Streacom Nano160 + AMD RX460

[aatu]

Disclaimer: Sorry if this is the wrong section. I don't know which one I should take, as this involves GPU, SFF PSU and a small case. At its core, the matter mostly revolves around problems more common with SFF, and thus I think people in this subforum would be most informed in this matter.

Anyway:
I'd like to ask for confirmations and opinions on combining a picoPSU-like DC-DC PSU (Streacom Nano160 (ST-NANO160)) and a fairly low power PCI-E GPU (Gigabyte RX 460 2GB).

I'm currently using this setup:
MB: ASRock FM2A88x-ITX+
CPU: AMD A10-7800 (65W)
CPU cooler: Thermalright AXP-200 Muscle (with Noctua NF-F12 PWM)
RAM: G.Skill Ares 2x4GB DDR3-2133 CL9-11-10-28
SSD: Samsung 850 Evo 250GB SSD 2.5"
Case: Raidmax Atomic (mini-ITX case)
PSU: Streacom Nano160 (160W)

This setup draws about 70-80 watts under load, occasionally/rarely 80-90W.
(When the APU is set for 45W TDP, the total system draw is 50-55W, with 60W as a rare max.)

Background for this dilemma:
I'm thinking of purchasing a Freesync monitor, and therefore need a new GPU. According to pcworld.com, the Gigabyte RX460 should be one of the most power efficient RX460's available, with 55W TDP, and being one of the few 460's that doesn't actually require the 6-pin power connector.

Unfortunately, I can't find any power draw benchmark readings for the Gigabyte. At least the Asus Strix 460 draws about 90-100W under gaming load, which is quite a lot, when I'm dealing with a 160W PSU.

So, positive aspects/notions:
1) Once the dedicated GPU kicks in, the APU's integrated GPU should be disabled, which should drive down the power draw, right?
2) The APU's 45W mode gives a little more breathing room, if necessary.
3) "Radeon WattMan" should enable the user to set temperature and power limits for the GPU, as well as clock speeds and voltages.
4) I have heard that people have managed to get GTX750ti working with NANO150, so this gives hope that RX460 should also be doable...?
5) The GPU doesn't require any 6-pin power connector, which should theoretically mean a max 75W power draw (and thus even lower TDP).

Negative aspects/notions:
1) Gigabyte itself recommends a 350W PSU for the overall system.
2) Streacom lists their PSU having power characteristics as "12V@8A, 5V@6A, 3.3V@2A, 5VSB@1A, [email protected]". That gives only 96W for the 12V rail... which is apparently what both CPU and GPU would primarily use.

So, would a 160W DC-DC PSU and an RX460 be even remotely doable, or just a disaster waiting to happen?

 

[LePhuronn]

If you're using a discrete GPU, why are you using an APU? Also, TDP =/= power draw

 

[aatu]

GPU vs. APU:
I bought the current system in January 2015 (+ the Streacom PSU about six months ago), and I'm now upgrading to a discrete GPU. The need for the discrete GPU comes from the planned monitor (Acer XZ321Q), which will need DisplayPort for the FreeSync capability, but the current motherboard doesn't have that (and thus the APU can't deliver the signal). If the APU could deliver the FreeSync signal, I wouldn't be upgrading.

And 45W TDP is apparently the lowest I can get for FM2/FM2+, so there's probably no major benefit from purchasing another CPU/APU.

TDP vs. power:
Yes, I know. The GPU's "55W TDP" is from pcworld.com, which has probably gotten the figure from Gigabyte. Whereas the quoted "75W" is the PCIe slot's standard max power draw (not TDP), if I've understood correctly. I used the word "theoretically", as there have been some GPU's that have drawn more than that.

But indeed, the power draw should be the main focus. Unfortunately, the manufacturers don't state these values, they usually only state TDP.

 

[LePhuronn]

I getcha. Apologies for the rather brusque reply, I've had a bike accident and the pain killers were wearing off!

http://outervision.com/power-supply-calculator

I think it's pretty up-to-date, should give you a good idea of actual power draw. I make it about 180W load at 90% CPU, so I think you're pushing it I'm afraid.

