PSU Help!!! UGH
lindaetterlee:
Ok for all you amazing people who tuned in for my buying a monitor drama, here is my latest upgrade. PSU. This ordinarily might not be trouble. BUT of course for stupid ole me It is. I mainly use this system for the sims ONLY.
Here is a run down of my system (custom).
Win xp pro. - ugh not upgrading anytime soon
160 gb hdd- not upgrading. Don't use all of this.
Ati x1950 AGP video- just got 6 months ago going to keep as long as I have a AGP MB.
Epox 8hda5+ Mother board- All MB can hold-not upgrading as MB will likely be extinct for SIMS 3 and I will be building another
2 gb ram - All MB can hold-not upgrading as MB will likely be extinct for SIMS 3 and I will be building another system
One DVD/CD burner- that has never worked right. (Looking at upgrading this as well, so any input is appreciated.)
For all of this I am using a no name brand (turbolink) switching power supply unit 420watt atx psu.
I would like to upgrade the PSU but shit I have no docs that tell me what to get. All I have been able to find in my MB manual is that it needs to be min of "+5VSB current of (>=) 2A."
I am likely going to purchase from new egg.
KittKitt:
Just out of curiosity, why are you looking to upgrade the PSU at this point?
Also, what I would recommend depends on what your priorities are. Most PSUs are fairly standardized these days, at least in terms of which one will work on which boards, but that's not to say that one is the same as another. IMHO, true voltages and accurate watt rating are the #1 factor when I buy a PSU, because these are the factors that can actually fry (or fail to properly power) the components in your system.
Aside from that though, everyone has varied opinions on what's "best". Some want the most quiet PSU they can get, some want pretty lights, some want removable plugs to reduce case clutter and increase air flow. Speaking of air flow, some people insist on multiple fans in a PSU, though it tends to be far more useful and important to simply be sure that whatever fan(s) it does have match the case your computer is in. I've actually seen situations where people installed a top-fan model in a case where the top of the PSU mount was solid aluminum, and was obviously designed for a single, rear-fan PSU.
In terms of brand, I usually run with Antec. I've also had fairly good luck with Thermaltake, and Cooler Master, though their voltages haven't tested out to be quite as true in my experience.
As for wattage, if I remember correctly that video card recommends a 550 watt model. Typically, you don't really need that much to get the system to run, but it's my policy to never go below, and usually go 50 or more above the highest component recommendation (so a 550 or 600 in this case). I figure, if you're going to bother putting in a decent PSU, then why quibble over the few bucks you'll save by dropping down the wattage? Put one in that'll do the job with room to spare, and you won't ever worry about a component not working up to expectations or burning out on you due to insufficient power. Of course, as mentioned above, making sure the thing puts out proper voltages is also important here, since you can shove all the watts you want into a system, but they're not going to do you any good if your +3.3v@20A is actually putting out +4v@21A or your +5v@20A is really only delivering +3.8v@15.
It's not crucial you actually understand the electronic "technobabble" here, so much as you get the idea that correct numbers for output are at least as, if not more important than just how many watts you've got. For this reason, I tend to avoid the off-brand ones. Saving a few bucks isn't sufficient motivation to build your system with a crappy PSU. :)
-Kitt
lindaetterlee:
Ahh reason for upgrading. Some choppiness with video card. Wanted to upgrade to litescribe dvd-rw so I figured what the heck.
Argon:
I've got a 500 watt in my desktop, but as rule of thumb, count up the parts in your pc that need power plugs (4 wires) and add 2 or 3. You should aim to get a power supply that has that number of plugs, you really don't want to use those splitter cables if you can avoid it (you don't use more power if you have empty plugs though, which is a good idea).
Having a psu with detachable cables is also a good idea because it gives you a lot more freedom. ;D Since they detach you can always buy new cables if your new motherboard needs a new type of connector.
B:
I posted this elsewhere regarding PSU selection:
Quote from: B on 2007 August 23, 14:14:36
Quote from: Rose Outlaw on 2007 August 23, 13:44:09
What would you recommend as important facts of a new supply?
An important spec most folks overlook is the 12V amperage. I've seen 800W PSUs that can't run an 8800GTX because they only provide 24A on the dual 12V rails. Other considerations:
P1 Connector - ATX is pretty standard, but you need to make sure it's got a standard mapping.Modular or not - If you have a Micro case, modular supplies can ease cable management. If your case is at least a mid tower, avoid modular.Efficiency - Although not everyone thinks it's important, I like to get at least 80%, just cause it saves money.Size - Will it fit your case?Life expectancy - You want at least 80,000 hours. If you get a good supply with 10K+, it can always be transplanted to a new machine down the road.SATA vs Molex connectors - Most good supplies come with a few of each, but you'll want check just to be safe.
I may have missed something, but this should be a good start.
So those are the "stats" you'll want to look at closely when shopping on NewEgg. If you simply want a couple of selections, post your system specs (Motherboard model is especially important, although if you buy from an OEM like Dell the computer model will suffice) and someone will be able to point you in the right direction.
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