PSU tier list 2.0

[James Mason]

The 750 and 750 TI call for 400w minimum. It will probably "run" on a lower capacity unit, but so will a lot of cards. Doesn't make it a good idea. Also, I don't think I've ever seen a 300w unit with a 6 pin PCI connector. There may be some, but I'm not familiar with any. Most the 750 TI models need at least a 6 pin, although I know there are a few that don't require a supplemental connector.

Only a few 750ti models require a 6pin, usually the extremely heavily OC'd ones.
Like this Zotac: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA5751ZT1539
And this EVGA: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814487028
But not this MSI: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127783

 

[Darkbreeze]

Also because it's not uncommon, in fact, according to some folks I've chatted with on this issue including Steve Burke from Gamers Nexus, it's actually almost commonplace, for cards to spike out of spec to a significant degree. So if you have a 300w unit in use with a system that draws 250w from the socket, and it spikes, you had best hope you have a unit that can actually support as much or hopefully more than it's rated capacity and amperage.

 

[Darkbreeze]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121855&cm_re=GTX_750_TI-_-14-121-855-_-Product

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125502&cm_re=GTX_750_TI-_-14-125-502-_-Product



Those are two of the first three results on Newegg for GTX 750 TI. Both need 6 pins. There are more than a few, but I agree there are many that also don't.

 

[Turb0Yoda]

Yeah. But I'm going with a card that has 10-15 TDP less than a 750 ti, so that should help. I'm not going to be gaming on it either. It's more because my current one has OpenGL 2.0 and DirectX 9c, and I have windows 10 in a dual boot....

 

[Darkbreeze]

Plus, yours isn't some no name off brand piece of OEM junk. If it's made by Delta the chances are it's fairly decent, for a low capacity model.

 

[Turb0Yoda]

Plus, yours isn't some no name off brand piece of OEM junk. If it's made by Delta the chances are it's fairly decent, for a low capacity model.

I'm certain it's Delta because I've put the CPU too 100% while doing some things and from what I can see, nothing is broken yet.

 

[ko888]

The 750 and 750 TI call for 400w minimum. It will probably "run" on a lower capacity unit, but so will a lot of cards. Doesn't make it a good idea. Also, I don't think I've ever seen a 300w unit with a 6 pin PCI connector. There may be some, but I'm not familiar with any. Most the 750 TI models need at least a 6 pin, although I know there are a few that don't require a supplemental connector.

NVIDIA disagrees with you. At the bottom of their specs pages for both the GeForce GTX 750 and the GeForce GTX 750 Ti it states:

Minimum System Power Requirement (W) 300 W

http://www.geforce.com/hardware/desktop-gpus/geforce-gtx-750/specifications
http://www.geforce.com/hardware/desktop-gpus/geforce-gtx-750-ti/specifications

Just before the card was initially released, 400 W was being bandied about but sometime after release it was changed.

 

[Darkbreeze]

I realize that the Nvidia spec says 300w but the MSI and RealHardtechX recommendations are 400w. Again, I realize that too is meant to be a safety net feature in the event of a crappy PSU model, but there are also some 750 TI models that the manufacturer themselves recommend a 450w unit for. I don't think I'd want to run my 150.00 card, if that's what I had, on a ten dollar power supply though.

I know a lot of people do it though. I also know a lot of people buy new graphics cards and power supplies for no apparent reason though as well, when the one they have suddenly goes "poof" or quits working.

Nvidia can disagree all they want, so long as they agree to replace failed hardware that was run on a minimum spec unit. Until then, I'd opt for something at least a little higher than spec to offer some measure of "poof" protection.

 

[ko888]

I realize that the Nvidia spec says 300w but the MSI and RealHardtechX recommendations are 400w. Again, I realize that too is meant to be a safety net feature in the event of a crappy PSU model, but there are also some 750 TI models that the manufacturer themselves recommend a 450w unit for. I don't think I'd want to run my 150.00 card, if that's what I had, on a ten dollar power supply though.

I know a lot of people do it though. I also know a lot of people buy new graphics cards and power supplies for no apparent reason though as well, when the one they have suddenly goes "poof" or quits working.

Nvidia can disagree all they want, so long as they agree to replace failed hardware that was run on a minimum spec unit. Until then, I'd opt for something at least a little higher than spec to offer some measure of "poof" protection.

Anyone that just looks at the PSU's wattage to determine if it can power the graphics card in a specific system doesn't have a clue what they're doing.

 

[The Grox Empire]

Can anyone explain to me why CX series Downtiered. I bought the CX500W yesterday and im scared

 

[Darkbreeze]

I realize that the Nvidia spec says 300w but the MSI and RealHardtechX recommendations are 400w. Again, I realize that too is meant to be a safety net feature in the event of a crappy PSU model, but there are also some 750 TI models that the manufacturer themselves recommend a 450w unit for. I don't think I'd want to run my 150.00 card, if that's what I had, on a ten dollar power supply though.

I know a lot of people do it though. I also know a lot of people buy new graphics cards and power supplies for no apparent reason though as well, when the one they have suddenly goes "poof" or quits working.

Nvidia can disagree all they want, so long as they agree to replace failed hardware that was run on a minimum spec unit. Until then, I'd opt for something at least a little higher than spec to offer some measure of "poof" protection.

Anyone that just looks at the PSU's wattage to determine if it can power the graphics card in a specific system doesn't have a clue what they're doing.

