What Wattage should I buy?

[dknutson]

After searching the web for articles on how to reliably get a PSU, I have decided to ask the experts at the TH fourm!
I was wondering what wattage PSU I should get for this build.

The HDD, MB, Media Drive, and Processor are:

AMD Phenom II X4 925: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103656
ASUS AM3 790GX: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131366
WD Caviar Blue 7200RPM 500GB HDD: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136111
Samsung OEM DVD-Burner: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151188

The video is on the motherboard, so no videocard is needed.
What wattage should I get for this build? Also, what brands would you use for the PSU?

Thanks a lot!!!
--Dylan

 

[gracefully]

While you can probably run that system with around 300 W, I suggest you get 500 W. It's just a precaution, just in case you decide to install more accessories or decide to put in a discrete video card. Brands like Thermaltake, Corsair, Enermax, Silverstone, and many others are good brands.

 

[deadlockedworld]

Hi there,

I would suggest you stick with the most reliable brands: Corsair, Antec, Seasonic, or OCZ. Depending on how important energy efficiency is to you there is excellent models ranging from $40 and up.

You dont need high wattage if you arent running a gaming class graphics card-- so the emphasis should be on getting a quality unit. (realistically your system only needs like 200w--but i'm going higher in order to get a well-built unit)

Low cost, but high quality option: Corsair 400CX $39 after MIR.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139008&Tpk=corsair%20400cx
I own this PSU and its fantastic. Almost silent, 3 year warranty, 82%+ efficiency, blows cool air out of my case, etc. Its also powerful enough to run a medium range graphic card if you ever decide that you want to in the future.

If you want to pay a little more this Seasonic 380W has a better warranty (5 year) and runs slightly more efficiently (87%)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151072

You wont regret getting a quality brand power supply-- cheap PSUs are what kill most mass produced PCs, and a high quality one can help protect your computer from shocks and etc.

 

[logan the huge]

Antec EA 380 for $40 is another good option if you don't ever plan on adding a high end GPU.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371033

If you do have some GPU upgrade plans(would be kind of a waste of a 790gx board if you didn't) then let us know what they are so we can help you select a more appropriate PSU.

 

[rreeder]

Get at least a PSU rated at over 80% efficiency. Also get more wattage than you need for future upgrades to your graphics cards, extra hard drives, dvd drives, ect. Don't worry about using extra power with a higher output PSU, it will only pull the wattage that is required for your system. Your system probably only pulls about 200 watts now, but some newer top tier graphics cards like NVIDIA's GTX 275 or GTX 295 will pull over 200 watts when playing intense high res games. Also the price difference isn't that much, so get a good one around 500 watts and sleep better knowing you can upgrade latter if you want.

 

[Vixe]

I would recommend any 500W OCZ PSU. They are quiet, reliable, and opens room for upgrading later.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

To find out how big you need, go here:

http://www.antec.outervision.com/

To find out what to buy, go here:

http://www.silentpcreview.com/Recommended_PSUs

To get a 2nd opinion, go here:

I agree with the 500 watt minimum, my recommendation is the bolded one among the choices below:

Antec EA-550 - 9.5 performance rating @ $69
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371007
http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story4&reid=35

Corsair VX550 - 9.5 performance rating @ $94 ($10 MIR)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139004
http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story4&reid=62

Seasonic X-650 - 10.0 performance rating @ $159 (X series and M series are the ones to buy, others ....ehhhh). The M12II-430 is a good choice.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151088

Silverstone ST50EF-Plus 500W $99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817256008

Silverstone ST45NF 450W - 9.5 performance rating (NLA @ newegg)
http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story4&reid=129

Silverstone Zeus ST56ZF 560W 8.0 performance rating @ $89 (after 420 MIR)
http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story2&reid=19
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817163111

OCZ - OCS PSU's are a bit hard to judge, not often reviewed and they change their series names a lot (GameXtream, ModXtream, Evostream. Here's a review of a GameXtreme which garnered a 7.5 The newer Z series managed a 8.5 but it still doesn't put it in the quality range of the ones above.
http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story3&reid=24
http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story5&reid=167

 

[deadlockedworld]

Antec EA 380 for $40 is another good option if you don't ever plan on adding a high end GPU.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371033

If you do have some GPU upgrade plans(would be kind of a waste of a 790gx board if you didn't) then let us know what they are so we can help you select a more appropriate PSU.

