Stealth3si
Posts: 33 +0
This is a long post so please bear with me. TIA.
It's been a few years since (2007) when I'd researched for a new PSU and unfortunately I've forgotten the important nuances of determining what a good PSU is for my current setup, which hasn't changed much since then, other than a couple of HD upgrades (WD 5400RPM 64MB 1TB and WD 7200RPM 16MB 500GB.) You can view my current system specs below.
So I've come here once again to seek advice and help from fellow TechSpot experts on determining what is a good PSU to buy for storage, should my PSU needs replacing in the future. IOW, I don't currently have a need for a new PSU and I'm not going to fix/replace something that is not broken. My particular system won't probably be upgraded significantly in the future either and won't require any further power from my current PSU than it already does. Basically, I'm not really looking for a PSU higher than 350W-450W, which is already more than what my current system needs (and again, I won't be doing any substantial upgrades to this particular PC I'm using in the near or distant future.) And while I could waite on for a better deal or if/when my PSU fails, I don't mind buying one now if it is a good deal enough. I would appreciate any feedback.
The PSU I have now is a FSP ATX350-PA. Nothing is wrong with it, it's not broken and I don't regret buying it. It was 'cheap,' apparently reliable for my particular setup and is actually still running w/ no problems after 3 years, almost 24/7 non-stop!! It was recommended by Overclock.net's David from the "Cheap but good power supply" list. (I know overclocking is strongly advised against since it's dangerous and that a good PSU usually has a good brand name behind it, quiet, and high priced, so I will keep them in mind.)
Prior to my decision, I had calculated the power consumption of my PC via eXtreme Power Supply Calculator Lite v2.5. I'm aware that there are others who think it is a good/bad calculator. But that's what I used back then. I also know there are other PSU calculators too, which I just discovered today. They are Antec PSU calculator and Snoop's PSU calculator. I don't know whether they are better than eXtreme's. Still, I will use them later to do a "final guesstimation" for my current system, although nothing has significantly changed since 2007. So please post if you know a better PSU calculator.
Again, I'm looking for an extra PSU for storage, in case I need to replace my current PSU in the future.
I found an Antec NEO ECO 400W selling from Newegg for $33.29 after promo code, a $10 rebate and taxes and shipping.
There is also the Antec EarthWatts Green EA-380D selling from Newegg for the same price after everything.
I read the former is better than the latter (don't know whether this is true) but I'm sure there are better deals/replacements out there. If you know where to look then please point me to that direction and I will respond in this thread.
So, how do these compare to the one I already have? And do you think it is a good replacement for my situation?
P.S. I have a 10 year old microATX case that looks like junk which is still sufficient enough for my needs but even though I don't need a new case I could sure use a new one. I found the Thermaltake Armor A90 Gaming Mid-Tower Chassis With Cable Management, Water Cooling, SSD Support, and Tool-Less Installation at Newegg for $66.59 after rebates, taxes, etc. This particular deals ends today.
Do you think that case is good?
Sorry for the long post.
It's been a few years since (2007) when I'd researched for a new PSU and unfortunately I've forgotten the important nuances of determining what a good PSU is for my current setup, which hasn't changed much since then, other than a couple of HD upgrades (WD 5400RPM 64MB 1TB and WD 7200RPM 16MB 500GB.) You can view my current system specs below.
So I've come here once again to seek advice and help from fellow TechSpot experts on determining what is a good PSU to buy for storage, should my PSU needs replacing in the future. IOW, I don't currently have a need for a new PSU and I'm not going to fix/replace something that is not broken. My particular system won't probably be upgraded significantly in the future either and won't require any further power from my current PSU than it already does. Basically, I'm not really looking for a PSU higher than 350W-450W, which is already more than what my current system needs (and again, I won't be doing any substantial upgrades to this particular PC I'm using in the near or distant future.) And while I could waite on for a better deal or if/when my PSU fails, I don't mind buying one now if it is a good deal enough. I would appreciate any feedback.
The PSU I have now is a FSP ATX350-PA. Nothing is wrong with it, it's not broken and I don't regret buying it. It was 'cheap,' apparently reliable for my particular setup and is actually still running w/ no problems after 3 years, almost 24/7 non-stop!! It was recommended by Overclock.net's David from the "Cheap but good power supply" list. (I know overclocking is strongly advised against since it's dangerous and that a good PSU usually has a good brand name behind it, quiet, and high priced, so I will keep them in mind.)
Prior to my decision, I had calculated the power consumption of my PC via eXtreme Power Supply Calculator Lite v2.5. I'm aware that there are others who think it is a good/bad calculator. But that's what I used back then. I also know there are other PSU calculators too, which I just discovered today. They are Antec PSU calculator and Snoop's PSU calculator. I don't know whether they are better than eXtreme's. Still, I will use them later to do a "final guesstimation" for my current system, although nothing has significantly changed since 2007. So please post if you know a better PSU calculator.
Again, I'm looking for an extra PSU for storage, in case I need to replace my current PSU in the future.
I found an Antec NEO ECO 400W selling from Newegg for $33.29 after promo code, a $10 rebate and taxes and shipping.
There is also the Antec EarthWatts Green EA-380D selling from Newegg for the same price after everything.
I read the former is better than the latter (don't know whether this is true) but I'm sure there are better deals/replacements out there. If you know where to look then please point me to that direction and I will respond in this thread.
So, how do these compare to the one I already have? And do you think it is a good replacement for my situation?
P.S. I have a 10 year old microATX case that looks like junk which is still sufficient enough for my needs but even though I don't need a new case I could sure use a new one. I found the Thermaltake Armor A90 Gaming Mid-Tower Chassis With Cable Management, Water Cooling, SSD Support, and Tool-Less Installation at Newegg for $66.59 after rebates, taxes, etc. This particular deals ends today.
Do you think that case is good?
Sorry for the long post.
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