PSU tier list 2.0

[turkey3_scratch]

Is it worth the extra for the G1? http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00K85X2AW/ref=twister_B00NAQB7S0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

No that PSU sucks.

 

[kwa-e]

Picking Tier 1 supplies over T2 units is really only worth it if you need better ripple I'm guessing?

 

[Someone Somewhere]

G1s aren't really recommended; I think they weren't as focused on quality back then.

I'd go for the B2 or the GQ.

Are you sure you need 650W? 550W is usually plenty for a single GPU, and 650W isn't really enough for two.

 

[turkey3_scratch]

Sorry, I was incorrect, the GS has 50mv, but still proves my argument:

^^It looks about the same for all the models. And let's see the voltage regulation for the 550 GS:

3.9% on the 3.3V rail, 2.6% on the 5V rail, and 2.2% on the 12V rail. The Seasonic U1 server is way better than the GS.

 

[turkey3_scratch]

Picking Tier 1 supplies over T2 units is really only worth it if you need better ripple I'm guessing?

I would be weary of assuming ripple is the only differences. If you really want to get down to the meat, it's best to research and compare two units and see their exact differences.

 

[DiegoD]

I'm sorry I'm a bit confused, should I go with the GQ or the G1?

 

[turkey3_scratch]

I'm sorry I'm a bit confused, should I go with the GQ or the G1?

The GQ.

 

[Karadjgne]

GQ : 2 / G1 :0

 

[turkey3_scratch]

GQ : 2 / G1 :0

What's that supposed to mean?

 

[CTurbo]

It means 2 votes for the GQ, and no votes for the G1

 

[Darkbreeze]

'High quality' and 'budget' do not have to be mutually exclusive.

The G2 850W is a budget power supply compared to something like an AX860i, for example.

Yes but the G2 is certainly not marketed as a budget unit, and when you see units like the 600B, the White series, it's clear to me that "budget" refers to the latter more than the former. There are always over-the-top units pricewise, but that doesn't mean reasonably priced quality units like the G2 are budget.

At the risk of having to admit that I agree with TS on something, I think I'm going to have to here.

Just because some companies insist on charging far more for their units than what they should reasonably be able to, doesn't diminish the quality of units sold by other companies that actually charge what they ought to for them that are still of a high standard.

 

[Darkbreeze]

"there really should be no such thing called a "budget" power supply past 450W"

I'd like to know where are the tier-1-quality ATX PSUs in the 150 to 350-watt range? I'm thinking for more mainstream / lower usage systems that don't have discrete graphics, have mid-range non-overclockable CPUs at most, are used for typical home office tasks, web browsing, some photo editing, etc. What is there from brands like Corsair, EVGA, SeaSonic, etc?

Or what about "ultra-budget" Tier 2 units of that wattage range? Like, maybe $30-50 or so? I'd guess the SeaSonic OEM Bronze units, like the SSP-???ET series would be a candidate, but they're not in the tier list at all. Also I'd be concerned about their cable length for routing in a medium size case like the Corsair 300R, NZXT Source 220, etc.

1. I'm not aware of any Tier 1 quality type units in the 150-350w range, because at that capacity they really don't have to be all that great. They will rarely if ever be under any kind of demanding load and almost without exception the majority of people who would only want to install a unit of that capacity would never pay the kind of price that a Tier 1 unit, even a low capacity one, would have to fetch in order for a manufacturer to be even slightly interested in making them in that range.

The same goes for Tier 2 or "ultra whatever". If you want a high quality unit , aside from a VERY few off the beaten path units like the Seasonic Flex-ATX oddball form factor models that are lower capacity, you'll need to look to higher capacity units in the 450 and up range because it's just not a niche that's worthwhile to manufacturers. Sell ten units in two years, to the ten people interested in something that meets that criteria? Why would anybody do that when for the same price they can just grab a decent 450-550w unit and call it a day.

 

[Darkbreeze]

"there really should be no such thing called a "budget" power supply past 450W"

I'd like to know where are the tier-1-quality ATX PSUs in the 150 to 350-watt range? I'm thinking for more mainstream / lower usage systems that don't have discrete graphics, have mid-range non-overclockable CPUs at most, are used for typical home office tasks, web browsing, some photo editing, etc. What is there from brands like Corsair, EVGA, SeaSonic, etc?

