Under 500 watts and "semi-fanless"?

[ignatzatsonic]

I'm going to re-build within a few months.

I currently have a 4 year old Seasonic X-560 that has no issues other than age, so I might replace it. The new PC will be relatively low-powered, no video card, no gaming. I'm building with low noise as a goal and will probably use an upper level i5 Skylake CPU.

I don't see my power usage going above 150 or 200 watts, so would like to find something under 500 watts with a fan that spins only in certain situations. Semi-modular or modular.

I don't have the nerve to go fanless completely, particularly given the cost of fanless PSUs.

Are Seasonic X and XFX XTR series the only semi-fanless candidates? As near as I can tell, their semi-fanless models start at 550 watts and go up from there. I'd much prefer 400 to 500. The Seasonic 450 G series appeals, but is not semi-fanless.

And I think the 550 watt XFX XTR has a fan that will ALWAYS spin at a temp above 25 C/77 F, even in the so-called "hybrid" mode--if I read their spec sheet correctly. The load level is apparently irrelevant. Can anyone confirm this?

This PC will be housed in a room that is nearly always 27 C/80 F, so I assume the XFX XTR fan would always spin.

Any other ideas or manufacturers for "semi-fanless"?

 

[TemjinGold]

Why do you want to replace your PSU? 4 years is not much especially with that kind of load. If it hasn't been giving you problems, it should easily last another 4+ years.

 

[lehtv]

I agree with TemjinGold. 4 years is not an issue for an X-560, even if you had used it in a setup that actually pulled the sort of watts that PSU was designed for. It should outlive its 5 year warranty by several years in moderate use; similar units these days are typically given 7 year warranty.

Also, are you sure you actually notice the difference between a low RPM fan like the one on Seasonic G450 and a fan that doesn't spin at all? I currently have a G650, and don't really notice any difference to my old X-650, despite having very low RPM case fans and CPU fan.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Thanks for the quick responses.

As I said, I might replace the Seasonic. I might not.

I am not the type who constantly upgrades. I usually do a complete rebuild every 4 or 5 years and stay with those parts, barring failure or running out of hard drive space.

My reasons for maybe replacing would be:

1: I have spare replacements for most of my components, but do not have a spare PSU. I'd kinda like to have a replacement on the shelf to swap in if I suspect the Seasonic has issues in the future.

2: Minor concerns about the Seasonic's age.

3: I did have one odd event a couple of years ago that may be attributable to the Seasonic. It's a long story, but it was a one-time deal and it has performed very well other than this single instance.

4: I can afford to replace it and wouldn't mind doing so if there were a more fitting candidate--perhaps one that had higher efficiency at very low loads---typically under 100 watts. I'd love to see a semi-fanless Seasonic at 400 watts, but no such animal.

I acknowledge that all of the above is grasping to an extent. I just have upgrade-itis to a degree and am frustrated by waiting for Skylake considering the debatable Intel roadmap.

Regarding noise: I do suspect that PSU fan noise is typically a relatively minor component of total noise, but I'd like every advantage I can get. I am being particularly careful about what case fans I use and the quality of the fan control on whatever motherboard I choose.

I see generally favorable reviews for the Seasonic G 450, but I did see a reviewer's complaint about it's ADDA fan being louder than the higher quality fans used in other higher priced Seasonic units.

Back to my original point from my first post: are there candidates from other manufacturers or am I limited to XFX and Seasonic?

Any comments on that "hybrid" fan setup in the XFX XTRs? I'm leaning against it as I suspect it spins constantly in an 80 degree Fahrenheit room.

 

[XFXSupport]

Thanks for the quick responses.

As I said, I might replace the Seasonic. I might not.

I am not the type who constantly upgrades. I usually do a complete rebuild every 4 or 5 years and stay with those parts, barring failure or running out of hard drive space.

My reasons for maybe replacing would be:

1: I have spare replacements for most of my components, but do not have a spare PSU. I'd kinda like to have a replacement on the shelf to swap in if I suspect the Seasonic has issues in the future.

2: Minor concerns about the Seasonic's age.

3: I did have one odd event a couple of years ago that may be attributable to the Seasonic. It's a long story, but it was a one-time deal and it has performed very well other than this single instance.

4: I can afford to replace it and wouldn't mind doing so if there were a more fitting candidate--perhaps one that had higher efficiency at very low loads---typically under 100 watts. I'd love to see a semi-fanless Seasonic at 400 watts, but no such animal.

I acknowledge that all of the above is grasping to an extent. I just have upgrade-itis to a degree and am frustrated by waiting for Skylake considering the debatable Intel roadmap.

Regarding noise: I do suspect that PSU fan noise is typically a relatively minor component of total noise, but I'd like every advantage I can get. I am being particularly careful about what case fans I use and the quality of the fan control on whatever motherboard I choose.

I see generally favorable reviews for the Seasonic G 450, but I did see a reviewer's complaint about it's ADDA fan being louder than the higher quality fans used in other higher priced Seasonic units.

