Seasonic x-650 vs EVGA G2 650 vs others

[grigs80]

Hello, long time reader, first time poster. I'm building a new PC and the hardest part has been choosing the PSU.
It is mostly a media rig with infrequent gaming in an ATX box, be quiet 800, silent wings fans, be quiet dark rock pro cpu cooler.
So it's gotta be quiet most of the time. I'm set on 650 - 750w but i want a high quality, reliable PSU that is quiet.

I really like the seasonic x-650 especially after the review in SPCR.
However, the shipping to Australia is absurd ($78) making other PSUs much more attractive.
No surprise that EVGA is looking attractive.
The problem is while these other PSUs are well regarded, there is very little GOOD information about sound quality as i'll get to.

The options at this point:
Seasonic x-650 at around $215-230 shipped
EVGA G2 650W bought locally for about $149
EVGA G2 750W bought locally for about $159 (that 10 year warranty is preeety nice for 10 more dollars)
and an outlying option;
EVGA P2 750W $222 shipped (still getting screwed with shipping, not seasonic, but platinum and perhaps quieter)
(be quiet seems too pricey but i'm open to it if they actually be quiet!)

I've been unable to find much about the noise quality of the EVGA PSUs. Yes, i'm aware they are hybrid so at low use etc etc.

The seasonic x-650w from the SPCR review says:

"Seasonic X-650 at various loads in anechoic chamber at one meter
— idle to >150W (ambient of chamber - 11 dBA@1m)
— 200W (12 dBA@1m)
— 250W (14 dBA@1m)
— 300W (16 dBA@1m)
— 400W (31 dBA@1m)"

But this was back in 2009 and not the full range. While i know they, the x series, are basically still the same system, EVGA came along and yet i have no real idea of how noisy EVGA systems are when in NON hybrid mode.
Tech power up did a review of the EVGA 750w G2 and listed it as being 39.93dB averaged over the entire range.
https://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/EVG ... 50/10.html

And another poster on the SPCR forum posted this:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=69037
indicating the EVGA G2 once the fan is on gets pretty darn loud at full load


So my questions are:
Which is quieter? Does anyone have any actual data or experience? (I wish Mike would do an EVGA review!)

Would you pay the premium for the Seasonic or get the local EVGA? Or perhaps another suggestion.

Thankyou if you have read this far and thankyou in advance if you reply!

[Abula]

Welcome to SPCR grigs80

I own a EVGA 650 P2 and to me its been perfect, i have no coil whine, and its been running passively from what i seen, but its on my test bench so i haven't really loaded with high end GPU yet.

You should also look into Corsair RX series (550/650/750) and BeQuiet DarkPro 11 (550/650), either could end up cheaper with the current shipping policies you are having from the stores you buying.

[quest_for_silence]

Yes, i'm aware they are hybrid so at low use etc etc.

Not so low loads: they will hardly spin up with any single GPU setup.

650 G2

High temp

650G2_fan_speed.jpg

Low temp

650G2_fan_speed_low_temp.jpg

650 P2

High temp

650P2_fan_speed.jpg

Low temp

650P2_fan_speed_low_temp.jpg

The ECO mode (semi passive) is how those units are meant to be used: their ball bearing fans are not pleasant to hear, albeit the same recommendation applies for the Seasonic fan.
Moreover the original X-series Sanyo Denki 9S1212P4M61 was a 1850rpm fan, currently the KM3 sports a 9S1212F404 which is a 2200rpm fans: on the other hand the EVGAs use more modestly spinning Globe 1200rpm (P2) and 1300rpm (G2) fans.

IMO the Sanyo are qualitatively better (highly priced server class fans) but noise wise they both sucks when they spin (but the Seasonic spin faster, likely 200rpm more at least, so noisier).

While i know they, the x series, are basically still the same system,

IMO in the fully fanned mode they comparatively all sucks (only in relation to the most quiet units in the market, like the Be quiet PSUs): BTW the current KM3 generation is a tad different compared to the original 2009 KM (the newer platform has a more conservative, more aggressive fan profile along with a faster fan), so IMO the original review does not apply that well anymore.

EVGA came along and yet i have no real idea of how noisy EVGA systems are when in NON hybrid mode.

Your question doesn't sound good: you don't even know how noisy the Seasonic is when operated as fully fanned.

Probably the only data you know about the fan profile of the new KM3 is the high temp behaviour with the semi passive cooling mode engaged on the SS-750KM3 (it uses the same fan, but there's a chance the fan controller can be differently set):

X750_fan_speed.jpg

With reference to the above graph, you can only guess that the fan starting speed is somehow representative of the minimum fan controller speed. Just as an additional data, I measured some time ago a P660 with a tachometer and IIRC the fully on starting fan speed was something north of 800rpm (it's a Platinum unit, so it's somehow reasonable that the fan controller is differently set).

Due to my personal experience I know that with low ambient temp (>30°C?) those Seasonic units are fairly mute (set aside possible coil whining) in hybrid mode, but when temp increase they are prone to ramp up: the KM3 I had usually halves their fanless range during summer, just because of the increased ambient temp, and my XP2 have a similar behaviour.