What benefit though would you have from a Freesync monitor?

 

[aatu]

Well, I'm currently using a 42" HDTV, which is quite troublesome, as it has a 35ms input lag and color banding, so a dedicated monitor is something I've been keeping an eye on.

The XZ321Q would be
a) big (although 42" would be even more preferable)
b) VA panel (well, as long as it's not TN...)
c) 144Hz FreeSync (to smooth out the framerates)
d) 1920x1080 (more than adequate for my eyesight, and requires less oomph for gaming)
e) actually a monitor, so hoping <20ms input lag
f) fairly cheap (£400/470€)

The industry is going forward to 4k, and 1920x1080 resolutions are becoming quite rare, especially in the larger monitors. TVs will probably be quite bountiful in FullHD for quite some time, but I don't see FreeSync going that direction anytime soon, if at all. So I'm fearing that this will be the last chance to get a proper set, without any major compromises. When the time for next monitor upgrade arrives, they've hopefully perfected the scaling for 4k, so I can use it without squinting. And hopefully for a more reasonable price, as well.

As for the power draw:
Hmm, that's still quite close, so there's a small chance I might be able to clock the GPU and CPU lower, to squeeze them in within the tolerance limits. But yes, seems a little iffy, so I think I'll have to hold on at least until I see a good deal on the Gigabyte. Or a potential RX450/455 release. The upcoming Zen APUs would be another option, but that would require getting rid of all the main components on my current setup (MB, CPU, RAM), and either pay the probably ludicrous early adopter price, or wait for the prices to settle down.

Thanks for the feedback!

Ps. I do have a regular 600W PSU as a fall-back option, in case the 460 is too much for the nanoPSU. But I'd certainly prefer to keep the smaller and completely silent nanoPSU, nevertheless.

 

[LePhuronn]

Honest question: with an APU and/or RX460, do you have enough GPU performance to play games at sufficiently high quality to benefit from 144Hz panel with FreeSync?

Part of me is feeling you're almost painting yourself into a corner for a piece of kit you won't actually benefit from.

Also, the Raidmax Atomic case is pretty big if you're not using a standard PSU. You could look at something like the BeQuiet 350W SFF PSU which will be a chunk smaller than a regular ATX PSU, and have more than enough grunt to power everything you want.

 

[aatu]

APU + RX460 vs 144Hz performance:
Indeed, on newer FPS titles the benefit will be limited. But that's the compromise I made when I decided to go for a silent rig. I'm always few years behind in games (at least in more demanding titles). But older titles should be fine.

In addition to this, the monitor will hopefully last two or three system upgrades, so I'd rather have it done well from the beginning.

Raidmax:
Yeah, I've been meaning to make a smaller custom-built case with a freely-breathing mesh walls for better cooling, but I got side-tracked with work, so that project has been on a hiatus for a while. And now, depending on whether the 460 is doable or not, I might need to alter the dimensions, etc.

SFF PSU + more grunt:
That's not an option. I value silence over size, so I'd rather go with a bigger unit that has more efficient cooling, and thus quieter. The extra noise is also the main reason why I haven't gone for a more powerful GPU and CPU.

To give some reference on my current setup:
It's so silent, that I can't even tell whether it's on or off. For example, when I turn the computer off, I can't determine the moment it stops spinning the fans. The power LED is the only indicator for that.
(Well, there's only one fan, the Noctua NF-F12 PWM, which is practically always 600-800 RPM, I think.)

 

[LePhuronn]

The monitor is an investment, I getch.

You'd be surprised how quiet SFF PSUs are, especially the newer models. I think Silverstone set too bad a tone (no pun intended) with issues they had with the earlier 450W units, but the 350W BeQuiet is silent as is the new Corsair 450.

Still, I get where you're coming from.

