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How Much Watt PSU do I need?

Discussion in 'Overclocking, Cooling and Modding' started by Portugees, Jun 9, 2009.

  1. Portugees Newcomer, in training

    Soon i am going to build a pc but i am not really sure how much Watt my system requires. I have used psu calculator but some say it doesnt calculate right so i wanted to know from someone how much watt my setup requires.

    Build setup:

    CPU: Intel Q9550
    Motherboard: MSI P45D3
    Graphics card: XFX GTX285 Black edition (OC'ed edition)
    Ram: 6GB (kit of 3 dimms)
    HDD: Samsung Spinpoint F1 (1TB, 7200rpm)
    1 Cd/Dvd diskdrive
    4 Coldcathode lights
    7 Fans (including CPU fan)
    Fan Controller

    My cousin has the PSU: Tagan Piperock of 600W and i could buy it from him for verry cheap but i dont know if its enough for the setup i wanted so could anyone please tell me if 600W is enough and if i have enough space for another Harddisk later or if my system requires more than 600W?

    Cheers, Portugees
  2. Rage_3K_Moiz Sith Lord Posts: 7,245   +16

    I would not recommend buying a used PSU, especially if it has been used for a year or more; the capacitors in the supply lose their charge-carrying capacity and reduce the overall output of the PSU. The PSU's efficiency also suffers.

    The Corsair 650TX would be more than sufficient for your system IMO. You can also go with the Antec TruePower Trio! 650W PSU as well.
  3. Portugees Newcomer, in training

    Thank you for your quick reply.
    He has only used it for 4-5 monthes because he changed to a 1000W for his gtx295
    but so you think that Tagan 600W wil not be enough for the setup i wanted??

    And if 600W is not enough is the Nexus RX-8500 a good PSU? Because wanted a modular PSU that is enough but isn't verry expensive!

    Cheers
  4. Rage_3K_Moiz Sith Lord Posts: 7,245   +16

    Nah, I would recommend the Enermax Modu82+ 625W or Corsair 620HX instead. Both are excellent quality modular PSUs that will provide good, clean power to your system.

    You can also go with the Tagan if your cousin has not used the PSU 24\7 for the time he has had it.
  5. raybay TechSpot Evangelist Posts: 10,720   +6

    Are you in England or other non-USA country? That is where I see the Tagan... I have never seen one of them fail, and it is certainly equal to the Enermax and others over there.
    You will be happy with the Tagan when it has short hours of use such as you describe.
  6. Portugees Newcomer, in training

    HMM okay but with the 600W Tagan i will be good too right???
    Want to know it because if 600W is enough i will buy my cousins PSU.
     
  7. raybay TechSpot Evangelist Posts: 10,720   +6

    Nothing wrong with the Tagan... It is every bit as well built as the Enermax... and 600 watts in a Tagan is plenty for what you have.
    Good luck to you... A Tagan with only four months of use is a great choice, and the price was right.
    Let us know how everything worked when you have some time.
  8. Rage_3K_Moiz Sith Lord Posts: 7,245   +16

    Yep, as raybay said, the Tagan will provide plenty of power for your needs.
  9. Portugees Newcomer, in training

    Oke Thank You both verry much:grinthumb
    I am planning to gett the parts in July will then build it together and post some pictures:).

    I am happy to hear that 600W is enough because i now save a lot of money that i can spend on maybe a second Harddisk.

    Thank you guys again;)
    Cheers, Portugees
  10. Tedster Techspot old timer..... Posts: 10,047   +11

    google and run outervision's PSU calculator. add 30% to results and BUY QUALITY.
  11. tweakboy TechSpot Maniac Posts: 518

    Like they said.. 600w and you will have no problems and it will work like a charm.

    Also he is right, do not buy used hardware.

    just make sure the 600w one has at least 2 rails ,,, gl
  12. Tedster Techspot old timer..... Posts: 10,047   +11

  13. Portugees Newcomer, in training

    I have tested with the calculator and have put 30% on it and i came out with: 531 W

    The Tagan my cousin has selling has 3 rails so it's good.
    He only used it for a few months so i don't see why it isn't a good PSU anymore??
    It were only 4 months he used it maybe less so i think it should be working fine.

