Will my Corsair HX520w be enough for this build?

[dooodo]

Hey guys, the community here has been great.

I really need help here though as I am buying parts online.

Basically doing a major system rehaul. Will my old PSU (Corsair hx520 watts http://www.silentpcreview.com/article692-page1.html) be enough to power the following system?

- i7 920 D0 possibly o'ced to 4ghz
- 3 x 2gb OCZ 1333mhz ram
- HIS Radeon HD 4970x2 2gb
- 1 OCZ 60gb Vertex SSD
- 1 Seagate 7200.12 500gb HD
- Corsair H50 Watercooling
- Antec 900 case

I've read that it should be fine however its pushing the limits or its dangerous/not overclockable. I'd REALLY love to save money and not buy another PSU if it were deemed unnecessary. I'd also not like my computer to blow up lol, stability is a must.

Thx TH in advance!!!

 

[saint19]

Hi newcomer and welcome to the Tom's hardware forum.

Can u post please the spec of the "4970x2" that u have, because I can't find it.

Now if u refer to the 4870 here are the system requirements:

ATI Radeon™ HD 4870 Series System Requirements

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 75W 6-pin PCI Express® power connectors recommended (600 Watt and four 6-pin connectors for ATI CrossFireX™ technology in dual mode)
Certified power supplies are recommended. Refer to http://ati.amd.com/certifiedPSU for a list of Certified products
Minimum 1GB of system memory
Installation software requires CD-ROM drive
DVD playback requires DVD drive
Blu-ray™ playback requires Blu-ray drive
For a complete ATI CrossFireX™ system, a second ATI Radeon™ HD 4870 graphics card, an ATI CrossFireX Ready motherboard and one ATI CrossFireX Bridge Interconnect cable per graphics card (included) are required

ATI Radeon™ HD 4870 X2 System Requirements

PCI Express® based PC is required with one X16 lane graphics slot available on the motherboard
650 Watt or greater power supply with one 2x3-pin PCIe® power connector and one 2x4-pin PCIe® power connector is required (1K Watt with two 2x3-pin and two 2x4-pin connectors for ATI CrossFireX™ technology in dual mode)
Certified power supplies are recommended. Refer to http://ati.amd.com/certifiedPSU for a list of Certified products
Certified system cases with good airflow and cooling are recommended. Refer to http://ati.amd.com/certifiedcases for a list of Certified products
Minimum 1GB of system memory
Installation software requires CD-ROM drive
DVD playback requires DVD drive
Blu-ray™ playback requires Blu-ray drive and full 1080p display requires a 1080p-capable monitor
For a complete ATI CrossFireX™ system, a second ATI Radeon™ HD 4870 X2 graphics card, an ATI CrossFireX Ready motherboard and one ATI CrossFireX Bridge Interconnect cable per graphics card (included) are required

The recommended PSU is for the entire system, so isn't enough for the 1st and 2nd one. This two are good options

1- CORSAIR HX 650W
2- Antec TruePower 650W

 

[needsumhelplol]

Just plain no

although the hx520 are a very good PSU i can't see your crossfire running well with only 520w

I'd go for 650 at least, possibly even a 750... this is just off the top of my head though, i could be wrong...

Here is a decent PSU calculator : http://www.extreme.outervision.com/psucalculatorlite.jsp


Edit: oh... you mean 4870x2... not 2x4870 (or 4970x2, lol)

yea still even without crossifre, that is a dual core gpu i'd go for at least 650 ... i mean especially since u say u wanna OC

 

[dooodo]

Yea so I guess she's gotta go for sale then... sigh. More money to spend boy oh boy lol.

I was hoping someone with a near identical setup would appear and tell me hey, that hx520 does the job! Lol.

 

[needsumhelplol]

Well you do have a pretty nifty PSU there, i have seen some (hx520) feed systems that wouldn't boot with a 550w generic unbranded.
Having said that, the card pushes it over the edge, in my opinion...although you could always order the stuff now, set it up, and buy a new PSU later if you're getting problems... personally i'd save myself the hassle and get a nice or HX-650 like the other poster suggested

 

[dooodo]

Is the hx650 100% good for my build? It's a heck of alot cheaper than the 750w one so I wanna be sure lol

 

[saint19]

U should not be to worried with the HX650W since that PSU is enough for the rig even with OC.