 

[aatu]

Well, this matter is on a hiatus as of now. Yesterday, I became impatient and requested a quote for a delivery for the XZ321Q, from a UK company to Finland. And the company replied that it would be £70/85€. Which is simply way too much. One german etailer could deliver it for 30€, but they also have +25€ more expensive base price. Still, 30€ cheaper in total. I also sent an inquiry to a Finnish etailer, asking whether they have any intentions on stocking that particular monitor. Well, apparently they've been trying to arrange them to get stocked, but it's still a work in progress. They said it would probably/possibly reach stock during the fall. Acer doesn't have public contact emails, so can't ask them directly, either.

So for the time being, I'm giving the Finnish companies a month or two to get their stock together. If they can't deliver it in a fairly reasonable price, then I'll purchase it from wherever I can get it most cheaply.

Before that time comes, there might be new product/information releases for GPUs and APUs. The rumour mill is suggesting that some of the Zen APUs would be equipped with RX460-level integrated GPU, which would be quite a straight-forward solution, assuming the motherboards support the FreeSync. If they confirm this before I purchase the monitor, then I think I'll opt to waiting for the Zen.

If they don't confirm this, then I'll probably take my chances with the Gigabyte RX 460.

 

[LePhuronn]

frustrating, but it does give you a bit of time to assess upcoming hardware options to nail this project properly.

 

[Guardsmon]

I just thought I'd pipe in quickly to echo LePhuronn;

Without wanting to be rude I think you really are wasting money buying a £400 freesync monitor for this system. The system could have cost much more to have put together the first time.

Looking at the options avaliable when you start searching for 30"+ monitors I can see most are now freesync if you go new, but there are plenty that can be hand for well under £300).
Maybe move yourself a little closer to the screen if you need it so big? Or research a 42" TV with less lag? (I know it's not <20ms, but Samsung UE32K5600 or something link a Samsung HG32EC770SKXXC that can be found 2nd hand on a certain site for sub £200)

With regards to PSUs there are some very very good SFX ones around now that don't even spin up until 30%+ load that would mean while you are idling away there would be 0 noise and it may kick in while you are gaming (but you'll almost certainly have noise from the game and the GPU fan spinning louder).

Just trying to help.

 

[aatu]

1) "The system could have cost much more to have put together the first time."

... Hmm, I'm not sure what you're suggesting with this. Are you saying I should have purchased higher performance components right from the beginning?
Like said, I value silence above all else, and the system was built with this as the main focus. Titan and i7-4770K were quite simply not an option.

Also, like said earlier: Old games. And if need be, lower detail settings.

2) Samsung UE32K5600 and HG32EC770SKXXC
The first one was released only a couple of months ago, so no reviews yet, and thus the input lag is a complete mystery for the time being. Whereas the latter is apparently directed for hotels, etc...? Those things aren't usually good for computer usage. (Furthermore, not that interested in buying a used one.)

In general, Samsung FHD TVs usually have around 40ms input lag. It is 4k where they shine, many of them around ~20ms. Which is still fairly high if compared to computer monitors. Especially when considering that the input lag is the main reason I'm purchasing a new monitor, in the first place.

In other words, I would probably end up with a WORSE input lag than what I currently have. In addition to losing the 3D feature and 10" diagonal size. Without any gains. So I might actually end up paying more money to get a downgrade...

3) SFX PSU cooling
If the PSU isn't cooling itself, then it's producing heat. If it's producing heat INSIDE the case, then it will heat up rest of the components, as well. Thus more noise. Like said, I also have a 600W PSU (Fractal Design Newton R3 600W). So no need to purchase a third PSU. And it is indeed one of those semi-passive units. And it even has a 135mm fan, 80+ Platinum rating and semi-modular cables. All things considered, it should perform better than any SFX PSU, in every possible category, apart from size. Which isn't even a problem, as the Raidmax Atomic can fit it. Nevertheless, the noise was still too noticeable, and therefore I purchased the nanoPSU.

Ps. I think (and/or hope) the semi-passiveness is linked to the temperature, not load-%. At least with the Newton R3 it seems to be.

 

[Guardsmon]

Sorry, I failed at constructing the sentence. It was meant to read;
"The system couldn't have cost much more to have put together the first time." Suggesting that when you built the actual PC, it probably didn't cost much more than what you are suggesting to spend on the monitor.

