Hi there,
I've just read the review of the ZM-1000-HP and have been very impressed. I'm not the sort of retard who feels he needs a 1KW PSU, however so I have no intention of shelling out anywhere near that much money.
However, having owned a Thermaltake Toughpower 750W for a while I would ideally like something that can deliver up to c. 350W quietly, since that's how much my PC draws in crossfire. More importantly still I want something that runs quiet at idle - my current PSU isn't loud as such, but it must be above 25dB and the acoustic signature is terrible.
Up until recently, I was planning on exchanging the 750W Toughpower for a 520 or 620W Corsair HX. However, having seen this review it gets me wondering:
Is the ZM-600 as good?
it's been out for ages but I can't find a review of it that offers any significant detail with regard to noise. It looks the same as the 1KW unit, but obviously it's half the price, very attractive. If anybody owns a 600W Zalman and it's as quiet as the 1KW unit, I'd like to buy one very soon.
Zalman Heatpipe units
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samuelmorris
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http://www.silentpcreview.com/article688-page1.html
synopsis: sorry, nowhere near as good as ZM-1000-HP. either of the Corsairs is a fine choice.
synopsis: sorry, nowhere near as good as ZM-1000-HP. either of the Corsairs is a fine choice.
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MikeC
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If you're planning to retire the TT750W, you might consider a fan swap to try and make it quieter before moving it on. A Yate Loon 140mm fan can be had for just $7... probably worth a try:
http://www.jab-tech.com/140mm-Fans-c-282.html
My recommendation would be for the M speed version. It's a sleeve bearing, so it may not last as long as a ball bearing fan in the long run. Depends on how cool the PSU's environment is. If it's in its own chamber -- like in a P180 series case -- then you should have no real problems. In a more conventional case, it'll be subject to considerably more noise.
Just replace the stock fan, which is rated for 0.9A (compared to 0.7A for the yateloon m), and use the internal fan controller of the PSU. This may require soldering...
How are you getting that 350W figure for you system anyway? Is that AC power draw? If so, the DC power delivered is more like 280W. Johnnyguru says it has >80% efficiency (and likes the unit).
http://www.jab-tech.com/140mm-Fans-c-282.html
My recommendation would be for the M speed version. It's a sleeve bearing, so it may not last as long as a ball bearing fan in the long run. Depends on how cool the PSU's environment is. If it's in its own chamber -- like in a P180 series case -- then you should have no real problems. In a more conventional case, it'll be subject to considerably more noise.
Just replace the stock fan, which is rated for 0.9A (compared to 0.7A for the yateloon m), and use the internal fan controller of the PSU. This may require soldering...
How are you getting that 350W figure for you system anyway? Is that AC power draw? If so, the DC power delivered is more like 280W. Johnnyguru says it has >80% efficiency (and likes the unit).
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samuelmorris
- Posts: 168
- Joined: Thu Mar 22, 2007 1:00 pm
- Location: York, UK
To be fair, I don't really want to fan mod a PSU, as easy as it may be.
In any case, I found out the Zm600-HP is nowhere near as good as the KW unit, and almost similtaneously found a cheap HX 620W at play.com, albeit it may be a few weeks before I get one since it's out of stock.
Why the 620W? Why not I guess. It's the same price as the 520 delivered from anywhere else I've looked and it comes with lots of S-ATA connectors that were actually intended for the unit.
The figure is indeed 350W of AC draw, which I never even thought about until now actually. The highest I've seen it is 380, which at an unlikely 85% efficiency puts the DC draw at 320W.
The PSU's environment is situated directly above the passive CPU heatsink. However, I've monitored the temp of the area and it doesn't usually rise beyond the low 30s even at load. Thus, the HX620 should stay at minimum speed?
Another question, would you think the Enermax Modu82+ 385W units are any good? I was considering a VX 450W for my fileserver before reading the 625W unit review, and wondered if the 385 would be as good. I have no reason to spend more than the corsair does, so it's 385W or Corsair for me.
In any case, I found out the Zm600-HP is nowhere near as good as the KW unit, and almost similtaneously found a cheap HX 620W at play.com, albeit it may be a few weeks before I get one since it's out of stock.
Why the 620W? Why not I guess. It's the same price as the 520 delivered from anywhere else I've looked and it comes with lots of S-ATA connectors that were actually intended for the unit.
The figure is indeed 350W of AC draw, which I never even thought about until now actually. The highest I've seen it is 380, which at an unlikely 85% efficiency puts the DC draw at 320W.
The PSU's environment is situated directly above the passive CPU heatsink. However, I've monitored the temp of the area and it doesn't usually rise beyond the low 30s even at load. Thus, the HX620 should stay at minimum speed?
Another question, would you think the Enermax Modu82+ 385W units are any good? I was considering a VX 450W for my fileserver before reading the 625W unit review, and wondered if the 385 would be as good. I have no reason to spend more than the corsair does, so it's 385W or Corsair for me.