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  • Which PSU should I get?

    Hey guys,

    I'm thinking of building a new PC specifically for gaming, and am wondering which PSU I should get.
    I'm really troubled by this since I don't know the first thing about PSU, so hoping for your help with this.

    Here are the components I'm getting:

    CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor
    Mobo: ASRock Z97 EXTREME4 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard
    RAM: G.Skill Trident X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2400 Memory
    HDD: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive
    GPU: Sapphire Radeon R9 290 4GB Tri-X Video Card

    This is the store I'm using as I can get a special deal there:
    https://www.umart.com.au/umart1/pro/index.phtml?bid=9


    But like I said before, I really don't know anything about power supplies, and really confused when looking at this list:
    Choose A Power Supply - PCPartPicker Australia

    I have no idea what the different efficiencies are, what are the recommended watts for my build and whether it's modular or not,
    since this is my first time building a PC.

    Here's some additional information, I don't know whether they are useful or not:
    1. Yes I'm planning on overclocking in the future, but not decided on air or liquid cooler yet, should I leave more headroom for this?
    2. I'm not using an optical drive.
    3. I will buy a SSD later as well.


    And for the PSU, are there some brands or series which are better than the others? And should I leave more headroom (more watts)
    for the PSU for future proofing, so I can switch out parts like the GPU in the far future without hassle?

    I'm really looking for the best bang for the buck here, but don't want to damage those expensive parts I paid and also not too limited as well.

    Anyways really appreciate any help you guys can give!

    Best Regards,
    sapped

  • #2
    Re: Which PSU should I get?

    Those parts add up to < 450W. If you add water cooling and another R9 290, you're pushing 700W under full load. So, if you're sure that the items on your list are all you'll need, a 500/550W unit is fine. If you see a Crossfire setup in your future, you're more in the 750W range.

    If you have a few bucks to spare, a Gold- or Platinum-rated 80+ unit will generate less heat, and thus run quieter. You can get completely silent (like, they don't even have a fan, so they can't make noise) PSUs up to a little over 500W.

    For a small list of components like yours, full-modular PSUs are really nice, since you only have to run the cables you need.

    Of course, all those features add to the cost, so you have to do the bang-for-the-buck analysis.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Which PSU should I get?

      Hey mate thank you so much for your reply, really appreciate this.

      So you're saying 750W is the best bet for future proofing? I forgot to mention this last time, but I'm also planning to
      add a SSD sometime in the future as well. So would rather spend a little more now and not be limited in the future.

      I've just been wondering, what other differences are there between 80+ Titanium, Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze etc.?
      Like are better quality ones less likely to blow up and damage other components?

      Since Gold and Platinum ones generate less heat, and runs quieter, do they also consume less electricity/power?
      If this is the case I would very much want to spend on the higher quality ones, as it's more efficient in the long
      run when the electricity bill comes.

      Also if I may ask, what does semi and full modular affect? I just wish to learn more about this haha :P

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Which PSU should I get?

        No non-defective PSU is going to "blow up and damage other components". Even if you routinely abuse and overload the PSU, the failure mode is going to be "oops, no power!", not "oops, my machine exploded!"

        The 80+ rating is about efficiency; how much input power goes to the load, as opposed to being turned into heat. Check wikipedia for details. It matters as follows:

        Say you have an older 70% PSU supplying a load of 700W; how much input power does that require? 700/.7=1000W. Where does the other 300W go? Into the PSU box as heat, that then gets dumped into your room. And, every 3 hr 20 min your machine is running, you're paying for another KWH of electricity.

        Switch to an 80+ Platinum PSU. Now it only needs 700/.9=778W, or 78W of heat, and it takes 12hr 49min to burn that KWH.

        Using the numbers from my last electric bill, that's $177/year if the machine runs 24x7 at full load. Which, of course, it doesn't; mine runs 24x7, but probably closer to 20% average load. Still, that's over $35/year, which means that my 80+ Platinum PSU will pay back the cost differential over a standard PSU in less than a year, and will pay for itself completely in about 4 years. After that, it can start paying for the rest of the computer...

        If you think Crossfire is a possibility then yes, 750W or so is your future-proofing.