Back to my original point from my first post: are there candidates from other manufacturers or am I limited to XFX and Seasonic?

Any comments on that "hybrid" fan setup in the XFX XTRs? I'm leaning against it as I suspect it spins constantly in an 80 degree Fahrenheit room.

Hey Ignatzatsonic,

Unfortunately the lowest PSU we make with a hybrid fan is a 550W, but it only uses the wattage required at any given time. One could argue that if you had a 1000 W plat PSU with a hybrid fan, then only using 300-400 watts would have less need to make the fan spin due to its larger heatsink and overcompensation for heat dispersal. As far as when the fan spins, it really depends on the load + the ambient temperature. There are other major factors that can help keep it cool as well, including case location and airflow.

If you want to limit the fan usage and sound, get a high rating (plat) and larger power supply that would have more surface area for passive cooling to limit the fan use.

Mark

XFX Support

 

[ignatzatsonic]

As far as when the fan spins, it really depends on the load + the ambient temperature.

If you want to limit the fan usage and sound, get a high rating (plat) and larger power supply that would have more surface area for passive cooling to limit the fan use.

Mark

XFX Support

Mark:

Who should I believe: you or the XFX spec sheet, which says:

"allows the PSU to operate silently until it reaches 25% load or 25°C."

I take that to mean it will always spin at 27 C.

If the spec sheet is wrong, take it down and correct it.

Not a chance in the world I'm going to buy a high wattage PSU when my typical load is 100 watts.

 

[lehtv]

The only semi-fanless sub 500W unit I know is Corsair RM450. Like the rest of RM series, it should be a pretty decent quality unit, but it'd be a downgrade from X-560. I'd rather have a few years old Seasonic with top tier Japanese caps than a brand new CWT with second tier Chinese caps.

Any comments on that "hybrid" fan setup in the XFX XTRs? I'm leaning against it as I suspect it spins constantly in an 80 degree Fahrenheit room.

I don't get this. You currently own an X-560. If it doesn't constantly spin at your load and ambient temp, then why would the near identical XFX XTR spin in the same conditions? Makes no sense.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

I have no idea what the XFX fan will do.

The spec sheet says: allows the PSU to operate silently until it reaches 25% load or 25°C.

Make of that what you will.

I take it to mean it will always spin at 27 C.

English is my first language, but I could be wrong.

 

[lehtv]

I see...

Regardless. This is all rather "academic". In practice, you're already well off with the Seasonic. If you want a backup unit just to fall back on temporarily while waiting for a potential RMA replacement or something, you should grab a cheap but reliable unit like Antec EA-380D $30 AR @newegg

 

[MongGrel]

I'd just stick with the Seasonic.

 

[TemjinGold]

OP, at the load you are planning to pull, that XFX will not reach 25C.

 

[lehtv]

OP, at the load you are planning to pull, that XFX will not reach 25C.

His ambient temperature is 27C.

 

[ClockHound]

Agree, after 4 years without much stress, the Seasonic still has some legs. But only the OP can decide if they're too hairy.

The Cooler Master V450 or V550 might be attractive as they are super efficient and quiet at very low loads - TechPowerup V550 review - nearly 88% efficient at 40W. Yes, it's CM, but a new platform with all Japanese caps.

I just replaced a G550 with coil whine issues and slightly clicky fan with a EVGA G2 750. It has a silent semi-passive mode and no coil whine. Fanless up to about 370W at 37c or so. My experience seems to confirm that. Only issue I've had is the length - its 180mm Super Flower Leadex modular platform makes installation a little tighter.

Of course, could always try the silence lottery with a Seasonic fanless unit, the 400 or 460....but coil whine. The Rosewill SilentNight 500W is very popular with many on SPCR who didn't win the silence lottery with the Seasonic fanless units. Like the G2 series, the Rosewill is from Super Flower and is a 180mm modular.

On my next mITX build will go for the CM V550 - it's semi-modular and only 140mm long - smaller than even the G series. Which are great, just not silent at idle. Even after the 1st RMA.

 

[TemjinGold]

His ambient temperature is 27C.

Wow that sucks... maybe some AC for the room then?

OP: Since you are hellbent on replacing your PSU way before it's outlived its useful life and there were no issues with it other than age, why don't you just buy another Seasonic X-560 then?

 

[Cerb]

I don't have the nerve to go fanless completely, particularly given the cost of fanless PSUs.

Promo + rebate is the only way to do it .
<- running a fanless PSU, but would never have paid the full every day price for it.

Are Seasonic X and XFX XTR series the only semi-fanless candidates? As near as I can tell, their semi-fanless models start at 550 watts and go up from there. I'd much prefer 400 to 500. The Seasonic 450 G series appeals, but is not semi-fanless.

Semi-passive is the term. Obvously, the fan is there regardless . Yes, under low load, the fan should be off, and outside of DC or gaming, that will likely be almost all of the time.

