Powr Supply Suggestion

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agi_shi

Posts: 375   +2
I'm buying a new powersupply.

Now, I need a good suggestion.

1) How much power do you think I'll need? [X2 3800+, X850XT which suggests 300W, DVD-ROM + DVD-R, 1 HDD, 4 fans, 1GB DDR2 800] I was thinking 450W, but will 400W be enough? Maybe 500+?

2) What brand would you consider out of the best? As in, which one from [Thermaltake, Antec, PC Power And Cooling (too expensive, can't buy), Enermax, FSP Group (Fortron Source)]?

3) Third and final question - considering your above answers, which exact powersupply do you recommend to me? I have a few on my mind, but I want to to see what the gurus use/suggest.

Thanks!
 
1. you should use a PSU calculator to find your specific power requirements. you need to know the required amperage, not just the wattage. a 400w, 450w, or 500w psu can all have similar usable power outputs. you should be fine with a quality 400w PSU as long as it's +12v rail amperage is in the high 20's (if it's a dual rail PSU, then look for the max combined load rating). but you should still use a calculator to find your amperage requirements.

2. my personal opinion of the brands you listed: PCP&C is the best (I agree with you, they're just too much money). I would rate Antec next, then Enermax/Fortron, and thermaltake last (only because they rate the power output in max, not continuous.. I don't like companies that do that).

3. I personally recommend the Antec TruePower series. I use a TPII-380 in my current rig. don't let the 380w rating fool you, with 32A on the 12V (combined max of 28A) it's more powerful than many 400w-450w PSUs .

hope that helps. cheers :wave:
 
This one. I have it and works very cool & quiet :) It has dual 18A +12V rails (36A), so it's more than enough.
 
Thanks

wolfram said:
This one. I have it and works very cool & quiet :) It has dual 18A +12V rails (36A), so it's more than enough.
I was considering that one, but I'm not sure if it'll be enough power...

The PSU Calculator tells me that I need like 298W or something, but I need more as my video card suggests 350W. Given that my X2 3800+ is not the energy efficient one do you think 400W will be enough? Other than my processor and gfx card, I have 2 DDR2 sticks (considering to upgrade to 4), 1 HD (may add 1 more later), 1 optical drive (1 DVD-R later), one floppy, and 2-4 system fans...

I really like that powersupply, but I'm not quite sure about the 400W... just want to make sure with you guys :D.

Also, isn't 40$ for a quality 400W powersupply a little dodgy? Can I truly trust it?

How stable are the voltages?

Thanks!
 
agi_shi said:
The PSU Calculator tells me that I need like 298W or something, but I need more as my video card suggests 350W. Given that my X2 3800+ is not the energy efficient one do you think 400W will be enough? Other than my processor and gfx card, I have 2 DDR2 sticks (considering to upgrade to 4), 1 HD (may add 1 more later), 1 optical drive (1 DVD-R later), one floppy, and 2-4 system fans...

I really like that powersupply, but I'm not quite sure about the 400W... just want to make sure with you guys :D.

Also, isn't 40$ for a quality 400W powersupply a little dodgy? Can I truly trust it?

How stable are the voltages?

Thanks!

The voltages are stable on mine, it powers easily my setup, it's a great quality PSU, very heavy too :)

But if you wanna be on the safe side, I'd recommend this one:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817104954
It has dual 18A rails, and 450W of real power...
 
Thanks, now I see.

Hmmm.... So many choices!

How is this Antec one? It seems pretty beefy, plus it's from Antec (which I hear is the second best next to PC P&C)...

I got a budget. It's exactly 100$, can be under, but nothing over (if there is something for +5$ more, and if it is super special must get, then no problem, but nothing above 105$). So that Antec one should be perfect...

@Admin/Mod: BTW, thank you for the title change - I originally was going to just ask a bunch of questions but then it turned into a suggest me a powersupply thing... Sorry 'bout that :D.
 
That's a great PSU. Dual 18A rails are great:) . If I were you, I'd get that one. You shouldn't have any power related problems in a very long time.
 
wolfram said:
That's a great PSU. Dual 18A rails are great:) . If I were you, I'd get that one. You shouldn't have any power related problems in a very long time.
Then that it is! Thanks for all your help!
 
good choice... It's more than you need, but you can never have too much power! :giddy:

enjoy your new PSU :wave:
 
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