Question PSU for media rig

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

Researching for a replacement for a 2009 400w Fanless Seasonic PSU I did research for a good PSU a while ago but I think it's a little overkill for a media rig that basically is there to run Netflix and light browsing. Was looking at a Seasonic Vertex GX-1200 While this has versatility if I want to use it in another system like a gaming rig, I am way out of the efficiency curve for a media rig. Even simple things like running Netflix is still probably ~ 100w and I'm probably still in the 88% efficiency range. Other metric like 12v regulation and ripple suppression are important and the GX is in a good position.

So is the GX-1200 still a good buy/decision for a media rig? Comes in at $230 Just getting a little worried that the old PSU might die and take the new platform along with it.


Thanks for your time and feedback,


Cheers!

 

[Tech Junky]

My usual is $100 / 850W which leaves room for growth and weeds out the junk options. The last 3 have been EVGA and have done their job w/o complaint.

If you really need 1200W later just pick up a current one at the time with the latest standards.

 

[mindless1]

I would have gone the opposite direction.

If your system power consumption is only 100W, with a case using optimal airflow, you might be able to get away with using a PSU with a fan as the only fan in the entire system. Depends on the CPU of course, and video card, whether transcoding video and TDP of those parts.

$230 PSU for a 100W load system seems like gross overkill, though you did not mention the value of parts or specifics of what parts you're hoping to protect by paying 5X what you probably need to.

I don't understand the "versatility if I want to use it in another system like a gaming rig", statement. You are building a media PC and at some point are just going to abandon it and then reuse the PSU for something else?

To me it seems more rational to just buy the PSU it needs, bank the savings to apply to the PSU you need for a gaming rig if/when the day comes that you need another PSU.

You mentioned efficiency but what does it really matter for a 100W system? Ripple suppression is an automatic inherited feature if you are using any pedestrian grade PSU rated for 5X your system load.

I am not suggesting to buy *junk*, just that there is a wide gulf between a reliable PSU capable of good life at 100W load, and a $230 PSU that, unless you abandon your media rig, will stay in it for the life of the system.

I just don't understand. You haven't described any use where I couldn't throw together retired parts that I upgraded out of use, that are old and *free* and expect a long life out of them, just with a newer and/or re-capacitorized PSU than a 2009 model, especially one that was fanless.

Fans are a good thing! Modern quality PSU, turn off fans or run them at very low/inaudible speeds until the load/temp increases to need more airflow and as I initially mentioned, in some media PC setups, it could be the only fan you need in the entire system, depending on the specifics. If you have a boatload of HDDs in it, then no, I'd want a pusher fan to blow through the HDD rack too.

Ultimately I wonder if there is some relevant detail that you aren't mentioning. I don't mean to steer you away from spending a boatload of money, just don't see any reason to. Replace something that is past it's lifespan with only what you need for the system you're building. Let tomorrow take care of itself with the money you saved for that rainy day.

 

[DrMrLordX]

https://pcpartpicker.com/product/fBXfrH/seasonic-power-supply-ss400fl2

Good luck finding one of these. It's an older design, probably a successor to your outgoing unit. Or:

https://pcpartpicker.com/product/gt22FT/be-quiet-pure-power-11-cm-400-w-80-gold-certified-semi-modular-atx-power-supply-bn296

A not-quite-as-old unit but I don't see any for sale immediately.

https://pcpartpicker.com/product/ZJBG3C/evga-supernova-650-p6-650-w-80-platinum-certified-fully-modular-atx-power-supply-220-p6-0650-x1

Overkill for your application. Also I'm not familiar with the P6 line from EVGA. Might be okay, might not, I haven't been hugely pro-EVGA since the G3 and G5 days but who knows, how bad can a Platinum-rated unit really be?

 

[Ken g6]

If you just want Netflix and light browsing, why not get a whole new (Raspberry Pi) system for ~$120?

https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-4GB-Starter-Kit/dp/B07V5JTMV9

 

[DrMrLordX]

If you just want Netflix and light browsing, why not get a whole new (Raspberry Pi) system for ~$120?

https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-4GB-Starter-Kit/dp/B07V5JTMV9

If you're going that route, there's better SBCs available than a Pi 4 or even 5.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

Sorry this was for a pre-existing rig that I built a few months ago. The 400w continues to work.. I was also concerned with it being in a Lian Li PC 60 2002 circa and how well the 80mm exhaust fan would work with a fanless PSU.

I did buy a Noctua 80mm fan thinking it would be quieter while pulling more air than the generic fan in there. After checking specs several times it seems the Noctua is a bogus noisey fan. The generic fan should be louder but it isn't. Waste of money to ship it back.. bought it through Amazon.

 

[DrMrLordX]

That's unfortunate. My industrialPPC3000 fans from Noctua were amazing. But those were 140mm beasts. Whisper quiet at around 1k rpm, and raging wind turbines at 3k rpm.

Honestly though, you COULD maybe replace the entire rig with a cheap ARM SBC like the Orion O6:

Radxa Orion O6

World's First Open Source Arm V9 Motherboard

radxa.com

Good luck finding one for sale in the US, though.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

Will keep the build, but thanks again, and to all who replied!

Cheers!

 

[mindless1]

Sorry this was for a pre-existing rig that I built a few months ago. The 400w continues to work.. I was also concerned with it being in a Lian Li PC 60 2002 circa and how well the 80mm exhaust fan would work with a fanless PSU.

I agree that the LL PC 60 is not a good case for this, with only that one (?) 80mm exhaust fan moving all the air in and out, unless you get a pretty high RPM fan and can stuff the system somewhere to buffer the noise.

If it were most other ancient cases, I would, and have many times, cut some new fan hole(s) in it, but that is such a classic case that I would not do that, instead just get a pedestrian grade 500W-ish PSU (with a fan) for around $50 instead, or use a different case for this build that has a rear 120mm fan if not also a front 120mm fan to move enough air at minimal RPM.

Then again if the case would just go unused, and you don't have a better ventilated spare case lying around, AND if you feel capable of cutting clean looking holes so it doesn't look butchered, then add a side panel fan to it.

I'd still hate to cut up that particular case, thinking someone else might want it, so you could sell it so that it doesn't go to waste and then buy another case if needed.

There is one other option that is not very popular but might do the trick. Cut out some area on the rear of the fanless PSU and mount a fan there, or on the bottom/intake side if there is clearance for the motherboard/etc.

Even a single 80mm fan there at low RPM is going to help a lot in keeping it cool. It'll look strange but who sees the back of the case anyway, or the interior with no case window? Plus then you aren't cutting up the case.

Heh, that idea takes me back, as I used to add a 2nd fan to PSU ~20 years ago, when I was overclocking and PSU weren't nearly as efficient or high capacity (at least not at a reasonable price) as they are now.