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gcrosier
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Another "Time for a new PSU?" thread

Tue Nov 14, 2017 2:12 pm

Hi everyone... for the most part, I'm still using the PC that I build with the System Builder's Anonymous thread (older sandybridge build). While I'm working on saving up the funds for a rebuild, my video card is totally outdated now (AMD 7870) and am planning on upgrading to a 1070 sometime soonish. My Power supply is an old Corsair VX550 (two builds old)... Should I replace it? If anything, it probably should be replaced by a newer high efficiency one.

Thanks!
 
DancinJack
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Re: Another "Time for a new PSU?" thread

Tue Nov 14, 2017 2:46 pm

7870 has a higher TDP than the 1070. You shouldn't replace your power supply because you're getting a 1070. If you're planning on using parts that use more power in your "next" build, then sure get something new.

As such, I always suggest Seasonic PSUs. Corsair also makes some great models, but I just don't have experience with them so I can't speak to their reliability and performance personally.
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CScottG
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Re: Another "Time for a new PSU?" thread

Tue Nov 14, 2017 2:58 pm

..probably not.

80 Plus is only as much as 10% less efficient than Gold, and only as much as 12% less efficient than Platinum (..14% for Titanium).

IF you have it on 24/7, then it can make a difference - otherwise: not so much. :oops:


(..and as noted: a change to a more efficient video card isn't going to require more power.)
 
just brew it!
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Re: Another "Time for a new PSU?" thread

Tue Nov 14, 2017 3:15 pm

If the fan's not making funny noises, just blowing the dust out of the existing PSU should be sufficient provided it's got enough watts for your new build.

Only way I'd say definitely get a new one is if you want to keep the old system intact as a backup or hand-me-down for someone else.
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gcrosier
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Re: Another "Time for a new PSU?" thread

Tue Nov 14, 2017 3:23 pm

Thanks everyone!
 
gcrosier
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Re: Another "Time for a new PSU?" thread

Sat Nov 18, 2017 7:51 pm

So... what if I upgraded to a 1080 instead of a 1070... PSU replacement or no? It's kind of freaky, knowing that *technically* both the 7870 and the 1080 require a 500w psu, when there's a huge performance difference for the same power usage!
 
CScottG
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Re: Another "Time for a new PSU?" thread

Sat Nov 18, 2017 8:26 pm

It depends on what the power draw is for the rest of the system when used at its limit (peak power).

Peak power for the 1070 is around 160. Peak power for the 1080 is around 185.

-not a big difference. BUT - IF your system draws a lot of power peak then that extra 25 watts *might* be enough to want more power.

Still though, that's peak power.
 
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Re: Another "Time for a new PSU?" thread

Sat Nov 18, 2017 9:10 pm

No, not really. 7870 is supposedly 175W. 1080 is 180W. Your current PSU will be fine.
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HERETIC
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Re: Another "Time for a new PSU?" thread

Sat Nov 18, 2017 10:54 pm

Just replacing your video card in sandy system---Your PSU should be fine.

Seeing as you tend to get good value and keep your systems for a long time,
I recommend you buy a new PSU when you do a complete rebuild...........

Remember--PSU IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF ANY BUILD..........
 
HERETIC
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Re: Another "Time for a new PSU?" thread

Sat Nov 18, 2017 11:04 pm

DancinJack wrote:
As such, I always suggest Seasonic PSUs. Corsair also makes some great models, but I just don't have experience with them so I can't speak to their reliability and performance personally.

Couldn't agree more on Seasonic-They are the only one's one can give a blanket recommendation.
They have PSU's from good up to great.
Others like Corsair have from poor up to great.
 
paultherope
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Re: Another "Time for a new PSU?" thread

Sun Nov 19, 2017 3:18 am

A timely article by Anandtech on Best PC Power Supplies https://www.anandtech.com/show/12056/best-psus
 
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Re: Another "Time for a new PSU?" thread

Sun Nov 19, 2017 7:02 am

HERETIC wrote:
DancinJack wrote:
As such, I always suggest Seasonic PSUs. Corsair also makes some great models, but I just don't have experience with them so I can't speak to their reliability and performance personally.

Couldn't agree more on Seasonic-They are the only one's one can give a blanket recommendation.
They have PSU's from good up to great.
Others like Corsair have from poor up to great.