With regards to the monitors I was trying to actually give you a hint about where you might be able to find a reasonable monitor - well known 2nd hand site.
I'm not suggesting you get those specifically, but its options that don't cost as much.

Finally with the last point; yes you are right PSUs that don't cool themselves dump heat in the case. As is the case with Pico PSUs.
Yes they should produce less heat, but also less power and support for dedicated GPUs, which is where we are trying to advice.

You seem to be right <40ish C seems to be the magic number for fanless operation on most PSUs, but as you've said you have a Noctua fan spinning moving the air around the case so when not under load you shouldn't really hit that and under load, you've probably got music or noise so it won't be noticed.

I don't know. It's just my two cents, personally I'd use the Newton if I was going to put a dedicated GPU in to be safe and am not sure I'd spend the money on the monitor, but whatever you do I hope you are happy with it - after all that's what is important!

 

[pandem0nium]

The newer 'Godavari' APUs support freesync. could be another option.

XFX do a passive rx 460, but unfortunately it's only available in China atm.

 

[aatu]

@Guardsmon:
Oh, I'm actually a huge supported of the ideology that the monitor should cost at least as much as the rest of the computer. After all, it is the main component you're interacting with (looking at it). Not to mention the longest surviving component, as well. Truth be told, the XZ321Q would actually be the cheapest monitor I've ever purchased.

Spoiler

First and second monitors I/we had were probably around 300€, though. But I didn't have a say in them. Some generic no-name 14" and 15" monitors. As for the actual purchased own monitors:
1) 19" CRT, 700€ ('98-'02 + '11-'13)
2) 22" CRT, 800€ ('02-'11)
3) 42" LCD HDTV, 800€ ('13-...)

And now presumably the XZ321Q, 500€ (hopefully will last at least 5 years)

Other options:
Sorry, not interested in 2nd hand components. Too much risk involved.

PSU and heat:
I don't think the pico/nanoPSU dump that much heat inside the case. The brick is outside, and therefore has ample space to dissipate the heat. But then again, I'm not running it in upper limits. And yes, limited power. That's why I'm searching for a low power dedicated GPU. And like said, some people got the GTX 750ti working with the picoPSU, and that has about 60W TDP, I think. Therefore the 55W TDP Gigabyte should still fit inside the realm of possibility.

PSU temperature and fan noise:
Like said, I did notice it with the Newton. The temperature eventually rises above the threshold, and the fan spins up. Not "noisy", but noticeable, nonetheless.

I'm fairly sure I'll be happy with the XZ321Q. If I can get the RX460 working with the nanoPSU, I'll probably be happy. The GPU fan might require some after-market solution, though. If the RX460 ends up requiring the Newton PSU, I'll probably just have to endure with it until I purchase a Zen APU -based system. Or give the GPU to a friend of mine, and just use the XZ321Q without FreeSync, until I upgrade to a Zen APU.
(Assuming the Zen-compatible ITX motherboards actually support FreeSync natively...)

@pandem0nium:
I think even the Kaveri supports FreeSync. The problem is, none of the FM2+ ITX motherboards have DisplayPort. So far among FM2+, only 4 ATX boards and 1 uATX board have DisplayPort. In any case, with my board there's no way to actually feed the signal forward. Unless AsRock manages to update the firmware to support FreeSync-over-HDMI. Which is probably not even possible. Nor probable.

The XFX indeed sounds interesting, but the power draw would be the first concern, at the moment. If it has 55W TDP or below, then that's a fine alternative for the Gigabyte. Actually, I have the "Arctic Cooling Accelero S1 rev2" after-market GPU cooler, which I purchased for the earlier GPU. The XFX's solution seems fairly identical to it.

 

[aatu]

Just thought I'd make a little update on this.

Good news:
Only few days after the inquiry to the Finnish etailer about the XZ321Q, they notified me via email that they've now made plans to get it on their stock in November. And so far they are the only Finnish r/etailer with any plans towards this monitor. Talk about good customer service. So ... I already pre-ordered one from them. Been waiting for a month already, should be another month to go still.

