Is this a good power supply?

[about1000monkies]

Hey everybody, so I'm looking at upgrading my girl friends pc and thought I'd post on here to make sure I'm ordering the right parts for the job. This is the pc I'm upgrading : https://support.hp.com/my-en/document/c04556945

I'm adding in a gtx 1060 which needs a 8 pin power supply, recommended 400w. But will this power supply work for what I need? Will it fit the case? https://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA7RD2WX1044&cm_re=500w_power_supply-_-17-438-012-_-Product

Thanks for any replies, sorry for being a noob at building computers lol

 

[zyh1987]

It’s a budget, entry level segment psu. Should be fine for you 1060. It’s mediocre, not bad not great.

 

[Aeacus]

EVGA 500 B1 fits just fine in that PC case. Though, EVGA B1 series have mediocre build quality.

 

[Rexper]

It mediocre at best, but why even consider it when there are much better powers supplies at the price.

An example being the Corsair CX450m or CX550m.

 

[Aeacus]

It mediocre at best, but why even consider it when there are much better powers supplies at the price.

An example being the Corsair CX450m or CX550m.

Corsair CXm series has the same build quality as EVGA B1 series and they are in no way better PSUs. If you want something better from EVGA B1 and Corsair CXm series then look towards Seasonic lineup, e.g M12II EVO or Focus+ series.

 

[madmatt30]

^ the cxm is WAY better than an evga b1.

Youre comparing a cwt dc-dc platform based off the old rm series versus a cheap group regulated unit from hec.

No comparison.

 

[Aeacus]

While Corsair CXm series can be better than EVGA B1 series, they are nowhere near to the build quality of Seasonic units. Hence why Corsair CXm series are also mediocre quality units. Mostly because Corsair CXm series units fail to meet ATX PSU standard.

Also, just because PSU is group regulated doesn't instantly mean it's worse than DC-DC regulated unit. Great example is Seasonic S12II series which is also group regulated and far better than Corsair CXm series DC-DC regulated unit.

 

[Rexper]

What? For the most part, the Corsair CXM does meat the atx part. Especially the part that describes the psu having DC-DC...

Do you have sources that back this up, because reputable reviews are suggesting something else.

And how in the world is the S12ii better than Corsair CXM?!! It has worse regulation, especially Crossload, worse fan profile, the build quality isn’t much better, and missing important protections that the CXM has like OCP and OTP.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/corsair-cx650m-psu,4770.html

 

[Aeacus]

What? For the most part, the Corsair CXM does meat the atx part. Especially the part that describes the psu having DC-DC...

Do you have sources that back this up, because reputable reviews are suggesting something else.

And how in the world is the S12ii better than Corsair CXM?!! It has worse regulation, especially Crossload, worse fan profile, the build quality isn’t much better, and missing important protections that the CXM has like OCP and OTP.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/corsair-cx650m-psu,4770.html

First off, review of S12II-520 from JonnyGuru: http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story&reid=185

I'll take Corsair CX550m as an example.
Older models of Corsair CXm series (with green labels) were so bad units that they ended up as Tier Four in PSU Tier list. Corsair has since improved their CXm line (with gray labels) and now, they are better but not enough to be part of Tier Two. All Seasonic units are either Tier Two or Tier One.
PSU Tier list: www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/id-2547993/psu-tier-list.html

While CXm series are cheap, you won't get solid build quality and all Japanese caps as you can get with many Seasonic units. Here's one in-depth review of CX550m,
link: https://www.hardwareinsights.com/corsair-cx550m-farewell-group-design/

Corsair CX550m does provide some good results but it also provides some bad results. Like hold-up time that is way lower than the ATX standard specifies it to be. CX550m has hold-up time of 11.20 milliseconds while the ATX standard for hold up time is a minimum of 16 milliseconds. For comparison, Seasonic PRIME 650 80+ Titanium (best 650W PSU money can buy at current date) has hold-up time of 30 milliseconds.
Checked the review you linked and CX650m also fails to meet the hold-up time of ATX PSU standard (14.5ms vs 16ms). S12II-520, in the other hand has hold-up time of 20ms (said by JonnyGuru himself, source).

And it's just not the hold-up time, there are other, more apparent things that doesn't make it good quality unit. One of them is the very noisy sleeve bearing fan used in it. At minimum, you're looking 39 dB(A) from the fan, which can rise up to 43.1 dB(A). It's like having 140mm Noctua industrial 3000 RPM fan in your PC running at max speeds.
In S12II-520, there's ADDA AD1212MB-A70GL 120mm fan which may have ball bearing and max noise of 38 dB(A) IF the custom fan, made for Seasonic, is similar to ADDA AD1212MB-A71GL fan. (Fan specs, source). Though, the fan in S12II-520 may not be similar to ADDA AD1212MB-A71GL at all since according to the Seasonic (source), ADDA AD1212MB-A70GL has fluid-dynamic bearing. FDB fans are quieter than ball bearing fans and at max RPM, the fan in S12II-520 may not produce 38 dB(A) at all.
I have S12II-520 in use on my AMD build and i've never heard it to be as loud as my Corsair ML140 Pro fan is at max RPM (ML140 Pro at max RPM produces 37 dB(A)). Sadly, i don't have SPL meter and i can't measure the exact noise output of my S12II-520.

