Power Supply and SLI

[AG Renagade]

Hey guys,

I have to decide between the following two power supplies to run 2 GTX470 with a 9800GTX+ for PhysX. I know there are other brands and PSU's but which one are you more preferring of between these two, and why?

Cooler Master Silent Pro 1000W
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817171049&cm_re=silent_pro-_-17-171-049-_-Product

Corsair HX1000W
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139007&Tpk=HX1000

Thanks.

 

[delluser1]

Should made a poll.
Corsair.
Why, it gets better marks
http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story&reid=89

http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story&reid=166

 

[AG Renagade]

If I plan on buying another GTX 470, would both of these be able to support it? Also is it not better that the CM PSU has only 1 12V rail?

 

[Twoboxer]

The CM psu is not better - the single rail isn't relevant.

Based on the ~180W increase in power draw between 1x470 (364W) and 2x470 (541W) shown here:

http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/forum/hardware-canucks-reviews/30999-nvidia-geforce-gtx-470-sli-review-17.html

you would need 900W to run 4x470s. So power-wise you should be fine running 3x470 plus the other card. The heat will be a separate question, however.

Better have a case that can keep things cool, like:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811163154&Tpk=silverstone%20raven%20ii

or

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811163162&cm_re=silverstone_ft02-_-11-163-162-_-Product

 

[AG Renagade]

As far as heating, both cards run at 37c idle and 84c load. My case is the Cooler Master HAF 932 with 4 120mm fans on the side, 3 120mm top, 2 120mm bottom, 140mm back and 230mm front.
Besides that, are you also preferring of the Corsair HX1000?

 

[Twoboxer]

Yes I prefer Corsair. First, the specific Corsair psu has a better review than the CM.

Second, unlike CoolerMaster, I've never seen any Corsair psu get a bad review. Some aren't perfect, but all are high quality. So I'm not worried that they would change the guts of the psu to save money two years after it was introduced.

The HAF932 is a very, very good case. OTOH, 3x470 and a 9800GTX is a helluva heat load. And no matter how you arrange those cards there will not be an open slot in between them. I wouldn't be surprised if a couple of vid cards ran very hot in a standard case due to trapped air.

 

[AG Renagade]

This is throwing something random out there but is there any danger from placing your PC on top of an air conditioning vent? I know its winter and the heating would probably be on instead but just wondering. Also, my HAF 932 has 2 120mm intake fans on the bottom, so the AC would be sucked right into the case, I'm sure this would drastically drop temps but at what cost?

 

[Twoboxer]

I don't think you'll have any problem with condensation, unless you are routinely shutting down the AC, letting the house go "humid", and then cranking the AC up again.

(The Raven has 3x180mm bottom mounted fans )

 

[AG Renagade]

Yeah Silverstone makes some great cases. I was planning on moving to them for my next build. As far as the AC goes though, isn't there a chance of condensation when the AC is set to auto, cycling on and off every little while. Although the components may stay cool, once the AC turns off and the humidity from the summer air gets in there, it would be disastrous.

 

[Twoboxer]

Yup, that's a risk - depends on how much moisture there is in the air.

So if you want to test it, put a toaster on the AC vent, and make toast.

See if it comes out soggy

 

[AG Renagade]

Good idea! I wasn't planning on doing it though, just curious. What I ended up doing before when I was running a stock cooler on my i7 930, I would put it by the window during the colder days and it'd stay around 28c. During the summer I'd just vent air out of the room during the day and in during the night with a box fan. Now with the Corsair H70 I don't really need to worry about it but the cards will definitely create enough heat on their own.

 

[Twoboxer]

Now with the Corsair H70 I don't really need to worry about it but the cards will definitely create enough heat on their own.

Er . . . uh . . . Yup!

It will be especially cruel to your HAF932's innards if you installed the H70 in the recommended direction, ie, pulling outside cool air through the radiator and "venting" warmer air into the case

 

[AG Renagade]

I vent it out. lol

 

[Guest]

This the PSU i always suggest to cases like yours:

http://www.thermaltake.com/product_info.aspx?PARENT_CID=C_00001568&id=C_00001572&name=Toughpower+XT+875W&ov=n&ovid=

and this is atis official site what cards can CF this psu:

http://support.amd.com/us/certified/power-supplies/Pages/details.aspx?item=525

i guss will make it and in your case without a problem.

 

[Guest]

For the Corsair above Ati is giving this results:

http://support.amd.com/us/certified/power-supplies/Pages/details.aspx?item=108

 

[AG Renagade]

Yeah I'm heavily leaning towards the Corsair now. Also, I had already started looking at the Thermaltake ones. This one to be exact: http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817153118

 

[Guest]

This Thermaltake is not XT series and i can't guarantee it will do it for you the entire XT series I’m sure about I moved to the XT series because they made modifications is hard to describe. This link it will help how the XT series works:

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/forum2.php?config=tomshardwareuk.inc&cat=15&post=303396&page=1&p=1&sondage=0&owntopic=1&trash=0&trash_post=0&print=0&numreponse=0&quote_only=0&new=0&nojs=0

and i gave you the best bronze 80 the think is it operates as silver the ATI link i gave above confirms it can CF 6870 without a problem see it again:

http://support.amd.com/us/certified/power-supplies/Pages/details.aspx?item=525

For the Corsair ATI is giving lower energy cards in CF see it here:

http://support.amd.com/us/certified/power-supplies/Pages/details.aspx?item=498

The diffrence is huge and you said a lot of cards in the first posts.

 

[AG Renagade]

GTX 470's have more power consumption and require more amperage than 6870's

 

[AG Renagade]

On Nvidia's official SLI site they have the certified PSU's that they themselves have tested. http://www.slizone.com/object/slizone_build_psu.html

If you look under 3 GTX 470, the HX1000 is certified and I'm most likely going to get that now. Since I'm going to be running 2 470's plus a 9800GTX+, and this PSU is certified for 3 470's, I shouldn't have a problem. Anyone else see any issues with buying this PSU? I have now read a fair amount of good reviews on this power supply and its at the top of my list.

 

[Twoboxer]

Case closed lol.

 

[AG Renagade]

lol. Anyone else have any other thoughts?

 

[AG Renagade]

Best answer selected by AG Renagade.

 

[AG Renagade]

Thanks for the help everyone. I ended up choosing the Corsair HX1000.

 

[Maziar]

This topic has been closed by Maziar