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Thoughts on my first build?
Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2011 5:01 pm
by robollama
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Re: Thoughts on my first build?
Posted: Fri Jun 17, 2011 2:44 pm
by robollama
Bought the case (Fractal Design Define R3)
Looking for some advice on the PSU...
Re: Thoughts on my first build?
Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2011 8:28 am
by Dr. Jim Pomatter
robollama wrote:Looking for some advice on the PSU...
The PSU is a part that most people over-spend on. At the same time, getting a quality unit is a good use of your funds, as it will outlast any other part that you might buy with that money. (As power supply technology is not as fast-moving as CPU and GPU tech.)
HardwareSecrets does the most detailed reviews on the electronics, but they do not look at fan noise. Corsair (SPCR advertiser) brands a lot of good units, and they often have 25 decibel fans on them. XFX and others sell similar supplies, but they might use louder fans.
If you are trying to keep your costs down, you could get one of the "Builder" units, like the
CX430 V2. Your system will have a max power draw of about 330 watts, so a 430 watt supply should work. At just 35$, after rebate, you could void the warranty and replace the fan if you find it too loud.
Re: Thoughts on my first build?
Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2011 9:20 am
by Abula
Personally i like to spend a little more on the PSU, this is the base of you setup, stability and future upgrades will depend on it.
I would do a little effort into going with a Seasonic PSU like
SeaSonic SS-400FL or slightly cheaper with a fan
Seasonic SS-560KM.
Re: Thoughts on my first build?
Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2011 9:29 am
by Dr. Jim Pomatter
Abula wrote:Personally i like to spend a little more on the PSU, this is the base of you setup, stability and future upgrades will depend on it.
Some think it is fun to have fancy stuff, like name-brand PSU's.
You can start with a cheap PSU and then upgrade if needed. I was using a $20 "500 watt" PSU that came with a case. It was quiet and worked fine on my OVERCLOCKED system, until I bought a high-powered video card. It turns out that the "500 watt" PSU was only a 250 watt PSU on the inside.
The CX430 is not a bad PSU for a single-GPU computer. It will not be as quiet as a fancy unit, but you can upgrade if it turns out to be the loudest part of your system.
I bet anything that your video card cooler will be the loudest part of the system. The Newegg reviewers of the ASUS EAH6850 DC/2DIS/1GD5/V2 Radeon HD 6850, call the fan "odd" and "noticeable".