Hey everyone!
Currently, my sig rig is running on a Corsair AX1200. It is MASSIVELY overkill, and quite frankly is a gigantic waste (ie. currently I am idling at 100-108W surfing the web).
I originally bought it over a year ago for my previous Tri-SLI 580 + i7 930 setup, but that has since long been decommissioned, in favor of my more humble rig today. 
So my mind is finally made up that I will not be going back to anything more than a single powerful GPU setup - at least not in the near future as my gaming time is nearly non-existent. I am also working out some deals to get my AX1200 sold this week, so I will need a replacement very soon. As such, from doing a little bit of research, I keep coming back to the Rosewill Capstone, particularly the 450W modular model, that is right in line with my price range:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817182261
I am almost ready to pull the trigger, but before I do, does anyone have any other suggestions for around the same price ($70 or less) for a PSU with the proper capacity that is right in line with my setup?
Thanks in advance!
EDIT: Also, will the lack of an MOV be a problem in the event that I get a quick brown out? My power is typically pretty good, but we do get some blips every so often. I do have my rig on a surge protector if that helps.
EDIT 2: Here's my follow up:
Edited by covert ash - 10/5/12 at 1:28pm
Currently, my sig rig is running on a Corsair AX1200. It is MASSIVELY overkill, and quite frankly is a gigantic waste (ie. currently I am idling at 100-108W surfing the web).
I originally bought it over a year ago for my previous Tri-SLI 580 + i7 930 setup, but that has since long been decommissioned, in favor of my more humble rig today. So my mind is finally made up that I will not be going back to anything more than a single powerful GPU setup - at least not in the near future as my gaming time is nearly non-existent. I am also working out some deals to get my AX1200 sold this week, so I will need a replacement very soon. As such, from doing a little bit of research, I keep coming back to the Rosewill Capstone, particularly the 450W modular model, that is right in line with my price range:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817182261
I am almost ready to pull the trigger, but before I do, does anyone have any other suggestions for around the same price ($70 or less) for a PSU with the proper capacity that is right in line with my setup?
Thanks in advance!
EDIT: Also, will the lack of an MOV be a problem in the event that I get a quick brown out? My power is typically pretty good, but we do get some blips every so often. I do have my rig on a surge protector if that helps.
EDIT 2: Here's my follow up:
Quote:
Originally Posted by covert ash 
As a follow-up update, I received my Rosewill Capstone 450-M, after missing the first UPS delivery attempt yesterday.
Due to the length of the cables, it worked out better to have the PSU installed with the fan facing upward, as can be seen by the following (poor quality) cell phone pic :
On the initial power up, there was some noticeable bearing noise. However, after running for a few minutes, the noise seems to have subsided - perhaps the oil/lubricant in the fan needed to be dispersed evenly? With all the fans turned down completely by my fan controller, and my ear up close to the PSU, I cannot detect any significant fan noise from the Capstone, save for a slight whirring sound of air! This is in stark contrast to my AX1200, which I could clearly hear, even with the fan pointed downward, and the side panel installed!
Having a more suitable wattage to match my current rig's components, it also seems like I am drawing a few less watts from the wall, as I am observing from my Belkin watt meter. Using the AX1200 and doing exactly what I am doing now, my power draw would hover around 106-110W. On this Capstone, I am pegged at a solid 100W! This might not sound like very much, and in reality it really isn't, but it goes to show that a unit that is immensely disproportionate to the components' power draw does have an affect on efficiency (small as it may or may not be).
Perhaps it might not be a fair comparison having a tiny PSU being stacked up against a significantly larger one, and expecting similar efficiency and noise levels with (relatively) low-powered components, but I think it is safe to say that maybe these big contrasts can help shine light on why it is important to put emphasis on realistic wattage capacities. While the AX1200 was great for my old Tri-SLI GTX 580 and overclocked i7 930 rig, it clearly was not meant for a power sipping setup consisting like what I am running now.
No doubt about it, OCN has pulled through and made a solid recommendation with these units, and I have no reservations in picking up another unit for an upcoming ITX LAN rig!
Thank you everyone for your help and reassurances!
As a follow-up update, I received my Rosewill Capstone 450-M, after missing the first UPS delivery attempt yesterday.