The best Corsair PSUs are Seasonic. Corsair don't make any PSUs, they just stick their labels on other brands.
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Re: Another "Time for a new PSU?" thread

Sun Nov 19, 2017 8:27 am

paultherope wrote:
A timely article by Anandtech on Best PC Power Supplies https://www.anandtech.com/show/12056/best-psus

Those passively cooled Seasonics are interesting, though the vent placement seems problematic to me. They need to be mounted with the large vent facing up, which means with a bottom-mount PSU the hot air will rise into the case; and with a top mount PSU the hot air has nowhere to go.

I guess you're supposed to maintain positive air pressure in the case, so that air is pushed through the PSU and out the back?
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Chrispy_
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Re: Another "Time for a new PSU?" thread

Sun Nov 19, 2017 9:10 am

It's worse that that now - most modern cases mount the PSU at the bottom, and most of those now have segregated PSU shrouds that force you to mount a PSU with the fan facing down over some filtered intake.

For a passively-cooled PSU that relies on either convection or case airflow, an isolated PSU location like this is a death sentence.
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Re: Another "Time for a new PSU?" thread

Sun Nov 19, 2017 9:26 am

Chrispy_ wrote:
It's worse that that now - most modern cases mount the PSU at the bottom, and most of those now have segregated PSU shrouds that force you to mount a PSU with the fan facing down over some filtered intake.

My current case has the PSU at the bottom, but no shroud. So something like the Seasonic passive PSU could theoretically be made to work, but I would need to reverse my airflow, otherwise I'd be pulling the hot air from the PSU across the motherboard and GPU. And reversing the airflow would mean fighting against convection, since it would involve pushing hot exhaust out through the bottom mounted PSU.

Chrispy_ wrote:
For a passively-cooled PSU that relies on either convection or case airflow, an isolated PSU location like this is a death sentence.

Yeah, what was Seasonic thinking? While passive cooling is nice, it seems these units are not well-suited to either the legacy top mount PSU location, or the now-popular bottom mount.
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HERETIC
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Re: Another "Time for a new PSU?" thread

Sun Nov 19, 2017 9:32 am

just brew it! wrote:
paultherope wrote:
A timely article by Anandtech on Best PC Power Supplies https://www.anandtech.com/show/12056/best-psus

Those passively cooled Seasonics are interesting, though the vent placement seems problematic to me. They need to be mounted with the large vent facing up, which means with a bottom-mount PSU the hot air will rise into the case; and with a top mount PSU the hot air has nowhere to go.

I guess you're supposed to maintain positive air pressure in the case, so that air is pushed through the PSU and out the back?


Yup on the positive pressure
Even thro modern quality PSU's don't waste as much power as heat these days,I think I like one's with a fan and passive mode best.
You get the best of both worlds then.
Always have the nag about electro's whose life is decided by temp x hours
 
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Re: Another "Time for a new PSU?" thread

Sun Nov 19, 2017 9:36 am

Looks like Jonnyguru really likes it, except for the fact that with some cases you physically can't mount it in the required orientation, due to how the screw holes are arranged.
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Kougar
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Re: Another "Time for a new PSU?" thread

Tue Nov 21, 2017 9:57 pm

Chrispy_ wrote:
The best Corsair PSUs are Seasonic. Corsair don't make any PSUs, they just stick their labels on other brands.


Slight thread derail, but what is even considered the best for Corsair? Keep in mind Corsair's AX and AXi models use Yate Loon fans, and I currently am trying to figure out what to do about the clicking/ticking yate loon in my AX PSU. Yate loons are cheap budget fans. Rather irritating given Corsair uses a mini-PWM connector so I can't just buy a replacement fan to swap it out with.
 
HERETIC
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Re: Another "Time for a new PSU?" thread

Tue Nov 21, 2017 11:32 pm

Kougar wrote:
Chrispy_ wrote:
The best Corsair PSUs are Seasonic. Corsair don't make any PSUs, they just stick their labels on other brands.


Slight thread derail, but what is even considered the best for Corsair? Keep in mind Corsair's AX and AXi models use Yate Loon fans, and I currently am trying to figure out what to do about the clicking/ticking yate loon in my AX PSU. Yate loons are cheap budget fans. Rather irritating given Corsair uses a mini-PWM connector so I can't just buy a replacement fan to swap it out with.


Looks like a soldering iron and heatshrink job-
Buy fan of choice-cut cables and solder mini to new fan-heatshrink.
good luck.
 
CScottG
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Re: Another "Time for a new PSU?" thread

Tue Nov 21, 2017 11:43 pm

Chrispy_ wrote:

The best Corsair PSUs are Seasonic.



