New Build Suggestions? Opinions?

[Fulmar]

If you are gonna get a power supply,go ALL THE WAY,get a Xion 1000W power supply (6 12V rails @  V1:20  V2:20 V3:20 V4:35 V5:35 V6:20" for about 100 dollars at TigerDirect.  Now,I don't really know WHY everyone says intel is a better processor than AMD,you can get a processor with the same spec on everything as an Intel,but spend a whole heck of a lot less,Core i7 965:1000 dollars     AMD Phenom II X4 955: about 320, they're about the same,and what isn't you can always overclock,I also believe that mobos ready for AMD processors are a little cheaper too

#1 - On a supposed 1000W PSU, I would never buy something listed at a $100 price point.  When it comes to PSU's, quality is everything.  Once you you find out what kind of wattage/amperage needs you need for the system, choose the quality over price if its in your budget.  A pretty good 400W/600W should be in the $100 range (sans rebates etc).  A truly good 1000W should push over $200 easy.

#2 - Unless you really have a hole in your pocket to burn, the vast majority of people do not buy the Intel Extreme Edition CPU's.  The Intel i7 920 ($280) is a much closer match to the AMD X4 955 ($250).  You can google for benchmarks if you want.  They'll trade back and forth between a few games at stock speeds, but the i7's will do better in any type of encoding/compiling/synthetic benchmarks.  In the $500-$700 of building, it can be a toss up.  At $1000+ price points, I think splurging on Intel is well worth it.  Then again, it always depends on what you're using your computer for.  Not everybody games 24/7.

[Ruler2]

Fulmar,believe it or not,even though that PSU IS only $100,it is made by a company called SuperFlower, and yes,although weak as it sounds,I have been looking at their products for quite awhile.every review I have read about them has been good,they are well made,efficient,cool,and quiet.  I have seen benchmarks or them running up against an Antec and being every bit as good or better. That has been one of the things the reviewers have wondered though,why do they sell THEIR products that are an equivalent of brand-names for 1/2 price?

[Fulmar]

The only Antec model I would possibly consider buying is probably their Signature line.  Otherwise I'd probably avoid their PSU's like the plague.  I'd generally only recommend Seasonic, Corsair (Seasonic), OCZ, Silverstone, Zalman, and PC Power & Cooking.

The famed Antec PSU's of 5-6 years ago are not the same PSU's of today.

[Masherbrum]

Fulmar,believe it or not,even though that PSU IS only $100,it is made by a company called SuperFlower, and yes,although weak as it sounds,I have been looking at their products for quite awhile.every review I have read about them has been good,they are well made,efficient,cool,and quiet.  I have seen benchmarks or them running up against an Antec and being every bit as good or better. That has been one of the things the reviewers have wondered though,why do they sell THEIR products that are an equivalent of brand-names for 1/2 price?

Xion is not close to the Quality of the brands that Fulmar recommends (as do I and others).   If you skimp on the PSU, you've failed at building a quality rig.   

[Ruler2]

PC Power & Cooking.

they have PSUs that will let you play and make your dinner at the same time? SWEET!   

[Fulmar]

they have PSUs that will let you play and make your dinner at the same time? SWEET!   

There are whole lines of cooking appliances available for your computer.  Currently I'm using this USB Toaster...
http://store.theonion.com/gotcha-gift-box-usb-toaster-p-71.html

[Ruler2]

lol

[BaldEagl]

There are whole lines of cooking appliances available for your computer.  Currently I'm using this USB Toaster...
http://store.theonion.com/gotcha-gift-box-usb-toaster-p-71.html

   I know the perfect person I could pull that on.

[Ghastly]

Speaking of which, I was actually given one of these for Christmas...

http://www.skymall.com/shopping/detail.htm?pid=102530884

And it doesn't make any more sense to me today than it did 6 months ago!  (And no, I've never plugged it into my laptop, either.)

<S>

[BoilerDown]

#1 - On a supposed 1000W PSU, I would never buy something listed at a $100 price point.  When it comes to PSU's, quality is everything.  Once you you find out what kind of wattage/amperage needs you need for the system, choose the quality over price if its in your budget.  A pretty good 400W/600W should be in the $100 range (sans rebates etc).  A truly good 1000W should push over $200 easy.

