Noisetaker 420W or Seasonic S12 380W?

RaptorZX3 · Post by **RaptorZX3** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 12:59 am

ok...there's this store in Montreal called SoHoDiffusion, a bit far away from my home, but maybe i could take my mother's car to go there...

here's a link to the Seasonic S12 380W that i would like:
http://www.sohodiffusion.com/produit.asp?shop=&num=3242

as maybe you've seen in another thread, i've been worrying about my SmartPower 2.0 450W with the slight hi-pitched noise, and now i'm worried about the NoiseTaker (version 2) 420W maybe not being quiet enough (SPCR talked about the fans noise...).

and right now i'm on a somewhat tight budget, i can't really go over 90-95$CAN (including taxes), and this Seasonic S12 380W is in my kind of budget. (75$CAN is pretty good)
lately i've seen that guy running a Radeon X1950XT on a 400W power supply without any problem.

my computer is considered "light", here are the specs:

-CPU: AMD Athlon 64 3700+ 2.2Ghz Socket 939 (San Diego, 1.4v i believe)
-board: Asus A8V-E SE (built-in sound chip and network)
-Video: MSI Radeon X1300Pro 256mb
-hard disk: Western Digital WD2000JS (SATA2 running at SATA1 due to my board)
-dvd-writer: Pioneer DVR-111D
-floppy: generic
-120mm tri-cool fan set on Medium Speed
-ThermalTake CL-P0200 installed (CPU heat-sink with fan coming with it, around 2000rpm +/-5%)
-2-3 USB devices (sometimes i use a cards reader, and sometimes a USB Flash drive, and my printer is USB, i rarely use it)

so, to make it clear, here's my question, which power supply you recommand me?

-Enermax Noisetaker (version 2) 420W (EG425P)

or

-Seasonic S12 380W (S12-380-S)

thanks for answering me as honestly as possible

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kater · Post by **kater** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 1:07 am

i assume you've read reviews for both these power supplies, right? i voted for s12 - and that's based on the reviews, own experience (i have s12 430 which is practically the same) and ppl's opinion read here in forums
your system looks like it will never get even close to 200w, so 380 is plenty
someone said that already - you can't go wrong with a seasonic

RaptorZX3 · Post by **RaptorZX3** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 2:03 am

and about the buzzing noise from a Seasonic S12, is that common or rare to get a S12 that do this?

in a notice in my video card box, it says they highly recommend 350W+ power supply for stability.

kater · Post by **kater** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 3:23 am

power requirements specified by gfx cards manufacturers are based on the following assumptions

1) user is dumb and uses no-name crappy psu with 500w on tag but only 300 real watts

2) user has an oc'ed top shelf 20-core cpu, RAID the size of national library and every other kind of computer implement that can be attached to a PC effectively turning the rig into HAL 9000. and then they add another 30% just to be sure.

which means manufacturers just want to be on the safe side and give such specs in case there is this single hypothetical user somewhere in the world who'll sue them because his rig can't be powered with their psu.

and anyway, you will have a 350+, won't you? trust me - it'll be plenty

x1300pro needs only 30w in max stress, your cpu needs ca 90w under heaviest load. mobo and rest of the system is ca 50. do the math

student · Post by **student** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 8:34 am

I bet jaganath is going to recommend the Seasonic.

RaptorZX3 · Post by **RaptorZX3** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 2:01 pm

oh that's great, Ive, found a store nearer than SoHoDiffusion, and the Seasonic S12 380W is less expensive too, 65$CAN+taxes (around 75$CAN i believe including taxes), 1-year in-store warranty included.

it's called PC Concept, here's the website:
http://www.pcconcept.ca/index.php?language=en
(the Seasonic S12 380W is not listed in there, but i had to call and ask them if they can order it for me, and they said yes!

)

now i only need that guy to come to my house to buy those Dreamcast things from me, so i'll have the money in-hand to buy it.

so if i order Monday, i'll probably have it Wednesday.