How about this?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151148&cm_re=seasonic-_-17-151-148-_-Product

Doesn't come with a power cord though, which you need to purchase seperately in bulk if you're building systems.

Probably better than 99% of OEM units, but not sufficient for enthusiast machines. That's really intended to be a direct replacement for a POS OEM unit.

 

[Darkbreeze]

It means 2 votes for the GQ, and no votes for the G1

Make that 3 votes for the GQ and -1 for the G1.

 

[kwa-e]

Make it -2, for the GQ, I'm in.

 

[logainofhades]

I also agree GQ. For the price, if you want 650w, gold rated, and modular, it is a pretty decent option.

 

[logainofhades]

"there really should be no such thing called a "budget" power supply past 450W"

I'd like to know where are the tier-1-quality ATX PSUs in the 150 to 350-watt range? I'm thinking for more mainstream / lower usage systems that don't have discrete graphics, have mid-range non-overclockable CPUs at most, are used for typical home office tasks, web browsing, some photo editing, etc. What is there from brands like Corsair, EVGA, SeaSonic, etc?

Or what about "ultra-budget" Tier 2 units of that wattage range? Like, maybe $30-50 or so? I'd guess the SeaSonic OEM Bronze units, like the SSP-???ET series would be a candidate, but they're not in the tier list at all. Also I'd be concerned about their cable length for routing in a medium size case like the Corsair 300R, NZXT Source 220, etc.

1. I'm not aware of any Tier 1 quality type units in the 150-350w range, because at that capacity they really don't have to be all that great. They will rarely if ever be under any kind of demanding load and almost without exception the majority of people who would only want to install a unit of that capacity would never pay the kind of price that a Tier 1 unit, even a low capacity one, would have to fetch in order for a manufacturer to be even slightly interested in making them in that range.

The same goes for Tier 2 or "ultra whatever". If you want a high quality unit , aside from a VERY few off the beaten path units like the Seasonic Flex-ATX oddball form factor models that are lower capacity, you'll need to look to higher capacity units in the 450 and up range because it's just not a niche that's worthwhile to manufacturers. Sell ten units in two years, to the ten people interested in something that meets that criteria? Why would anybody do that when for the same price they can just grab a decent 450-550w unit and call it a day.

I agree. No point in spending that much on a lower wattage unit. Probably the best one, in that wattage range is this Seasonic SI2 II unit.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Power Supply: SeaSonic 350W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($42.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $42.99
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-02-05 09:21 EST-0500


But at its price, it is a difficult to recommend it, when for a little more, I can get this.
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Power Supply: XFX 550W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($55.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $55.99
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-02-05 09:22 EST-0500

 

[Onus]

For a non-gaming productivity build, I'd consider even tier-3 a valid choice, given that it will never be stressed.
I'm glad that JG and others are starting to test at 10% loads, where efficiency may have really dropped off.

 

[logainofhades]

At the prices, even a tier 3 can be a tough sell, unless you need it now, and are buying it at like Best Buy or Microcenter. Evga 500b is decent enough for such situations, though.

 

[DiegoD]

Thanks for the help!

 

[RCFProd]

I built a system with FX-8320E+GTX 950 running on a CX430. Personally I am not scared of running such a PSU with this type of system. So far it runs alright, but I wonder how it will be in 2-3 years time.

 

[Darkbreeze]

As we've discussed in the past, most of us agree that from the CX lineup the CX430 is the only one that's probably not a bad investment for the price. There has been a lot of long term success seen with that unit on systems that aren't very demanding, unlike the others that people try to run on systems that should really have a much higher quality unit installed. Even the other CX units are probably fine if you're not using a high load configuration as with overclocking or discreet graphics that require supplemental power.

 

[Onus]

I'm about to use a CX-430M in a mITX case that will start out with a GTX750Ti in it. If, at some point, I decide to upgrade to a GTX950 (unlikely; this will be a backup PC), it should still be fine.

 

[Brandon G]

Well the XFX XT 'bastard' psu is in my case. I'm going to give it a go.

Hopefully tests turn out favorable. I'd be happy if it is at least a Tier 3, but hopefully Tier 2, quality PSU.

A Haswell i7 and GTX 950 are going in this build. It won't be too demanding for light gaming.

 

[tiny voices]

My guess is solid tier 3. I doubt it makes tier 2.