[Awaz]

Still working on a llano build for my wife. Components are:

1. A8-3870K - will be moderately overclocked.
2. 8 GB RAM
3. 120 GB SSD with another SSD in the near future.
4. AIO cooling
5. Will have 120mm front fan and 120mm rear. A few leds strips here and there.
6. Near future a HD 6570 to crossfire with the llano.

I currently have a 3 - 4 year old Antec BP350 that runs perfectly. Considering this is a mATX build, the wires and everything fits perfectly. I also have a Corsair TX650 from her previous comp. It is the better PSU, but non-modular and for an ATX case makes it a tangled mess for wire management. Really leaning towards using the Antec BP350, but not sure how good they are. In its 4 years or so life span, it never saw any action except for the occasional testing of components. I uses the PSU calc and it says I need 276 watts with 40% overclock.

So, what is your recommendation? Go with the Antec? Or sell the TX650 and get a PSU more fit for mATX build? Or just get a different PSU and save the TX650 for something in the future?

 

[Awaz]

Since I am going to microcenter tomorrow to pick up my i5-2500k, i think i might pick up a PSU as well. Which one would you recommend?

Corsair CX430

Antec basiq VP450

Thermaltake TR2 430W

Also, would like comparison of those three to the Antec basiq 350W since I already have one.

Per the PSU calc at OCN, I need only 276W - stretch that to 300W.

 

[mikeaj]

BP350 is really cheap and kind of sucks, but it shouldn't be a fireball. It used to be the worst thing in Antec's lineup, cheap for a reason.

Antec's shifted BP series -> VP series and not VP450's the worst thing in their lineup... an improvement, but not a whole lot. Actually, the VP350P and VP550P are decent enough, but the VP450 is worse (and seemingly much more available).

The ubiquitous cheapy Thermaltake TR2 430W model with the voltage selector switch sucks, somewhere around in the same range as the previous units? I'm not sure exactly.

A modern Corsair CX (modular or not), which is an 80 plus bronze version-though older CX V2 is probably the same but just 80 plus-is significantly better all around. However, this thing still employs second-rate capacitors and a sleeve-bearing fan. Just don't expect this thing to be a tank that trucks along 24/7 for many many years. I think it's still based on CWT DSAII or a variant. Also, a whole lot of people bought these things, and many of them complained about coil whine, seemingly on the +5VSB rail. i.e. they get coil whine even with the computer shut down... oops

 

[Awaz]

Ok...so looks like the Corsair if I buy from microcenter. Otherwise I will order a Antec earthwatts from newegg or some place.

 

[larymoencurly]

I think the Basiq BP350 is made for Antec by Delta, which is the biggest power supply maker in the world (over 100,000 employees) and produces good stuff.

The Corsair CX430 is also very good and I think made by Seasonic. I think it contains Samxon capacitors, the only non-Japanese brand known to last long.

Thermaltake gets its PSUs from several manufacturers, and apparently they vary in quality.

 

[mikeaj]

Quote:

Originally Posted by larymoencurly

I think the Basiq BP350 is made for Antec by Delta, which is the biggest power supply maker in the world (over 100,000 employees) and produces good stuff.

The Corsair CX430 is also very good and I think made by Seasonic. I think it contains Samxon capacitors, the only non-Japanese brand known to last long.

Thermaltake gets its PSUs from several manufacturers, and apparently they vary in quality.

Nah, old BP350 is FSP (which makes really cheap stuff to something as good as their FSP Aurum Pro / Xilenser). Old Basiq were a mix of FSP and Delta, as are the new Value Power, with the VP350 and VP550 as Delta and the VP450 being FSP.

All Corsair CX except the original CX400 are CWT, not Seasonic. It's been CWT since the original non-80 plus CX430 / 500 / 600.

That particular Thermaltake TR2 (W0070) is an HEC. Cheap HEC is usually kind of bad, though likewise they can also make good power supplies.

There are mixed opinions on Samxon, but even talking normal aluminum electrolytic capacitors that aren't Japanese and that are typically used in computer power supplies, don't people think of some of the Teapo series before Samxon?

 

[FlashFir]

I'd go with the cx430, hits $20AR at least once a month.

 

[TELVM]

Greetings.

There is a mini review here: Antec's Basiq 350W - A generic that's not

Some pics I took of the guts (EU version with passive PFC): http://www.badcaps.net/forum/showpost.php?p=297188&postcount=1118

Caps are Crapxon and Cheapo, but overall it's a quite decent entry PSU.

I'm also building a similar A8-3870K system for a relative (sans SSD or discrete GPU) that will be BP350 powered, way enough PSU for the task.

 

[Awaz]

Well, I picked up a cx500 from microcenter. It came to $49 after MIR and is modular to boot. I now need to sleeve the thing.