HTPC ATX, Silent and efficient

PSUs: The source of DC power for all components in the PC & often a big noise source.

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cazten
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Feb 03, 2013 6:54 pm

HTPC ATX, Silent and efficient

Post by cazten » Sun Feb 03, 2013 7:01 pm

What PSU would you guys recommend for a Silent 80+ efficient ATX PSU

- I picked up a Silverstone GD05 and need an ATX PSU for it. Im looking to get as silent and efficient as i can in the sub $40ish range. Which I realize is difficult lol.
Best candidate I've found is corsair builder 430? Its on sale for 19.99 with MIR at newegg. Though Ive read some shody reviews of it

Whats else would you consider?
- The requirements are pretty low.
- its an A10 5700 65w, MSI fm2 mATX board. Will run a SSD, HGST 5K3000 2TB drive, 4GB ram, and the 3 fans for GD05.

doveman
Posts: 870
Joined: Mon Jan 29, 2007 10:30 am
Location: London

Re: HTPC ATX, Silent and efficient

Post by doveman » Wed Feb 06, 2013 11:22 am

I'm looking for recommendations as well. I had a Seasonic G360 but that whines even when not connected to anything and I've been told the Seasonic S12-430W does as well, so I'm looking to avoid Seasonic.

I had an OCZ StealthXStream 400W that first developed an intermittent noisy fan and then developed a fault so that it wouldn't power the motherboard but still worked on a different motherboard, making it look like the motherboard was at fault, so I'm looking to avoid OCZ as well!

Cistron
Posts: 618
Joined: Fri Mar 14, 2008 5:18 am
Location: London, UK

Re: HTPC ATX, Silent and efficient

Post by Cistron » Wed Feb 06, 2013 11:33 am

If it is such a low-power PC you could try a pico-PSU. Maybe you can score one for $40 off eBay. There might actually be a whole range of PSU one could get used for cheap.

cazten
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Feb 03, 2013 6:54 pm

Re: HTPC ATX, Silent and efficient

Post by cazten » Wed Feb 06, 2013 11:43 am

Got a seasonic SS-300ET of ebay cheap :)

I would've gone pico but my case has a big fat atx hole in the back lol.

doveman
Posts: 870
Joined: Mon Jan 29, 2007 10:30 am
Location: London

Re: HTPC ATX, Silent and efficient

Post by doveman » Wed Feb 06, 2013 11:59 am

Cistron wrote:If it is such a low-power PC you could try a pico-PSU. Maybe you can score one for $40 off eBay. There might actually be a whole range of PSU one could get used for cheap.
Considering the troubles I've had with new PSUs, I hardly want to try a second-hand one with no warranty. At least I can send the new ones back if they're no good but I'm hopeful someone makes a decent, reliable, lowish-power PSU (not that I care about it being low power, just I don't want to waste money on power I don't need).

I tried a pico-PSU type (it actually had more current which I needed) a while ago and it ended up destroying about three hard drives in a row until I realised it must be the cause, I guess due to supplying insufficient power to the drive and that causing it to do strange things to itself, so I'm not going near those again, at least not on a system with HDDs.

doveman
Posts: 870
Joined: Mon Jan 29, 2007 10:30 am
Location: London

Re: HTPC ATX, Silent and efficient

Post by doveman » Thu Feb 07, 2013 4:02 am

What about the Antec Basiq VP550P? Have they got a good reputation?

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