1st time build - questions about quality psu

[Hookster264]

First off, I would like to apologize for posting yet again another what is the best psu for my setup. I have read lots of posts here and am slowly getting educated about each component. Here is what I am putting into my case:

Newegg.com - XFX MB-N590ASH9 Socket AM2 NVIDIA nForce 590 SLI MCP ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail
Newegg.com - AMD Athlon 64 X2 3600+ Brisbane 1.9GHz 2 x 512KB L2 Cache Socket AM2 Processor - Retail
Newegg.com - G.SKILL 1GB 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Desktop Memory - Retail x2
Newegg.com - EVGA 256-P2-N751-TR GeForce 8600GT 256MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 Video Card - Retail
Newegg.com - Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3160815AS 160GB 7200 RPM 8MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
Newegg.com - ASUS Black 18X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 8X DVD+R DL 18X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 14X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA DVD Burner with LightScribe - Retail
Newegg.com - MITSUMI Black 1.44MB 3.5" Internal USB 2.0 digital card reader with Floppy Drive Model FA404M BLK - OEM

I want to slowly experiment with overclocking the cpu, ram, and vid card. I will do some moderate gaming and media interfacing. My questions are:

How do I determine the total power consumption from my setup?
What is the best level of PSU needed without overkill?
Why do some PSUs list 4 12v amperages and some only 2? Does the OCZ actually have twice the amperage output?

Here are 5 PSUs I have found and wonder if in your opinion, one is better than the rest.

Newegg.com - FSP Group (Fortron Source) Blue Storm II 500 ATX 2.2V 500W Power Supply 100 - 240 V UL, CSA, VDE, NEMKO, CNS, CE, CB, FCC - Retail
Newegg.com - SILVERSTONE ST50EF-Plus ATX 12V 2.2 500W Power Supply 100 - 240 V - Retail
Newegg.com - HIPER HPU-4R580-MS ATX12V v2.2 580W Power Supply 100 - 120V UL, CE, TUV - Retail
Newegg.com - Rosewill RP550V2-D-SL 550W SLI Ready-ATX 12V V2.01 Power Supply 115/230 V CSA,UL,TUV - Retail
Newegg.com - OCZ StealthXStream OCZ600SXS ATX12V / EPS12V 600W Power Supply 100 - 240 V CB, CE, CSA, UL, FCC - Retail I am kinda leaning towards this PSU.

Thanks in advance everybody who replies and sorry for the long post!!

 

[turtile]

Here is all you need:
PC POWER & COOLING ULTRA QUIET POWER SUPPLY: SILENCER® 360 A
Newegg.com - SeaSonic S12-330 ATX12V 330W Power Supply 100 - 240 V UL, CE, DEMCO, NEMCO, SEMCO, FIMCO, CB, FCC, CCC - Retail
Newegg.com - Antec earthwatts EA380 ATX12V v2.0 380W Power Supply 100 - 240 V UL, CUL, FCC, TUV, CE, CB, C-tick, CCC - Retail

 

[saltynay]

I'd go with the antec^^^^^

possibly a 400W fortron

 

[Deathawk]

I recommend the Newegg.com - ENERMAX Liberty ELT400AWT ATX12V 400W Power Supply 90V~265V (Auto Adjusted) UL, cUL, TUV, CB - Retail
Enermax Liberty 400w.. it's great quality, enough power for your build, modular.. I think it's great. If you want more headroom for parts, you can always get the 500w model.

 

[veg1992]

sick board choice dude!!! (i mean that in a positive manner)



Newegg.com - XCLIO GOODPOWER 500W ATX 500W Power Supply 115/230 V UL, CUL, TUV, CB, VDE, FIMKO, DEMKO, NEMKO, SEMKO - Retail

 

[ivan chaos]

i run that same setup almost. but with a ABIT AN52 mobo and a 7300le
(wasnt the best choice in mobo but for price i like it)

i think a 500 watt psu would be the best you dont want overheating and unstability for the same system almost i run 4 120mm fans a scythe ninja heatsink and a 580 watt psu.

 

[saltynay]

lol but a 400W would run that rig easily. Ivan no offence if you are an experienced computer tech guy but assuming by your post count i would say your still relatively new to it. The main flaw with people's builds are over doing the psu by either buying a stupi amount of watts because they can or by buying a cheap brand because its the last component they think about.

If you look at my gaming rig in my sig you will see how even a high end machine can run safely on a relatively low wattage psu but made by a good brand. I could probably push my psu down to 350W and still be able to run my system stably. The only time you need to go over 500W is when doing:

sli with the most extreme gfx card, watercooling and 4 or so case fans, quad core. To be safe if someone was making this type of rig I would tell them to get 550W or possibly a 600W

 

[ivan chaos]

i had a bad expierience with my psu once lol i dont want to get into that lol i might message you with it later btw i have my own buiseness and i am new here but not to the game but you prob are better than me lol ty for comment

 

[saltynay]

I am not that good I still get it wrong lol I am just a regular , also seem to be the only one who knows about ITX and one of few who know extreme modding in any particular detail

 

[bmxfreakrider]

hey salt, not to start crap, but ivan is one of my closest freinds, (sitting next to me right now actually) but for the last year, all we really talked about is this type of stuff, and usually on here ill ask him for a second opinion before i post, lol.

but yea, i agree with him, 400 can run it, but if you add any more stuff to the system, you will be maxing out the 400, personally id say go for at least a 500w (im running a 550w currently) and my last pc had a 400w and it was giving me crap left and right (hp) and i just ordered my 550, and it fixed the problems, and all I was running was whats in my sig all the way to the left, with 2hdd's, a cd, and some fans.


hey, what do ya know, we got the same posts, lol