I keep reading about PSUs but I am still confused.

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Ellemennopea

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I've been reading a lot of posts about PSUs here, and elsewhere, but I still don't feel confident enough to figure out what PSU I will need.

So, I am just going to list all the components I would need powered and ask what you guys would get. System will include:

MSI P6N Platinum mobo
Q6600 cpu
8800gt gpu with stock cooler (and possibly another 8800gt later if I go SLI and possibly better coolers)
2x2gb 800mhz DDR2 and possibly double that later on
2x IDE Hard Drives
1 cd/dvd drive (not burner)
ZALMAN CNPS7000B-ALCU 92mm 2 Ball Cooling Fan
3x 120mm fans (estimating here, not sure how many fans I'll end up with)
Razer Diamondback Mouse
a cheap keyboard

I think that is everything. I also may try overclocking.

So, if you were to power the above system for as cheap as possible, but allowing for possible overclocking and a couple upgrades (such as 2x 8800gt cards or another HD), what PSU would you get and where would you order it from and how much does it cost?

Thanks in advance, any expert opinions will be greatly appreciated as I am totally new to computer building.
 
Any of the Corsairs will do you well.

I used to have an HX520, and it was and still remains my favorite PSU ever.

If modular isn't important, be sure to look at either the 450VX or 550VX. The 450VX runs around $70 and will power your rig perfectly. :D
 
Aon said:
Any of the Corsairs will do you well.

I used to have an HX520, and it was and still remains my favorite PSU ever.

If modular isn't important, be sure to look at either the 450VX or 550VX. The 450VX runs around $70 and will power your rig perfectly. :D
Click to expand...

I don't know what modular means/does... does modular matter?

Buy.com has the 550VX for $85 with $20 MIR, so maybe that would be my best bet. I also forgot to include RAM in my first post. I am planning to use 2x2gb 800mhz DDR2 and possibly double that later on, if that changes anything.
 
Modular = you only plug in the cables you need = much less clutter in your case & much easier to get in there and switch things out.
 
Modular is AMAZING.

Corsair's HX series PSUs are fantastic, and I hear their other types (not made by Seasonic) are great as well. I'll attest to the VX450, as I put one in my parents' build. You can't go wrong with PC Power & Cooling, or Seasonic itself.

Antec used to be one of the goto brands, but they've been veering towards cheaper parts lately, but they're still pretty reliable. People seem to like Ultra's high-wattage PSUs and XClio PSUs.
 
A lot of people think modularity in PSUs give the PSU one more point of potential failure, but YMMV. I've only owned one modular power supply (OCZ ModStream 450w) and haven't had problems with it.

The PC Power & Cooling PSUs are more or less server-grade PSUs for consumers; They're considered top of the line in quality.
 
Maybe if the connectors don't have clips to secure them. The Corsair ones do. No less reliable than the motherboard's connectors, right?
 
Now that I know what modular means, I'll say modular would be nice but it seems like the Corsair modular PSUs are quite a bit more expensive. How does the 550VX compare to the 620HX as far as performance? The 550VX is $50 cheaper than the 620HX, which is a big plus, but is it cheaper because it's a much worse PSU?
 
Ellemennopea said:
Now that I know what modular means, I'll say modular would be nice but it seems like the Corsair modular PSUs are quite a bit more expensive. How does the 550VX compare to the 620HX as far as performance? The 550VX is $50 cheaper than the 620HX, which is a big plus, but is it cheaper because it's a much worse PSU?
Click to expand...
quality is the same
difference is it's 70 watts less and doesn't have modular cables
 
The other difference is it that they have different manufacturers. Corsair really stresses quality with their PSUs. And memory. :D

You should never skimp on your PSU. It's very important to the health and longevity of your components.
 
GJSNeptune said:
The other difference is it that they have different manufacturers. Corsair really stresses quality with their PSUs. And memory. :D

You should never skimp on your PSU. It's very important to the health and longevity of your components.
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Yeah, I keep reading that, but I have to go cheap on something if I want to stay at the price range I want. Would you suggest I swap out something else for a cheaper component and get a good PSU? Perhaps a less powerful cpu or gpu?

Is getting the 550 instead of 620 skimping too much? It nearly cuts the PSU price in half, so if it will run the system, I'd prefer it. If it can't handle the upgrades I have planned, then I won't consider it.
 
Never go cheap on the PSU if you care about your system.

You'd be surprised how much power the average system actually draws, but if you're gonna get a second 8800, you'll probably need more than 550. I'm not sure how much power, exactly, but I'd honestly get at least the HX620.