But I got impatient, and about two weeks ago I ordered the Gigabyte RX 460 4GB. Got it yesterday, and lo and behold, it indeed boots with the 160W Streacom NanoPSU, no problems. But, if I leave the APU to 65W and the GPU on default clocks and voltages, the system draws over 160W under load, which I find too uncomfortable to run for extended periods of time, when the PSU itself is only 160W. So two options: either lower the APU to 45W, or decrease the clocks on the GPU.

To test things out, I used AMD's WattMan on Windows to lower the core clock speeds and voltages, and tested the card with the freely available Street Fighter 4 and Heaven 4.0 benchmarks, in both 65W and 45W APU power modes. Benchmark results inside the spoiler:

Spoiler

===============
APU in 65W mode
===============

Default power states (ST0-ST7):
Clocks (MHz): N/A 479 759 1019 1104 1139 1174 1214
Voltages (mV): N/A 821 825 900 981 1025 1068 1131
SF4: >160W, stopped the benchmark for fear of damaging the system
HV4: >160W, stopped the benchmark for fear of damaging the system

Custom power states (ST0-ST7):
Clocks (MHz): N/A 400 600 850 900 925 950 1000
Voltages (mV): N/A 800 800 825 825 825 825 825
SF4: 172fps -- 13100 -- 1000rpm, 137W, 51C
HV4: 85fps -- 2150 -- 1000rpm, 130W, 58C


===============
APU in 45W mode
===============

Default power states (ST0-ST7):
Clocks (MHz): N/A 479 759 1019 1104 1139 1174 1214
Voltages (mV): N/A 821 825 900 981 1025 1068 1131
SF4: 160fps -- 12450 -- 1150rpm, 145W, 58C
HV4: 91fps -- 2300 -- 1000rpm, 140W, 71C

Custom power states (ST0-ST7):
Clocks (MHz): N/A 400 600 850 900 925 950 1000
Voltages (mV): N/A 800 800 825 825 825 825 825
SF4: 157fps -- 12250 -- 1000rpm, 115W, 50C
HV4: 83fps -- 2100 -- 1000rpm, 110W, 58C

Like the rumours have already suggested, the Polaris line indeed goes downwards quite nicely. The default clocks run quite hot, with high voltages. Then again, it also occurred to me that maybe they're binning the better downclockable units for the early release, so individual customers will review them more favorably? I don't know, but I'm quite impressed with the downclocks on my unit, in any case.

Also, considering that the APU will probably become the bigger bottleneck, I decided to opt for the lower GPU clocks on my own usage. Furthermore, the GPU's fans are quite loud, as well, whereas the APU has a massive cooler, which keeps the operation silent even on 65W.

The performance impact is fairly low with the custom clocks, from what I've gathered. I would like to check the default clocks with 65W APU mode on my 600W PSU for a better comparison point, but when considering all the extra work it would require, I'm not THAT interested in the results. So I'm content with what I have now. It's still a definite upgrade from the APU-only setup.

Bad news:
Things aren't as rosy on the Linux side. Initially I couldn't even boot the ChaletOS, but after replacing boot parameter "quiet splash" into "nomodeset", I got back into Linux. At first, the minimum fan RPM was relatively high (1500 rpm?) and thus the noise was very noticeable. But after installing the AMDGPU-Pro drivers, the fan speed dropped to maybe around 1000 rpm. Definite improvement, but I'd prefer it to hit zero RPM, because in Linux, it usually stays idle for the most part.

I tried "radeon-profile", which should permit fan speed customization, but I haven't yet managed to get the software to detect the GPU at all, let alone the RPMs or temperatures. Then again, even at idle the system draws around 50W on Linux, whereas in Windows it fluctuates between 30-60W on idle, so maybe it just doesn't work as efficiently in Linux? Then again, it also doesn't feel that warm (maybe around 35C?), so I THINK there should be enough breathing room to lower the fan speed.

