ZM850-HP PSU for a X79 Build?

inSilica · 29 Nov 2011 at 14:08

Hi guys,

First off, I don't skimp on PSU's! Never have and never will.

I have the ZM850-HP (http://www.zalman.com/ENG/product/Product_Read.asp?idx=198) which I bought a while ago (2-3years maybe running a typical ~5->6 hour day on the system in sig, so no OC or crazy GPU setup (overkill right!) ).

Rather than waste it I was wondering if it was feasible to keep it? I don't want to throw it away. I already have two Antec Neos (430W), one in HTPC and one in NAS server. It's a shame if I have to throw it away!!

Will want to run a:
3930K setup on an Asus P9X79 at 4.5GhZ
with either 6990, or crossfire(2x6970), or crossfire(2x6950 flashed) [MOST LIKELY flashing the 6950's

] [will not be OC'ing GPU]
+ 4850 which will run my 2 lesser monitors., TWO SSD's in RAID-0 and a max of 32GB of RAM (just because it's dirt cheap)

Thanks for any help

stulid · 29 Nov 2011 at 14:22

You will be wanting something with much more power for the 6990, but the crossfire 6950 will be ok.

Also you will be mad to buy a 6990 with ATI 7*** cards due next year, a 6990 is hot/extremely loud (check out video reviews) and if you use the switch to unlock the full potential of the cores then thats your power usage gone through the roof.

Combined with that 4850 to power two separate screens and it all adds up to lots of wattage being sucked up.

fowler002 · 29 Nov 2011 at 15:01

stulid said:
You will be wanting something with much more power for the 6990, but the crossfire 6950 will be ok.

why is it not powerful enough for the 6990? would have thought 850w would be enough for a single 6990.

inSilica · 30 Nov 2011 at 09:01

OK thanks guys. Most likely it's going to be 2 x 6950 (flashed to 6970). I'm very happy I don't have to discard this PSU! Will be ordering parts soon (will wait for AMD press release on 5th Dec, though I don't think I'm willing to be patient till early next year)

Doomedspeed · 30 Nov 2011 at 09:27

inSilica said:
OK thanks guys. Most likely it's going to be 2 x 6950 (flashed to 6970). I'm very happy I don't have to discard this PSU! Will be ordering parts soon (will wait for AMD press release on 5th Dec, though I don't think I'm willing to be patient till early next year)

Id just bite the bullet now.

The release is apperently going to be outlineing the Mobile GPU chips. Maybe some low-mid level desktop GPU's.

It will be a while yet until we even find out about the 7850's or 7970's.

I would just go for what you can afford now.