        Keep in mind that these numbers are max-load values. Unless you spend all of your computer time running demanding shooters with everything overclocked, your typical load is going to be 15%-25% of maximum. Which makes the efficiency rating even more important: for example, 80+ Platinum PSUs must maintain 90% efficiency down to 20% of max rating, where older PSUs--especially of the budget persuasion--could be down to 60% or less at low loads. With those old cheapo units, you could literally be paying for twice as much power as your box was actually using.

        Modular is also about only paying for what you're using--in this case, in cable space. First, the basic rule is: larger-capacity PSUs have more cables. Makes sense, since they're there to power more stuff. But what if you don't have that much stuff? Basically, you're always going to be using:
        1 24pin ATX
        1 4+4pin CPU + 1 6+2pin GPU (same wires, just a different split); PSUs in this range have at least 3; mine has 5
        1 6-pin SATA; PSUs in this range have at least 3; mine has 5

        Here's a shot of my PSU:Click image for larger version

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        As you can see, there are 4 empty connectors; two 6pin SATA and two 8pin PCIE/CPU (this board uses a second 4+4 CPU cable). If this were a non-modular PSU with the same cabling, that's 4 cables, totaling about 10 feet, that would be sticking out of the PSU and I would have to put somewhere. In fact, here are the cables that aren't being used, lying on a regular 8-1/2x11 sheet of paper:http://i.imgur.com/RVwQVYP.jpg. If I didn't have the external drives and a fan controller (i.e. had about the same as your setup), 2 more of the 6pin SATA would be empty--which would be another 3 feet of cable in a non-modular PSU.

        Full-modular PSUs aren't dramatically more expensive than non-modular, but there is a price difference. For me, it's worth it, since I don't have to figure out what to do with 10 feet of unused cables.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Which PSU should I get?

          The best value for a high end 80Plus gold rated power supply is the EVGA 750 watt 220-G2-0750-XR model for $145 (AUD).
          Super Flower is the manufacturer and the G2 uses their Leadex platform.
          It's performance is equal to high end Seasonic power supplies.
          The G2 power supply has a 10 year warranty after you register it with EVGA.
          **edit** The only drawback with the G2 is that it measures 180 mm from front to back and other brands are usually about 160 mm.
          This might be an issue with some computer cases that have a bottom fan mounting location next to the power supply.

          JonnyGURU - EVGA Supernova G2 750W Review

          HARDOCP - Why 80Plus is Irrelevant to You When Buying a PSU is a good read that discusses premium psu prices and higher efficiency. Even if you could save 5 cents per day compared with a gold rated psu, that would amount to a savings of $18.25 per year with a platinum rated psu. The Antec EA-750 Platinum model is about the same price but psu reviews point out that the EA-750's performance and component selection is inferior.

          EVGA - PSU Review Database has excellent information and links to most of the best psu review sites for each psu model.

          RealHardTechX has similar web pages for other psu vendors.

          eXtreme Power Supply Calculator - The most trusted PSU Wattage Calculator is an excellent site to determine the optimal size for your power supply.

          I agree that a 750 watt power supply will best meet your needs if you later use a dual video card setup.

          Click image for larger version

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          Last edited by profJim; 12-30-2014, 12:55 AM.
          Q9650 @ 4.10GHz [9x456MHz]
          P35-DS4 [rev: 2.0] ~ Bios: F14
          4x2GB OCZ Reaper PC2-8500 1094MHz @5-5-5-15
          MSI N460GTX Hawk Talon Attack (1GB) video card <---- SLI ---->
          Seasonic SS-660XP2 80 Plus Platinum psu (660w)
          WD Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB (data)
          Samsung 840 Pro 256GB SSD (boot)
          SLI @ 16/4 works when running HyperSLI
          Cooler Master 120XL Seidon push/pull AIO cpu water cooling
          Cooler Master HAF XB computer case (RC-902XB-KKN1)
          Asus VH242H 24" monitor [1920x1080]
          MSI N460GTX Hawk (1GB) video card
          Logitech Z-5500 Digital 5.1 Speakers
          win7 x64 sp1 Home Premium
          HT|Omega Claro plus+ sound card
          CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD UPS
          E6300 (R0) @ 3.504GHz [8x438MHz] ~~ P35-DS3L [rev: 1.0] ~ Bios: F9 ~~ 4x2GB Kingston HyperX T1 PC2-8500, 876MHz @4-4-4-10
          Seasonic X650 80+ gold psu (650w) ~~ Xigmatek Balder HDT 1283 cpu cooler ~~ Cooler Master CM 690 case (RC-690-KKN1-GP)
          Samsung 830 128GB SSD MZ-7PC128B/WW (boot) ~~ WD Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB (data) ~~ ZM-MFC2 fan controller
          HT|Omega Striker 7.1 sound card ~~ Asus VH242H monitor [1920x1080] ~~ Logitech Z-5500 Digital 5.1 Speakers
          win7 x64 sp1 Home Premium ~~ CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD U.P.S
          .