Any other ideas or manufacturers for "semi-fanless"?

Corsair, with the RM series, and eVGA with the Supernova PSUs, of which the 750 G2 tends to be off and on a great deal, due to rebates, much like the XFX and Corsair PSUs get (~$110 right now, but was ~$80 not long ago). If going with all new parts, the eVGA should be comparable in quality to the Seasonic, the RMs less so.

Given the way they work, it makes little sense to right-size a semi-passive PSU, if going for the fanless idle. Oversize it, instead. Since most are Platinum rated, today, anyway, or at least Gold, so the reduced efficiency under low load isn't much.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Wow that sucks... maybe some AC for the room then?

OP: Since you are hellbent on replacing your PSU way before it's outlived its useful life and there were no issues with it other than age, why don't you just buy another Seasonic X-560 then?

I'm not hellbent. I assume you've read where I say I might replace it. That implies I might not. If I were hellbent, I wouldn't use "might".

I live in a warm climate with air conditioning. I'm personally comfortable at about 80. I choose to keep the thermostat at 81 to keep the electric bills manageable. When the temp rises to 81, the AC comes on and beats it down to maybe 78 and shuts off, and then it rises back to 81 in short order. From May through September, we can go weeks with nighttime temps never dropping below 80. So, AC runs semi-constantly. It's been running a bit already since early March.

I have no PC temp problems generally--processors typically in the mid 30s, hard drives in the low 30s, with ambient at 80 Fahrenheit (27 C).

I don't want to buy a cheap standby "temporary" or "emergency" PSU. If I buy another PSU at all, it would have to be a unit I would be comfortable with permanently.

I don't want to buy another Seasonic X-560 due to their expense and because it's over-powered if anything. I think its efficiency is in the mid to upper 80s at low load.

Prime 95 testing has driven this PC (i5-2500 stock) only to a measured 164 watts maximum. I'm under 100 watts 95% of the time. Idling 90% of the time at about 75 watts. I have no intention of every owning a PC that could use 200 watts. No video cards, no gaming, and the trend in CPU power usage is down.

I bought an X-560 originally ($120), 4 years ago, only because it was the lowest wattage, high quality, "semi-passive", modular PSU I could find at that time. There are more offerings now, but it's still slim pickings in the low watt range as far as I can tell.

Something in the $75 range, say 450 watts or less, part-time fan that is known to be quiet when it does run, and high build quality would be the ideal candidate. Not necessarily fully modular. The XFX XTR series is 550 watts or more and includes a fan whose behavior is unknown (to me) at low loads and 80 degrees.

Cerb: I'm aware of the EVGA units. They would certainly be a possibility if on sale and if I'm willing to go with higher wattage. I might pay $80 in a weak moment for it or a Seasonic or other brand, but above that is a no-go. I frown at rebates.

 

[TemjinGold]

OP: I would seriously again recommend that you don't replace the PSU in that case. Why? Because with the budget you set for yourself, you would quite likely end up with something lower quality than what you have (at best it would be comparable quality) AND you would have paid for it. We just established that budget is a concern of yours. There are 2 uncertainties with any piece of hardware you buy: Are the components high quality and did you get a problem-free unit. The first can be discerned through research, the second only through use (because even the best out there will have a lemon now and again). Your X-560 is clearly good for #1 and has proven that #2 isn't an issue over the past few years. It would not be a stretch to say its replacement could quite likely last the same or less compared to the remaining life of your X-560.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

The Rosewill SilentNight 500W is very popular with many on SPCR who didn't win the silence lottery with the Seasonic fanless units. Like the G2 series, the Rosewill is from Super Flower and is a 180mm modular.

Well, Clockhound, thanks to you I just ordered the Rosewill SilentNight 500 watt fanless.

120 less 40 mail in rebate from Newegg, free shipping, no tax. Price valid only until March 31. Wouldn't have considered it for more than $80 net.

Had $80 burning a hole in my pocket and at least now I'll have a spare PSU. I'll probably install this Rosewill in my current PC to see how warm things get this summer. I don't expect any issues based on reviews and any new PC will certainly be no hotter. It's got a huge heatsink and may well dissipate heat better than my semi-passive Seasonic X-560.

Never tried fanless, but since my Seasonic fan never spins, I figger why not?

Found an online report stating that the fan on the XFX XTR 550 spins constantly at 80 F ambient under low load.

Considered the Coolermasters you mentioned, but can't find the 450. The 550 looks to be $90, at least today. They do have good reviews, so thanks for that pointer.

Haven't been in rebate agony for 10 years, so the memory pain has faded and I bit.

No indication that this Rosewill has coil whine issues and I did not want to play the Seasonic fanless lottery.

Thanks everyone for the responses.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

It sounds like you want a 200w PicoPSU unit, with appropriately sized external power brick.

Easy enough to get, not cheap tho.