True enough, unfortunately it IS what most users and novice builders do. Perhaps the card and PSU manufacturers should make amperage reqirements the predominant advertised spec and requirement rather than hiding them in hard to find places so the average consumer can not only find them, but will use them as a more accurate guideline.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Can anyone explain to me why CX series Downtiered. I bought the CX500W yesterday and im scared

They were demoted because they have a higher than acceptable early failure rate when used with gaming cards or overclocked systems.

 

[The Grox Empire]

Can anyone explain to me why CX series Downtiered. I bought the CX500W yesterday and im scared

They were demoted because they have a higher than acceptable early failure rate when used with gaming cards or overclocked systems.

So its still safe to use to system with R9 370 but doesnt overclocking?

 

[de5_Roy]

So its still safe to use to system with R9 370 but doesnt overclocking?

with a pentium, it will run as long as it's warranty duration is.
with an fx6300-9590 or any 95w+ cpu, no.

keep in mind that these are purpose-built low end power supplies. they won't kill your pc right away, they're simply not suitable for continuous medium-high load operation.

 

[Freddy666]

please add:

Antec VP400PC VP500PC

CHIEFTEC Smart Series GPS-350A8 GPS-400A8 GPS-450A8 GPS-500A8 GPS-550A8 GPS-600A8 GPS-650A8 GPS-700A8

Cooler Master B500 B600 B700

DeepCool DN400 V2 400W 500W
DeepCool DA500-M 500W
DeepCool DQ750 DQ1000 (80+ GOLD)

Enermax NAXN Basic 450W 500W

Fractal Design Tesla R2 500W 650W 800W 1000W (80+GOLD)

FSP Hexa Plus 400W 500W
FSP Hyper 500W 600W 700W
FSP Raider 550W 650W 750W (80+ SILVER)

LC Power Silent Giant Series - Green Power
LC Power Metatron Gaming Series
LC Power Gold Series
LC Power LC7600 V2.3 X_Type - Pro-Line Series (80+ BRONZE)

OCZ Fatal1ty 550W
OCZ MXStream Pro 600W

Real Power RP500 RP600 (80+ BRONZE)

SeaSonic SS-400ET (80+ BRONZE)

Spire Black Eagle 450W 550W 650W 750W
Spire Silent Eagle 450W 550W 650W 750W

XFX Pro Core Edition 450W 550W 650W 750W 850W (80+ BRONZE)

Xilence Gaming 600W 700W 800W (80+ BRONZE)

Zalman GLX 500W 600W 700W
Zalman GV 500W 600W 700W (80+ BRONZE)

 

[Saga Lout]

Add to what, Fred?.

 

[Freddy666]

Add to what, Fred?.

to tier list, those PSU are missing

 

[MarkW]

Show us some reviews on them... From respected reviewers.

 

[dottorrent]

Pretty much all of those units are on the tier list. If it says Series, it means all. If some are not on there, there is no sufficient data to list it.

 

[Freddy666]

Pretty much all of those units are on the tier list. If it says Series, it means all. If some are not on there, there is no sufficient data to list it.

then put it on un-tiered list

 

[Freddy666]

why is Corsair VS series at Tier 3, because it is not better than CX series

 

[Saga Lout]

It's time to put in another reminder that some PSUs which show on the list as poor quality are mostly determined as such by US reviewers. In the UK, as with all other PSUs, the CX range has been built to British Standards of electrical equiment and wouldn't be allowed on the market if they behaved as badly as some have in the States and elsewhere. It's also a fact that the CX range is the only PSU available in the town where I live at wekends when the trade counters are closed. They also cost a lot more than other makes would, if they were available, which in turn is also a lot more than they sell for in the States.

I recently paid £49 GBP for a CX 430 to replace my test bench PSU which was an unbranded OEM unit taken from a dead PC and had worked for me for over a year. £49 GBP is over $76 USD and 4,900 INR if that helps so these are not cheap units. Someone in India looking for a 20,000 Rupee build is going to spend a quarter of that on a Corsair CX PSU alone.

Remember, manufacturing standards vary from country to country so seek local opinion before taking too much notice of the tier scheme.

 

[MarkW]

THe Corsair CX line tests out great when new. Then a year or two later, it appears that capacitors are failing.

Do the brits go back and test these things 1 to 2 years after they start being used? I would highly doubt it.

I was the one that asked for the Corsair CX line to be lowered to Tier 4. And I did so because of the shear volumes of people showing up here asking for help with a fairly new power supply that was already showing signs of failing capacitors. It was discussed, and then done. Go back and find my post on page 14 I believe it on.

 

[Saga Lout]

I almost certainly read it when it was new. Our Standards people do revisit equipment over the passage of time and if failure rates rose to complaint level, a product would have its Kite Mark withdrawn and could no longer be sold here.

I have in my own main Windows machine, a CX600M which has been there since they were first sold here. It works an fifteen hour day seven days a week. My Linux servers runs all day every day on a ageing OEM 350 Watt that would have been condemned and thrown away by its present age. British Stardards Institute requirements are high but they save us money in the long term.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Can anyone explain to me why CX series Downtiered. I bought the CX500W yesterday and im scared

They were demoted because they have a higher than acceptable early failure rate when used with gaming cards or overclocked systems.

So its still safe to use to system with R9 370 but doesnt overclocking?

It's "safe" to use, it just may not last as long as some other models. Since you already have the unit, there's probably no reason not to use it unless you can return it and purchase a better model.