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Which PSU should I get?

            IMO, Gold, Platinum, and Titanium rated efficiency PSUs are superior not simply because they use less power (and the power cost difference is not that significant), but their high efficiency is an advantage in other important areas.

            In order to meet the efficiency ratings, their design and parts must be more sophisticated and of higher quality than lesser models. Increasing PSU efficiency is actually caused by causing less power to be wasted during the process of converting AC current into DC current. Power that is wasted is usually converted into heat, which then must be dealt with which creates more problems, such as fan noise and increased physical size and weight of the PSU. Excess heat also degrades electronic components faster.

            Cheap PSUs are inferior in all areas of performance and life span. You must have a good PSU in a PC, you don't want it to be questionable in any way as it is the base for the rest of the PC.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Which PSU should I get?

              Hey guys, some complications just occured, and in dire need of your advices.

              Turns out they don't have any EVGA SuperNova G2 750W in stock at that store, they only have the 850W ones.
              However I need to buy all the components from that store in order to get the special deal there.
              So I really don't know what to do at the moment.

              The store staff say they may have new stocks arriving on the 20th of Jan, should I wait until then for the 750W one ($145 AUD),
              or just purchase the 850W one ($179 AUD) right now?

              750W already seems to be overkill when 650W is already enough for my new rig, and add another 100W on top seems to be a big waste.

              I don't think I will go CrossFire since there's a lot of compatibility problems associated with the games I play. But on the slim chance that
              I do decide to pick up another Sapphire R9 290 card in the future, will the 850W PSU be enough considering I'm also heavily overclocking
              my CPU (i7 4790k) to 4.7Ghz? And add multiple fans, maybe even water cooler on top.

              So I'm really lost on what to do. If I just stick to a single R9 290 in the future, will the 850W be a wastage? Like will it even be in the optimal
              efficiency range for different load levels?

              If so then I don't think there will be any point in spending more money on a less efficient PSU for my need. Although should I leave more
              headroom anyway if I decide to upgrade to a new GPU many years later?

              So what are your opinions about this? Really appreciate any feedbacks.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Which PSU should I get?

                The EVGA G2 is overkill for a single card setup, but it's still within reason.

                The optimal psu efficiency is usually when you you are usng 40 - 60% of the psu's rated capacity.

                It's recommended that you don't exceed 80% of the psu's capacity when running intensive games for many hours.

                JonnyGURU - EVGA Supernova G2 850W Review -- Total score: 9.9 out of 10!!

                The only other option that I see is one of the XFX 650 - 750 watt gold rated power supplies.

                If you check the reviews or the XFX page on RealHardTechX I'm pretty sure that you will find tha the XFX 650 - 750 watt models are made by Seasonic.

                I really like power supplies made by Seasonic, but right now the EVGA Leadex models are putting a world of hurt on other high end psu manufacturers and vendors.
                Q9650 @ 4.10GHz [9x456MHz]
                P35-DS4 [rev: 2.0] ~ Bios: F14
                4x2GB OCZ Reaper PC2-8500 1094MHz @5-5-5-15
                MSI N460GTX Hawk Talon Attack (1GB) video card <---- SLI ---->
                Seasonic SS-660XP2 80 Plus Platinum psu (660w)
                WD Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB (data)
                Samsung 840 Pro 256GB SSD (boot)
                SLI @ 16/4 works when running HyperSLI
                Cooler Master 120XL Seidon push/pull AIO cpu water cooling
                Cooler Master HAF XB computer case (RC-902XB-KKN1)
                Asus VH242H 24" monitor [1920x1080]
                MSI N460GTX Hawk (1GB) video card
                Logitech Z-5500 Digital 5.1 Speakers
                win7 x64 sp1 Home Premium
                HT|Omega Claro plus+ sound card
                CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD UPS
                E6300 (R0) @ 3.504GHz [8x438MHz] ~~ P35-DS3L [rev: 1.0] ~ Bios: F9 ~~ 4x2GB Kingston HyperX T1 PC2-8500, 876MHz @4-4-4-10
                Seasonic X650 80+ gold psu (650w) ~~ Xigmatek Balder HDT 1283 cpu cooler ~~ Cooler Master CM 690 case (RC-690-KKN1-GP)
                Samsung 830 128GB SSD MZ-7PC128B/WW (boot) ~~ WD Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB (data) ~~ ZM-MFC2 fan controller
                HT|Omega Striker 7.1 sound card ~~ Asus VH242H monitor [1920x1080] ~~ Logitech Z-5500 Digital 5.1 Speakers
                win7 x64 sp1 Home Premium ~~ CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD U.P.S
                .

