Quiet 550w+ PSU?

G

Gordo74

Gawd
Joined
Mar 1, 2011
Messages
871
Hey all,

I currently have a Antec Neo Eco 620w, however, during any GPU stress, the 120mm fan quickly turns into a turbine.

I'm looking for a QUIET PSU (preferably modular) (preferably under $100) that would work for the following:

Gigabyte Z68X-UD3H
16GB RAM
ATI 5870
2 SSD
1 HDD

**EDIT** To note: I've HEARD the Neo Eco 620w is the same as this unit (which people say is quiet... and I agree, UNTIL it is loaded): http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151095
 
What I did to my is buy a great PSU and switch the fan.

My PSU is totally silent now at 750W even at full load. No capacitor noise, no fan noise.
 
BDV said:
What I did to my is buy a great PSU and switch the fan.

My PSU is totally silent now at 750W even at full load. No capacitor noise, no fan noise.
Click to expand...

Would you elaborate more on this? How big of a fan would I need? Is it as simple as snipping the wires, unscrewing the old, splicing in the new wires, and screwing in the new (once the housing is off of course)? **EDIT** Would this fan work? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835426016

Which fan did you use that provided enough airflow? The PSU gets quite warm when it is whirring high.

I have the PSU fan currently pointed at the bottom of the case which is against carpet but has a hole. Would it help if I flipped it? Keep in mind, it turned into a turbine whenever it was on a hardwood floor as well with about 1" clearance under it.
 
Any Corsair unit is dead silent unless you push them to the limits. Otherwise the fan pretty much never spins up. Corsair HX520 was the least noisiest component in my old system that was built with silence in mind.
 
Okay, point taken. Wont change the PSU fan.

If I go with an HX520, won't that system be "pushing it to the limits" when gaming or folding?
 
You can't get an HX520. It's been discontinued for a while.

The Seasonic X-560 and Kingwin Lazer Platinum 550W would be silent or close to it while running your system, but they're outside your price range. An alternative would be to buy an oversize PSU. Here are a few options:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341052 (don't forget the promo code)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371051
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139021
 
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MaZa said:
Agreed. Whenever you open up your PSU you are playing with fire. Or in this case electric shocks. :D
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heh.

It takes less than five minutes for anyone with a shred of electrical engineering background or any PC tech background.

Obviously some people are not apt to this type of stuff, but I don't see how changing a cheapo fan for a high quality, high CFM low noise fan is bad.

Anyways, my noctua replacement fan has been running perfectly for more than two years now :)

p.s.

Obviously when doing this, research has to be done to make sure the replacement fan is up to "spec" and won't fail to properly cool.
 
BDV said:
heh.

It takes less than five minutes for anyone with a shred of electrical engineering background or any PC tech background.

Obviously some people are not apt to this type of stuff, but I don't see how changing a cheapo fan for a high quality, high CFM low noise fan is bad.

Anyways, my noctua replacement fan has been running perfectly for more than two years now :)
Click to expand...
The fan controller inside a PSU is designed for a specific fan with a certain amount of airflow and a certain RPM range. Switching to a fan with different specs will mean that the fan controller will not work properly. It can work out, but you have to make sure that you pick the right fan for the job, which is often not easy.
 
Zero82z said:
You can't get an HX520. It's been discontinued for a while.

The Seasonic X-560 and Kingwin Lazer Platinum 550W would be silent or close to it while running your system, but they're outside your price range. An alternative would be to buy an oversize PSU. Here are a few options:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341052 (don't forget the promo code)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371051
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139021
Click to expand...

The first one looked good until I saw this:

http://www.hardocp.com/article/2011/12/20/ocz_zt_series_650w_power_supply_review/9

The second, I am weary about due to the Antec I have now sounding like a turbine under load.

The third... couldnt I go with the 650w and save some money? Is it completely quiet, even under load? I have a Fractal Design R3 case with noise deadening in it to keep it quiet, but the PSU fan ramping up is something that will be noticeable.
 
The reason I suggested a 750W PSU in the first place is so you won't be loading it very much, and therefore it will be quiet.
 
MaZa said:
Agreed. Whenever you open up your PSU you are playing with fire. Or in this case electric shocks. :D
Click to expand...

If you know what your doing its not that hard. I would recommend having something else power it...as they tend to get picky if they are not getting enough power...(fan not spinning because its expect X volts vs Y....) but doable...
 
I've looked at reviews for the rosewill Capstone series...mostly good things...alot of people are surprised by them.

right now a 650 will set you back $89.99 shipped...I'm looking up more reviews since I have a shared interest in the matter. I will let you know what I find.
 
Update: I moved into a new apartment and bought a computer desk that elevates the PC off of the carpet. Because of this the PSU now has airflow to its big fan and does not ramp up fan speed.
 
ah ha ... the old "off the carpet fixes it every time" situation LOL
 
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