Quote:
Originally Posted by Shipwrecked ...For a future purchase, if needed, I was also looking at this psu: Enlight Sniper 5604724 ATX12V / EPS12V 650W Power Supply 100 - 240 V UL, CE, CCC, TUV,FCC, RoHS - Retail
*newegg.com $104.99 ($20 instant savings) - It claims up to 95% efficiency, 80 PLUS certified |
Hi Shipwrecked. I finally got a chance to look at that PSU thoroughly.
First things. The 95% efficiency that Newegg is referring to is for the PFC rating. PFC comes either in either passive or Active forms but basically it helps improve efficiency between wattage drawn at the AC socket & the actual draw of the PC's components. It is in part what has allowed PSU's to increase there overall Efficiency.
(((NOTE: It in NO way means that the Power supply is up to 95% efficient))). This Power supply is also the now the older design of split 12V rails with 16Amps rated as there max before OCP may kick in & shut down your PSU. 16A is rather low today. If you ever decided to utilize SLI down the road you will have to use the work around...
This is more important than that even; I also looked up the Underwriters Laboratory number (E131881) which gives us the "True Manufacturer" of that power supply: Delta Electronics out of China.
This is NOT a quality brand! What often happens is these makers will put out a line under a brand name and after enough people have gotten burned or worse taken out their system with this sub-standard power supply they have already moved on to a new name. This would explain why no ratings exist and the brand seems to have sprung up into existence.
This is not to say that great PSU's aren't made by third party companies, for example Antec has used several makers (some bad, some makers like the current SeaSonic makers are EXCELLENT.) Corsair has also has a nice line out that uses SeaSonic.
I can find some very negative reviews about Delta Electronics's PSU's but I find NO PROFESSIONAL REVIEWS what-so-ever on "Enlight".
Shipwrecked, I am not sure where you are picking your products from, especially in this case? This is a Power Supply that fits more in the price range of the Rosewell Sub-$50 line. Again they appear to be hoping that slapping on a 650 Watt rating will draw in some suckers. Hope it doesn't!
I would avoid this brand until & unless they start having them built with some quality guts.
Some more rants about Power supplies, I know, I know, but buying even a quality brand/build power supply rated at 650 watts is BARELY going to run at 80% efficiency if you are lucky with a low consumption (wattage system). I spent a lot of time linking to some decent articles about PSU's.
People think that Buying the highest rated PSU is the SMARTEST / FUTURE PROOFING thing that they can do. But running them in a system with a fraction of that kind of power need is going to cost you more $$ in energry.
The way most PSU's are set up they start out with their least efficient levels and as they get loaded down they come into their best/most efficient state, and then as the units heat up the curve begins to drop again towards lower & lower efficiency.
Clubit had a sale last week & I think into this week for PC Power and Cooling power supplies. They had a 470 Watt PSU for around $50 after discount & code. MUCH BETTER PSU.
EDIT UPDATED: Here is a Great LINK (Look for posting #196 for a nice list of spending your PSU Dollars!
LINK: Power Supply Guide for Today's & Tomorrow's Computers - Page 10 - EXTREME Overclocking Forums