Antec 380w Earthwatt any good?

Antec is using a good Seasonic design for those Earthwatts units, and while it's not a high end PSU it should be quite reliable.

As for wether the 380w unit would handle the system you're going to build... eeeeh. I'd say it will but I would get a bit nervous with multiple HDDs, especially if you go quad core. Lots of people will come in here and pooh pooh you for using such a low wattage (amazing how 380w is low today), but consider this: My Q6600 with 8GB DDR2, 2x 500GB 7200.10 drives, 9800GTX, and 2x Samsung 20X DVD-RW drives pulls under 300w at full load when measured at the wall (Kill-A-Watt = Awesome).

If you're going with the 380w Earthwatts I'd just stick to one large HDD to be on the safe side...
 
I concur with Blue Falcon. The EA380 is a good PSU and stick with one drive if you use that PSU just to be on the safe side. You don't want to keep a PSU at heavy loads for long periods of time.
 
A 9600GT should consume <100W under a full load. Go easy on the o/c and you'll have no trouble using a C2Q + 2-3 HDD's in your rig. Keep in mind that 300W at the wall equates to a 240w load on the psu when you factor in 80% efficiency.
 
I have 2 running in systems (Phenom 9600, E2200) with 8800GT and 8800GTS cards installed. No problems with either system. I also have a 3rd in an NSK4480B i'm going to build during the 4th of July weekend.

You should be able to run a pair of hard drives with the 380W, even with a quad core (as long as it's not too overclocked too crazy). I measured mine pulling 260W from the wall under load (2 copies Orthos + RTHDRIBL in a large window) with a [email protected], overclocked 8800GS, 2 hard drives and the rest: http://www.hardforum.com/showpost.php?p=1032356223&postcount=1 That was with a less efficient PSU than the EarthWatts.

I haven't pushed the Phenom 9600 system much yet, but I know it idles around 115W with an 8800GTS 320MB installed.
 
My son's system is running that antec PS, good deal off newegg Imo.
Your system spec is a much higher wattage draw so not much help there.
Case is simple silver with a single 80mm fan, sleeved wiring for the 20/24 pin but none on the rest.
 
i would go for the 430W model if you can spring the extra dough ($59 at the egg, $29 after the $30 mail in rebate, awesome deal!!)...the 500W earthwatts was the same price ($59 without having to deal with a MIR, it was an instant $30 off, it's $89 today..:() last week and i got one then, awesome PSU
 
There's a $30 rebate available for the 430 on the egg right now, which makes it cheaper than the 380 if you get the rebate. I'd go for that rather than the 380.

Edit: Damn, beaten to posting about the rebate :p
 
Falling Anvil said:
There's a $30 rebate available for the 430 on the egg right now, which makes it cheaper than the 380 if you get the rebate. I'd go for that rather than the 380.

Edit: Damn, beaten to posting about the rebate :p
Click to expand...

it was a edit after the fact, i saw the $59 price and said thats a good deal and then noticed the $30 MIR....lol
 
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