Whats the best GFX I can use with a OCZ 520W Modstream

[helmutcheese]

Absolutely nothing wrong with one rail. Some of the best psu use one rail (even if it states it uses three, some are connected together internally). Its the maximum current that counts. A 'rail' is nothing more than a circuit called a 'limiter" or 'OCP'. Usually an IC programmed to act at a certain current trip point, just a final stage between the 12v source and rail outputs. A single rail PSU doesn't have these separate limiters, it will have its own overcurrent trip to protect the entire source.

Some more expensive PSU (e.g. Tagan dual power) have separate primary sources, different thing all together.

Best places to read up on it.

http://www.jonnyguru.com/
http://www.silentpcreview.com/

http://www.silentpcreview.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=23916
http://www.jonnyguru.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=3

I know some are false claims as rails are from same source rail, but we have had dual rails (real) for years and now upto 4 real rails on some PSU's, its still a lot for that PSU he has its not the best OCZ model, I would not risk my mobo and GPU on it infact I doubt it even run it.

I know that model as its got a very high 5v rail which was needed back in NF2 days for brands like Asus who put the CPU on the 5v rail instead of 12v unlike todays mobos, the total 12v output is not very high.

A PSU may not trip as its not got power to run a PC, it can drop volts overtime and still run the PC and break every other part esp motors in fans/HDD/Optical drives, could lose whole PC.

 

[fornowagain]

I know some are false claims as rails are from same source rail, but we have had dual rails (real) for years and now upto 4 real rails on some PSU's

What's a real rail?

Btw, DC brushless (fans) motors run quite happily on lower volts. And the voice coils et al in HDD must be designed within the ATX +-5% range.

 

[helmutcheese]

Well if you read above you see the poster was saying some so called dual and triple rail PSU really use 1 rail and advertise 2 or 3 which is a fact, but there is PSU's that do have 2 or 3 REAL seperate rails 12v nowdays.

The review sites soon show you as they take lids of them.

 

[fornowagain]

Well if you read above you see the poster was saying some so called dual and triple rail PSU really use 1 rail and advertise 2 or 3 which is a fact, but there is PSU's that do have 2 or 3 REAL seperate rails 12v nowdays.

Yeah but what is a REAL separate rail? What's do you think that means?

 

[helmutcheese]

Its the way I worded it badly it does it matter, are you really asking or being smart ?

Ok a PSU with 3 dedicated seperate 12v rails instead of a PSU splitting 1 primary 12v rail into 3 12v rails and misadvertising it as Triple 12v rails.

 

[fornowagain]

Ok a PSU with 3 dedicated seperate 12v rails instead of a PSU splitting 1 primary 12v rail into 3 12v rails and misadvertising it as Triple 12v rails.

99% of psu have the same primary and split them up. I'm not trying to trip you up, its just that the only difference between the ones connected internally (mis advertised if you like) and the one's with REAL rails is a simple overcurrent circuit on the last stage. As the term 'rail' is typically used its a misnomer, they're not separate at all. That's why you must only use the combined 12v output and never use the sum of the rails.

Unless you're specifically talking about the 1% of psu with very rare separate primary transformers and I'm not sure you are. I've never seen one with 3 or 4 separate primaries, sounds expensive.

 

[Mr Paul]

So basically a 8800GTS is going to be the "real" only option?

 

[MystaEB]

If you are adding it to the system in your sig, I'm pretty sure you could get away with a GTX.