Fractal Design Defini Mini & XFX Core Edition Pro 850W

[mark_e_smith]

Now then. Long time lurker, first time poster.

I'm getting a new case...pretty much settled on the define mini (£65 on amazon, may still be tempted by the r4, though it's pricier at £80). And I'm also looking for a new psu...and reckon I'll go for the xfx 850w (£80 on amazon).

http://www.fractal-design.com/?view=product&category=2&prod=58
http://xfxforce.com/en-gb/Products/Power-Supply/XFX/Pro-Series/ProSeries-850W-PSU/P1-850S-UKB9.aspx

The mini can accommodate psu's "circa" 170mm in length and still have room for the bottom 120/140mm fan, or so it claims. The xfx is listed as 170mm in length.

So...has anyone tried to combine the 2? Could I fit the xfx into the define mini, and still have room for a 140mm fan, or even a 120? I'd email FD and ask them, but they still haven't replied to one that i sent two weeks ago, bless em.

 

[TheBigTroll]

no point putting such a large psu in a matx case. get something thats 550w.

if you were planning on SLI, dont bother with it in a small matx case. it just equals 80+ temps on both cards

 

[13thmonkey]

I'll have a look later at my define mini, but +1 to troll.

I've just update my P180 v1 to an R4, and its significantly quieter, and cooler. It would also give you room to grow. my define mini is on my server, where it is a little louder, the 140mm fans are very much worth it.

 

[mark_e_smith]

aye, originally I was planning around the 500-650w range, but then saw the xfx for not much more money. The other two I'm considering are the seasonic s12 520w and the ocz zs650w (both at £65).

http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story&reid=185
http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/OCZ-ZS-Series-650-W-Power-Supply-Review/1361/1

I might have to reinforce my desk if I go for the r4. How's yours monkey, does it pack a few pounds?

 

[13thmonkey]

its a heavy old thing, but its on the floor. so quiet and so cool though, idle is down 2-3C, and load possibly 4-5C down, and the P180 was best in class in its day.

watch the amps on the s12 520, my s12 600 (older version though) only has 2 6 pin pci-e, and 36 12V amps, very low for a modern system.

I'll respond in a few hours about the define mini.

 

[mark_e_smith]

Yeah, it's meant to be 40a in the seasonic. Another option is the Inwin Greenme 650w, which according to jonny guru is 54.

http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story6&reid=327

Size-wise of the psu, it appears the r4 can take pretty big ones and still have the bottom fan usuable. The one in the first pic is fractal design tesla at 160mm...so I reckon a xfx at 170mm would have no bother, and the second one is an antec signature, which is meant to be 180mm, and it looks like while the 140 mounts might be obscured, the r4 could take one of that length and still have a 120 down there.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Fractal_Design/Define_R4/images/instpsu.jpg
http://images.bit-tech.net/content_images/2012/07/fractal-design-define-r4-review/define_r4-24b.jpg

 

[TheBigTroll]

there is no point of buying a bigger psu just because its a bit more. get the wattage you need. the xfx 550w is good for that

 

[mark_e_smith]

there is no point of buying a bigger psu just because its a bit more. get the wattage you need. the xfx 550w is good for that

550 will do for now, no probs. But later this year, I'll be getting a new graphics card, and come next year, it's time to get a new mobo and processor, so bigger will give me more options for those in the future.

 

[TheBigTroll]

processors only get more efficient and video cards only get more efficient. either way 550w is more than enough

 

[mark_e_smith]

I'd not looked at it that way, thanks. Is this mainly applicable to high end things though? Like when I say I'll be getting new gpu/cpu/mobo, I mean it'll be new out of the box, but will no doubt have been on the market for a few years...it won't be high end stuff, but it will have grunt.

 

[TheBigTroll]

550w will last you a while. its seasonic made, which is always quality (just hope you dont get a defective unit, but if you do, xfx warranty is pretty good)

 

[mark_e_smith]

I got a respnose from a different question from fractal design, regarding the r4 and define mini. I asked them how many fans could be run (in theory, using splitters) off the built-in fan controller. Here's what they said:

"The fan controllers included in the Define R4 and Define Mini are not exactly the same, but none of them should be connected to more than three fans. They both have three pin connectors."

Has anyone got experience off this? i.e. is this just their stock answer, or is it possible to run more than 3 fans off the controllers?

 

[TheBigTroll]

there isnt much point of adding fans anyways (or even controlling them). the fans are sufficient enough to move the air around and are quiet enough so that controlling them through the built in hub is not really useful

 

[13thmonkey]

i'd say that's rubbish, the fan controller is just a switch for 5, 7 or 12V, connected to a single molex, given that 2 molex's can feed 75W into a PCI-E connector then you should be able to hang many fans off the controller, 6 at least.

 

[13thmonkey]

+1 troll, didn't think about the question behind the question, my R4 with 2x140mm in the front and 1 x120mm in the rear is keeping a gtx580 and an i5-3570k cooler than in my P180 with 2 front 120's in the upper section and 2 exit 120's