Psu
<div class="IPBDescription">Power supply unit... help</div> So the other day my computer all of the sudden shut down, and when i felt the PSU it was *really* hot, and now it wont turn on again... so i figured that it was the psu that died... <!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
anyways now i need to get a new one, but be the none-computer-thingy-guy that i am, i have no idea what to buy...
The old psu was a chieftec that came with the cabinet, max load is 340W so will i be able to buy <a href='http://www.chill-innovation.com/cp400p2-specs.asp' target='_blank'>this one</a> and use it ? is there another one that's better? i'm really lost when the subject is psus <!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> please help me...
anyways now i need to get a new one, but be the none-computer-thingy-guy that i am, i have no idea what to buy...
The old psu was a chieftec that came with the cabinet, max load is 340W so will i be able to buy <a href='http://www.chill-innovation.com/cp400p2-specs.asp' target='_blank'>this one</a> and use it ? is there another one that's better? i'm really lost when the subject is psus <!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> please help me...
Comments
Under no circumstance shoudl you get a Q-Tec, odds are, you'll regret it
That said, raz0r gave pretty good advice, but let's revise that list:
Top tier:
PC Power and Cooling (For the extreme nitro-cooling overclockers)
Damn near the top:
OCZ Powerstream Series
FORTRON Source
Better than average:
Antec
Enermax
FORTRON is the best PSU maker for your money, they've got great PSUs at a pretty cheap price. If you've got the cash, an OCZ Powerstream or a PCP&C Deluxe 510 would handle just about anything you throw at it (4+ HDDs, 2 DVD drives, Prescott, 4 sticks of RAM).
True... but you can buy converter's for like 3 bucks.....
If you list your full system spec's (the more detailed the better) we could better aid you to pick out a good PSU to ensure operation volume, stability, and performance...
~Jason
That being said i went cheap and bought a 400 watt powmax, for 28 bucks. It may not be as quality as some, and i know its not as stable, but for most systems a 400 watt is fine, and since 400 watts is probably about 100 over what i need, going for a cheaper PSU is pretty much fine.
Should handle everyone's needs.
Should handle everyone's needs. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
rofl
I dont even know if that would fit in my case...
I'd hit it!
That being said i went cheap and bought a 400 watt powmax, for 28 bucks. It may not be as quality as some, and i know its not as stable, but for most systems a 400 watt is fine, and since 400 watts is probably about 100 over what i need, going for a cheaper PSU is pretty much fine. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Not true.
Reliability > * when it comes to the PSU.
Would you prefer to have a cheap 650W Q-tec that would probably blow up on you in a couple of months, taking half your PC with it, or a more expensive Enermax 485W, that is more stable than the Q-Tec, and won't blow up on you?
The only power supply ive every had fail was a 400 watt generic supply that came with my case for $14, and that was because of a short.
Reliability is fine and good, but the tendancy is that PSUs rated at high wattage which are certified legitamately, unmodded, and running at much less than the total max power output, will not fail often, and will almost never fail dramatically.
If your going to overclock a lot, a good PSU is necissairy, for power stability, and plenty of it, but for average use, and less intensive overclocking, a decent psu is sufficient.
Keep in mind that i did not say a CHEAP PSU, i said a cheaper PSU, you still need to spend something to get a decent one.
QFT, and through experience.
I actually had 2 Qtec PSU's blow up on me.
One 500w took out both of my opticals, and my hard drive, losing me all my work from the previous 3 weeks.
T'other 550w, popped after 2 hours of use, just as I was installing COD: UO, killing both the COD CD1, and the COD:UO CD1 (both were in the drives, as I was finishing installing COD, and just starting the autorun for UO).
Having switched to my new-hotness SLi rig, nothing but Tagan for me now. It's only 480W, but it is rock solid, and has actually been left on over a couple of days, and not a glimmer of instability.
Short line, DO NOT buy a Qtec PSU, or any other small brand. or god forbid, and unbranded one. Get a major branded one, like Tagan, or the other previously mention favourites.
I leave my computer running 24/7, have 2x120 gig IDE drives 1x300gig IDE drive 1xDual Layer DVD RW 3x512mb Sticks of RAM an athlon 2500+ overclocked to 2gig a radeon 9800 pro, 3 case fans two of which have LED's in, a cold cathode tube and lit revolving bubble tubes in the front of the case all powered off an "Eagle" (ie non-branded) 400watt PSU that came with the case and its been running fine for nearly two years now. Nip down to your local computer parts shop and pick up a PSU that isn't so cheap that it bends when you touch it but isn't so expensive it's actually worth more than the rest of your system <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->