Mini-ITX with GTX 570 PSU issue

[pbmax542]

I am planning to build a Mini-ITX gaming rig in the next few days, but I am concerned about using a GTX 570 with a 450w SFX PSU.

My build will be as follows:

SILVERSTONE Sugo Series SG05BB-450
GIGABYTE GA-H55N-USB3
EVGA 012-P3-1571-KR GeForce GTX 570 HD
Intel Core i5-760 Lynnfield
G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB)
LG Black 8X DVD+R 5X DVD-RAM 6X BD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA Internal Blu-ray Super-Multi Combo DriveModel CT21N
250gb 7200rpm SATA2 HD

I know that Nvidia recommends a 550w minimum, but I doubt that spec is for Mini-ITX. I used a power supply calculator found at http://extreme.outervision.com/psucalculatorlite.jsp and it said: minimum 382w, recommended 432w.

The PSU that comes with my case can be found here: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817256063

It has a single rail with 36A. What do you think? Will the PSU have enough power for this rig?


BTW. For those of you who are wondering about a GTX 570 in a Sugo SG05, the EVGA card I selected is only 9" long, so it should fit.

Louie

 

[WR2]

Hello pbmax542;

As you noted in the PSU estimator the GTX 570 is within the power envelope of the 450W PSU. The PSU calculator was recommending an 'average' 432W PSU and with 36A +12V it's above average in that important area. Most 450W PSUs barely reach 30A +12V.
I think you're good to go.


I'm sure you already looked at the SG07 and it's 600W PSU.

 

[pbmax542]

Yeah, I looked at it. Would rather have the smaller size and price tag of the SG05. I work at a hotel overnight on the weekends, and I need something very portable that I can use at work. My gaming laptop isn't cutting it with it's 9600gs. I am choosing Mini-ITX over a new laptop, due to the bag for the buck.

 

[WR2]

You'll be pushing the PSU up toward it's top end. A bit more heat and noise than if you'd used a larger PSU.
That excellent PSU can operate that way without it be limiting factor in running your system. You'll be able to squeez in some CPU OC'ing as well.
CPU & GPU overclocking? That might be a bit over-ambitious.

 

[WR2]

I am choosing Mini-ITX over a new laptop, due to the bag for the buck.

Wise choice.
Yeah, you still have to haul around your LCD screen, keyboard and mouse. But the quality of the game play vs $$$ is superior.

 

[pbmax542]

5 years ago I was halling a full size atx build with a 7800gt to that same job. I used one of the LCD monitors from the back office. This time around I bought a 20" asus, because all of the monitors in the back are fullscreen. Going to rig up a roll around suitcase to carry everything.
I also have a water cooled i7-920 system, OCed to 3.5ghz, with 12 gbs 1600 kingston hyperx and crossfire XFX 5850s, but t weighs a ton and my wife doesn't like me hauling it around.

Thanks for the advice. If I can get another person to agree with you (I have confidence/indecision issues), I will pull the trigger. I will also record the build and put it on youtube. I think a mini-itx with a gtx 570 might turn some heads.

(Posted from an android phone, so please forgive any errors)

 

[WR2]

It's good to get feed back on the builds.
Always useful to have a video of someone else doing a similar build.

 

[pbmax542]

Any more opinions on this quedtion?

 

[WR2]

My 2nd opinion is go for it.

 

[geofelt]

I think you are pushing it with the supplied sugo 450w psu. What are your options if it doesn't work out?

As a safer suggestion, look at the lian li PC-Q11.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811112297
It is about the same size, takes a standard psu, and is made of aluminum which should be easy to transport.

Or, the PC Q08 which is a bit longer and can handle larger 300mm graphics cards.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811112265

 

[pbmax542]

You might be right geofelt. I just found a thread on another forum where people are having major issues powering high end rigs with that PSU.
http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1569264
Seems like a design flaw, because almost everyone suffers from it. I guess it's back to the drawing board for my mini-itx build. Those Lian Li's are a little bigger than I wanted. Do they have a spec on how large of a PSU they will hold?

 

[geofelt]

You might be right geofelt. I just found a thread on another forum where people are having major issues powering high end rigs with that PSU.
http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1569264
Seems like a design flaw, because almost everyone suffers from it. I guess it's back to the drawing board for my mini-itx build. Those Lian Li's are a little bigger than I wanted. Do they have a spec on how large of a PSU they will hold?

Actually, they are close to the same size. The Q11 is 3" taller, otherwise the same L & W.
Both cases take a standard size psu.
The height and width will be standard 5.9" x 3.4"
The length of a psu may vary by an inch or so. Typically 6" or 7"
In a small case, you might want modular.

I have a Seasonic X750 in a V351 micro-atx, and an Antec 430 in a Q07 mini-itx.
I can't recommend the smaller Q07 for gaming, the longest graphics card will be about 8", and the cooling is supplied by the psu or graphics card only.

 

[pbmax542]

Think I am going to bite the bullit an pick up the SG07. It should still fit in the bag I have, whereas the Lian Li's won't. Then I can use the reference evga gtx 570, which had a better warrenty due to its superior cooling. I will just have to drop the blu-ray in favor of dvdr to make up for the price difference. Based off of reviews, the sugo looks much easier to work with than the PC Q08.

 

[pbmax542]

Best answer selected by pbmax542.

 

[teamqball]

There's portable monitor that you want to attach to the side of your case

http://www.wiredathome.com/products/ATLONA-AT%252dDIS7%252dHD-7-inch-1080p-HD-MONITOR-WITH-HDMI-INPUT.html

it's pretty expensive but its also 1080p, it seems pretty useful for mini-itx builds.

 

[pbmax542]

I went ahead and used the SG07. It's a little bigger than I wanted, but it's still awesome.

 

[td19]

Hi
Can you also use an i7 and/or a gtx 580 in the sg07?

 

[pbmax542]

Yes, a gtx 580 will fit. So will a HD 5970, which is currently the longest gaming card. As far as the cpu is goes, the only i7 that is compatible with my board is the 870. If you would like to use a different one, you would need a mini-itx with a different chipset. I imagine there is a sandy bridge available in mini-itx, but I wanted this board for its overclocking capability. I picked the i5-760 over the i7-870, because, from what I've read, hyperthreading won't improve my fps. In my opinion, for a gaming pc, the i7-870 is not worth the extra $$

 

[td19]

Yes, a gtx 580 will fit. So will a HD 5970, which is currently the longest gaming card. As far as the cpu is goes, the only i7 that is compatible with my board is the 870. If you would like to use a different one, you would need a mini-itx with a different chipset. I imagine there is a sandy bridge available in mini-itx, but I wanted this board for its overclocking capability. I picked the i5-760 over the i7-870, because, from what I've read, hyperthreading won't improve my fps. In my opinion, for a gaming pc, the i7-870 is not worth the extra $$

About noise?

 

[pocaha]

I went ahead and used the SG07. It's a little bigger than I wanted, but it's still awesome.

I'm thinking of a similar build myself.

How's the heat and noise on this build?

 

[pbmax542]

It is very quiet and runs very cool. It is specifically designed for graphics cards with blower fans, so that is something to think about when selecting your components. Also, the stock i5 fan is very loud. That is one reason why I went with the Samurai ZZ.
The top case fan has 2 settings, controlled by a switch on the back of the case. On high it is somewhat loud, but on low you can barely hear it.
With the case fan on low, my CPU idles at 19 Celsius and then peaks at 50 when running prime95. The case is quiet enough to where it doesn’t bother me while I am watching a movie, even when it’s sitting on the desk beside me.