Replacement computer ATX power supply

Ken - NM9P

I am thinking of upgrading my video card, which will also require replacing my computer's ATX power supply for a higher wattage unit with a 6-pin video card PS connector.  I am probably looking in the 500-600W category

My question is...which brands are most recommended, especially from these criteria..in this order:

1) RFI generation  (I want an RF-quiet supply.
2) Fan noise  (I want an acoustically quiet supply)
3) Efficiency  (I want to be as good to the environment and my pocketbook as possible)

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Ken - NM9P

Gerold Blossey

Hello Ken,  I replaced a power supply in November with a Lepa MaxBron 800W 80PLUS...".  that I purchased from Amazon for approximately $80.00 plus tax and shipping.  Hope this helps.

Ria

We used a corsair modular power supply for the last build. Very quiet, RFI wise. This replaced an old dell which had a noisy power supply that would wipe out 80m. Can't go wrong with Corsair or Antec. 

George KF2T

Antec VP-450 Power Supply 
by Antec 
Link: http://a.co/cKELwnT

This one worked well for me on my last Windows machine (quad core with heavy duty graphics card). Quiet physically and electrically, too.

Scott N8UMW

I've had excellent luck with CoolerMaster and Thermaltake supplies. Midline and higher. The cheapest supplies from most manufacturers are RF generators. Computer monitors certainly are not all RF free either.

NX6D Dave

I use a 600W Corsair modular PS.  It's pretty old now, so I can't answer for what that company is doing these days, but it has worked well for me.  Use a good case and ground it well.

AC9S

I have used Corsair in my last three builds

Keith - AC9S

Rob Fissel

Second Antec. You pay for what you get. Default cheap PS that came with an enclosure I bought back in 2014 was absolutely filthy. I've done several builds over the last few years and Antec has yet to let me down. 

Ross - K9COX

I will second for Thermaltake, electrically and mechanically quiet. Quality construction right down to the cabling. Very reliable.

Ria

I get them from Micro Center. They always have rebates for them.

Reg

I've had great success with CoolerMaster.  There are levels of power supply performance.  You will find PSU designated such as 80 Plus Bronze, Silver, Gold & Platinum.  This is only a specification of PSU efficiency and has nothing to do with RFI or any other characteristics. 

If you add a high-end video adapter to many PC's it will typically draw more current than the rest of the rig.  For an i7-5960X, EVGA 980 video and 64 GB RAM I use a coolermaster 1000W Silver.  All of the the other rigs are i7-4770K or 4790K with EVGA 780 video and 32 GB RAM and they run off of a CoolerMaster 850W Bronze PSU. 

I try to have some headroom in the power supply unit.  Before I install a new PSU I check it on the bench with both a spectrum analyzer and scope (for ripple) and so far every CoolerMaster has been clean.

I once tested a Corsair 600W PSU that was going into a friends new PC build and it was very clean.

Tim KE4UK

Antec EarthWatts Platinum Series EA-650 650W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS PLATINUM Certified Active PFC Power Supply - Intel Haswell Fully Compatible

Marty Gibson

yep ..corsair. cant go past them. a little more expensive than others in OZ but well worth it. zero rfi.. quiet as a mouse, running 3 tower fans. my samsung monitor ac dc adaptor produces more rfi.. now thats annoying. 73s

Gary m0gme

Marty you cut the adapter off and connect the monitor to your radio PSU, My monitor psu's output was 18vdc but still work just fine at 13.8vdc and no rfi.

EA4GLI

Buy it from a place where you can return it... I bought a Corsair 750W modular (expensive) one because a lot of online recommendations and it supposed to be better shielded for RFI and guess what, it is the main source of noise in my station.

dlwarnberg

I'll throw my vote out there for a corsair as well.. using a corsair case and corsair HX750 power supply.. quiet and no RFI

Good Luck

David

Clay N9IO

Corsair will be my only ps since this last build went so well a few years back. Mondo quiet Ken...

Ria

It was from micro center here which has a good return policy. 

Steve Belcak

Hi Ken..... I also support Corsair as a good choice....my curiosity....what video card are you looking at?

Steve K3WKM

Ken - NM9P

Haven't decided, yet.  I'm toying with something like an AMD Radeon R7 360.  I am not sure that is the right one, though.  I am in research phase, making long-term plans to move to a 40-48 inch QuadHD/4K, perhaps a Samsung, that will become the equivalent of 4 smaller monitors on one screen.  But these are very long term plans.  My first step may be to add a third monitor that I already have sitting around in the shack......

Ken - NM9P

dlwarnberg

Ken.. Running a GeForce GTX 750 Ti here with triple HP 22" monitors.. love all the real-estate to work with..

Good luck

David

KS4JU

I vote for Corsair also. As far as graphics cards go, you might want to future proof a little and go with either a Geforce 1060 or a AMD Radeon 480 series. Cost a little more but are fairly high performance cards. Speaking of Corsair, I am also using their Hydro H100i V2 water cooling system and their Carbide Series Air 240 micro ATX case.

Keith Flint

The Silencer MK3 500W works well for me (Amazon)
Keith
W7ZAC

wb7ond

When I received my 6500, I upgraded my Dell desktop video card which had a benchmark under 1000, I needed a 1/2 length card, and did NOT want to upgrade my stock Dell power supply, so after some research for my Dell model, I purchased this:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IDG3PRI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1  My reason for selection was Tim's advice on the benchmark grade over a 1000, this card is 3259.  The web site is https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IDG3PRI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1  has every known video card and its benchmark...   I also run triple monitors with this, it has a number of different output connectors.
R. Linder
wb7ond

Donald Corrington

I had a CoolerMaster 500 W supply that generaed s9+5 noise eevey 67 kHz on all bands. I went with a Corsair HX 750. To my amazement, no trace of noise anywhere.

Brad A. Steffler

Corsair. I have used Corsairs for my last 4 power supplies for my PC's. Usually I get an 850 to 750 watt supply. All are  efficient, quiet and RF quiet. I buy the HX line supplies.They ar expensive, but are worth every cent in quietness,efficiency and dependability.


Brad
KE4XJ