Psu

SkinnYSkinnY Join Date: 2002-11-07 Member: 7500Members
<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...

Comments

  • Nemesis_ZeroNemesis_Zero Old European Join Date: 2002-01-25 Member: 75Members, Retired Developer, NS1 Playtester, Constellation
    I doubt you'll get anything below the 400 Watt line nowadays, honestly <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
  • raz0rraz0r Join Date: 2003-07-24 Member: 18395Members
    Go for an Enermax, OCZ or Antec PSU
    Under no circumstance shoudl you get a Q-Tec, odds are, you'll regret it
  • SkinnYSkinnY Join Date: 2002-11-07 Member: 7500Members
    woops, what i meant was that my old psu had a max load on 340W, does it matter if the new one has a higher one?
  • Rapier7Rapier7 Join Date: 2004-02-05 Member: 26108Members
    Most systems won't draw more than 300 watts of power (except the newer ones, and especially if you have a Prescott based system), having stable rails is the most important thing.

    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).
  • PuissancePuissance Join Date: 2003-08-06 Member: 19134Members, Constellation
    Yes. Get one with at least 400 watts so it doesn't break like your old one. Also, you might need the Serial ATA power connectors only if you have a SATA hard drive or optical drive, otherwise, it's not needed.
  • Rapier7Rapier7 Join Date: 2004-02-05 Member: 26108Members
    Oh, if your computer is recent, it might need a 24 pin PSU instead of the traditional 20 pin. Be sure you don't get screwed.
  • SDJasonSDJason Join Date: 2003-05-29 Member: 16841Members
    <!--QuoteBegin-Rapier7+May 10 2005, 03:55 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Rapier7 @ May 10 2005, 03:55 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Oh, if your computer is recent, it might need a 24 pin PSU instead of the traditional 20 pin. Be sure you don't get screwed. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    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
  • DaJMastaDaJMasta Join Date: 2005-01-10 Member: 34750Members, Constellation
    If he ran it off a 340 before, we can safely assume that that or a little more is all he would need, so specs arent reall that necissairy...

    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.
  • DuoGodOfDeathDuoGodOfDeath Join Date: 2002-08-01 Member: 1044Members
    <a href='http://xoxide.com/pcpc-850w-ssi-psu.html' target='_blank'>http://xoxide.com/pcpc-850w-ssi-psu.html</a>

    Should handle everyone's needs.
  • DaJMastaDaJMasta Join Date: 2005-01-10 Member: 34750Members, Constellation
    <!--QuoteBegin-DuoGodOfDeath+May 10 2005, 06:00 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (DuoGodOfDeath @ May 10 2005, 06:00 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <a href='http://xoxide.com/pcpc-850w-ssi-psu.html' target='_blank'>http://xoxide.com/pcpc-850w-ssi-psu.html</a>

    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...
  • BulletHeadBulletHead Join Date: 2004-07-22 Member: 30049Members
    dAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMN! That's a beefy PSU

    I'd hit it!
  • raz0rraz0r Join Date: 2003-07-24 Member: 18395Members
    <!--QuoteBegin-DaJMasta+May 10 2005, 11:34 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (DaJMasta @ May 10 2005, 11:34 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> If he ran it off a 340 before, we can safely assume that that or a little more is all he would need, so specs arent reall that necissairy...

    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?
  • DaJMastaDaJMasta Join Date: 2005-01-10 Member: 34750Members, Constellation
    If its rated for 650 watts, and you need less than 450, and is UL listed nad such, it should not explode with less than 2/3 load.

    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.
  • ZelZel Join Date: 2003-01-27 Member: 12861Members
    this computer has blown a 450W generic dual fan, and now runs nicely on a 350W Fortron-Sparkle
  • Lt_PatchLt_Patch Join Date: 2005-02-07 Member: 40286Members
    <!--QuoteBegin-raz0r+May 11 2005, 02:16 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (raz0r @ May 11 2005, 02:16 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> 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? <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    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.
  • NecroticNecrotic Big Girl&#39;s Blouse Join Date: 2002-01-25 Member: 53Members, NS1 Playtester
    ::Windows 2000 Professional, Service Pack 4 (5.0 - 2195) uptime - 1w 5d 17h 29m 59s

    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-->
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