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Thread: I am going to upgrade my PSU

  1. #1
    Registered User BadDriver's Avatar
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    I am going to upgrade my PSU

    OK, the title says what I want to do. I am looking at this unit http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817103941
    I like the modular design but man for an Antec PSU this thing is getting beat up on newegg reviews.

    Most of the gripes are coming from Asus A8N-SLI users but still I am kind of leary of this unit because of the A8N users giving it bad reviews.

    My second pick would be the truepower 2 550 watt but then again I would have extra cables to tuck away. That is my reason for wanting a modular unit, I would only plug in the cables I would need.

    The 480 watt version of the neopower is getting rave reviews but I already have a 430 watt truepower and the 50 watt boost just wouldn't make much sense. The same deal with the tagan series of PSU, not enough of an upgrade to make it worthwhile.

    Do you guys think this PSU is a POS or do you think some folks have been buying it without really doing their homework, which is what I am doing now. I mean yeah, I love the way it looks and I do want a modular PSU but if it is a carp unit then..........

  2. #2
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    Yep, those reviews don't look too promising. Averaging 3 out of 5 stars is equal to 60% satisfaction rating. Newegg has also been said to not post all the negative feedback, so personally I would stay away from that particular unit. But thats just me.

  3. #3
    Ultimate Member Rocketmech's Avatar
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    Newegg has alot of SLI certified PSU's , just use the filter and stay with a well know make .

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    Stark Raving MOD Midknyte's Avatar
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    The Powerstream 520 gets good reviews over at the Asus group. Has lots of watts for the AGP/SLI, and all outputs really!

  6. #6
    Registered User BadDriver's Avatar
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    I am really looking for a modular job. I won't be getting the antec I linked. I'll keep looking. The are plenty of good PSUs in the straight up psu market, modular is where it gets a bit tricky.

  7. #7
    Registered User BadDriver's Avatar
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    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817148008

    How about the aspire above? Hurry up will ya? The thing is on sale for only a few more hours.

    Thanks folks. BD out.

  8. #8
    Hail to the Victors dajogejr's Avatar
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    If you have the coin, I'd get a PC POwer and cooling unit.
    Those modular are nice, but you end up plugging in 80 to 90% of the power cords anyway...then you're just paying 30% more for a PSU that eliminated 10 to 20% of your wires you could've tucked away....
    I think my next unit will be either a true power or true control 550W from Antec...that should last a while...

    I'd stay away from that Aspire. On sale or not...55 bucks for 520W is too cheap for me, especially if your'e running an SLI rig...that's some coin right there....

  9. #9
    Registered User BadDriver's Avatar
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    Never mind guys. I think I have settled on this epower job. I am not wanting to buy another PSU for awhile and this is a modular with very good specs.

    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817101519

    A little steep at $110 but I paid like $90 for this antec 430 truepower. This is a very good PSU but I am pushing it. When I boot windows the screen is dim for a second until the PSU kicks up enough power. At least I think that is why it is doing this. The rails on this unit never drop even under prime torture but I think at start up it is having some issues. I'll drop this in my wife's AXP machine and put her thermaltake 420 in reserve for emergency use only. I have never been too crazy about the thermaltake but in a pinch it would suffice.

  10. #10
    Hail to the Victors dajogejr's Avatar
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    Let me get this straight...you're going to spend more money on a no name power supply that's not even SLI certified just to get a modular PSU?

    Here's what I would get. You know the name, it's cheaper, and rated at 550W too...

    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817103931

  11. #11
    Ultimate Member The Lodge's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by dajogejr
    Here's what I would get. You know the name, it's cheaper, and rated at 550W too...

    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817103931
    Ditto.

    Have you considered sleeving the ps yourself? I did my true control 550. Looks pretty good, plus more pride goes along with it too.

    Cheers de The Lodge

  12. #12
    Member mpc2's Avatar
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    ePower is not a no name company. Just because you've never heard of 'em, that doesn't make it so. Their power supplies are made by Topwer, the same company that supplies OCZ.

    Check out the reviews on ePowers/Tagan psu's.

    Who cares about SLI certification.

  13. #13
    Registered User BadDriver's Avatar
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    Epower makes some of the best power supplies going. SLI cert?? I'll never run SLI so that really doesn't matter to me but I am sure it would handle it fine.

    mpc2 is correct, OCZ and epower are made by the same folks. Why would I toss my truepower for a garbage PSU? I have been studying this move since I upgraded to my x64 system in May. I am going to buy the epower unit.

    The real truth I have found is that a real no name (at least I have never heard of them) brand called Zippy is making about the best PSU money can buy right now. The days of Antec, Enermax, and Enlight being the absolute best are over. These companies still make good power supply units but they no longer rule the roost.

    I even mentioned the Tagan in my first post here. The unit I have decided on has two 12v rails that each have 20 amps. My 430 truepower has 1 20 amp 12v rail. That is one beefy PSU.

  14. #14
    Hail to the Victors dajogejr's Avatar
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    True enough, I don't think you can say any of those 3 ruled the roost, they were and still are among the top brands.

    King of the roost is still a PC Power and Cooling PSU.

    BD...the only reason I suggested the Antec is because from your posts it sounds like you're buying a PSU because it's Modular, which...is like buying a car for the color of it's paint. Bad idea.

    However, you've done your research...which is good. But, before I'd buy a PSU named "zippy" I'll let others try them first. Antec got to be a household name for it's reliability over the years...

    If you're new on the market....I'd rather wait until you're proven until I jump on that ship...

    MPC....who cares about SLI cert? Well...If I had that kind of coin in my PC...which, most hard core gamers do...I'd like that insurance...that's why.

    He mentioned it's an SLI board. If he's not going to use it...I guess it's a wash then...

  15. #15
    Registered User BadDriver's Avatar
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    NO, I don't have an SLI board. LOL. I noticed that most of the complaints on the Antec unit in the first post were from A8N-SLI users.

    Here is where I got the info on the Zippy PSU. http://www.tomshardware.com/howto/20...supply-01.html

    Dumb name but it got very good marks. I don't think I'll be buying a zippy PSU either. The name brings to mind Zippy the Pinhead.

    I have nothing against Antec/Enermax etc. I am just looking for power and lots of it. More than I need now and more than I will need in the forseeable future. I bought this antec a little over a yaer ago and thought it would last through a few upgrades and while it does power the machine that bit of dimness when first entering the windows boot screen is a bit alarming. I'd hate to hear a pop and/or smell smoke at that moment. I have well over $1300 sitting in this box, if it got cooked I'd cry. I mean it, real tears. Unmanly, blubbering, spoiled brat tears.

    This isn't even my dream machine but it is a healthy gamer. 3700+, 6800GT, dual 160 gig HDDs, a gig of Corsair XMS, a liteon DVD combo and regular DVD rom, the floppy I can't live without. You know, my machine.

    According to the PSU calculator on JC's custom PC's http://www.jscustompcs.com/power_supply/ my psu has power to spare but I think I have the 12v rail pushed a little far with everything I have in this box. I'll pick up the Epower and then find this thread and report back. I will most likely order it payday. If I had bought a 50-60 dollar supply I could get it now but I'll hang in there for a week and a half to get what I really want.

    Yes modular is important but I wouldn't buy a carp modular PSU just to have one. I'd deal with tucking away the extra wires like I have always done in the past. I just think having only the wires you need installed is a neat concept.

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