Thermaltake Mozart SX Slim Desktop Case with bonus 430W PSU $155 + Shipping

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• 

  matt123 on 29/05/2009 - 11:35

  +1

  cheaper here
  http://www.itsdirect.com.au/com_products.php?view=detail&cat…
  outside victoria if you dont want the bonus psu

• 

  [Deactivated] on 29/05/2009 - 11:43

  +1

  It should be noted, the bonus PSU is likely an XP550 and really a crummy 300W PSU in disguise - at best practically useful for a very low power system (Core 2 Duo and something like onboard graphics or an 8400GS), and even then I wouldn't use it by choice.

• 

  hellbound on 29/05/2009 - 11:57

  +1

  Most likely is the XP550 psu, if thats the case it would struggle to run a standard c2d setup. ATX1.3 is better for old P3 systems and cant really handle the P4 and newer cpu's.

  • 

    [Deactivated] on 29/05/2009 - 12:37

    +3

    The biggest power draw from a modern Core 2 Duo in practical usage while under full load is about 35W. Core 2 Quad's on the other hand start at around 80W and go up to 110W. These numbers can be inflated by up to 50% while overclocking with a fairly standard cooler.

    But something like a Core 2 Duo E8400 + nVidia 8400GS, single HDD, single optical system would, under full load, draw under 100W DC power most of it on the 12V rail.

    The 12V rail of the XP550 can handle about 200W, so it's well within range even after you factor in capacitor aging.

    While I agree that I would rather not use the PSU myself, it's slightly disingenuous to say a Core 2 Duo setup would struggle. Although the design is ATX1.x which does indeed favour the now almost defuncy 3.3V and 5V rails, it has all the required leads and provides standard DC electrons down it's adequate for a low power system 12V rail.

    The main thing that might scuttle the deal in a Core 2 Duo setup is a graphics card. Anything that draws over 80W would worry me (e.g. ATI HD4770 or nVidia GTS 250), over 120W (e.g. ATI HD4870 or nVidia GTX 260) would certainly start to reach or maybe overtake the limits of the PSU.

    • 

      HueyData on 30/05/2009 - 13:48

      tantryl makes some good points. And on the topic of Core 2 Duo/single-GPU setups, a classic example is mcoleg's overclocked C2D E6600 (apparently 135W @ 100% utilization) and GeForce 8800GTX (apparently 132W full load) powered by an Antec EarthWatts 380.

      There is a great deal of misunderstanding (and misinformation) about actual wattage/amperage requirements. Most advice given on forums is by people who have not actually looked at real world testing/analysis and simply suggest a figure that "seems right" (plus that essential margin for safety and "headroom"), consistent with what they have read on forums (of a similar nature) and/or possibly derived from "PSU calculators".

      The reality is usually quite simple:

      1. Actual wattage requirements are far, far less than most people imagine them to be.
      2. That's it really.

      There are other considerations, particularly quality/reliability and the +12V rail(s), but ultimately, most people seeking recommendations on forums are much more likely to be told to buy something well in excess of their needs (wattage-, quality- and cost-wise) than a generic/"Yum Cha"/low-end PSU that could pose any risk to their system. Although that's not a terrible outcome, it can mean that somebody asking about a good value PSU for a single-CPU/single-GPU system is told they must get a $200+/750W+ unit.

      Ideally, there would be better understanding about actual requirements, regardless of what people end up buying. If someone does want a 1000W PSU for a 350W system, that's fine - it's good for the economy, right :) The (in)efficiency curve losses (e.g. a 350W system is better paired with a 500W PSU operating at 70% than a 1000W PSU operating at 35%) are not likely to add up to more than a few dollars over a year, so the only real cost is in the price tag of a potentially excessive PSU.

      But there are many people confused and/or obsessed about wattage, two of my favourite examples being:

      • A person with a single-CPU/single-GPU system entered their requirements - including hefty overclocking of the CPU & GPU and maximum capacitor ageing - into every PSU calculator they could find, then took the highest figure. Then added to it, for safety and "headroom", to arrive at a little over 800W.

      • A person with an old single-CPU/single-GPU system, bought years ago when the maximum-rated PSUs available were around 550W (yes, there was such a time), was experiencing problems with a game and asked if it could be the PSU. Initial forum consensus was that their system probably needed >450W (>500W to be safe), so the person asked for new PSU recommendations - and also whether they might as well just buy a new system as the "underpowered" 330W PSU had probably damaged the components over the years. (The person was not at fault but the initial forum respondents goaded each other - along the lines of "ur prob nedded 400w lolz", "more like 450W u noob", "yeh nub 450 or even 500" - until it could only be a problem with catastrophic under-wattage. The problem was actually software/driver-related.)

      For those interested, a range of info can be found in Whirlpool's Power Supply Unit, PSU Manufacturers, PSU Recommendations and PSU Wattage wikis, including links to further resources.

      Edit - Seen recently on the PC Perspective website: "A 1200W power supply is certainly a piece of equipment to brag about, but even a high end system should be able to get away with a 1050W PSU […]"