 

[needsumhelplol]

hx650 should be 100% good for a SINGLE 4870x2... if you're planning to crossfire... then that would be pushing it... especially since you say you want to OC

Edit: Depends what kinda budget you're on..

Edit2: check these out

http://www.shopbot.ca/xfx/power-supply-units/housing-and-cooling/canada/111/b/184

These are quality.. a bit too shiny for my taste but quality nonetheless

 

[dooodo]

Are there any other modular or good budget power supplies other than Corsair? I'm in Canada.

Sorry I am REALLY lacking in psu knowledge.

How's this OCZ modular one?

http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=13220AC1267&vpn=OCZ700MXSP&manufacture=OCZ%20TECHNOLOGY

 

[saint19]

Are u from Canada? That's not a problem.

1- http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371021&cm_re=650W-_-17-371-021-_-Product
2- http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139012&cm_re=650W-_-17-139-012-_-Product
3- http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=11180AC9616&vpn=CMPSU-650HX&manufacture=CORSAIR
4- http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/searchtools/item-Details.asp?EdpNo=5074042&sku=C13-2516&srkey=Corsair%20HX650W

OCZ don't make good PSUs.

 

[dooodo]

Hey guys thx for the links. I cant see the first two newegg products saint what are they?

So the top brands are Corsair and XFX? What's wrong with OCZ I buy their memory lol and it is 80% efficient too!

 

[saint19]

The top brands are IMO:

Corsair
Antec
PC Power and Cooling
Silverstone
Thermaltake (not all series)

The 1st two links are from newegg canada and are this:

1- Antec 650W
2- Corsair 650W

 

[saint19]

Yeah, the 650W is enough for the rig that u want with OC.

 

[dooodo]

So should I be aiming at a 650w? I'm looking to use this system for a few yrs and I'd definately wanna buy something with ease of mind with the ability to run stable AND o/c.

 

[dooodo]

How are XFX and PC power and cooling?

 

[saint19]

PC Powe and Cooling is very good too, but XFX isn't as good as Antec or Corsair IMO.

 

[dooodo]

Ok I've got it narrowed down to these guys here:
http://www1.canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?item_id=025887
http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=22170AC0247&vpn=ST75F-P&manufacture=SILVERSTONE%20TECHNOLOGY
http://ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=23884&vpn=DA650&manufacture=Silverstone%20Technology&promoid=1031

What would you say is the best buy out all them? Are they ok?

 

[saint19]

I would go with the Silverston from directcanada.

 

[FALC0N]

The top brands are IMO:

Corsair
Antec
PC Power and Cooling
Silverstone
Thermaltake (not all series)

How do you put Silverstone and Thermaltake on that list but not Seasonic and Enermax? Silverstone at least deserves to be mentioned but Thermaltake?

 

[dooodo]

Oh and here are some antec ones I found:
http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?cPath=33_443&item_id=021535
http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?cPath=33_443&item_id=021535

 

[dooodo]

The one thing I have against Antec psu is they sell them as modular but with like 2 modular cables lol... I'm leaning towards the Silverstone Strider plus too. Think that will be future proof for Crossfire as well? How does it pit against the Corsair hx650?

 

[saint19]

^The Antec is better.

 

[FALC0N]

Just plain no

although the hx520 are a very good PSU i can't see your crossfire running well with only 520w

It might actually. Corsairs are underrated PSU's. Thats why they perform so well. It would support 600 watts.

Still, I wouldn't feel comfortable doing it. If this was one GPU, I would say no problem. The second one scares me.

Bottom line, it would likely work. But I'm with everyone else. I wouldn't do it.

 

[dooodo]

Which Antec series are better? TP, Earthwatts or Quattro? Wow don't know which one to get lol.

Or should I just stick with the Corsair hx650? Or the Silverstone decathalon or Strider?

 

[saint19]

Ante new TP, Earthwatts and Quattro are very good all depends of ur needs.

U should go with the Corsair HX650W since is a good price/performance option.