Just recently I figured out a way to manually set the fan speed via terminal:
sudo bash -c "echo 77 > /sys/class/drm/card1/device/hwmon/hwmon1/pwm1"
(Where 77 is the fan speed, which will be divided with 255, and will thus determine the fan speed percentage. 77/255=30%, which seems to be the lowest value that will even start the fan. You might also have to change the path, depending on whether you have CPU+GPU, or APU+GPU, like I do. Furthermore, this doesn't seem to be a persistent solution, I have to run this on every reboot. I'll have to look into this more.)

I also opted to set the forced performance level, but I'm not yet sure whether this has any effect on the outcome:
sudo bash -c "echo low > /sys/class/drm/card1/device/power_dpm_force_performance_level"

The previously mentioned "radeon-profile" would be quite a bit better option, but unfortunately it doesn't work for me.

TL;DR: If you're thinking about going pico-/NanoPSU and a discrete GPU, then this will make a fine option:
- <65W CPU (/APU)
- Gigabyte RX 460
- Streacom Nano160
If you're going with a 65W CPU, then you will probably have to downclock the GPU. With a 45W CPU, you most likely don't have to do this. Though I would still recommend it, as the RX 460 seems to downclock nicely.

 

[wahala]

Aatu, I'm in the process of doing something similar so I have some questions for you if that's ok
did you check what was the power consumption of the gpu before and after underclocking?
Which values did you use for underclock undervolt?
Why was your wattage draw so high before you fitted the gpu (you mentionned up to 90w), is that apu particularly inefficient?

I want to do a passive htpc for light(ish) gaming, currently the pc has a pentium G860 (65w tdp), 1 ssd, 2 sticks of ram and I use a 24V 120w laptop PSU with a picoPSU-120-WI-25.
I've just bought a Sapphire RX 460 nitro 4GB to add to this pc, that card from what I can work out uses at most 90watts during gaming.
But I'm planning to underclock undervolt it, maybe to the max as discussed here:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Amd/comments/4x9xf6/i_think_i_know_why_amd_decided_to_use_a_cut_down/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBfS0afVAWI&feature=youtu.be&t=8m49s

So from the data I've got:
g860 ~30w during gaming (from benchmarks online)
picopsu efficiency ~95%
psu brick efficiency ~90%

So basically I would need the gpu to use at most 60w, which maybe possible looking at the charts in the video (not the same card but I would think the nitro should be similar).

The PC currently runs kodibuntu and has a separate partition with windows that I would use for gaming.
As the cpu cooler is silent (nofan cr-80eh) and the card fans only spin above 50°C or 55°C then I should have a silent operation in Kodibuntu and fairly quiet duting gaming.
Any views or tips?

 

[aatu]

Power consumption before and after:
I haven't checked the RX 460 at all with the 600W. So I don't have the power draw readings on 65W APU mode with GPU's full clocks, as the total power draw went straight above 160W, and didn't want to let it run the full benchmark, for fear of hardware failure.

But I do have the power draw readings for 45W APU mode, on both full clocks and lower clocks of the GPU. The figures are inside the spoiler on my previous message.
(actually, the clocks and voltages are all -1, but I rounded them up for more clarity)

Wattage draw before GPU:
The 90W was TOTAL power draw under Heaven benchmark, which usually manages to get the highest draw out of the system (FurMark is another). On games, it was around 70-80W. Also, if the TDP is 65W, then the actual power draw should in theory be slightly above, if the APU is fully utilised. You get higher utilisation in synthetic benchmarks, whereas gaming is usually slightly below. And you have to remember that the rest of the system draws power, as well.

Side note:
In benchmarks with the 65W APU TDP mode and an underclocked GPU, the power draw is 130-140W, but on games it is usually indeed around 110-120W. But some games also manage to draw closer to 130W. I'd prefer to leave some breathing room for the PSU, so sub-140W is preferable for the "worst case scenario".

For 120W PSU, the RX 460 is quite pushing it, IMO. Hopefully there is some air in the G860's TDP. And there probably is. Bear in mind that AMD APUs have quite powerful GPU parts in them, while Intel certainly doesn't (at least not in anything <£300). IIRC, Intel is sometimes quite lax on their TDP figures, slapping the same figure to a wider range on CPUs, even though some of them might be closer to 40W than 65W. Actually, I think at some point there was some discussion on how the two companies calculated the TDP quite differently. And indeed, a "65W TDP" processor drawing only 30W on games probably means that it's closer to 40W TDP, in real life.