This Antec is a good option for you too. You don't have any reason to spend more for a 550w or 650w power supply.

 

[dknutson]

Antec EA 380 for $40 is another good option if you don't ever plan on adding a high end GPU.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371033

If you do have some GPU upgrade plans(would be kind of a waste of a 790gx board if you didn't) then let us know what they are so we can help you select a more appropriate PSU.

So are you saying that the 790gx board is a waste of money if I am not going to get a video card? Because the 790GX comes with on board video. Do you think this on board video will be enough for just running business programs like QuickBooks, Word, Excel, ect? Or is this board even overkill for that?

Thanks!

 

[deadlockedworld]

Onboard video will be fine for business programs, but many cheaper boards come with it.

This board has two graphics card slots-- and you need 0. You are paying extra for stuff you wont use.

You could either get a cheaper board and $20 graphics card that would be vastly better than the integrated graphics, or we can find a cheaper board with integrated-- i'll look.

 

[deadlockedworld]

This might be a cheaper option:

CPU and Motherboard for $209.98 combo. (although its still more than you need)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.335021

 

[dknutson]

This might be a cheaper option:

CPU and Motherboard for $209.98 combo. (although its still more than you need)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.335021

Thanks a lot for the help! From what it sounds like, a very inexpensive graphics card on an inexpensive motherboard should be enough for running these applications.

I found a combo deal that has a MB with no internal video, and the Phenom II 4X.: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.335019

Should I put an inexpensive video card onto this, or is this still overkill for what I am doing?

 

[JohnnyLucky]

If you are sure you will only be using mainstream office applications and only want on-board video, then the Corsair CX400 would be an appropriate choice:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139008

If you think you might install a video card:

The general rule of thumb is a high quality 500 to 550 watt power supply with sufficient current (amps) on the +12 volt rail(s) can easily power a system with any single video card made.

A high quality 500 to 550 watt psu will have a +12 volt rail rated at 40 amps.

In addition the power supply should be at least 80+ Bronze certified for energy efficiency. There are some models available which have achieved 80+ Silver and 80+ Gold Certifications.

Corsair and Seasonic are two of the brands that have a reputation for high quality power supplies that consistently earn high marks in technical reviews. They are reliable, stable, and come with a 5 year warranty. Some of the newer models come with a 7 year warranty. Lately we've been seeing a few other brands offering some high quality units. One example would be the Antec Earthwatts series which is a major improvement over Antec’s older psu’s like the Basiq models.

 

[dknutson]

If you are sure you will only be using mainstream office applications and only want on-board video, then the Corsair CX400 would be an appropriate choice:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139008

If you think you might install a video card:

The general rule of thumb is a high quality 500 to 550 watt power supply with sufficient current (amps) on the +12 volt rail(s) can easily power a system with any single video card made.

A high quality 500 to 550 watt psu will have a +12 volt rail rated at 40 amps.

In addition the power supply should be at least 80+ Bronze certified for energy efficiency. There are some models available which have achieved 80+ Silver and 80+ Gold Certifications.

Corsair and Seasonic are two of the brands that have a reputation for high quality power supplies that consistently earn high marks in technical reviews. They are reliable, stable, and come with a 5 year warranty. Some of the newer models come with a 7 year warranty. Lately we've been seeing a few other brands offering some high quality units. One example would be the Antec Earthwatts series which is a major improvement over Antec’s older psu’s like the Basiq models.

Thanks for the idea, but I think I will get the PSU with the Case in a combo deal, here: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.335361

 

[deadlockedworld]

That antec case and PSU is a good option for you--you dont need anymore power than that.

 

[JohnnyLucky]

The Antec Earthwatts EA500 is a very good power supply. If you ever decide to install a video card the power supply will be able to deliver the necessary power.