The only Antec model I would possibly consider buying is probably their Signature line.  Otherwise I'd probably avoid their PSU's like the plague.  I'd generally only recommend Seasonic, Corsair (Seasonic), OCZ, Silverstone, Zalman, and PC Power & Cooking.

The famed Antec PSU's of 5-6 years ago are not the same PSU's of today.

Neither of these is a very good suggestion, IMO.  If you think you're getting quality based on price, you're throwing your money away.  If you think you're getting quality based on brand name, you might be surprised to still get a bad PSU.

What you need to do is decide how much wattage you need/want, then look up reviews on individual PSU models.  The Hardocp and Anandtech web sites have been doing some very comprehensive PSU reviews for a number of years now.  Check them out, you'll save money and get yourself the best PSU money can buy.

[alskahawk]

 1000watt PSU is physically large and may pose a problem with some cases. For most non-sli systems its like shooting a mosquito with a bazooka.

[Skuzzy]

HardOCP and Anandtech are both dependent on ad revenue.  They will never say a bad thing about any company that advertises on their site.  There is not such thing as a 100% percent objective site as it pertains to computer hardware.

Antec does not make thier supplies any longer.  They buy them from the same Chinese plant that 30 other power supply folks buy theres from.  The only thing that changes are the labels and colors.

It is true, you cannot trust the names either.  Example.  PC Power & Cooling supplies are not all PC Power & Cooling designed supplies.  OCZ slips some of thier own designs under that name and vice-versa.  You have to know what it is you are buying.  Now, Seasonic is one of the few companies who make all thier power supplies and they do a good job across the line.  Seasonic also makes crappy power supplies for other companies as well, but they are not carried under the Seasonic name.

[Sakai]

You have to know what it is you are buying.  Now, Seasonic is one of the few companies who make all thier power supplies and they do a good job across the line.  Seasonic also makes crappy power supplies for other companies as well, but they are not carried under the Seasonic name.

Assuming I can identify a quality product, is there a minimum/recommended wattage power supply you would build a computer around? 

[Skuzzy]

It really depends on the computer and supply being used.

If the power supply does not have active PFC controls, then you should be looking at a supply which will run at 80% of its rated load capacity when the computer is in a steady state.  Switching supplies cannot run if there is not enough load on them, or they run very dirty when the loads are too light.  This is all true it fhtey do not have active PFC circuits.  Not passive PFC circuits.

A supply with active PCF circuits and run over a wider load range and provide clean power for that range as well.

I like to run an active PFC supply at about 70% load, when possible.

Efficiency is also something to be concerned about.  The lower the efficiency, the bigger the heat sinks have to be.  Big heat sinks with an efficient supply is just a bonus.  Small heat sinks on a low efficiency supply usually means an early death for the power supply.  What makes a power supply efficient is how little energy is lost to thermal conversion (heat).

A higher efficiency supply runs cooler, at the same load, a lower efficiency supply would.

What supply your computer actually need depends on your hardware.

So far, I have made wide use of the PC Power & Cooling Silencer 750W supplies.  It is a good solid, well made, supply.  It is powering every computer in our office as well as my personal home computer.  That is not an endorsement.  It is a simple statement.

[Fulmar]

Efficiency is also something to be concerned about.  The lower the efficiency, the bigger the heat sinks have to be.  Big heat sinks with an efficient supply is just a bonus.  Small heat sinks on a low efficiency supply usually means an early death for the power supply.  What makes a power supply efficient is how little energy is lost to thermal conversion (heat).

A higher efficiency supply runs cooler, at the same load, a lower efficiency supply would.

Makes sense.  Reminds me of my ClarkConnect Box that had its PSU go out on it.  The day before the said event I noticed that the wattage being ready from my P3 Kil-A-Watt unit had seen a 20-30W increase over its normal readings.  The cord plugged into the Kil-A-Watt lead to a UPS that was used with my AMD 2000+ box.  Normally the box + 700VA UPS drew about 120-130W.  On the day before it blew, it was pushed up to 160W+.  After the PSU blew, that whole case was red hot.  The box used to run hot, but I always attributed it to the 5 hard drives I had in the setup and not stellar cooling.  A new quality higher efficiency PSU has dramatically lowered the case temps, a good 10C easy.