Best low power PSU for efficiency

[dobby]

Hi all

I am about to build a home server, running on atom platform, with 3 HDDs but maybe more in future.

I want the PSU to be efficient as possible as this will be running 24/7 and I pay the bills

I usually go with corsair PSU's for their reliability on desktop systems, but this is a little different.

The ones I have identified are:

330W Seasonic S12II-330 Bronze PSU, 82+% Eff
330W Seasonic S12II-330 Bronze PSU, 82+% Eff

Corsair CX400W

EarthWatts EA380D Although this runs an 80mm fan, not ideal

any thoughts would be great!

 

[Onus]

The Earthwatts is dead silent. I've installed a couple of them this year and the first time I had to check to make sure the system was actually on.

 

[Henry Chinaski]

Take in mind that the PSU achieves its highest efficiency when delivering between 40% and 65% of its maximum wattage.
Any of the PSUs that you post is a good choice. Anyway, I would go for the Seasonic S12II Bronze. It is a solid and efficient PSU with 5 years warranty.
Finaly, If you want the highest efficiency possible, in coming weeks Seasonic will put on the market it's new 400W Gold certified model.

 

[moody89]

Take in mind that the PSU achieves its highest efficiency when delivering between 40% and 65% of its maximum wattage.
Any of the PSUs that you post is a good choice. Anyway, I would go for the Seasonic S12II Bronze. It is a solid and efficient PSU with 5 years warranty.
Finaly, If you want the highest efficiency possible, in coming weeks Seasonic will put on the market it's new 400W Gold certified model.

If it were me I'd be doing as Henry said and hanging on until the 400W Gold model from Seasonic...it's nice to see a manufacturer putting out a high efficiency low power PSU for those of us who like the efficiency but don't need 600W+

 

[dobby]

Hmm the gold does sound good, but I wonder what the prices will be like. All the ones I listed were <£40.

I know what your saying about max efficiency in the mid consumption which is why I going for these PSU, any lower in wattage and they seam to become junk brands.

The 80mm fan is not really a concern because of it noise, but because the atom platform is passively cooled, and with those HDD's so the more air flow the better.

the system will probably spend most of its time ideal, with it max draw on HDD spin up.old

does anyone have any data on the 80+ gold PSU.

Thanks

 

[geofelt]

Some thoughts:

1) Have you calculated how much you will save by using a more efficient psu?
It may take a long time to pay for a gold rated psu.

2) It may pay you better to concentrate on the hard drives to be used.

3) Can you not direct the server to go into sleep state after x minutes of inactivity? Wake it up when you start to use it again.

4) I am no server expert. Is an atom cpu good enough to power one well?

5) Will the server be located where silence needed? If so, go to www.silentpcreview.com for their list of quiet psu's.

 

[Henry Chinaski]

It is fanless and the launch price for the 400w will be around 150$, but I'm not sure about the price. Anyway, for that price you can get even a X-650, which is a gold certified PSU that at low loads is a fanless PSU too... But if you want the best, it costs money.

Here you have the press release: http://www.seasonic.com/new/twevent20100525.htm

Go for the S12II bronze. The bill won't be much different. It's a efficient enough PSU. Don't worry.

 

[dobby]

1). my point exactly, having done some googling it seems the gold PSUs are fan less making them inappropriate anyhow. Bronze will be fine, the difference between gold and bronze would make more sense on high end gaming system consuming 600+ watts where the difference might be measurable, but considering it will be <100watts idle I am not to concerned.

2). It seems 1000Gb drive are cheaper in green flavour anyway so I will be opting for them.

3). I have been think about this, but seeing as one of the functions of this server is a web server, having connecting user wait for it to spool up isn't ideal. If that was the case I probably wouldn't go with an atom, but the low idle wattage + HDD spun down when inactive should be fine.

4). It not a data center just a file server (inc FTP)/web server/small domain server unless I get many connections at the same time most of the time there will be plenty of excess horse power.

FreeNAS which I could go with except it doesn't support a DC without messing with samba, will run fine for home or even small office use on a PII 😀

5). I don't want a concrete mixer in my cupboard but a bit of noise is fine, I imagine the HDD spin up will drown out any fans.

thanks

 

[dobby]

It is fanless and the launch price for the 400w will be around 150$, but I'm not sure about the price. Anyway, for that price you can get even a X-650, which is a gold certified PSU that at low loads is a fanless PSU too... But if you want the best, it costs money.

Here you have the press release: http://www.seasonic.com/new/twevent20100525.htm

Go for the S12II bronze. The bill won't be much different. It's a efficient enough PSU. Don't worry.

Yes I am tending towards the seasonic. after some research, it seems cheaper Corsair PSUs are made Seasonic anyhow.