JohnnyLucky]

Well, the first thing to do is take a look at power requirements for a system with one ATI Radeon HD 4870 video card.

ATI Radeon™ HD 4870 System Requirements:

PCI Express® based PC is required with one X16 lane graphics slot available on the motherboard

500 Watt or greater power supply with two 75 watt, 6-pin, PCI Express® power connectors

That's for the entire system.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139004

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371007

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341022

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341016

 

[saumya]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6817371007

if you say this is good for me.

http://hi-techreviews.com/reviews_2006/ExtremePower600/P3.htm

Then what do you think about this, because i'll get this for pretty descent price where i live.

 

[saumya]

http://www.journeysystems.com/?power_calculator

It suggests 403W peak usage for my config.
It also states that a system will never approach this much in real world situation.

What if i go for vx450 or a coolermaster 500w supply.

Please i need to know this.I will buy my system probably tomorrow.

 

[Onus]

The Coolermaster is not good. See the little voltage switch on it? At best, it is an old, inefficient design.
The Corsair VX450 is good, and can handle that video card, but a VX550 would be better, as you'd be running it in a more efficient part of its range.
The Antec EA-500 that JohnnyLucky linked would be another good, inexpensive (but not "cheap") choice.
I just got done reading a pretty harsh criticism of OCZ PSUs, generally for cutting corners on component selection (like the capacitors). I have not yet seen a competent technical review of the Fatal1ty model.

 

[JohnnyLucky]

The Corsair VX450 will be okay for your system. It has a single large +12 volt rail rated at 33 amps. That is sufficient for a computer with just one 4870 video card.

jtt283 - I've been reading the same stuff. OCZ is consumer oriented while PC Power & Cooling is performance oriented.

 

[saumya]

Thank you guys for your prompt replies.

I'll definitely go for either vx450 or ea-500.

Any more replies or comments??

 

[Onus]

Does "great minds think alike" count?