Best Fanless PSU?

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

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laststop
Posts: 123
Joined: Sun Apr 15, 2012 12:37 am
Location: Youngstown, OH

Best Fanless PSU?

Post by laststop » Sun Aug 25, 2013 12:31 pm

I'm going with a fanless PSU for the first time and am wondering which are considered the best around these parts. I'll be running an asus z87 expert mobo + stock speed max stable undervolted i7-4770k and a stock speed 3GB gtx 780. No overclocking on this system at all. Low voltage samsung ram. I'm assuming even with full cpu and gpu load I should not come anywhere close to 400 watts so anything 400 and above should be ok.

For 80+ platinum there are the 500 watt kingwin fanless, the 520,460,400 watt seasonic fanless, rosewill 500 watt fanless. For 80+ gold there are the 400 and 500 watt FSP.

I've always been a fan of seasonic but I've read quite a few complaints of it producing an electrical whine. Is it really that bad? All the prices are within 50 dollars of each other so I'm not so concerned on the price I just want the quietest most reliable coolest running fanless PSU. What do you guys recommend?

CA_Steve
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Re: Best Fanless PSU?

Post by CA_Steve » Sun Aug 25, 2013 2:15 pm

I think you would have been better off having one thread for all of your topics for clarity. eg: the thread on passive cpu cooling would have taken a different turn if we'd known you are putting a gtx 780 in the case....and that the case is a Nanoxia DS-1...

Your stressed system power with stock cpu voltage is in the order of:
84W cpu
250W gfx card
~50W everything else.
Total of ~384W. Under heavy gaming load, probably closer to 330W. Subtract as you will for undervolting.

The Rosewell passive did well in the review. Seasonic whining seems hit/miss depending on cpu/mobo/psu combo....and how well the mobo instituted recent energy efficiency (ERP Lot 6) features. Kingwin is good, too.

In general, I'd lean toward a semi-passive PSU as the DS-1 isn't the coolest running case. The Seasonic X or Kingwin LZP. Fan off for everything but gaming loads....and you won't hear it over the gfx card.

laststop
Posts: 123
Joined: Sun Apr 15, 2012 12:37 am
Location: Youngstown, OH

Re: Best Fanless PSU?

Post by laststop » Mon Aug 26, 2013 4:52 pm

Yea I'm gonna go with the Seasonic x660 I've used it before and it's great.

laststop
Posts: 123
Joined: Sun Apr 15, 2012 12:37 am
Location: Youngstown, OH

Re: Best Fanless PSU?

Post by laststop » Wed Aug 28, 2013 9:21 pm

Well my brand new Seasonic 80+ platinum x660 is on the way. Pray for me I don't get a whiner!

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