Summarizing, if you're looking at a fully fanned unit, my advice is to pick either an Enermax Platimax, or a good Be quiet PSU (so neither a Seasonic nor an EVGA).

indicating the EVGA G2 once the fan is on gets pretty darn loud at full load

As well as the X-series.

So my questions are:
Which is quieter?

Who knows? They're about on par, so you have to check your actual power draw: BTW, with a conveniently low ambient temp, I also guess that hardly you're going to notice the difference with most of the single GPU setups. OTOH, with reference to the lower spinning fan, I guess probably the EVGA may have a slight edge, but it mostly depends of the ambient temp.

Does anyone have any actual data or experience? (I wish Mike would do an EVGA review!)

My guess is that very hardly we will see PSUs reviews here on SPCR as we were used to, albeit I would be glad if Mike and Lawrence proved me wrong.

Would you pay the premium for the Seasonic or get the local EVGA? Or perhaps another suggestion.

Set aside the advice above about fully fanned units, nowadays Corsair and EVGA usually offer a better value over Seasonic.

[grigs80]

Thankyou for your replies, I truly appreciate it.

Thanks Abula for your endorsement of the EVGA P2. Also, I did have a quick look at the Corsair RM series but unless i find a substantial difference/improvement over these models i'm inclined to go with EVGA or be quiet. Unfortunately because of where i live anything 'good' is going to have shipping attached. Such is life! Thanks for your input.

Thankyou Quest for Silence, your answer gave me exactly the kind of data i could not find and it's given me something to chew on.
I really appreciate the images you posted. I'm surprised by the results but glad to have seen them now, before i buy, not later!
While i may rarely get into the 400-600w range, 40-50+ dB on the seasonic is intolerable so the EVGA definitely looks like the better option in both noise and value for money.

But since I'm new to this, i want a really quiet PSU and both you and Abula mentioned it - I'm looking into the Be Quiet Dark Power Pro 11 650W now and I'll check out Enermax Platimax too.

So i have a few more questions if you don't mind.

Do high quality fully fanned units generally perform better than hybrids? i.e. in terms of total sound, fan and coil whine.


It seems you are saying so but i wonder;

Do you have any charts on the units you suggest?

What models are actually good?

Thanks again,
Grigs

[quest_for_silence]

Do high quality fully fanned units generally perform better than hybrids? i.e. in terms of total sound, fan and coil whine.

It depends: the quoted Enermax Platimax and Be Quiet Dark Power Pro are SPCR long time "champions", so set aside the fanless units they proved to be the best available on the market, noise wise.
Just one semi-passive platform were on par with them, the 80 plus Platinum rated Super Flower Golden King 550W (also thanks to its low speed fan), now discontinued: the current Super Flower Leadex Platinum lineup would seem to have a slightly more aggressive fan controller, seemingly with the only exception of the Super Flower Leadex Platinum 550W (again, it sports a low speed fan): so, wit h reference to hybrids, YMMV.

• Enermax Platimax 600
• Be Quiet Dark Power Pro 550W
• Super Flower Golden King 550W (rebranded)

Please take note that about coil whine there's no magical or silver bullet: shit happens, regardless you did your homework.

Do you have any charts on the units you suggest?

The SPCR ones, to which you might somehow "compare" with more than a grain of salt the THG review of the Leadex Platinum 550 which I mentioned right above.

High temp:

LP550_high_ambient.JPG

Low temp:

LP550_low_ambient.JPG

What models are actually good?

The ones I know were already mentioned: Platimax 500 & 600 (use the same cooling), Dark Power Pro 550 (the current 11th generation is likely even better than the SPCR tested 10th generation still on shelves, while the 650W unit got a faster fan than the smaller sibling one).

With other units YMMV as usual: for instance the mid-end Be Quiet Straight Power E10 400W and 500W units are interesting options, at least up to 300W, and they sport a low speed, high quality fan; then maybe the cheap Cooler Master GM, which are fully fanned units which are heat resilient and with a decent fan profile: but they are low quality units, may they be enough for your need? The same goes for the Corsair CS-M lineup.

Eventually if you need 4-500W of very low SPL (I doubt you need, but maybe you're going to SLI) consider the truly fanless options, the Seasonic 520FL2 (also available as a rebranded either Silverstone or XFX), the Enermax Digifanless 550, and the Super Flower Golden Silent 500.

[grigs80]

Sorry for the delay, i missed your reply and had finished my build for work at the time.

Thank you Luca,

I got the cheap EVGA 750w G2 as i needed it quick, was good and cheap where i am in Australia. And a 10year warranty - too good. On hybrid - fan off - it's been great and i've yet to test it with any great loads to be able to discern it's noise level with fan on. It's fine but it's a stop-gap.

I intend to follow your advice and get a completely fanless PSU in a few months when i get a new gpu.

I will probably go for one of the one's mentioned - the Seasonic 520FL (or re-branded one's) or the Seasonic SS-400FL depending on the draw of the system and especially gpu i get. The enermax look top-notch but are expensive here, so I'll be keeping an eye out.

No i don't intend to SLI and the new GPUs like the gtx 1060 strix etc are a pretty easy on the power and noise so no need for big PSU.

Thanks again for your help,
Kindest regards,
Grigs