Psu Advice on htpc mini-itx build

jaxter

jaxter

jaxter

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5 Feb 2012
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18
Hi everybody i have ordered the parts for a build and actually already have the cpu and memory for the build but i think i may have under estimated my power requirements.
Therefore i would very much appreciate expert advice or better still someone whos running a similar build to to give me there opinion thank you

Cpu - AMD Llano A8-3870K Socket FM1 Quad Core
motherboard - Asus F1A75-deluxe
Memory - 2 X 4 Gig corsair Vengeance ddr3
Case - Wesena Mini ITX7-2 Case or the streacom F7C as it is now known
hard drive - WD Caviar Green 3 TB
Pico psu 150W

I think i may have boo booed on the cpu having a tdp of 100w i'll definitely not be running an optical drive but am worried the pico psu wont have enough juice to do the job. :(
 
150W Pico PSU with 150W Adapter Power Kit is what i have on order so fingers crossed all will be well.
what will happen if it the build is drawing more power then the psu can handle i imagine it would shut down but would this damge any components?
 
jaxter said:
150W Pico PSU with 150W Adapter Power Kit is what i have on order so fingers crossed all will be well.
what will happen if it the build is drawing more power then the psu can handle i imagine it would shut down but would this damge any components?
Click to expand...

You wont be. You have a 100W CPU, Mobo draws 20W at the very very most and a green HDD that probably draws less than 6-7W. You are well within acceptable parameters. Just don't go overclocking and running Prime and you'll be fine.

IF you go crazy and clock the nuts off it or try to pull max power through all the USB ports or something the PSU usually shuts down before it does any damage...usually but I am not sure if these pico PSUs have all the regular safety stuff that a normal ATX PSU has.
 
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Thanks gropingmantis for the advice, i will not be overclocking at all so i think i should be ok and no more then an laptop external hard drive will ever be plugged in.
 
You will be more than fine. I used a 75watt cpu and a 45 watt 5550 with two hdds and stuff off a 150 watt pico power supply fine. Of course I didnt go overclocking and stuff as it would be really tight but general stuff it works.
 
Thanks for the advice guys, im glad to inform you that ive managed to exchange the original
AMD Llano A8-3870K for a A6 3500 tri core with a 65W tdp.
What with me not intending to overclock or game on this machine i thought it best, my primary use will be mediaportal and 3D blu ray playback, while im using torrents or usenet in the background.
Would have loved an A8 3800 but they are as rare as rocking horse poop and besides i got to put the price difference towards the 3TB western digital.
All in an expensive bloody project £584 (that bloody pico psu and power brick coming in just shy of £100) and hard drive prices being silly didnt help.
Hopefully will be worth it!
 
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Hey Jaxter, did you order the ITX7-2 case?

If so what cooler did you use on the A8 3870 cpu?

cheers :)
 
I have a 150w pico and can confirm they do shut down before damage is done, I bought one for my SG05 installed it the other night and it shut down within 2 minutes. I'd forgotten to take into account the power draw on my graphics card which is very basic but still must draw more than the pico can handle. I am officially an idiot :)
 
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