Choosing a new PSU

[WeSbO]

Hi everyone,

I've been a longtime lurker, mostly on youtube though... And a question has bought me here. I've just built a new rig, although I do know my stuff about hardware, I hadn't built myself a rig since the xp 2400+ era , because I didn't really have the time nor the need for it to be viable...

I was on a tight budget when I orded my parts, and now I have a little bit more money to inject into the pc.

I want to buy myself another r9 280 coz they are 150€ new in my country (France) at the moment, but I think (or know) that i'am going to have to replace my freshly bought PSU, so i'am here for some advice on which model/make/wattage I should go for. For a maximum of 120€

Here are my specs at the moment :

- FX-8320 (it will be oc'ed but i'am waiting for my WC) and i'am hoping to be able to get it as close as possible to 4.8ghz)
- Asus sabertooth 990fx r2.0
- Kingston hyperx pc12800 2 x 4gb
- Corsair H105 push pull SP120 PE
- r9 280 (it will be oc'ed but I won't be playing around with the voltage)
- 2 x sata 2 HDD 750gb
- 1 x ssd 256gb
- PSU corsair CS650m (I couldn't go higher with the budget I had)

So what PSU do you think I should get ? I have no favourite makes, though I do like corsair. And i'am thinking about an RM750... but not sure it's enough, but I'am not a benchmark freak, I mostly play games, and I don't think the crossfire would enable everything to be under 100% load.

Thanks for reading

 

[NeverBackDown]

You can always sell your current psu to earn some more cash to put toward another PSU?The Rm 750 will do you well. It can handle those cards and since you won't be OC'ing them that hard it won't struggle to maintain safe power. I would opt for a 850 but a 750 will do fine.

 

[barnsley]

A EVGA/Superflower 850w psu or a Corsair RM 850 would be the ones to look at IMO.

 

[WeSbO]

@neverbackdown thanks for the info, my budget already includes the resale of my PSU.

@Barnsley Yeah I noticed the EVGA psu's and I can pick up a EVGA SuperNOVA 850 G2, 850W for the price of a RM750. So I guess I would be better off with the EVGA psu. Thanks

 

[Cuber]

Hi there,

I would recommend a Corsair CX750, i got mine from scan and it's brilliant and came with 24 hours!

 

[WeSbO]

Thanks for the response cuber, something to think about, but i'am probably going to go with a 850w (for a bit more headroom, never now what i'am going to pick up in between now and 6months...). Though that PSU does look good price/quality wise

 

[WeSbO]

Humm I've been giving this some thought (haven't ordered anything yet), i'm thinking 280 crossfire isn't my best bet (I don't want to open a new thread).

From the research I've done up to now is that my 650w power supply (gold rated) should support an r9 290 (my fx-8320 is oc'ed at 4.5ghz @ 1.464v), so i'm thinking i'm probably better getting a r9 290 and selling my 280 that I have at the moment and keeping my PSU.

Any thoughts ? Knowing that I can pick up a 290 for less than 350€, so lets say I sell my 280 for 100€ approx, and a new PSU+an extra 280 will cost about 300€ and I can sell my 650 psu for about 50€, so cost wise it comes to about the same.

 

[NeverBackDown]

280 in Crossfire is obviously more performance but a 290 is a faster single card. I would only get the 290 in this case if you can get the best cooler(s) available for it, otherwise it won't run to its full potential. The best cards are the Sapphire Tri-x/Vapor-X, Powercolor PCS+, MSI Lightning(its the best one but very expensive), with some other decent ones being CLub3D and the MSI Gaming. Stay away from any Asus card for the 290. Those coolers are about as good as the stock ones.

 

[Xrqute]

PSU wise you can't look past the Corsair AX/Axi series. Platinum Rated, they are alittle bit more expensive then the comparable RM series but you get what you pay for RM-850 $219.00 Aus Vs AX-860 $289.00 Aus/AXI-860 $319.00 Aus. But you do really get what you pay for Stylish look, 7 year warranty and-

AX860-

280 in Crossfire is obviously more performance but a 290 is a faster single card. I would only get the 290 in this case if you can get the best cooler(s) available for it, otherwise it won't run to its full potential. The best cards are the Sapphire Tri-x/Vapor-X, Powercolor PCS+, MSI Lightning(its the best one but very expensive), with some other decent ones being CLub3D and the MSI Gaming. Stay away from any Asus card for the 290. Those coolers are about as good as the stock ones.

I concur, With the R9's (except the 280/x as they have a different core) you really need to do you research about the aftermarket coolers installed, Just picking the one with the highest clock speed and most ram doesn't do with these cards as they run like a blast furnace!

My advice if you can afford it.... Put it on Liquid cooling which will completely solve that issue. But if you go down that path make sure you do your research to make sure that there is a compatible waterblock for your chosen card before you purchase anything. nothing worse then buying something with the plans to put it on water then find no blocks are made for what you've bought.

 

[WeSbO]

Thanks,

for the PSU yes I looked a bit more into it and I was thinking the ax860 (costs the price of an rm1000), and the 290 a sapphire tri-x which turns out to be the cheapest in non reference cooling if I get one.
Not in my projects to w/c the graphics card

 

[NeverBackDown]

Thanks,

for the PSU yes I looked a bit more into it and I was thinking the ax860 (costs the price of an rm1000), and the 290 a sapphire tri-x which turns out to be the cheapest in non reference cooling if I get one.
Not in my projects to w/c the graphics card

No need to swap the ax860 to the rm1000. You don't need more power for a single card. Its only worth it if you plan on doing Xfire. Get the Tri-X card then! its well worth its money, if you plan on ever getting two of these then switch to the rm1000. If not then don't

 

[WeSbO]

Just for the people who are following, I went for an EVGA Supernova g2 850.