Date:
Tuesday , April 27, 2010
Author:
Paul Johnson
Editor:
Kyle Bennett
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GTX 480 & GTX 470 Power Supply Unit Buying Guide

So you are going to go the Fermi / GF100 route for your next video card purchase? Along with getting the fastest single GPU in the world, you will also be nursing a power hungry piglet of a video card that requires you feed it a diet high in amperage, low in ripple, all while keeping tight voltage regulation. We show you what to buy.

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GeForce GTX 480 SLI OC

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GeForce GTX 480

For our heavily overclocked GTX 480 SLI system recommendations we are going to be looking at power supplies in the 1000W+ range. We are using this range following our personal experiences and because this power supply will not only have to power our GTX 480 SLI setup but also a high-end build based around the X58 chipset and Intel’s high-end Core i7 processor. Such a system would be similar to that which we used in our Fermi evaluation that included a Gigabyte EX58-UD5 motherboard, an Intel Core i7 920 Overclocked to 3.6GHz, and 6GB of Corsair TR3X6G1600C8D Dominator DDR3.

Cooler Master Real Power Pro 1000W

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The Cooler Master Real Power Pro 1000W is a bit of an older unit from Cooler Master but it is still a 1000 watt unit that can deliver power at 45C with ease. Within that 1000 watt capacity, we find a unit that has six 12v rails that can deliver up to 80A for your Fermi power related needs. On top of that, the unit is 80Plus certified, and has a host of connectors for your non-Fermi peripheral needs. Sorry, but at time of publication, this unit has gone out of stock.

Purchase a Cooler Master Real Power Pro 1000W - $199.99 - $11.30 Shipping

Corsair HX1000W

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The Corsair HX1000W was the first entry in Corsair’s "Professional" series of power supplies and sports a total capacity of 1000 watt rated at 50C. This capacity includes a generous 12v capacity of 80A that is split between two separate 12v rails along with a semi-modular design utilizing the flat ribbon style cables to minimize clutter and help with cable routing. The HX1000W is an older design than the other HX series units that have made the list and as such its efficiency is only 80Plus certified. It carries a 5 year warranty from Corsair.

Purchase a Corsair HX1000W - $214.99 after MIR - Free Shipping

Enermax Revolution85+ 1050W

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The Enermax Revolution 85+ series is comprised of an 850W model, a 950W model, and a 1050W model. All three of which are excellent and the 850W / 950W models would also make good solutions in the GTX 480 SLI section. The 1050W model though is right at home in your seriously overclocked GTX 480 SLI builds. The Revolution85+ units are rated at 850W / 950W / 1050W at 50C and come with six 12v rails. On the 1050W model this combined 12v capacity is 87A. To top it off, the 1050W Revolution85+ is certified for 80Plus Silver and is backed by a 5 year warranty from Enermax. This 1050W unit is showing Sold Out as of this morning.

Purchase an Enermax Revolution85+ 1050W - $235.99 after MIR - Free Shipping

Kingwin Mach1 1220W

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The Kingwin Mach1 1220W is the biggest boy in this group by far! With a huge 1220W capacity that is delivered at temperatures up to 50C, a 12v capacity of 90A across six 12v rails, and 80Plus Bronze certification for efficiency this big guy is still a very good choice. We also find that the styling on this unit is unique with its semi-modular design featuring coax style connectors for an extra dash of panache. We could wish for more warranty support from Kingwin, but otherwise this unit has what Fermi needs.

Purchase a Kingwin Mach1 1220W - $209.99 - Free Shipping

OCZ Z1000M

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The OCZ Z series is OCZ’s current top of the line class of power supplies and rightfully so. In this class, the Z1000M fits in nicely with its 1000 watts of output rated at 50C and its 12v capacity of 83A on a single 12v rail. The unit features a semi-modular design, 80Plus Gold certification, and a 5 year warranty from OCZ. With its price drops over the last 18 months or so, the unit has become a very attractive target for enthusiast systems looking to go the Fermi route. Even more awesome at publication time, there is an additional 10% off promo in addition to the MIR, but the PSU is out of stock but looking to ship on 5/24/2010. If you are planning ahead on a build, this could be a good deal.

Purchase an OCZ Z1000M - $239.99 after MIR - $11.30 Shipping