Cheap and efficient PSU

[aznn3rd]

Ok, so after several tests, I have decided that my ****ty NuPower PSU (380W 18A on 12V) will not work with my HP. I am a little wary about buying a new PSU because there is the possibility that it would not work as well. However, assuming I get a new PSU, what would be the best one? My budget is around $30 and I don't care for upgrades. I only want something that can power an HP (the standard PSU was 250W, 13A on 12V) and a 3850 video card with stable voltage.

 

[Rage_3K_Moiz]

How come your old PSU didn't work? Did it not fit or did the PC not start up? Chances are, you may have some loose wiring or a motherboard short somewhere. Check that before you unnecessarily waste money on a new PSU. Also, if you have a PCI-E HD 3850, make sure you've connected the PCI-E power connector to it. Alternatively, if you have the AGP version, connect a 4-pin Molex to it.
Also FYI, cheap and efficient don't go together.

 

[aznn3rd]

I made sure all the wires were in the correct places. When I turned it on, the computer seemed to function correctly. The only problem was that there was no signal to the monitor and the keyboard Locks flashed once but didn't respond later on. I'm kind of worried that buying a new PSU won't fix the problem.

 

[raybay]

You will not find an adequate power supply for an HP for $30... also, length, width, and height can be problems. Shop carefully. There is a good list of power supplies on this forum. For HP, I prefer Sparkle. They run about $45