Need Final Approval

[AceofSpades117]

Hey all, I don't completely understand all the aspects of choosing a PSU and wanted your advice. This is my build:

Processor: Intel Core i5 3570K
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116504
RAM: Corsair Vengeance 8GB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145345
GPU: Sapphire Radeon HD 7850 2GB OC
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102999
Motherboard: Asus PZ77-V LK
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131837
SSD: Samsung 830 Series 128GB Desktop Upgrade Kit
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820147134
Case: Cooler Master Storm Scout
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119196
Monitor: Asus VE228H
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236100
OS: Windows 7 Home Premium 64 Bit SP1 OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116986

Here's the PSU I am considering:
SeaSonic M12II 520W
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151093

I know this PSU has a sufficient wattage, but I am unsure about amps and 12V rails. Does this PSU supply enough to run the above system? Take note that the case comes with two 140mm fans and one 120mm fan. It has space for 2 more 120mm fans on the window, but I probably won't use them.

 

[cutebeans]

Hi, just get this

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139020

It's a 650w which also has enough power to power up 2 7850 IF you want to .

 

[JKatwyopc]

Use this to calculate your PSU needs. Be sure to include components that you intend to add-on later such as Crossfire graphics cards, additional fans, etc. http://extreme.outervision.com/psucalculatorlite.jsp

 

[Sakkura]

Here's the PSU I am considering:
SeaSonic M12II 520W
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151093

I know this PSU has a sufficient wattage, but I am unsure about amps and 12V rails. Does this PSU supply enough to run the above system? Take note that the case comes with two 140mm fans and one 120mm fan. It has space for 2 more 120mm fans on the window, but I probably won't use them.

Yes, it's plenty as long as you don't plan to buy an extra 7850 to run in Crossfire. You are officially authorized to purchase this system.

Edit: It's actually possible to run Crossfire 7850s off that PSU too. But I'd probably get a 600W PSU if you plan to do that, just to have some wiggle room.

 

[AceofSpades117]

Use this to calculate your PSU needs. Be sure to include components that you intend to add-on later such as Crossfire graphics cards, additional fans, etc. http://extreme.outervision.com/psucalculatorlite.jsp

Well, I used this and set it to two 7850s, two sticks of DDR3 RAM, two SSDs (I wasn't sure whether the 830 was Flash or DRAM so I set the calc to one of each), six USB devices (more than I will ever have), one regular 140mm fan, one LED 140mm fan, one LED 120mm fan (all the fans that come with the case), one DVD/CD-RW combo drive (which I probably won't have), 100% CPU utilization, 100% system load, and 20% capacitator aging and got a recommended wattage of 552W. Since I probably won't have a DVD/CD-RW drive, six USB devices, two SSDs, a second 7850, and 100% CPU utilization and system load, I feel that the PSU I chose will be sufficient. However, one thing I am confused on is that AMD recommends a 500W PSU for a single 7850 and 600W for two. When I used the PSU calc for a more realistic system in terms of number of USB devices, SSDs, CD/DVD drives, etc. and set it to one 7850, I got a recommendation of only 354W. When I changed it to two 7850s, I got only 453W. Was AMD just accounting for the possibility of a large number of fans, disk drives, HDDs/SSDs, etc.?

 

[JKatwyopc]

They always overestimate the PSU requirements by quite a bit because Some PSU's do not output the full wattage and current for which they are rated.

Another factor to look at is the number of PCIe power cables. In general, PSU's rated for less than 500W have 0-1 PCIe power connectors, 500W - 650W have two PCIe connectors, and 650 + have 2-4 PCIe power connectors. The newer the design of the PSU, the more PCIe power connectors it is likely to have. Just make sure to check how many PCIe connectors you will need for your graphics card(s) and make sure that the PSU you are putting in your system has enough PCIe connectors to do the job.

 

[AceofSpades117]

They always overestimate the PSU requirements by quite a bit because Some PSU's do not output the full wattage and current for which they are rated.

Another factor to look at is the number of PCIe power cables. In general, PSU's rated for less than 500W have 0-1 PCIe power connectors, 500W - 650W have two PCIe connectors, and 650 + have 2-4 PCIe power connectors. The newer the design of the PSU, the more PCIe power connectors it is likely to have. Just make sure to check how many PCIe connectors you will need for your graphics card(s) and make sure that the PSU you are putting in your system has enough PCIe connectors to do the job.

Well, I checked and the 7850 requires one 6-pin PCI-E power connector. The SeaSonic M12II 520W has one 6-pin and one 6+2 pin power connector. The SeaSonic M12II 620W has the same. Here is a comparison of the two: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Productcompare.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=-1&IsNodeId=1&Description=seasonic%20m12ii&bop=And&CompareItemList=-1%7C17-151-093%5E17-151-093-TS%2C17-151-095%5E17-151-095-TS
Since I am 99% sure that I won't Crossfire (if I do, it won't be for a long time and I can get another PSU if necessary) and I would rather put the $20 difference to something else, I think I'm going to get the SeaSonic M12II 520W.

It seems I have forgotten about thermal paste. I'll go with the Arctic Silver 5 thermal paste because 90% of the 5600+ reviews on Newegg are 5/5 eggs and it is the name that I see consistently here on the tomshardware forums.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835100007

 

[Sakkura]

You only need thermal paste if you go with a custom CPU cooler (and only if it doesn't come with any), which by the way is a good idea with that overclockable CPU.

PS: Mayonnaise is pretty good thermal paste too.
http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/printpage/Thermal-Compound-Roundup-October-2011/1396

 

[AceofSpades117]

You only need thermal paste if you go with a custom CPU cooler (and only if it doesn't come with any), which by the way is a good idea with that overclockable CPU.

PS: Mayonnaise is pretty good thermal paste too.
http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/printpage/Thermal-Compound-Roundup-October-2011/1396

Yeah my friend is also building a system and I told him today, "Don't forget about thermal paste," and he told me it comes with the stock CPU cooler. I went to another knowledgeable friend and he confirmed it. So it looks like I won't need it after all. :lol: Anyway, I won't be overclocking for a while, so I'm not getting a custom cooler because I know the stock one is sufficient for a stock clock speed.