How often do you upgrade your computers?

[warpus]

I usually buy a new one every 7 years or so.. and do here and there upgrades every 3-4 years, as needed.

I try to be frugal about it, so I hold off as long as possible.

 

[illram]

I will buy a whole new computer probably once every 5-7 years. I upgrade my GPU probably once every 2 or 3 years.

 

[bhavv]

.... ....

I couldnt resist buying this

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-218-AN

.... but but £150 offer!

 

[Zelig]

That's not very useful unless you're running quad-SLI/crossfire, and will be less efficient than a lower wattage model would be, as PSUs aren't very efficient at very low loads.

 

[bhavv]

Its actually most efficient (94%) at 600 watt usage, which is what my SLI 680s use, and also I want a future tri SLI upgrade to feed my new monitor.

Also every single platinum rated PSU from 850-1000w costs at least £150 too, and its not just the wattage output that makes this Antec better, but it also uses one of, if not the best PSU OEMs for it - Delta.

Other similar models are using the Leadex OEM, which is very good, but still cost more than this Antec offer.

 

[Zelig]

Your SLI 680s almost certainly don't use 600W unless you've got an exceptionally power-hungry CPU and are pretty much exclusively running Prime95 and Furmark to max out power usage on both GPU and CPU.

Guru3D puts system power draw at the wall for a power-hungry CPU and dual SLI 680 at 473W. At 92% efficiency, this puts component power draw at around 435W at full load, or 143W idle. This puts efficiency with the Antec between about 86% - 93% depending on load. A 700W model I grabbed for comparison (High Power Astro PT 700W) gives 91% - 92% efficiency for the same load levels.

 

[timtofly]

Speaking of PSU's I had one actually blow up and sent a blue flash at least 3 feet yesterday. I have never seen a 14 year old jump up so fast. Now I guess I have to do an upgrade.

 

[bhavv]

But future upgrades! Tri SLI Maxwell!!!

And I cant believe those Guru 3D figures you quoted. I'm sure those are without including the CPU, as a GT, 680 overclocked is generally in the 150-200w consumption range while gaming.

 

[bhavv]

And yea:

http://extreme.outervision.com/PSUEngine

 

[Zelig]

Yes, 743w is the recommended wattage for the PSU, for the draws that guru3d reported.

http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/geforce_gtx_670_2_and_3way_sli_review,4.html

Those numbers are at-the-wall draw, they include gpu, cpu, efficiency loss to PSU, etc.