Due to the length of the cables, it worked out better to have the PSU installed with the fan facing upward, as can be seen by the following (poor quality) cell phone pic :On the initial power up, there was some noticeable bearing noise. However, after running for a few minutes, the noise seems to have subsided - perhaps the oil/lubricant in the fan needed to be dispersed evenly? With all the fans turned down completely by my fan controller, and my ear up close to the PSU, I cannot detect any significant fan noise from the Capstone, save for a slight whirring sound of air! This is in stark contrast to my AX1200, which I could clearly hear, even with the fan pointed downward, and the side panel installed!
Having a more suitable wattage to match my current rig's components, it also seems like I am drawing a few less watts from the wall, as I am observing from my Belkin watt meter. Using the AX1200 and doing exactly what I am doing now, my power draw would hover around 106-110W. On this Capstone, I am pegged at a solid 100W! This might not sound like very much, and in reality it really isn't, but it goes to show that a unit that is immensely disproportionate to the components' power draw does have an affect on efficiency (small as it may or may not be).
Perhaps it might not be a fair comparison having a tiny PSU being stacked up against a significantly larger one, and expecting similar efficiency and noise levels with (relatively) low-powered components, but I think it is safe to say that maybe these big contrasts can help shine light on why it is important to put emphasis on realistic wattage capacities. While the AX1200 was great for my old Tri-SLI GTX 580 and overclocked i7 930 rig, it clearly was not meant for a power sipping setup consisting like what I am running now.
No doubt about it, OCN has pulled through and made a solid recommendation with these units, and I have no reservations in picking up another unit for an upcoming ITX LAN rig!
Thank you everyone for your help and reassurances!
Edited by covert ash - 10/5/12 at 1:28pm
Your Everyday Run of the Mill Node
(17 items) |
Gaming/Media PC
(13 items) |
Media Server
(13 items) |
| CPU | Motherboard | Graphics | RAM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intel i3 3225 | Asrock H77M-ITX | Gigabyte GTX 660 2GB | Samsung 30nm 8GB (2x4GB) |
| Hard Drive | Hard Drive | OS | Monitor |
| OCZ Solid 3 120GB | Toshiba 1TB | Windows 7 Professional x64 SP1 | LG 42" 120Hz LCD TV |
| Power | Case | ||
| Antec HCG-400M | Bitfenix Prodigy Black | ||
| View all | |||
| CPU | Motherboard | RAM | Hard Drive |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intel Pentium G620 | Gigabyte GA-Z77MX-D3H | Crucial Ballistix Sport 4GB (2x2GB) | OCZ Agility 3 60GB |
| Hard Drive | Hard Drive | Hard Drive | Hard Drive |
| Samsung F4 2TB | Samsung F4 2TB | Seagate ST3000DM001 3TB | Seagate ST3000DM001 3TB |
| Hard Drive | OS | Monitor | Power |
| Western Digital EACS 1TB | Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard SP1 x64 | Headless | Seasonic M12II 520W |
| Case | |||
| Lian Li PC-V354B | |||
| View all | |||
|
Your Everyday Run of the Mill Node
(17 items) |
Gaming/Media PC
(13 items) |
Media Server
(13 items) |
| CPU | Motherboard | Graphics | RAM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intel i3 3225 | Asrock H77M-ITX | Gigabyte GTX 660 2GB | Samsung 30nm 8GB (2x4GB) |
| Hard Drive | Hard Drive | OS | Monitor |
| OCZ Solid 3 120GB | Toshiba 1TB | Windows 7 Professional x64 SP1 | LG 42" 120Hz LCD TV |
| Power | Case | ||
| Antec HCG-400M | Bitfenix Prodigy Black | ||
| View all | |||
| CPU | Motherboard | RAM | Hard Drive |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intel Pentium G620 | Gigabyte GA-Z77MX-D3H | Crucial Ballistix Sport 4GB (2x2GB) | OCZ Agility 3 60GB |
| Hard Drive | Hard Drive | Hard Drive | Hard Drive |
| Samsung F4 2TB | Samsung F4 2TB | Seagate ST3000DM001 3TB | Seagate ST3000DM001 3TB |
| Hard Drive | OS | Monitor | Power |
| Western Digital EACS 1TB | Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard SP1 x64 | Headless | Seasonic M12II 520W |
| Case | |||
| Lian Li PC-V354B | |||
| View all | |||
