I'm undertaking my first computer build in 6 years, thanks to a lack of funds/time over the last 4 years during college. However, I need some help picking the right PSU. A friend of mine showed me the light and pointed me in the direction of SilentPCreview, which was a HUGE help in finding a great CPU cooler that fits my case and provides awesome cooling power at very low noise levels.

Now I'm looking for a PSU that works well with the airflow of this case and, preferably, is on SPCR's recommended list.

In anandtech's review of the fusion case, they say that "[the fusion] case will most likely work best with a PSU that has a 120mm fan on top or an 80mm fan at the front" (sorry for the lack of a link, but I'm new to these forums. This comment, I believe, refers to the airflow layout of the fusion case. As such, I've been trying to find a SPCR recommended PSU in the 450-650 Watt range (I think I need a 500W PSU to be comfortable w/ future upgrades in terms of increased storage, etc.) that has that type of fan layout. However, I'm pretty ignorant when it comes to PSU's, and all I really know is that I want something quiet, compatible, preferably modular, and definitely reliable.

My proposed build is as follows:

Case - Antec Fusion Remote Black
PSU - Corsair VX550W (This case is nice, but I'm afraid it's louder than what I'd like)
CPU - i5-750
CPU Cooler - Scythe Big Shuriken (using Artic Cooling MX-2 compound)
Mobo - GA-H55M-USB3 (I want USB3 and the H55 uses less power than H57)
RAM - 2 x 2 Gb DDR3-1600 (G.SKILL F3-12800CL9D-4GBNQ)
SSD - Once the prices come down in Q4 due to the new ~25nm process, I'll build the computer and snag a SSD for the OS/some games
Storage - Western Digital Caviar Green 2 TB w/ 64 mb Cache (Might go with the Caviar Black and work on silencing it...still deciding)
Optical - LG WH10LS30 Blu Ray Burner/Rewriter
Graphics Card - Sapphire Vapor-X 5770 (Considering using an Artic Cooling Accelero S1 Rev 2 or Accelero L2 Pro or Zalman VF950-LED after-market coolers.....I will wind up using whatever I know will fit and I know will be quietest)
Keyboard - Logitech diNovo Edge
OS - Windows 7 32 bit

NOTE: I plan to put a Ceton card in here at some point in the distant future, so I need to make sure that whatever GPU cooling option I do decide on will allow for that.[url]

I'm open to any and all PSU's that fit the bill.

Well. The PSU in this case pretty much does nothing with airflow, as it takes air from side of the case and directly blows it out at the back. The only other PSU i can think about which would have some effect in this case is Arctic Cooling Fusion 550 Series, which have a 8cm fan at back of the PSU, thus taking the air from inside the PSU/HDD chamber and this way cooling the hard drives a bit. But unless you got a really high temperature PSU, you don't need this. I had two WD10EADS in the PSU chamber, with no direct airflow cooling via fans, yet they had no problems keeping the 40-45C temperature at max.

Hi, first and foremost, swap the CPU cooler to a Scythe Ninja Mini, you can even keep it passive if you choose to stay with the side fans on. As for the PSU, I second the Arctic Fusion 550R. Not modular, but insanely cheap for the quality, and really quiet too.

Oh btw sorry, i somehow did read Fusion Remote Max . Well, in case of normal Fusion Remote, any PSU will make it, i did a build with now EOL HX450, HX series is good for this case because of their flat modular cables, making it easy to route the cables bellow the DVD drive (there is a hole).

You can fit just about any heatsink in a Fusion Max. The height is really no different than the width of big tower cases.

I have got a OCZ ModXStream Pro 500w. Its inaudible in my system (P180 Mini).

You got in same trap as me . "Antec Fusion Remote Black" is not the Max version, but the good old Antec Fusion, just with the black front.

Right on, thanks for the input. I read through some of the reviews and forums and will definitely go with the ninja mini as my CPU Cooler.

As stated - I'm NOT using the 'max' case, but rather the regular fusion case.

I'm looking heavily at the Enermax Modu 87+. Would this PSU configuration pull air across the HDD's? I couldn't tell based on the pictures.

Thanks for the input!!

I think you are bit too much worried about HDD temperatures in this case, i put together a setup with HX450 (which has a quiet, slowly running fan) and 2 quiet fans (which replaced the original two Antec fans). Temperatures are not a issue in this case unless you put a very highend stuff in it.

Btw, HDD's are in a totally separate chamber from the PSU area, so unless you are going to mount your HDD in 5,25" bay the PSU has nothing to do with HDD temperatures. The minimum airflow from the lowered divider between the motherboard and HDD area is enough to cool down the HDD's.

http://www.anandtech.com/Gallery/Album/234#1

Okay, so if I ignore my heat question.

I'm looking for a quiet PSU ~500W to go in th Antec Fusion Case.

Looking at the SPCR recommended list:
The Nexus Value 430 is too small.
The nightjar may be undersized, and is hella-expensive for the size.
The NX-5000 gets poor reviews in enough places that I'm concerned about quality control and sample variance.
The modu/pro82+ seems to have a similar quality control problem
The modu/pro87+ 500W is perfect...and impossible to find in the US, based on my fruitless search.
The 650W PSU's are oversized.
The HX520 is loud in the ~350-400W range

I'm out of town and typing this on my iPhone, so it's hard for me to go in more detail, but, in short, other than a PSU from overseas, I can't seem to find a PSU that stays below ~23 dB when loaded up to ~450W. I'm probably going to go with the NX-5000, regardless of what other reviews have said regarding loud units (poor quality control, I'm sure).

I'd be surprised if you get 250w at max load w/ your proposed system -- not a lab stress test but a real use load. There's just no way you'll see 450w. not even close.

Having said that, I probably still would not choose the Nexus value 430, despite my editor's choice -- it's the oddest thing, I have this hunch it's quiet at the cost of longevity tho there's no way to prove that for any of these quiet/silent things w/o long term, large sample size polls. I also don't like its lower than top efficiency... given the asking price.

You could wait for a Seasonic 460 (or 400) fanless. 80+ gold, silent, survived 15+ hrs in a brutal full power test in my psu hotbox tester w/ just one nexus 120 fan at 7v in 22C ambient. (No fan at 400w load) My early sample is working fine in a new pc i've just assembled for myself. (review/fanless psu roundup to come soon -- maybe in a week).

Again, Arctic Fusion 550. Really, that's the one you want. If you want to go modular or feel the absolute need to spend more, try getting your hands on a Corsair HX450W. These would be the only options I'd get.

I haven't been able to find the arctic fusion 550 (US version) or the HX450 online or at Fry's.

HX450 is EOL (unfortunately), and it seems like AC Fusion 550 is pretty rare in USA, which is surprising to me.

NCIX does sell them :
http://www.ncixus.com/products/35890/FU ... 20Cooling/

Wow, that's some seriously high price for that PSU...

Well then, a nice alternative is the CoolerMaster Silent Pro 500w, modular and well priced. Never had my hands on one of them, but lots of sources give credit to its name. And the rubber frame is a nice extra feature to have.