I think this is purely on a contract basis - who ever bids the lowest and will make based on Corsair's design to "spec." (..and I believe that the design is "in-house" for Corsair with most of their PSU's, not sourced from suppliers.)

-for a while there Corsair's largest wattage PSU's were produced by Flextronics. Some of their older midrange stuff was produced by Seasonic.
 
CScottG
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Re: Another "Time for a new PSU?" thread

Tue Nov 21, 2017 11:54 pm

just brew it! wrote:
Those passively cooled Seasonics are interesting, though the vent placement seems problematic to me.


I've got one (older "gold" 450 watt).

It produces very little heat. It's nearly "open" on 4 sides (that 4th side is however only about a 3rd open), but does need to be oriented properly to allow for ventilation. It does not seem to need case fans near it "blowing into it" (or "sucking from it").

I think it would only be problematic if it was under full load for a long time and the case had no active ventilation (..at least one fan pushing air out of the case).

-it's built like a proverbial tank, and has no coil or cap whine (..or if it does I've not heard it even when it was being used out of the case right next to my head).
 
Kougar
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Re: Another "Time for a new PSU?" thread

Wed Nov 22, 2017 2:05 am

Channel Well Technology / CWT built the HX750i that the JonnyGuru site tested. I remember seeing that when I was looking up what fans they stuck in them.
 
mcarson09
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Re: Another "Time for a new PSU?" thread

Wed Nov 22, 2017 2:07 am

gcrosier wrote:
Hi everyone... for the most part, I'm still using the PC that I build with the System Builder's Anonymous thread (older sandybridge build). While I'm working on saving up the funds for a rebuild, my video card is totally outdated now (AMD 7870) and am planning on upgrading to a 1070 sometime soonish. My Power supply is an old Corsair VX550 (two builds old)... Should I replace it? If anything, it probably should be replaced by a newer high efficiency one.

Thanks!


If you are not updating your system you should leave your power supply alone. The JohnnyGuru review of that thing is from 2007.... How long have you had the power supply?

http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?na ... ry&reid=62

It should work fine for a simple 1070, but if you upgrade to haswell or anything newer you will need a new power supply. Older power supplies don't play nice with haswell due to the added C states.

https://www.bit-tech.net/news/tech/psus/haswell-psu/1/
Ignorance is not an excuse.
 
gcrosier
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Re: Another "Time for a new PSU?" thread

Sun Nov 26, 2017 5:05 pm

I did a thing!

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127950&ignorebbr=1


Also, my psu is from an order in 2008!
Friday, February 15, 2008
DISPLAY PRINTABLE RECEIPT
Shipment Status: Completed
Shipping: Ground Delivery
CSMC05H1. Corsair 550VX 550W ATX PS/2 Power Supply @ $81.87
 
gcrosier
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Re: Another "Time for a new PSU?" thread

Wed Nov 29, 2017 10:20 pm

So..... this card is an inch longer than fits in my ol' Antec 300.... Time for a new case! Might as well just get a new power supply to go with it as well, since everything has to be transfered into a new case anyways.
 
CScottG
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Re: Another "Time for a new PSU?" thread

Wed Nov 29, 2017 10:58 pm

Get it while the "gettin's good":

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product. ... 00524&SID=


-remember to print out your invoice just after you purchase it so that you have it to use the rebate. (..they will do just about everything they can to deny rebates.)



..btw, this was one of the few *really* good deals (w/rebate) that was available for components this Black Friday/Cyber Monday.
Last edited by CScottG on Wed Nov 29, 2017 11:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.
 
CScottG
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Re: Another "Time for a new PSU?" thread

Wed Nov 29, 2017 11:08 pm

Nice cases (IMO):

https://youtu.be/2s32Nw6WoGo?t=50

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCCWcTCzcak

The InWin is also available in White.

If you only need a micro (not mini) atx case:

https://youtu.be/4L6Vk3pznl0?t=62
 
gcrosier
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Re: Another "Time for a new PSU?" thread

Thu Nov 30, 2017 12:04 am

Thats one of the power supplies that I ordered, just the 550w one (i dont need more than that)
 
CScottG
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Re: Another "Time for a new PSU?" thread

Thu Nov 30, 2017 1:35 am

$10 cheaper, cool! :D
 
gcrosier
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Re: Another "Time for a new PSU?" thread

Thu Nov 30, 2017 11:30 am

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