Are you going with a 64-bit OS?
 
GJSNeptune said:
Never go cheap on the PSU if you care about your system.

You'd be surprised how much power the average system actually draws, but if you're gonna get a second 8800, you'll probably need more than 550. I'm not sure how much power, exactly, but I'd honestly get at least the HX620.
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Ok. Know of any good deals on the HX620?

Oh, and I am starting out with Windows XP for now. Was planning to upgrade to Vista 64-bit when I decide to upgrade to 8gb's of ram and add the extra 8800gt.
 
But he wants to add an 8800GT later. No way a 450W is going to power two 8800s and the rest of the system.

The 550W could do two, probably, but definitely make sure. I'm not positive how much power an 8800GT draws.
 
At $65 I might as well get the 550 and not worry about it till I do decide to get the second 8800gt, because from the sound of it the 550 will definitely power what I plan to start out with. If I get another 8800gt later on and the 550 doesn't have what it takes, I will most likely still have used it for 6 months to a year and I could probably do a hand me down to my girlfriend if I need to get a better one.
 
When you add that extra 8800, be sure to monitor voltages on all rails. The ATX spec allows for an acceptable +- 5% fluctuation in each rail. (+- 0.6 volts for 12v rail)

So for example if you're below 11.4v on the 12v rail, it's time to get a beefier PSU.
 
iJeff said:
When you add that extra 8800, be sure to monitor voltages on all rails. The ATX spec allows for an acceptable +- 5% fluctuation in each rail. (+- 0.6 volts)

So for example if you're below 11.4v on the 12v rail, it's time to get a beefier PSU.
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TBH, I don't know how to do that, but I will research how to do it before I stick a second card in there. Could it damage components if it doesn't have enough power? Or will it just give error messages?
 
I don't really have any personal experience with undervolting, but I'm pretty sure it's possible to damage components. It probably won't hurt a ton if you're teetering between 11.39 and 11.4 volts. Again, I don't know for sure.

I think more than likely you'll just get anomalies like blue screens/video card artifacting before you damage anything too badly.
 
K, that's what I needed to know. Basically I will be able to tell if the power supply doesn't cut it just by how the system handles.
 
go for the hx620. i got mine from buy.com for 139.95 shipped (114.95 AR) using the google checkout deal for 20 off 80 or more. good luck on your search.
 
When are you planning on adding a second card? SLI is only cost effective if you plan on buying both cards at the same time or very close to the same time...

It would probably be better to just go with a single card solution and get the 550VX if the cost (of the 620HX) is problematic.

You could always sell your 8800GT and get a better card (9800GT when it comes out) or the next generation.

But that's just my two cents... but then you would be better off getting an P35 board or X38 board... but once agian, just my two cents.
 
If you think you might really go SLI at some point I'd go 600W+... Agree with others here - do NOT skimp on the PSU. You can wind up with a bunch of really nice components that aren't stable if you dont get a high quality PSU and you'll pull your hair out trying to figure out why.

I like OCZ or PC Power & Cooling but in looking at the Corsairs on Newegg, they look good too. Whatever PSU you do buy, try and find some review of it where they test the stability under heavy load etc - assuming it passes a good test like that, it's probably a quality PSU.
 
tzk said:
When are you planning on adding a second card? SLI is only cost effective if you plan on buying both cards at the same time or very close to the same time...

It would probably be better to just go with a single card solution and get the 550VX if the cost (of the 620HX) is problematic.

You could always sell your 8800GT and get a better card (9800GT when it comes out) or the next generation.

But that's just my two cents... but then you would be better off getting an P35 board or X38 board... but once agian, just my two cents.
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I bought all the stuff last night, so it's too late to change my decisions. I was planning to add another 8800gt when the price drops significantly enough for it to be considered cheap by my standards.

I got the mobo that I chose because there was an open box version for ~75 dollars and it had 2 pata connectors which I needed so that I didn't have to replace hard drives and cd drives that use those (thus saving more money), as well as being SLI capable allowing for a possible cheap upgrade later on, which was really just a bonus. Before I happened across that board, I had an IP35-E picked out and it had only one pata connector and only one PCIe slot (which meant replacing at least the cd/dvd drive), and it was $60. So I spent $15 more to get another PCIe slot and the option of not buying a cd/dvd drive for $20-$25. It was actually cheaper for more versatility, and possibly quality unless I get a dud.

I figured the PCIe slot would give me a decent upgrade option down the line without having to do a complete gpu replacement.

For right now, I went with one 8800gt and the 550vx, and that should last me a good long time.
 
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