    Greets
  14. Quantex_rox Newcomer, in training Posts: 152

    As long as they are good capacitors (Rubycon, UCC, Sanyo, Nichicon,) they can last just fine without performance issues for years.

    Most tagans are Topowers with questionable caps, I would stay away.

    Some new Tagans are made by Etasis who makes a lot of silverstones.
  15. raybay TechSpot Evangelist Posts: 10,720   +6

    Tagans have a remarkably low failure rate. We have used them for years in that market... Verify your comment that they have questionable caps... because we have never seen one.
    This Tagan has the rails... it has the power... it has the positive history... and it has the respect of those who use it...
    Name a power supply that fails because of questionable caps... certainly not this Tagan.
  16. SineSurfer Newcomer, in training Posts: 50

    I highly recommend the SeaSonic S12 Energy Plus SS-550HT. It is a top quality power supply from a top power supply maker. It is also one the most energy efficient, quietess power supplies on the market. Silent PC review wrote a great review on it. I use it for my system which takes alot of power.
  17. Quantex_rox Newcomer, in training Posts: 152

    http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story2&reid=8

    Jenpo brand capacitors on the output side. Not good capacitors. If you don't believe me, take a poke around here : www.badcaps.net/forum

    Tagan=Topower

    http://enthusiast.hardocp.com/article.html?art=MTYzMCwzLCxoZW50aHVzaWFzdA==

    Topower 800w, Hermei secondary caps, also notorious for going bad.

    http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story4&reid=71

    Scroll down to the topower unit, Viva capacitors are also notorious for going bad. Look at the scope shots from it, too, thats what A bad capacitor can cause. Thats wayyyyyy out of ATX spec, meaning you just exploded your rig.

    http://www.badcaps.net/forum/showthread.php?t=5431&highlight=topower

    Hmmm, more bad caps. This time Fujiyuu's, which are the caps that effected so many older antecs, and are regarded as some of the worst caps.
  18. Portugees Newcomer, in training

    I agree with you:)
    Here in the Netherlands, Tagan is on the list of the best quality PSU's you can gett that's why i wanted to buy my cousins PSU and that's why i wanted to know if
    600W was enough for the setup i wanted(now i know it is:)).

    I never heared bad things about the Tagan PSU's and they are in the high quality top list with Corsair and Enermax so i suppose this ain't some crappy PSU's but High Quality PSU's

    I think people have bad experience with them maybe because they test their PSU's to the limit. But i can find so many article/reviews that they have bad experience with other High Quality PSU's too. So it's not Tagans fault it's how people handle their PSU

    Cheers
  19. Rage_3K_Moiz Sith Lord Posts: 7,245   +16

    There would never be performance issues; the capacitors just cannot handle a year of intensive (read gaming) usage and total charge capacity will drop, regardless of how good they are. This may cause performance issues only if the power supplied drops below what the system needs.

    As for Tagans, the build quality varies wildly from very good to plain rubbish. They have the odd tendency to use crappy Chinese caps on some of their higher-wattage PSUs like the 1kW ones.

    Still, since the OP will not be pulling more than 400W from that PSU, it will be a-ok IMO.
  20. Quantex_rox Newcomer, in training Posts: 152

    Agreed, they run just fine and have good stability for what components they use (some new tagans are built by Etasis, who is the OEM for many silverstones). Its just they won't last as long as something like a zippy, delta, or new antec (see cpx850~~~SEXY PSU)

    Also, manufacturer's of GOOD capacitors rate their caps to vent (or pop) at a certain temp, commonly 85C or 105C. Anything under that, they will run their manufacturer rated lifespan fine as long as the ripple is also in their rated spec. There is no deterioration of the electrolytic (in good capacitors anyway,) that is just a myth developed by who-knows, most electrolytic capacitors have a lifespan of 2,000-5,000 (thats at the highest rated temp and at the highest rated ripple) under normal conditions, they can last 30-40,000 hours. Any performance issues in a power supply with good caps that are still good and haven't been subjected to extreme heat or ripple is typically a issue with the load on a power supply or a different part in them.