Thinking about going DC-DC power. Good idea?

janas19

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Feb 9, 2016
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I am building my PC and I need to be reassured that DC-DC power will work out for me. I am weighing my options between an SFX PSU or DC-DC boards and it seems I can maybe go with DC-DC power, but it feels somewhat unfamiliar in a desktop PC. These are the parts I have:

  • Kaby Lake G4620 2C/4T processor
  • 8GB 2400Mhz DDR4
  • Gigabyte GA-H110N
  • MSI GTX 750 Ti (low-profile)
  • Case: none
  • PSU: none
  • HDD: 2.5" 500GB Seagate Momentus

With these components what sort of power supply options do I have? I am looking for a case and power supply and the Silverstone ML06-E and 300W Bronze 80+ PSU are a familiar option, but can I go smaller? What do you guys think?

One option I am thinking about is a DC-DC plugin from Mini-Box and a Meanwell EPP-200 AC-DC board. I've never used either of these before, not sure if it would be a good choice. Open to your suggestions.
 
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Kmpkt

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That combo is great if you are confident with wiring and handling of the Meanwell. If not, I would recommend the HDPlex 160W AC-DC to DC-DC combo.
 
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janas19

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Josh | NFC

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You plug your AC cable from the wall into the HDPLEX 160 AC-DC, then you plug in the 4 pin connector into the 4 pin connector of the HDPLEX DC-DC unit.
 

janas19

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Feb 9, 2016
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You plug your AC cable from the wall into the HDPLEX 160 AC-DC, then you plug in the 4 pin connector into the 4 pin connector of the HDPLEX DC-DC unit.

Ah, I see now! That's basically the Meanwell but it already has an enclosure and plug iconnectors? And it's only rated for 160W. I wonder how high it could go if there was airflow over the PSU components for cooling.

Btw, I'm curious if the HDPlex AC-DC would fit in the S4 Mini with a GPU? I imagine the back panel would have to be modified for the connector, but how about interior space?
 

Josh | NFC

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Ah, I see now! That's basically the Meanwell but it already has an enclosure and plug iconnectors? And it's only rated for 160W. I wonder how high it could go if there was airflow over the PSU components for cooling.

Btw, I'm curious if the HDPlex AC-DC would fit in the S4 Mini with a GPU? I imagine the back panel would have to be modified for the connector, but how about interior space?

I think I should show you this excellent build:

https://smallformfactor.net/articles/feature/community-feature-kmpkts-orangulan
 
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Thehack

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I just want to add in a couple points:

HDPLEX 160W AC-DC / 160W DC-DC
+ Actually technical support.
+ No need for any modding
- Slightly larger
- A lil' bit more expensive

Meanwell 200W AC-DC / 12V PSU
+ Modding is half the fun
+ Smaller footprint
+ Cheaper 12V Plugin DC Board
- No real technical support.
- More expensive if you don't have the tools already


I do think 12V builds should be the forward looking platform. However, HDPLEX does offer a very good solution for a ~160W build.

You can't go wrong with either builds!
 
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janas19

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Interesting, from your comment I presume the HDPlex is 12-19V and the Meanwell is 12V. I like how you note the distinction and advocate for 12V on the desktop (given current mobo standards). Thanks!
 

Thehack

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Interesting, from your comment I presume the HDPlex is 12-19V and the Meanwell is 12V. I like how you note the distinction and advocate for 12V on the desktop (given current mobo standards). Thanks!

No. The HDPLEX is 16-24V. This means it can be used with standard laptop bricks as they are usually 19V, provided they meet the power requirements.
 

CC Ricers

Shrink Ray Wielder
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Nov 1, 2015
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Kind of a different idea but how about combine the HDPLEX DC unit with a Meanwell unit for AC. Meanwell's PSUs are also available in 24V which makes them compatible with the HDPLEX.