Which PSU should I buy? (X-400, X-650, AX750, Pro87+500)

[OddSilence]

Hello,

I'm considering buying another PSU, and I think the Seasonic X-400 would be perfect to power my PC:
- CPU: Q9550
- GPU: 4670 (as reference; will replace it in the future, to one with similar power requirements)
- no optical drives nor HDD, just SSD


I see these puzzling options:

- Seasonic X-400 -------------- 180 € [by "special order", the shops don't have it, I doubt it will be considerably cheaper if they do at some point]
- Seasonic X-650 -------------- 179 €
- Corsair AX-750 -------------- 163 €
- Enermax PRO87+ 500W ---- 134 € [I rather get one that doesn't have a fan spinning; also this one isn't modular, the "Modu" is 147€]
- or not buy yet...

I want:
- the most quiet and with the least cooling needs (preferably, silent and 0 RPM)
- the most efficient (specially @ iddle)
- the least expensive


I think the best for me would be the X-400, but the CorsairAX750 seems like the best valueForMoney...
The "CorsairAX750" is exactely the same as a "Seasonic X-750" right?
The problem is it being 750w...
I thought the price increased with the wattage, but doesn't seem like it...

Which one(if any) PowerSupply should I get?

Thanks,

[AZBrandon]

Of that list, I would get the X-650. Seasonic is a proven excellent power supply builder and although it's a bit more expensive than the Enermax, I know there were a lot of complaints over the past few years over the inconsistency of how loud or quiet different power supply samples were. Some were excellent, others not so much. Seasonic pretty much just works and is the same all the time. I know it's very pricey, but they're high quality and will usually last through multiple PC builds.

[bonestonne]

My rig has a similar power draw to yours, if not nearly identical. A quality 400W PSU will more than easily power that.

From the list, the modular supply for €147 seems like a better deal than the others, but there's no saying it's going to be the best deal. I just put an Enermax Pro 87+ 600W, and it works really well, and I have no complaints, but I can't say the 750 is quite the same in terms of it's build quality and noise levels because I haven't used it personally.

I would look again in the 400-450 range, because even if the fan does not turn off at lower power draws its possible it will still be quiet enough to work with definitely.

[m0002a]

- Seasonic X-650 -------------- 179 €

Yikes, at NewEgg in the US the Seasonic X-650 costs 110 € ($140 USD) and there is no tax (except for California residents) and no shipping charge.

How come those damn capitalist pig Americans pay so much less for stuff?

[lodestar]

The "CorsairAX750" is exactely the same as a "Seasonic X-750" right?

The Seasonic X-650 and X-750 are due to be replaced by "new" models shortly. These will have some of the revisions which have already appeared in the X-400. Seasonic have decided to call the X-650/X-750 replacements the X-660 and X-760. They are also allowing Corsair to sell the X-760 under their own brand name as the AX750. So with an AX750 you actually get a PSU which is an improvement over the X-750, at a cheaper price. Like all the Seasonic X series with fans, the Corsair AX750 features hybrid cooling where the fan does not even turn on at light loads.

[faugusztin]

I see these puzzling options:

- Seasonic X-400 -------------- 180 € [by "special order", the shops don't have it, I doubt it will be considerably cheaper if they do at some point]
- Seasonic X-650 -------------- 179 €
- Corsair AX-750 -------------- 163 €
- Enermax PRO87+ 500W ---- 134 € [I rather get one that doesn't have a fan spinning; also this one isn't modular, the "Modu" is 147€]
- or not buy yet...

Try to reconsider getting it from different shop or country. I thought Slovakia is expensive, but (prices include VAT):
X-400 - no price yet
X-650 - 134,32 €
Cosair AX-750 - 162,14 €

I would take X-650 too, but not for that price. Your X-650 price is higher than our X-750 price! If you can't find cheaper Seasonic X, then get the Corsair AX.

[Znorkus]

How about a simple Nexus value 430?

The reviews here @ SPCR are excellent:
http://www.silentpcreview.com/article922-page5.html

As you can see in the link above, noise production at 1m and at full power is 19Db. That is probably less than any case or cpu fan you might have.
It costs about a third, thats what pulled me over. I was considering seasonic x-400 too. *drool*.

And also, if its fanless: the heat has to go Somewhere, right? If you don't put a fan on it, where does the heat go? Won't you need casefans anyway to blow it out? Then, THEY make the noise.

[lodestar]

And also, if its fanless: the heat has to go Somewhere, right? If you don't put a fan on it, where does the heat go?

The X-400, like the X-series fanned units, has four output components which are mounted underneath the circuit board. These do get hot, and there are some small heatsinks mounted on the top side of the board which can only partly cool them. So what Seasonic have done is to use thermal pads between these components and the bottom part of the PSU housing on which the circuit board is mounted. This has the effect that the PSU housing itself is used as a heatsink to help cool these components. It is is also why the bottom of the X-400 housing has vents to supply at least some air flow directly to the area between the underneath of the circuit board and the housing.

So there is a reliance on airflow through the case, generated by case fans, for this to work. And given how it works then if the X-400 is used top mounted, in for example the Antec Solo case, it might make sense to reverse the rear exhaust fan to blow inwards.

[MikeC]

How about a simple Nexus value 430?

The reviews here @ SPCR are excellent:
http://www.silentpcreview.com/article922-page5.html

As you can see in the link above, noise production at 1m and at full power is 19Db. That is probably less than any case or cpu fan you might have.
It costs about a third, thats what pulled me over.

I have to be honest -- even tho I gave it an editor's choice, I'm not a big fan of the Nexus value 430. I know that sounds contradictory... but I think this is at best a medium quality PSU using older technology & priced way too high for what it is. (if you have any fan swapping ability, any number of other PSUs would be way better w/a fan swap). At the time of the review, it was the quietest PSU ever, which seemed to serve an EC... but in retrospect, it's not really good enough in other ways to match other EC PSUs. I've also had incompatibilities with one not allowing several PCs to go into sleep mode.