Build almost complete. Seeking PSU wattage advice.

[ElmerFudd]

Thanks in large part to searching through these forums, I have almost completed ordering the parts for my 1st NAS build:

• Case: Lian-Li Q26
  
• Fans: 4 120mm fans (Included with Q26, may replace them if their too loud. May also add a 5th if passively cooled CPU is getting too hot.)
  
• Motherboard/CPU: Supermicro MBD-A1SAi-2750F-O
• Memory: 2 x Kingston 8GB KVR16LSE11/8KF
• Hard Drives: 3 x WD Red NAS WD40EFRX 4TB HDDs / 3 x Seagate NAS ST4000VN000 4TB HDDs (using RAID-Z2)
• Boot USB: 2 x SanDisk Cruzer Fit 16 GB (mirrored)

And like most of my other PC builds, I'm agonizing over which PSU wattage to choose. It's always been difficult for me to choose between what I need now vs. what I will need when I expand my current build. So here is my prediction for the additional components I will purchase after I've used up my available space in my current build, which will likely be in 2-3 years:

• SATA Controller: IBM Serveraid M1015 SAS/SATA Controller
• Hard Drives: 4 6TB HDDs (2nd RAID-Z2 vdev, making 10 total HDDs)
  
• Memory: 2 x Kingston 8GB KVR16LSE11/8KF (32GB total)
  
• SSD (this is unlikely, but since the case allows for it and SSDs will be cheaper in a couple years, I want to leave it open as an option for running FreeNAS)

Here are the 2 power supplies I am currently deciding between:

• SeaSonic SSR-450RM 450W (G-450)
  
• SeaSonic SSR-550RM 550W (G-550)

The decision is made even more difficult because right now the 550W is a few bucks cheaper then the 450W! In order to meet my current build needs while being able to handle the power required for my future expansion, would it be better to go with the 450W or the 550W?

 

[Bidule0hm]

Definitely 550 W, especially if it's cheaper ;)

 

[Ericloewe]

Given the future expansion, a G-550 is probably better.

Do note that Kingston is a sucky company and another brand might be a better choice.

 

[jgreco]

There's some discussion of my technique for sizing a power supply over at the thread that includes

https://forums.freenas.org/index.php?threads/i-need-some-data-points.32829/#post-204099

It's an extremely conservative strategy, and the linked post specifically discusses the cost due to operating the power supply outside of its ideal efficiency range. This might be very useful to you to contemplate if you're "agonizing" over it. It looks at the actual numbers.

 

[ElmerFudd]

Do note that Kingston is a sucky company and another brand might be a better choice.

I didn't have much of a choice given the Supermicro 2750F's SO-DIMM requirement. Kingston offers the only ECC SO-DIMM ram on newegg. This was the main drawback of my build because I did want some trusty Crucial DIMM ram instead of the Kingston. I know the KVR16E11/8EF Kingston's had issues, but I couldn't find anything negative about the KVR16LSE11/8KF's I ordered.

 

[ElmerFudd]

Thanks for all the advice. Ended up going with the G-550W. It saved me a few bucks over the G-450W and will help me future proof my build.

There's some discussion of my technique for sizing a power supply over at the thread that includes

https://forums.freenas.org/index.php?threads/i-need-some-data-points.32829/#post-204099

Very useful info in that thread that helped me come to my decision. The minimal cost savings over the course of several years isn't worth going for the lesser wattage PSU.

Do note that Kingston is a sucky company and another brand might be a better choice.

Going back to this comment, is this overstated or is Kingston truly that sucky of a company? The only Kingston product I've owned is an SSD and it's been holding up well for a few years now. While I have never had to deal with their customer support and I have no experience with their ram, I've been satisfied with the SSD I own.

 

[Z300M]

Thanks for all the advice. Ended up going with the G-550W. It saved me a few bucks over the G-450W and will help me future proof my build.



Very useful info in that thread that helped me come to my decision. The minimal cost savings over the course of several years isn't worth going for the lesser wattage PSU.



Going back to this comment, is this overstated or is Kingston truly that sucky of a company? The only Kingston product I've owned is an SSD and it's been holding up well for a few years now. While I have never had to deal with their customer support and I have no experience with their ram, I've been satisfied with the SSD I own.

My own recent experience with Kingston is reported in my sig. In addition, I have seen allegations that Kingston sent SSD samples for review, got glowing reports on the speed, then substituted slower components without changing the model numbers.

NewEgg did not (still does not?) sell the recommended Samsung or Hynix RAM, but I bought the Hynix from Memory America (I think that was the vendor) for less than the Kingston had cost at NewEgg.