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Which PSU should I get?

                  FYI, from HARDOCP - Power and Temperature - ASUS Radeon R9 290 DirectCU II OC Video Card Review
                  Power Testing

                  We tested the power utilization at the wall of the entire system without a video card, and with each video card at idle and full load. For full load power and temperature testing we used real gaming and recorded the highest value in each game. To measure power consumption we use a P3 International Kill-A-Watt device to measure power consumption from the wall. The entire testing system, excluding the speakers and monitor, are plugged into the Kill-A-Watt device. Therefore, power consumption numbers include all components, not just the video card.


                  With a 90% efficient power supply, the psu output would be about 396 watts.
                  Q9650 @ 4.10GHz [9x456MHz]
                  P35-DS4 [rev: 2.0] ~ Bios: F14
                  4x2GB OCZ Reaper PC2-8500 1094MHz @5-5-5-15
                  MSI N460GTX Hawk Talon Attack (1GB) video card <---- SLI ---->
                  Seasonic SS-660XP2 80 Plus Platinum psu (660w)
                  WD Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB (data)
                  Samsung 840 Pro 256GB SSD (boot)
                  SLI @ 16/4 works when running HyperSLI
                  Cooler Master 120XL Seidon push/pull AIO cpu water cooling
                  Cooler Master HAF XB computer case (RC-902XB-KKN1)
                  Asus VH242H 24" monitor [1920x1080]
                  MSI N460GTX Hawk (1GB) video card
                  Logitech Z-5500 Digital 5.1 Speakers
                  win7 x64 sp1 Home Premium
                  HT|Omega Claro plus+ sound card
                  CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD UPS
                  E6300 (R0) @ 3.504GHz [8x438MHz] ~~ P35-DS3L [rev: 1.0] ~ Bios: F9 ~~ 4x2GB Kingston HyperX T1 PC2-8500, 876MHz @4-4-4-10
                  Seasonic X650 80+ gold psu (650w) ~~ Xigmatek Balder HDT 1283 cpu cooler ~~ Cooler Master CM 690 case (RC-690-KKN1-GP)
                  Samsung 830 128GB SSD MZ-7PC128B/WW (boot) ~~ WD Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB (data) ~~ ZM-MFC2 fan controller
                  HT|Omega Striker 7.1 sound card ~~ Asus VH242H monitor [1920x1080] ~~ Logitech Z-5500 Digital 5.1 Speakers
                  win7 x64 sp1 Home Premium ~~ CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD U.P.S
                  .

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Which PSU should I get?

                    Hey mate, thanks for your replies, really appreciate it.

                    After some extensive research, the only ones I'm considering to buy are from the tier one on the PSU tier list.
                    And these are the ones available in store:

                    https://www.umart.com.au/umart1/pro/...d=9&sid=133836
                    https://www.umart.com.au/umart1/pro/...d=9&sid=127832
                    https://www.umart.com.au/umart1/pro/...d=9&sid=124066
                    https://www.umart.com.au/umart1/pro/...d=9&sid=126035
                    https://www.umart.com.au/umart1/pro/...d=9&sid=127803
                    https://www.umart.com.au/umart1/pro/...d=9&sid=129420

                    However these ones are also incredibly overpriced, even the Seasonic X-650W one cost more than the EVGA G2-850W.

                    What's even more outrageous is that their ripple supression and voltage regulation are worse compared to the
                    EVGA SuperNova G2, even those Platinum ones from Corsair and Seasonic!

                    700-750 watts comparison thread (fully modular)

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Which PSU should I get?

