Good mATX PSU

luhai · Post by **luhai** » Mon Nov 07, 2005 11:05 pm

hi,
I looking for a good mATX PSU to buy over the winter break. I have a HTPC case(A100), sr mATX/SFX type of PSU is required. I have a 200W Sparkle PSU now, but it's loud and I don't think it can handle the new video card I'm will buy.

So far I have found 2 suitable one on Newegg:

FSP300-60GLS
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6817104904

Super Versatile 250W
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6817151026

It will power
MSI RS480M2
A64 3000+ Winchester
1 200GB Seagate SATA
1 80mm fan and 1 92mm Fan
(X700Pro/x800GTO/6800GS)*

*I really can't find any decent mATX PSU >350W that's below $50, I might go will lower powered x700pro. Also I heard stories of loud 6800GTs so how loud is it really?

so basically a quiet mATX PSU that can support what I have.

any suggestions?

Post by **MikeC** » Tue Nov 08, 2005 1:15 am

The Seasonic one you listed is pretty quiet. They have a new 300W 80 Plus approved version, but it's probably very hard to find. Look for that review pretty soon.

Chang · Post by **Chang** » Tue Nov 08, 2005 8:14 am

In addition to the Seasonic, I've heard good things about the 270W Enermax too. But it may be a SFX PSU.

Honestly though, if that's the Athenatech A100 case, you should swap cases before replacing the PSU. IIRC, the case doesn't have the best airflow and you're stuck with 60mm fans. I think the stock holder only fits 60mm thin fans to boot. Switching from that case to one that used dual 80mm fans was the second best case move I made.

luhai · Post by **luhai** » Tue Nov 08, 2005 11:08 am

what about the FSP power supplie I posted. It looks good on paper, but don't know how it'll do in real life.

Also will the 300W PSU able to power something like X800GTO or 6800GS?

I can't swap the case, as A100 is the only one that can fit (bearly) in the holder under my HDTV. Plus I don't have the budget to do it anyways.

Tibors · Post by **Tibors** » Tue Nov 08, 2005 3:15 pm

luhai wrote:Also will the 300W PSU able to power something like X800GTO or 6800GS?

I have a system quite similar to your proposed setup minus the video card (see sig). It draws 66W max. at the wall while folding. Now make some worst case assumptions: My system only uses the 12V line and the PSU has an efficiency of 80%. That would mean the system draws ~53W DC max. from the 12V line. According to the specs (.pdf), the Seasonic Super Versatile 250W has 16A on the 12V line. That is 192W. So as long as your vidoecard draws less than 139W you should be fine with that PSU.

erikt · Post by **erikt** » Wed Nov 09, 2005 12:49 pm

I've used the Super-Versatile and the new 300W Seasonic which can be
found from Power-On. I can heartily recommend either of these.

I had both of them powering a P4 3.0G Northwood system with a 6600GT
video card, AV-710 sound card, PVR-250, DVD-ROM, a single 7200rpm HDD,
and a VFD. Never experienced any stability issues.

erikt

Chang · Post by **Chang** » Thu Nov 10, 2005 11:10 am

For kicks I took another look at my old A100 case and it looks like the PSU included was labeled as SFX (which is probably why I remembered the Enermax). I no longer remember the difference in specs, but you may want to double check before purchasing a mATX PSU to make sure it'll fit.

Googling for the Seasonic part number also shows the 300W version at Jameco.

You said you wanted a new PSU for under $50. For $38.50 more you could get a quieter case with a better layout and better airflow. NewEgg lists the dimensions of the Venus and the A100 as 5.9" x 14.2" X 15.9" and 5.8" x 13.5" x 14.5". So the Venus is a essentially the same height (when on its side), less than an inch wider, and over an inch deeper.

But if cost is a concern, why not get the components first and see if your current PSU will work? You usually don't save on combined shipping with NewEgg anyways. . . Worse comes to, be forced to upgrade later.

CoolGav · Post by **CoolGav** » Fri Nov 11, 2005 7:20 am

In my HTPC case (Lian Li PC-9300) I have an SFX PSU. I removed the noisy 80mm fan along with more than half the housing and replaced it with a 120mm. In the first incarnation was a P4 with Zalman flower, and the 120mm fan cooled both. I did also have an 80mm fan to help bring in fresh air under the hard drive.

Recently I updated to an AMD XP2500+ as the old motherboard didn't like my new iMon VFD. And I chanegd to a Samsung drive, so removed the front fan. Alas the old PSU dies, and so I got an FSP 300W (way moer than enough), and haven't got round to doing the same to that PSU as the first, but I will soon. Still, the old one gave me about 30 months of service...

Halo · Post by **Halo** » Sat Nov 12, 2005 2:32 am

I've got one of the Seasonics arriving this week from PowerOn. If I remember, I'll post my impressions.

luhai · Post by **luhai** » Sun Nov 13, 2005 12:57 am

thanks halo, anticipating your reply.

I was looking at Seasonic 300W's spec. it seems to be the same as the FSP power supply I posted ealier, except that it uses a 80mm fan instead of 60mm.
is it possible, the seansonic is a rebranded a fsp? as the seasonic is almost 50% more expensive than the fsp for having almost the same spec.

Cheng,
I looked at the enermax's case before, I really don't like the fact it don't have a front fan position. that's why I did buy it in the first place. I also liked A100's look more than venus, believe it or not...

Then again I never thought I would still want to play games(I thought schoolwork should have kept me busy, how naive) So I want a videocard and worried about the psu. (and the A100's PSU is louder than expected)

Basicly I want the psu to be in the 50 dollar range. as I don't want to spent more than 200~250 dollar for this upgrade(PSU+videocard). Cause I'll buy a new computer this time next year for me, and use this onesolely for as HTPC(no games).

Tibors · Post by **Tibors** » Sun Nov 13, 2005 1:32 am

luhai wrote:I was looking at Seasonic 300W's spec. it seems to be the same as the FSP power supply I posted ealier, except that it uses a 80mm fan instead of 60mm.

I don't know why Newegg (and my local reseller) list the Fortron as having a 60mm fan. The Fortron website specs it at 80mm and just looking at the pics (the side the fan sits in measures 100x125mm) you can see it is bigger than 60mm.

luhai wrote:is it possible, the seansonic is a rebranded a fsp?

No, both are real manufacturers who make their own PSU's. Besides the Seasonics have their fan in a bulge and the Fortrons have it flush with the bottom.