Anyway, some run-of-the-mill watt meters cost like £10, so you should definitely buy one, to make sure you're safely below the 120W of your PSU. I'd recommend staying below 105W.

Miscellaneous tips:
Like said in my earlier messages, I value silence over everything else. So I took out the stock dual cooler, and swapped it with the previously mentioned Arctic Cooling Accelero S1 rev2, and slapped a Noctua A15 PWM on it. But to make the GPU control the fan, I also had to make a custom GPU-CPU PWM fan adapter. You can also purchase one, along the lines of Gelid CA-PWM-02 PWM Fan Adapter or EK-Cable PWM Fan Adapter for GPU.

And let me tell you: this is miles better. It's first of all more silent, but it also runs much cooler. I haven't yet made a permanent holder for the A15, so I still have an open case. And when gaming, I can see that the fan quite oftenly stops moving, as the temperature is so low (while gaming!). But there's a compromise: it takes the space of three slots. There's actually only 1cm clearance on my Raidmax case, so I'm thinking of cutting a mesh hole at the case ceiling (the motherboard layout is upside down, so the GPU slots are on the upper part), and possibly even turn the fan to blow the air directly outside the case.

 

[wahala]

Thanks for your long reply,
Eventually I came to the same conclusion, I'm probably cutting it too close with this PSU.
Also it just dawned on me that I can't fit the CR-80EH cooler on my motherboard (H77n-wifi) without obstructing the GPU slot

Nevermind I can use the cooler in my main pc on an I5-6600 (it will be in a fractal nano s build so should be well ventilated, noise is less of an issue on that pc).

So after looking into it I think I will drop the pico PSU for my htpc and instead get a Silverstone SST-ST30SF V1 which should be silent for movie watching. And allow me to use the RX 460 to full power.
For the CPU cooler I think my best option given the poor cpu socket placement on that motherboard will be Prolimatech Samuel 17.
I may try to run it without a fan to see if the temps are ok.
The case is Silverstone SG06 so I'll also try to disable the front fan depending on the temps.

PC building can be such a nightmare trying to make sure all parts are compatible physically and also with my noise requirements, so many hours checking reviews and scouring the web for similar setups.

Anyway hopefully this should be ok:
- case fan maybe off or fairly quiet if on anyway
- GPU off at idle/low load
- CPU maybe no fan or low speed
- PSU off at low load

As long as it is silent for movie watching then I can accept it, for gaming I can accept some noise. The pc is in a cabinet anyway.

I don't think I'll fit a third part cooler on the GPU, that would make the build too costly and time consuming to setup. I get few hours to work on it at the moment, so it should be all done in Jan of Feb I think.

Just a question on the Accelero S1 rev2, is it compatible with any GPU? Are the GPU chips always in the same position?

 

[LePhuronn]

I was doing a bit of reading about the NFC Systems S4 Mini chassis and wandered onto the guy's YouTube. He does a video regarding the DC-DC PSUs he's used extensively in his builds, and the Mini-Box picoPSU-160-XT is his first port of call.

He uses a 192W power brick with it (I forget the brand) and says the picoPSU is easily good for 190W, even though it's rated at 160W, and has never had an issue with it. He even runs some demos with some top-tier GPUs.

He also uses the HDPLEX HiFi 250W DC-ATX with a 300W power brick and happily ran a 6700K and GTX 1080 with no issues.


I think the Streacom PSU is just a rebadged Mini-Box unit anyway, so you might not have as much of an issue with the 65W APU/RX460 combo after all, and it's certainly feasible with the HDPLEX unit.

Mini-Box kit here uses: http://www.mini-box.com/picoPSU-160-XT-192W-Adapter-Power-Kit
HDPLEX unit: http://www.hd-plex.com/HDPLEX-250W-Hi-Fi-DC-ATX-Power-Supply-16V-24V-Wide-Range-Voltage-Input.html