                      Since the EVGA SuperNova G2 is really the best bang for the buck, if I were to use the 850W for the single card setup,
                      would this be recommended? Or would too much resource be wasted?

                      Sorry I'm really lost again after reading some information from different sites. I don't know if I'm understanding this correctly,
                      but isn't using a PSU with too much Wattage than required not recommended as well?

                      Here's the quote:

                      "Power supplies are also most efficient when between like 50% to 80% usuage. Buying one too big might mean that your usuage won't put you in that most efficient range of the unit"

                      "but it will waste more power at lower loads because the efficiency will be lower the more wattage extra you got. So you start by spending money you dont need and you then keep wating money on your power bill because of the lower efficiency you get from having too much wattage."

                      So does it mean I would be under the efficiency range even though I'm at full load?

                      Would you recommend to wait 3 weeks for the 750W one or buy the 850W one now? Since it looks like spending more money
                      is actually detrimental in this case if I understand correctly...

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Which PSU should I get?

                        This graph shows the 750 watt G2's power supply's efficiency vs wattage output:



                        Optimal efficiency is from just above 200 watts to 600 watts.

                        This chart shows the 850's efficiency at 20%, 40%, 60%, 80% and 100% oads with 120 volt input.
                        Efficiency with 230 volt A.C. input is about 2% better.

                        Click image for larger version

Name:	EVGA G2 850W Hot Load Test Results.png
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                        I recommended the EVGA G2 power supplies because their performance is virtually identical to other top tier models and no-one else comes close to the EVGA prices.

                        EVGA has outstanding ripple suppression but the Seasonic X models usually have better voltage regulation.
                        The bottom line is both of these brands are easily in the EXCELLENT category.
                        note: The Seasonic G-750 gold rated psu is a less expensive mainstream psu.

                        The newest Nvidia 980 and 970 video cards are much more efficient than the older R9 290(X) video cards.

                        Looking at the HardOCP R9 290 wattage table, it looks like adding a second overclocked R9 290 video card would require about 300 watts of additional power from the power supply and 300 + 396 = 696 watts of power from the psu when running demanding games. In this case you would better off with an 850 watt psu.

                        Your understanding is correct but the difference in efficiency is only when your system demands less than 20% of the rated psu power.

                        The major point to consider is how much power will your overclocked cpu and video card require when you are playing your most demanding games.
                        The 750 watt G2 is fine with a single high-end video card but it might be overstressed with a CrossFireX R9 290 dual card setup.

                        **edit**
                        My SeaSonic SS-660XP2 660W 80Plus Platinum PSU easily powers my GTX 460 SLI setup but this is comparing apples and oranges with my older system and much less powerful video cards.
                        Last edited by profJim; 12-30-2014, 09:36 AM.
                        Q9650 @ 4.10GHz [9x456MHz]
                        P35-DS4 [rev: 2.0] ~ Bios: F14
                        4x2GB OCZ Reaper PC2-8500 1094MHz @5-5-5-15
                        MSI N460GTX Hawk Talon Attack (1GB) video card <---- SLI ---->
                        Seasonic SS-660XP2 80 Plus Platinum psu (660w)
                        WD Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB (data)
                        Samsung 840 Pro 256GB SSD (boot)
                        SLI @ 16/4 works when running HyperSLI
                        Cooler Master 120XL Seidon push/pull AIO cpu water cooling
                        Cooler Master HAF XB computer case (RC-902XB-KKN1)
                        Asus VH242H 24" monitor [1920x1080]
                        MSI N460GTX Hawk (1GB) video card
                        Logitech Z-5500 Digital 5.1 Speakers
                        win7 x64 sp1 Home Premium
                        HT|Omega Claro plus+ sound card
                        CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD UPS
                        E6300 (R0) @ 3.504GHz [8x438MHz] ~~ P35-DS3L [rev: 1.0] ~ Bios: F9 ~~ 4x2GB Kingston HyperX T1 PC2-8500, 876MHz @4-4-4-10
                        Seasonic X650 80+ gold psu (650w) ~~ Xigmatek Balder HDT 1283 cpu cooler ~~ Cooler Master CM 690 case (RC-690-KKN1-GP)
                        Samsung 830 128GB SSD MZ-7PC128B/WW (boot) ~~ WD Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB (data) ~~ ZM-MFC2 fan controller
                        HT|Omega Striker 7.1 sound card ~~ Asus VH242H monitor [1920x1080] ~~ Logitech Z-5500 Digital 5.1 Speakers
                        win7 x64 sp1 Home Premium ~~ CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD U.P.S
                        .