RaptorZX3 · Post by **RaptorZX3** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 3:13 pm

ok i've found another product someone told me about.

it's made by Sparkle, and it looks a lot like the Seasonic, except it's grey.

it's the model "ATX-400PN"

here's a link to the website:
http://www.sparklepower.com/proPCPS_ATX.html
and a link to the PDF file about that power supply:
http://www.sparklepower.com/pdf/ATX-400PN.pdf

do you still recommend the Seasonic S12 380W?

kater · Post by **kater** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 11:35 pm

this sparkle thing is actually a fortron - which is *good*. a quick google search thru spcr forums gives some favorable and some notsofavorable opinions. sparkles are usually praised for their stability and reliability, but not so on quietness. from what i've personally read on fortrons - v good, decent brand.

still tho, i'd go for s12. this is spcr, right? you axed for quiet operation, right? here you go

RaptorZX3 · Post by **RaptorZX3** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 11:56 pm

but the thing is the difference of Amp. on the 12V rails.

the S12 380W have 10A and 15A.
the 400W Fortron have 18A and 18A.

what does it change exactly in term of power?

the S12 280W power is as stable or more stable than the Fortron 400W?

casebuyer · Post by **casebuyer** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 1:47 am

i heard enermax galaxy is silent
but dont know for sure

kater · Post by **kater** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 2:05 am

casebuyer wrote:i heard enermax galaxy is silent
but dont know for sure

you mean those 850w and 1000w welding plants? oh, come on...

@ raptor - well, it's always hard to say - i think i'm just too dumb to answer your question about amperes.

the more amperes you have the better, i'd say. but i guess you will need those big amperes only for power hungry devices like high-end gfx cards.

here's a linky to a psu that looks mighty similar to the sparkle you mentioned - not sure if it's the same tho

www.silentpcreview.com/article280-page1.html

RaptorZX3 · Post by **RaptorZX3** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 2:48 am

...my computer is not power-hungry as a lot of peoples told me here.

jaganath · Post by **jaganath** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 3:12 am

RaptorZX3 wrote:but the thing is the difference of Amp. on the 12V rails.

the S12 380W have 10A and 15A.
the 400W Fortron have 18A and 18A.

what does it change exactly in term of power?

the S12 380W power is as stable or more stable than the Fortron 400W?

Your computer requires 140W max. The S12-380 can supply 300W (25*12) max on the 12V. The fortron can supply a bit more. Both will provide stable power to your PC. The S12 will probably be quieter, but the Sparkle is probably cheaper. The choice is yours.

casebuyer · Post by **casebuyer** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 11:47 am

so which enermax model is more silent does anyone know

dfrost · Post by **dfrost** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 3:57 pm

and about the buzzing noise from a Seasonic S12, is that common or rare to get a S12 that do this?

My early S12-430 sample has been blissfully quiet for the last 1.5+ years. I suspect that it is rare, but would certainly be irritating if you had a 'bad' one, since Seasonic users (at least those around SPCR) probably have made everything else pretty quiet.

RaptorZX3 · Post by **RaptorZX3** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 6:10 pm

ok, it's ordered, they don't have it in-store, so i'll probably get it Tuesday. 74.06$CAN including taxes, not bad at all

i want to know something about temperatures...

when idle, CPU goes between 43-45 degrees, and when loaded (with the 3D software which loads my CPU to the most) it normally go to around 55-58 degrees.

what i want to know is if the registered CPU temp. is 57 degrees, what would be the estimated temperature of the heat going in the PSU? including that i have the Antec tri-cool 120mm set on Medium speed on the rear and that my CPU heat-sink is the ThermalTake CL-P0200.

that said, i will probably try putting the computer on top of the desk instead of on the side when i'll have the new PSU installed, because BEFORE putting it on the side, i noticed a change on the temp the CPU being cooler than with the stock heat-sink.

the main reason i've put the computer on the side is because of the noise coming from the SmartPower 2.0 (by the way, i too suggest to avoid this doomed line of power supplies, unless you get a good in-store warranty so you can replace it right-away instead of waiting 2-3 weeks for a replacement)

ShadowVlican · Post by **ShadowVlican** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 6:47 pm

forget enermax, they haven't had anything exciting or innovative in a while

not to mention seasonic outperforms them on every level

jaganath · Post by **jaganath** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 6:57 pm

when idle, CPU goes between 43-45 degrees

Those idle temps seem a tad high. Have you got CoolnQuiet enabled?

what i want to know is if the registered CPU temp. is 57 degrees, what would be the estimated temperature of the air going in the PSU?