I believe that it's worth mentioning that Corsair CXm series is made by Channel Well Technology who is 2nd grade PSU OEM. Seasonic, in the other hand, is 1st grade PSU OEM. And depending on who you ask, either Seasonic or Super Flower is considered the best PSU OEM in the world.

Since CX550m it has nice list of good things and also bad things, it's a mediocre quality unit (Tier Three). If there were more bad than good (including price) it would be a bad unit and vice-versa.

I, personally, wouldn't use it. While it can be used just fine for an office PC that never sees any high loads and also where the PSU noise isn't that important. But for home use in a gaming PC, where PC longevity and noise are important factors, i'd use and also suggest using better quality and more silent PSU.

Different persons have different standards (some have higher standards while others have lower standards) and it's up to every person to decide how good of a build quality components are safe to use in their PC. But keep in mind that PSU is the most important component inside the PC since it powers everything.
Since i care a lot about all my PCs, i won't put a mediocre quality unit into my PC that fails to meet ATX PSU standards set in place for all OEMs to follow, so that the PSUs are safe to use and doesn't damage other components.
In fact, i've gone above and beyond regarding PSUs in my PCs. Some may call me nuts that i payed €206.80 for a PSU that sits in my Skylake build (Seasonic SSR-650TD) while i would've been safe with a PSU that costs €69.70 (Seasonic SS-520GM2). While that can be true and i could've saved a lot of money, i feel safe and comfortable that my main PC is powered by the best offered by Seasonic.
I won't suggest expensive PSUs when the budget is way restricted. But i still suggest getting a PSU that at least meets all the ATX PSU standards, even if it's fully wired (like Seasonic SS-520GB).

Here's also the link to an ATX PSU standard for anyone who is interested in reading it,
link: http://www.formfactors.org/developer/specs/atx12v%20psdg2.01.pdf

 

[Rexper]

Older models of Corsair CXm series (with green labels) were so bad units that they ended up as Tier Four...

So you are using someone’s opinion after reading half a review, whom likely has less knowledge than either of us, which is outdated and missing many PSUs, and doesn’t even describe why the psus are in each tier (because it’s just their gut feeling)? That’s not a source. That’s just a way to end up with a crap power supply.
If you tiering power supplies by gut feeling, you need to have some knowledge on power supplies.

and all Japanese caps

Very overrated because the design of the PSU has more of an impact. Also the “Japanese” capacitors in the S12ii are made in China anyways, and arent much better than what the CXM uses.

Here's one in-depth review of CX550m,

I remember Stefan Payne, a power supply expert, saying this review wasn’t very reliable.
Anyways the tomshardware review or Cybenetics data are much better to go off.

Checked the review you linked and CX650m also fails to meet the hold-up time of ATX PSU standard (14.5ms vs 16ms). S12II-520, in the other hand has hold-up time of 20ms

Yes, that is one thing the S12ii has over it. But that still doesn’t compare to the lack of OTP and ocp, and out of spec voltages.

At minimum, you're looking 39 dB(A) from the fan, which can rise up to 43.1 dB(A)

You can’t compare noise levels across reviews because everyone has different testing methodology. Use fan RPM, or find a review of each unit using the same methodology.
The CX550M sits on 925RPM until ~330w load where it’s at 1080RPM: https://www.cybenetics.com/d/cybenetics_xR6.pdf
The M12ii 520 starts at 500RPM and at 300w load it’s spinning at 1800RPM: https://ru.gecid.com/power/seasonic_m12ii-520_bronze_evo_edition_ss-520gm2_2015/?s=1

I believe that it's worth mentioning that Corsair CXm series is made by Channel Well Technology who is 2nd grade PSU OEM. Seasonic, in the other hand, is 1st grade PSU OEM. And depending on who you ask, either Seasonic or Super Flower is considered the best PSU OEM in the world.

That is complete BS and wrong on so many levels. I’m not even going to explain because it’s just a stupid point.

it's a mediocre quality unit (Tier Three)

Please don’t use tiers when judging power supplies. It is not helpful to anyone. If the CXM is mediocre in your standards, the S12ii would be sub par, because it has crappy protections and group regulation which is much more important than the downfalls of the CXM.

where PC longevity and noise are important factors

The CXM has better voltage regulation therefor better pc longevity, and quieter at higher loads...

Since i care a lot about all my PCs, i won't put a mediocre quality unit into my PC that fails to meet ATX PSU standards

Then don’t use the s12ii / M12ii because it fails to meet the latest atx specs

 

[jankerson]

Personally I wouldn't put a Corsair CX or CXM in any PC I was building for any reason whatsoever.

If Corsair the RMx is a MUCH better unit and higher quality than the budget line CX or CXM.


That said the Seasonic Focus Plus and EVGA G3 are also excellent choices.