Question about PSU

[skywalk]

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: Oct 22 2009....when Win7 comes out

Budget: S$2800

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: Games, ripping DVDs, encoding, photoshop and lightroom

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: monitor(have samsung 2350 and another 19" cant remember model, )

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: My local computer store


PARTS PREFERENCES: see below


OVERCLOCKING: Maybe
CROSSFIRE: almost certain to

MONITOR RESOLUTION:1920x1080

Here we go:

CPU: intel i7 920 D0
Mobo: giga ud4p
RAM: OCZ platinum 1333 6gig
GPU: seriously considering 2x5850, or a single 5870. Any advice?

DVD RW: LG or samsung
HD:
80 gig intel SSD G2 (OS)
1TB WD black (storage)
150 gig velociraptor (games)

CASE: Lian Li PC7-FW

PSU: do I need 750W or 850W?? Corsair HX

Mouse/keyboard: logitech wave

may not OC, but if I do:
cooler: xigmatek dark knight
arctic 2 or 3

I guess my biggest question is 750W or 850W with my potential 5850x2 CF?

thanks!

 

[AKM880]

If you were possibly doing 5870 CF then take the 850w, but IMO I'd get the new 950w Corsair their releasing later.

 

[jsc]

I'd say the 750 is large enough. The only way you might need the 850 is if you are going to X-Fire two 5870's. And if you are, get the TX model, not the HX model, and save a little money.

If you are going to use two 5870's, you will not have many cables left over, and going modular will not make much sense.

 

[skywalk]

I'd say the 750 is large enough. The only way you might need the 850 is if you are going to X-Fire two 5870's. And if you are, get the TX model, not the HX model, and save a little money.

If you are going to use two 5870's, you will not have many cables left over, and going modular will not make much sense.

thanks for the replies.

I don't think i'll CF 5870. If I do CF, it'll be 5850.

The salesman in the shop was trying to get me to buy a single 5870, rather than 2 5850 yesterday.
He was also also recommending the Andyson PSU, over the corsair 750/850, because in his experience, they break down often, which, he said, might damage the motherboard and GPU.

Just when I thought I had it all narrowed down, sigh. anyone have comments on this matter please?

just a clarification, can you explain why I should not go modular if I do CF?

 

[tecmo34]

I have never heard of Andyson!! Corsair is the better PSU. Corsair is one of the best on the market.

Really the only reason they say the TX over the HX is the price difference. You are looking at roughly $40 more on for a modular. If you can budget in the HX, you will be fine with it, plus it helps with cable management.

 

[skywalk]

I have never heard of Andyson!! Corsair is the better PSU. Corsair is one of the best on the market.

Really the only reason they say the TX over the HX is the price difference. You are looking at roughly $40 more on for a modular. If you can budget in the HX, you will be fine with it, plus it helps with cable management.

thanks for replying. yeah andyson seems rather unknown/unheard of. I wonder why he's pushing that brand.

if the price diff is $40 or so, I am very happy going with HX. however, as jsc wrote, having modular doesnt make sense if I do crossfire....im not sure why this is so. what does CF have to do with this?

 

[tecmo34]

I understand what jsc is saying about really no need to go modular when CF. The benefit of a modular is you don't use the connectors you don't need, which gives you a cleaner look. When you are running CF, you are using most of your connectors so you don't get the benefit of a modular.

Does it make a little more sense now??

 

[skywalk]

I understand what jsc is saying about really no need to go modular when CF. The benefit of a modular is you don't use the connectors you don't need, which gives you a cleaner look. When you are running CF, you are using most of your connectors so you don't get the benefit of a modular.

Does it make a little more sense now??

Tecmo34:

thanks! yes that certainly does make more sense. However, does 1 extra connector REALLY make that much of a difference?

eg; hypothetically I use up 5 of 10 available connectors, and use a modular PSU with no unused cables lying around.

then I add another GPU for crossfire, and use up 6 of 10 available connectors, and so I switch to a non modular PSU, which leaves me with 4 unused cables lying around in my case.

am I waaaay off base here, or are my suppositions accurate? thanks again

 

[tecmo34]

Tecmo34:

thanks! yes that certainly does make more sense. However, does 1 extra connector REALLY make that much of a difference?

Current GPU's require two PCIe power connectors, so you will be using two additional connectors. Also, you have to look at every thing else in your system. How SATA power connectors will you need? How many Molex power connectors will you need. If you find that you will be using most of them, there is no need to buy a modular. If you will only be using a few, maybe a modular is the way to go?

It really is up to you if you go modular or not and what benefits you see in it. I have the Corsair 850TX and have some extra free connectors but with the Antec 1200 case I'm able to hide through good cable management, so there was no benefit in a modular PSU to me.

 

[skywalk]

thanks for the detailed reply tecmo34. appreciate it