 

[dknutson]

Mkay, Thanks to all that helped me with this build. My (semi) final layout will be:

AC Freezer 7 Pro: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186134
WD Caviar Blue 500GB HDD: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136111
G.Skill 4GB 1600 MHz Ram Kit: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231193
Gigabyte MB + AMD Phenom 4X 925 Combo: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.335021
Antec 300 Illusion Case + Antec Earthwatts 500W PSU Combo: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.335361

Totaling out (with tax and shipping) to be... dun dun da da.... $621.44!

I think it looks good, any comments, improvements, or questions before I start the build?

And again, thanks to all the people who helped me through this (rigorous) process!

 

[logan the huge]

Hold up, there's a problem. That MB is a DDR2 board and won't work with your memory.

You need one of these that has 1600mhz memory support and preferably dedicated sideport memory for the on-board graphics:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010200022%201070946178%20107191003%201071948911&name=AMD%20785G

 

[dknutson]

Hold up, there's a problem. That MB is a DDR2 board and won't work with your memory.

You need one of these that has 1600mhz memory support and preferably dedicated sideport memory for the on-board graphics:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010200022%201070946178%20107191003%201071948911&name=AMD%20785G

Well I found one without the sideport memory, and is compatible with the processor and the ram, but it has no on board graphics so no sideport. Should I buy an inexpensive GPU to go with this, or just sacrifice the price savings in the combo to buy the MB and CPU separately (I think if I do this then it is not cost effective).

Here is the board without the onboard graphics and CPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.335019
Also, it is compatible with 1666MHz ram, but it will adjust the ram to work with it, right?

 

[logan the huge]

You could go with that combo and then get one of these cards
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010380048%204025%201069633099%201305520549%201068509617%204808&name=Free%20Shipping&ActiveSearchResult=True

or this combo
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.334826

Both will do the job, it just depends on how you feel about the value of rebates.

 

[deadlockedworld]

Nice catch-- I must have seen the 1333 and thought it was ddr3.

 

[dknutson]

Wow, its going to be hard to select a best answer! Special thanks to deadlockedwo and Logan the Huge, you guys were a huge help.

Western Digital Caviar Blue WD5000AAKB 500GB 7200 RPM: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136111
G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231193
ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 7 Pro Rev.2 92mm Fluid Dynamic CPU Cooler: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186134

Combo:
Antec earthwatts EA500 500W Continuous Power ATX12V v2.2: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.335361
Antec Three Hundred Illusion Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.335361

Combo:
AMD Phenom II X4 925 Deneb 2.8GHz Socket AM3 95W Quad-Core Processor: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.334826
ASUS M4A785TD-V EVO AM3 AMD 785G HDMI ATX AMD Motherboard: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.334826

So, Ill run this by you guys once more, I promise! See anything wrong? Comments, questions, ideas? Ive looked over this a few times, and have yet to find anything that is incompatible.

Thanks again guys!

 

[logan the huge]

I would change the cpu cooler to the CM Hyper 212+. It's bigger, better and less expensive.
http://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-RR-B10-212P-G1-Universal-Heat-Pipe/dp/B002G1YPH0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=pc&qid=1266726513&sr=1-1
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065

Amazon is cheaper with free shipping so I'd get it there.

You can also check Tom's recent CPU cooler comparison test which featured both the Freezer 7 92mm and the Hyper 212+.
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/lga-1156-heatsink,2535-14.html

Also, unless there's a special reason you need an IDE hard drive I would definitely avoid those and get one of these instead:
Seagate 7200.12 500GB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148395
or
Samsung F3 500GB (which seems to have disappeared from newegg)

Other than that, I think you're good to go.

 

[deadlockedworld]

ok-- we are getting the tom's spin here-- hes looking for a workstation not a high performance overclocking machine.

1. You do not need to buy a CPU cooler. The processor comes with one that will work just fine. Only people that are overclocking need better coolers.

2. I think the motherboard you have chosen is really sweet-- but if you want to save money you definitely have cheaper options. Once again this is board designed for a high end computer and has slots for multiple graphics cards.

Go on newegg and look up the AM3 Socket and AMD Northbridge (ati 4200) -- you can find motherboards for $59 that do everything you need one to do.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010200022%201070946178%20107191003&bop=And&ActiveSearchResult=True&Order=PRICE

3. Everything else looks sweet