600W - 700W PSU Recommendations

[Skippman]

I'm debating on swapping out to a modular PSU when I rebuild my computer. I'm looking for input on this. I'm planning on using an Antec 1200 case. Based on the Antec power supply calculator with all the equipment I have currently and the addition of the water cooling kit my power supply needs to be 415w or greater. I'm thinking 600w-700w gives me plenty of growth room should I add another GPU in the future.

It's been a while since Nate and the gang did the PSU shootout. What's the hot PSU brands right now? Here's my requirements.

4 6pin PCI-X rails for my GPU's (as each takes 2 now).
Modular
Black color
Reliable

Pretty straight forward eah?

[Sporg]

So I assume that you are referencing the build that you posted. So you might add a second 4870?

Edit:
Personally I would consider this. Ooops, but it's not modular.

[Skippman]

YEP!

It'll be 6 months or so before I add the second GPU, esp since Fallout 3 is SO PRETTY with just one at 1920x1200 (thanks GamByo engine!) but I want that option in place that way when it's time to upgrade I just plug in the cable and wire it up rather than getting a new PSU, etc.

Plus, I don't want to strip the PSU out of my main machine until I'm ready to do the complete install. At that point I might just sell off my current Super Flower case and the 600w OCZ I'm using now.

[Col-P-Todd]

I would recommend a Zalman 850W, It is very quite has 2 fixed pci-e 6pin cables and a total of 4. modular and reliable

[Bwall]

Corsair 620HX. The thing is a beast, I've read that a few people have run a complete system with dual core CPU, 4GB memory and 3 9800 GX2's folding 24/7 on it.
I love mine, it's a big bad monster wrapped up in a standard sized PSU enclosure. It is also very quiet. Do it. Do it.

edit: Looks like it's ~$135 shipped from the egg today and then has a $25 MIR. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6817139002

This is a high quality PSU and I would stake my entire reputation on this thing. I'm sure that Nate will agree with me on this one.

[Skippman]

Is this the one you're refering two? As there are two 850w Zalman PSU's.

[Sporg]

Corsair 620HX

I was considering making that recommendation. I know that Nate posted something about it recently. I think dual 3870x2s finally made its knees buckle a bit or something. I put that PSU in my wife's new rig that I build a few weeks ago.

[Darkstar]

Corsair would be my pick too, you could always go for the overkill and get the 1000W

[Skippman]

You guys like the Corsair over the Zalman and OCZ?

[Bwall]

The three brands I trust in no particular order:

PCPower and Cooling / OCZ (PCP&C is now owned by OCZ)
Corsair
Antec (earthwatts line)


The 620HX was finally outdone by a pair of 4870x2's in CrossFire X along with a 3.2GHz quad and a water cooling kit. It will have no problem taking care of two 4870's and a dual core.

C'mon now, would the guy who sat next to you at the Laclede's Lan who used to have a Dell 24" and now has a Dell 30" steer you wrong? ;)

[Skippman]

Well, that depends, you're not the guy on my right who had his PSU SMOKE on him at the last party where ya?

Cause that was pretty messed up!


Any idea how long the mobo connector is on that Corasir? Trying to keep my cabling neat.

[martini161]

corsair 720hx

[FZ1]

The 620HX was finally outdone by a pair of 4870x2's in CrossFire X along with a 3.2GHz quad and a water cooling kit. It will have no problem taking care of two 4870's and a dual core.

OK, I'm going to call BS. I am using this PSU with a QX9650 @ 4Ghz, water cooling, a handful of fans, 3 HDD's, 9800GX2, blah blah everything in my sig and it runs with no problems. I highly recommend the 620HX.

[martini161]

yeah, but that system has one more dual core 400watt graphics card than yours

[FZ1]

My Zalman watt meter doesn't have me ever hit over 400W...still a lot of juice left.

[Bwall]

The 620HX was finally outdone by a pair of 4870x2's in CrossFire X along with a 3.2GHz quad and a water cooling kit. It will have no problem taking care of two 4870's and a dual core.

OK, I'm going to call BS. I am using this PSU with a QX9650 @ 4Ghz, water cooling, a handful of fans, 3 HDD's, 9800GX2, blah blah everything in my sig and it runs with no problems. I highly recommend the 620HX.

I think you misunderstood my position.......the system that I described pulls 750w from the wall at load (confirmed by multiple sites). I wouldn't recommend anything less than Corsair 1000w for that kind of beast. The system he's putting together is nowhere near that.

Skip, just buy the 620HX so we don't have any more misunderstandings telling you how great it is!

[martini161]

well just know your calling BS on nate :
http://www.legitreviews.com/article/766/11/

Power Consumption Results: The ATI Radeon HD 4870 X2 by itself isn't that bad, but when run in CrossFireX you better keep an eye on things. Our Corsair HX620W power supply is rated for operation at 620W, but was pulling 791W when trying to run CrossFireX with the Radeon HD 4870 X2's. Certain benchmarks like 3DMark Vantage were corrupted as the power supply just couldn't handle the load. A quick switch over to a Cooler Master 1000W ESA power supply and the benchmarking went on without a problem.

but like brian said it should have no problem handling skippmans load

[Sporg]

Just an FYI on the 620HX. The current 15% off ends today (10/29) and the MIR offer ends on 10/30. Who knows what the next deal will be. I think I got mine right before the 15% off deal, dang the timing!

Oh, and if you do buy it remember that LR has the shopping link. Just pop it in there and hit the egg's site (or wherever you go) through price grabber.

[Skippman]

FINE! FINE! Ordered the bloody thing!

I hate the rebate thing but it's just SO PRETTY! And, on the plus side, I can start building the new rig without having to completely disassemble my current one.

Should be here by Monday I guess. Hopefully my parts from Directron will be here by then as well. My parts from Performance PCS arrived in the post today. Ordered 4 4pin molnex to 3 pin fan adapters to use with my NZXT Sentry LX fan controller. Very nice build quality on the cables. Couldn't be happier.

[Apoptosis]

well just know your calling BS on nate :
http://www.legitreviews.com/article/766/11/

Power Consumption Results: The ATI Radeon HD 4870 X2 by itself isn't that bad, but when run in CrossFireX you better keep an eye on things. Our Corsair HX620W power supply is rated for operation at 620W, but was pulling 791W when trying to run CrossFireX with the Radeon HD 4870 X2's. Certain benchmarks like 3DMark Vantage were corrupted as the power supply just couldn't handle the load. A quick switch over to a Cooler Master 1000W ESA power supply and the benchmarking went on without a problem.

but like brian said it should have no problem handling skippmans load

The Corsair HX620W did run the system with two Radeon HD 4870 X2's, but some of the 3D applications had artifacts and the scores were low. Take a look at the review I published today with the Core i7 processors... They use more power than Core 2's, so another reason to get a bigger PSU.

A 2.66GHz Core i7 (Core i7 920) used roughly 70W more power than a 2.66GHz Core 2 Quad (Q6600)... That's a significant amount! The TDP on a Q6600 is 105 Watts and the TDP on a Core i7 920 is 138W for what it's worth.