 

[jgreco]

The animosity towards Kingston has largely to do with the amazing screwup that happened with the introduction of socket 1150; most Kingston memory that had been working with 1155 boards did not work correctly (or at all in many cases) in fully populated configurations on socket 1150, despite Kingston initially showing it as "compatible" on their memory configurator. Further frustrating people was the fact that they then removed it from the memory configurator, and in many cases gave people a difficult time about getting support for it, including telling people that it had never been listed as compatible.

https://forums.freenas.org/index.ph...s-for-most-supermicro-x10-motherboards.18773/

 

[ElmerFudd]

You guys have me reconsidering the Kingston memory I ordered. I dug around some more and was able to find some non-Kingston ECC SO-DIMM: Crucial 8GB CT102472BF160B and Hynix 8GB HMT41GA7AFR8A-PB. Can't find any reviews on them and unsure whether their compatible with my board, but they've caught my attention. They would cost me a total of $30 more and I would have to deal with returning the Kingstons, but I'm willing to do that if these are more reliable. Would either of these be a better option then the Kingstons?

Crucial 8GB CT102472BF160B:
http://www.crucial.com/csrusa/en/ct102472bf160b

Hynix 8GB HMT41GA7AFR8A-PB:
www.memoryamerica.com/8gb-pc3-12800-ddr3-1600mhz-204-pin-sodimm-1-35v-low-voltage-dual-rank-cl11-hmt41ga7afr8a-pb-hynix-me.html

 

[ElmerFudd]

NewEgg did not (still does not?) sell the recommended Samsung or Hynix RAM, but I bought the Hynix from Memory America (I think that was the vendor) for less than the Kingston had cost at NewEgg.

I should have checked the compatible memory on the Supermicro site much sooner. I always assume those lists are outdated. But having just checked, I noticed the Hynix in my previous post (HMT41GA7AFR8A-PB) plus this Hynix and Samsung as compatible:

Hynix HMT41GA7BFR8A-PB:
http://www.memoryamerica.com/8gb-ddr3-1600mhz-sodimm-ecc-1-35v-2-rank-hynix-hmt41ga7bfr8a-pb.html

Samsung M474B1G73QH0-YK0 (product page doesn't say ECC, but I think they just left it off the product page)
http://www.memoryamerica.com/8gb-pc...tage-m474b1g73qh0-yk0-samsung-memory-ram.html

The Hynix HMT41GA7BFR8A-PB is about the same price as the Kingstons, but I had a bad experience getting a repair for an OEM part in the past so I'm a little hesitant to try those or the Samsungs out. I'm tempted to take my chances on the Crucial 8GBs even though they're not listed as compatible.

 

[Ericloewe]

Well, OEM parts are typically sold as-is to OEMs, with the OEM taking over responsibility for those parts.

 

[ElmerFudd]

So I'm taking everybody's advice and ordering memory off of Supermicro's tested memory list. But now I'm wondering whether 16 GB of ram might be cutting it close with the 24 total TBs of HDDs I'm installing. This build will be for home use and I plan to use it for media streaming and file storage, so I'm not going to be pushing it very hard. Should I stick to my original plan, which was to install 16 GB and upgrade to 32GB after I add more hdds or would it be smart to go with the 32GB right away?

 

[jgreco]

No, the smart money's on just doing two 8GB sticks and then increasing later if needed, which it may very well not be.

 

[Ericloewe]

So I'm taking everybody's advice and ordering memory off of Supermicro's tested memory list. But now I'm wondering whether 16 GB of ram might be cutting it close with the 24 total TBs of HDDs I'm installing. This build will be for home use and I plan to use it for media streaming and file storage, so I'm not going to be pushing it very hard. Should I stick to my original plan, which was to install 16 GB and upgrade to 32GB after I add more hdds or would it be smart to go with the 32GB right away?

You gain nothing (free shipping?) by going with the 32GB now. If you need it later, add it. Most people are fine with 16GB.

 

[ElmerFudd]

No, the smart money's on just doing two 8GB sticks and then increasing later if needed, which it may very well not be.

You gain nothing (free shipping?) by going with the 32GB now. If you need it later, add it. Most people are fine with 16GB.

Gotcha. Ordered 2x8 GB of the Hynix HMT41GA7BFR8A-PB. The change to the Hynix memory will likely delay my build until next weekend, but I think it'll be worth it because I'll be happier using Supermicro approved + non-Kingston ram. So here's what it looks like now:

• Case: Lian-Li Q26
• Fans: 4 120mm fans (Included with Q26, may replace them if their too loud. May also add a 5th if passively cooled CPU is getting too hot.)
• Motherboard/CPU: Supermicro MBD-A1SAi-2750F-O
• Memory: 2 x Kingston 8GB KVR16LSE11/8KF 2 x 8GB Hynix HMT41GA7BFR8A-PB
• Hard Drives: 3 x WD Red NAS WD40EFRX 4TB HDDs / 3 x Seagate NAS ST4000VN000 4TB HDDs (using RAID-Z2)
• Boot USB: 2 x SanDisk Cruzer Fit 16 GB (mirrored)
• Power Supply: SeaSonic G Series SSR-550RM 550W