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Which PSU should I get?

                          Check out R9 290 crossfire total system power consumption - AX860i results at different overclock speeds (Water Cooled) - Graphics Cards - Linus Tech Tips where the OP posts several wattage load charts with different video card overclocks.

                          It looks like the OP has a dual monitor setup with 1440 and 1080 resolution.

                          Here's is his most demanding test:

                          Q9650 @ 4.10GHz [9x456MHz]
                          P35-DS4 [rev: 2.0] ~ Bios: F14
                          4x2GB OCZ Reaper PC2-8500 1094MHz @5-5-5-15
                          MSI N460GTX Hawk Talon Attack (1GB) video card <---- SLI ---->
                          Seasonic SS-660XP2 80 Plus Platinum psu (660w)
                          WD Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB (data)
                          Samsung 840 Pro 256GB SSD (boot)
                          SLI @ 16/4 works when running HyperSLI
                          Cooler Master 120XL Seidon push/pull AIO cpu water cooling
                          Cooler Master HAF XB computer case (RC-902XB-KKN1)
                          Asus VH242H 24" monitor [1920x1080]
                          MSI N460GTX Hawk (1GB) video card
                          Logitech Z-5500 Digital 5.1 Speakers
                          win7 x64 sp1 Home Premium
                          HT|Omega Claro plus+ sound card
                          CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD UPS
                          E6300 (R0) @ 3.504GHz [8x438MHz] ~~ P35-DS3L [rev: 1.0] ~ Bios: F9 ~~ 4x2GB Kingston HyperX T1 PC2-8500, 876MHz @4-4-4-10
                          Seasonic X650 80+ gold psu (650w) ~~ Xigmatek Balder HDT 1283 cpu cooler ~~ Cooler Master CM 690 case (RC-690-KKN1-GP)
                          Samsung 830 128GB SSD MZ-7PC128B/WW (boot) ~~ WD Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB (data) ~~ ZM-MFC2 fan controller
                          HT|Omega Striker 7.1 sound card ~~ Asus VH242H monitor [1920x1080] ~~ Logitech Z-5500 Digital 5.1 Speakers
                          win7 x64 sp1 Home Premium ~~ CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD U.P.S
                          .

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Which PSU should I get?

                            Originally posted by profJim View Post
                            HARDOCP - Why 80Plus is Irrelevant to You When Buying a PSU is a good read that discusses premium psu prices and higher efficiency. Even if you could save 5 cents per day compared with a gold rated psu, that would amount to a savings of $18.25 per year with a platinum rated psu. The Antec EA-750 Platinum model is about the same price but psu reviews point out that the EA-750's performance and component selection is inferior.
                            HARDOCP is completely missing the point.

                            Let's say your high-efficiency PSU only saves you 1KWH/day, a.k.a 9 cents. According to HARDOCP, that's irrelevant.

                            According to EIA, 1KWH of electricity is produced by burning 1.11 pound of coal (40-ish% of the world's electricity comes from coal). So you're saving 1.11 pounds/day.

                            Here's why HARDOCP is wrong, and high-efficiency PSUs make a difference.

                            What happens if a million people put a high-efficiency PSU in their next machine? Sure, each one of them is saving less than a dime a day. But in the aggregate, they are saving (i.e. not burning) 1.11 million pounds of coal every day. And not producing 150,000 pounds of coal ash per day. You might have seen or read about coal ash in the news recently.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Which PSU should I get?

                              Coal use today is NOT the same as decades ago. Today coal can be burned 100 percent clean.
                              Windows 10 Pro 1909 18363.836
                              Core i7 3770K
                              GA-Z68XP-UD3 Rev 1.0 (Award BIOS F-10)
                              32GB G-Skill Trident X DDR3
                              Asus RX 570 OC 4GB DDR5 (20.4.2)
                              1TB Crucial MX 500 SSD
                              1TB RAW Mushkin SSD
                              1TB RAW Mushkin SSD
                              1TB RAW Mushkin SSD
                              LG Blue Ray Writer
                              Antec 650w PSU
                              Rosewill Mid tower Challenger Black

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