It wouldn't be 57 degrees, that's for sure. The air is only in contact with the heatsink for a very short space of time, so you would only get a temp rise on the order of 5-10C. So for example if ambient air is at 21C, air leaving the heatsink might be at 31C.

RaptorZX3 · Post by **RaptorZX3** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 8:18 pm

just for a basis, my SmartPower 2.0 fans turns at around 1100-1200rpm (usually around 1200rpm when i'm in a 3D software like Second Life). So what would be the estimated speed/dbA of my future Seasonic S12 380W?

as for usused wires with the Seasonic, i might put them all above my DVD-Writer to free some space and avoid disturning airflow, is that a safe move to do? or it might damage my dvd-writer?

it's a Pioneer DVR-111D.

and about the SATA connector, is it really made so the wires are going down the connector instead being straight like most SATA connectors on PSUs?

casebuyer · Post by **casebuyer** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 6:19 am

which enermax model is more silent
liberty or noisetaker

iakovl · Post by **iakovl** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 11:02 am

i have the noisetaker
on the silent setting it is dead silent...

casebuyer · Post by **casebuyer** » Sun Feb 04, 2007 6:27 am

enermax issue is discussing here
viewtopic.php?p=318603

RaptorZX3 · Post by **RaptorZX3** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 10:03 pm

i hope my S12-380W won't do that whining sound some peoples reported...that would suck terribly if it does

casebuyer · Post by **casebuyer** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 10:33 pm

iakovl is it noisetaker I or II

RaptorZX3 · Post by **RaptorZX3** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 11:56 pm

well i didn't got my Seasonic S12 380W Tuesday, and the store get their orders on Tuesdays and Fridays...

i'll call the store to ask what happened and other questions, cos i really want my new power supply, as soon as possible!

RaptorZX3 · Post by **RaptorZX3** » Thu Feb 08, 2007 8:36 pm

still waiting for my power supply....

Tuesday's shipping got delayed (distributor is in Toronto, the guy taking orders told me about it) and i REALLY hope to get it tomorrow now...

now i just hope i won't get that "buzzing noise" some peoples reported.

if the fan tend to spin faster because there's not enough power being taken from it, i'll just plug my previous NEC dvd-writer (which have a hard time burning DVDs now, but can burn CDs without any problem) back in, along with my new Pioneer DVR-111D dvd-writer

RaptorZX3 · Post by **RaptorZX3** » Fri Feb 09, 2007 5:32 pm

ok i asked for a refund to PC Concept, and i ordered one from SoHoDiffusion instead.

it's in limited stock, i'm glad they still have some.

i asked them, i was a bit too late to order it, so it'll be ordered Monday, and they will get it Tuesday. They have a plane for shipping their stuff from California to Montreal, that's why it's so fast.

but instead of paying 75$CAN, i'll pay 90$CAN (the 1-year in-store warranty is not included

)

but i have a question, why the "S" in the model number "S12-380-S"?

RaptorZX3 · Post by **RaptorZX3** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 12:33 pm

ok finally SohoDiffusion isn't able to have the Seasonic 380W in time for me, but they told me they would have the 430W for tomorrow, and that i need to tell them if i want the 430W instead.

yeah....the 430W is more expensive, but i want a Seasonic dammit! i've been waiting so long to have one, so i'll get a 430W instead, but i didn't took the 1-year in-store warranty this time

so something i'll do is, someday, RMA that Antec Smartpower 2.0 450W to get a replacement, so if for whatever reason the Seasonic get a problem, i'll have a good replacement PSU to put in my computer while waiting for a replacement. (that way i'll still be able to use my computer instead of having it "dead" for weeks)

casebuyer · Post by **casebuyer** » Sat Nov 24, 2007 11:23 am

so how is your power supply I think of buying 430 w version too

RaptorZX3 · Post by **RaptorZX3** » Sat Nov 24, 2007 1:40 pm

yes i bought the 430W almost a year ago, but the S12 series is discontinued now, replaced by the S12-II. So if you find a brand-new S12 in a store, you're very lucky.

the difference is mostly with the different kind of capacitators, and the S12-II fan is slightly noisier than the S12.

Noisetaker 420W or Seasonic S12 380W?

Qhich Power Supply you recommend me? (see my message)

Noisetaker 420W or Seasonic S12 380W?