What Psu?

[Unworldlyfriend]

Corsair HX450w or the SST-ST50F 500w Modular

Needs to be able to handle a

Core I5 750 Might overclock
P55A-UD3
4gb 1333mhz
1 SSD
1 Sata HDD
8800gt ( and the ability to upgrade )

Budget of about £55

 

[JohnnyLucky]

Hmmmm......ability to upgrade the video card? Just how much of an upgrade? Two high end ATI Radeon HD 5970 video cards in Crossfire mode or something less expensive?

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.

Corsair and Seasonic are two 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. One example would be the Antec Earthwatts series which is a major improvement over Antec’s older psu’s like the Basiq models.

 

[Unworldlyfriend]

Hmmmm......ability to upgrade the video card? Just how much of an upgrade? Two high end ATI Radeon HD 5970 video cards in Crossfire mode or something less expensive?

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.

Corsair and Seasonic are two 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. One example would be the Antec Earthwatts series which is a major improvement over Antec’s older psu’s like the Basiq models.

I was thinking more like a single card proballly one of the new Nvidia Fermi cards.

What would you say about the 450w Corsair?

 

[jsc]

I do not particularly care for the Corsair 450. Don't get me wrong. I like Corsairs. I own three of them: a 400, a 550, and a 750.

Corsair 400CX (30 amp 12 volt rail)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139008

Corsair 450VX (33 amp 12 volt rail)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139003

Corsair 550VX (41 amp 12 volt rail)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139004

Here's my problem with the 450. With its 33 amp 12 volt rail, it is not significantly better than the 400CX.

If your budget will stretch, get the 550VX.

 

[Unworldlyfriend]

I do not particularly care for the Corsair 450. Don't get me wrong. I like Corsairs. I own three of them: a 400, a 550, and a 750.

Corsair 400CX (30 amp 12 volt rail)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139008

Corsair 450VX (33 amp 12 volt rail)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139003

Corsair 550VX (41 amp 12 volt rail)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139004

Here's my problem with the 450. With its 33 amp 12 volt rail, it is not significantly better than the 400CX.

If your budget will stretch, get the 550VX.

In the uk they dont sell the 400w. Currently the 450w modular is £49 and the 550w non modular is an extra £17 and i dont want to spend that much on a PSU

I currently have a 370w with 2 12v rails at 13A and 12A.

 

[JohnnyLucky]

I just read late breaking news not more than 2 minutes ago about the Fermi naming convention. nvidia bypassed the 300 series names and decided on 400 series names for the Fermi cards. That does not help any at all.

We have no concrete information yet and the card's introduction has been delayed. Therefore, we have absolutely no idea what the card's system requirements will be. Right now it is impossible to tell whether a specific power supply would or would not be sufficient.

 

[Unworldlyfriend]

I just read late breaking news not more than 2 minutes ago about the Fermi naming convention. nvidia bypassed the 300 series names and decided on 400 series names for the Fermi cards. That does not help any at all.

We have no concrete information yet and the card's introduction has been delayed. Therefore, we have absolutely no idea what the card's system requirements will be. Right now it is impossible to tell whether a specific power supply would or would not be sufficient.

Yea i heard that earlier i was looking to get a £200/$300 card depending on benchmarks

 

[Onus]

I've been reading that Fermi will run hot. That probably means it sucks down lots of power. I suspect the 550VX would be the smallest PSU you should get if you want to run a Fermi; of course you'll be furious if you buy one and it turns out to not be enough. Another option, initially more expensive, would be to buy the PSU now to run your 8800GT but replace it later. The CX400 would be enough, but you say it isn't available. You could choose the 450VX. Are any of the Antec Earthwatts PSUs available to you?
The PSU is not the place to skimp. If you're thinking of spending $600 on a GPU, another 20% for a quality PSU doesn't seem unreasonable.

 

[Unworldlyfriend]

I've been reading that Fermi will run hot. That probably means it sucks down lots of power. I suspect the 550VX would be the smallest PSU you should get if you want to run a Fermi; of course you'll be furious if you buy one and it turns out to not be enough. Another option, initially more expensive, would be to buy the PSU now to run your 8800GT but replace it later. The CX400 would be enough, but you say it isn't available. You could choose the 450VX. Are any of the Antec Earthwatts PSUs available to you?
The PSU is not the place to skimp. If you're thinking of spending $600 on a GPU, another 20% for a quality PSU doesn't seem unreasonable.

Having a look at the 550+ Corsair and £73 for the 650w and £63 for the 550w

The antec earthwatts is £70 for a 650w or £63 for a silverstone 600w(36A rails tho)

Or the OCZ 600w at £55(72A)


Had a look at the OCZ reviews and they are bad so going with the VX550

 

[JohnnyLucky]

jtt283 - I am inclined to agree. I've read news articles which seem to indicate there is a high probability the source of the information is credible. If it really turns out the card is running hot, then it will probably be a power hog requiring extra power and a pc cases with excellent ventilation, airflow, and cooling. The purchase price might have to include a new power supply and a new pc case.