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What else do I need? [1st build]


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#1
Dizy

Dizy

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Hey guys i am planning on purchasing a new computer in the near future, just wanna make sure that everything will work like a charm when i throw it together. my biggest question is is the power supply that i have selected hefty enough?

Would love it if you took a look. NEWEGG WISHLIST

I already have a new copy of windows 7, a monitor, keyboard, and a mouse. just fyi

Any help would be appreciated,
Thanks,
TJ

Edited by Dizy, 06 June 2011 - 09:53 PM.

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#2
iammykyl

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Hi Dizy, :)

A good solid build, will work like a charm. One suggestion.

Consider changing the Mobo to a Z68 platform. Allows access to all features on any Sandy Bridge CPU installed.

Info. > http://www.bit-tech....l-z68-chipset/1

Unfortunately the Asrock Z68 is again out of stock at Newegg, but here is a comparison page,

> http://www.newegg.co...D157%2D251%2DTS


my biggest question is is the power supply that i have selected hefty enough?


PSU is about the right size. I always considered Rosewill products to be inferior. Your selected PSU gets very good "expert" reviews, even a "Golden Award".

.>
http://www.hardwares...ly-Review/881/1
Please ignore the comment and link, should have been in another post.

Edited by iammykyl, 07 June 2011 - 07:57 AM.

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#3
Digerati

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my biggest question is is the power supply that i have selected hefty enough?


Alway select your power supply last, after you have determined the power requirements of your other components. Here's my canned text sizing and selecting power supplies.

Use the eXtreme PSU Calculator Lite to determine the minimum and recommended power supply unit (PSU) requirements. Plan ahead and plug in all the hardware you think you might have in 2 or 3 years (extra drives, bigger or 2nd video card, more RAM, etc.). Be sure to read and heed the notes at the bottom of the calculator page. I recommend setting Capacitor Aging to 30% (see my note below), and if you participate in distributive computing projects (e.g. BOINC or Folding@Home) or extreme 3D animated gaming, I recommend setting both TDP and system load to 100%. These steps ensure the supply has adequate head room for stress free (and perhaps quieter) operation, as well as future hardware demands. Research your video card and pay particular attention to the power supply requirements for your card listed on your video card maker's website. If not listed, check a comparable card (same graphics engine and RAM) from a different maker. The key specifications, in order of importance are:

  • Current (amperage or amps) on the +12V rail,
  • Efficiency,
  • Total wattage.
Don’t try to save a few dollars by getting a cheap supply! Digital electronics, including CPUs, RAM, and today's advanced graphics cards, need clean, stable power. A good, well chosen supply will provide years of service and upgrade wiggle room. Look for power supply brands listed under the "Good" column of PC Mech's PSU Reference List. Another excellent read is Tom’s Hardware, Who’s Who In Power supplies: Brands, Labels, And OEMs. Note that some case retailers “toss in” a generic or inadequate PSU just to make the case sale. Be prepared to “toss out” that supply for a good one with sufficient power.

Most PSUs have an efficiency rating of around 70%. This means for every 100 watts of power a PSU draws from the wall, only 70 watts is delivered to the motherboard, with the rest wasted in the form of heat. The best supplies are 85 to 90% efficient, and as expected, cost more. I strongly recommend you pick a quality supply with an efficiency rating equal to or greater than 80%. Look for 80 PLUS and EnergyStar Compliant labels. 80 PLUS PSUs are required to have fairly linear efficiencies. This is important to ensure the PSU is running at or near peak efficiency regardless the load or power demands. Non-linear PSUs typically are most efficient when the load is in a narrow range between 70 and 90% of the PSU’s capacity and the efficiency may drop dramatically above and below those amounts.

Too big of a PSU hurts nothing but your budget. Your computer will draw from the PSU only what it needs, not what the PSU is capable of delivering. If a computer needs 300 watts it will draw 300 watts regardless if the PSU is a 400W, 650W, or 1000W PSU. In turn, the PSU, regardless its size will draw from the wall only what it needs to support the computer. In this example, it will draw 300 watts, plus another 45 – 90 watts, depending on the PSU’s inefficiency.

As noted, the eXtreme Calculator determines minimum and recommended requirements. If the calculator (with the changes I suggested) recommends a 400 watt minimum, a quality 400W supply will serve you just fine. However, a quality 550W – 600W supply will have, among other things, larger heat sinks to dissipate potentially more heat. It might have a larger fan too. The 400W supply will run most of the time closer to capacity, while the larger supply will be loafing along, rarely breaking a sweat. To help the smaller heat sinks get rid of the wasted 80 watts (20% of 400) of heat, the fan in the 400W supply may need to run full speed, while the fan in the larger supply, with bigger sinks just loafs along too – but in near silence. Also, it is typical for manufacturers to use higher quality parts, design, and manufacturing techniques in their higher power supplies.

Note: Capacitor Aging. All electronics “age” over time. Electrons flowing through components bang around and create friction and heat causing wear and tear, altering the electrical characteristics of the device. Over time, this weakens the device resulting in eventual failure. Power supplies have always suffered profoundly from aging effects resulting in a loss of capacity. In recent years, capacitor technologies have improved. The best PSUs use the best (and most expensive) capacitors which suffer less from aging effects than older capacitor types. If planning on buying a new, high-end PSU, setting capacitor aging to 10% may result in a more realistic recommendation. However, headroom “buffer” will be significantly reduced. You can expect your PSU to last 5 years or longer. Since it is better to buy too big rather than too small, and since it is hard to predict what your power requirements will be in 3 years, using 30% for Capacitor Aging ensures you have enough headroom for virtually any upgrade.

Don't forget to budget for a good UPS with AVR (automatic voltage regulation). Surge and spike protectors are inadequate and little more than fancy, expensive extension cords.


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#4
Dizy

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Thanks for the replys guys, i had gone through the extreme psu calculator, and that's how i came up with the power source that i selected, i was just making sure. as far as MBO go, ill most likely not use most of the features on the "2500" so i feel as though the mbo that i chose was pretty reasonable. (thanks for the info however!)

I thought i did pretty well putting all the peices together, ill be buying the in the next month or so, ill keep you updated as to how things go.
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#5
Digerati

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A lot can happen in a month or so. New products, Newegg special sales, who knows? Keep your list fluid until you have cash in hand and are ready to plunk it down. For example, they have an Antec 620W Neo Eco on sale now for $69.99, down from $99.99 - but also there's a $20 MIR - so $49.99. Not bad. But again, your PSU should be your last purchase - not first. Oh well - they have sales all the time. So does MWave, ZipZoomFly, and most retail sites - just factor in shipping before deciding who is cheaper.

As far as iammykyl striking out his comments about Rosewill PSUs - Rosewill does indeed have a history of producing, budget, entry level, and inferior quality PSUs, and I shy away from them. While I am glad some of their more resent and more expensive models are getting some good reviews, reviews of new products don't address reliability. The news in this case is this Rosewill does seem to have been better constructed than past models - as pointed out in the review from a 650w in 2009. How well they stand up over time is another matter. I don't sense much confidence when I see the Rosewill only has a 2 year warranty. Most makers offer 3 minimum, often 5 or more years. The Antec you selected has 3 years, and certainly Antec is well known for quality supplies, and support. They did have some problems with some models, but that seems to have improved - and as noted, they have great support.
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