PSU, how much power do YOU need?

***Zardon*** · Jun 24, 2002, 04:52 PM

was wanting to hear your experiences with power supplies, what you own and any problems you have had with makes, models, and any findings regarding power delivery you have had. bad makes? good makes? is 300w enough for you?

im using an Enermax 550w in this rig and a Sparkle 400w in my other rig. and both give superb performance, I really think its a frequently overlooked part of a system, or do you just stick with a stock 250w and think im talking out of my ass?

kinetic · Jun 24, 2002, 04:58 PM

350w Enermax for me, no problems as yet(only 4 months old).

~~David~~ · Jun 24, 2002, 06:18 PM

With todays power hungry systems, I`d say a min of 350 watts 40amp in the +5volt line
personaly I use 400watts antec 45amp on the +5volt line. Whats even weirder is I get no stupid problems with my system runs great. Amazing what a good psu can do

System:
AthlonXp 2100+
kr7a-raid
2x WD 120gb raid -0
Lite-on 40x cdrw
Lite-on 16x DVD
sb Audigy x-gamer
Radeon 8500 128 meg
2x Net gear 10/100 nic`s
cooling:
Alpha 8045a 80mm 80 cfm delta(cpu)
2x 92 mm 113 cfm delta`s(side)
2x 80mm 45 cfm delta`s(front and rear)

DallasStar · Jun 24, 2002, 07:41 PM

I try to give my PCs more than enough power just to make sure that they run as stable as possible. example: I ran my 133mhz pentium with a 275 watt powersupply

. My current 1800XP is running with a 375. I doubt I'll need more than that (and if I ever do, I'll get a 500w).

Necrosis · Jun 24, 2002, 11:47 PM

I've owned a number of supplies in my time. I'm also a believer in plenty of power. One weird way I've learned to check supplies is by the heat test. Leave a computer off for about two hours, and then turn it back on. If the air exiting the supply is very warm, it might be a good idea to get a higher wattage supply. The worst experience I've had with supplies is with Deer. I'm using a 420 Allied right now; had a 350 Antec before, and received the Allied in trade. Dell & Gateway I've noticed have put very low wattages supplies in their computers. A friend of mine kept having error messages, and lockups until I upgraded her 200 Watt to a P/C 300 Watt. The system is a P3 866 fully loaded; I was horrified that they put that small of a supply in it.

shuki · Jun 25, 2002, 01:12 AM

400W sparkle here and loving it! upon install the 5V and 12V lines were a bit weak but a small sparkle PSU tweak has me running strong now!5.13 and 12.16

UberLord · Jun 25, 2002, 04:32 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by kinetic
350w Enermax for me, no problems as yet(only 4 months old).

Same here - but mines over a year old now

Slightly low on the +5v and +12v rails running at +4.9 and +11.7 respectively - but within tolerance

alewisa · Jun 25, 2002, 08:26 AM

As I don't extreme o/c, I don't buy branded PSU's, just replace the stock case one's with 350+ in order to supply the power required.

So what do I do with the old PSU? Well.... in some PC's here, heat is an issue. So, I re-use the stock PSU to supply power to extra fans. The tower cases have the room, and it's easy enough to cut the case and mount the PSU. The fans are nothing special, I pick's them up from a local fair, and have the molex power connectors. All they do is suck air, push it out, and ensure a good airflow through the case.

Course, my 'leccy bill aint small

Doomtrooper · Jun 25, 2002, 08:32 AM

I use 430 Watt Enermax, best power supply I have ever used. Total wattage is misleading, having good voltage to 12V (accessories) and 5V (CPU, Ram) rail are critical, some quality 300 watt powersupplies would be much more stable and reliable then some 400 watt generic garbage.

reno · Jun 25, 2002, 01:01 PM

430watt Antec Truepower,

36a 20a 28a for the +5v/+12v/+3.3v lines

Stable, cool, quiet, very quiet...I think it's the best power supply ever made.

Frodo301 · Jun 25, 2002, 05:20 PM

Changed to a Sparkle 350 watt recently from a 300 watt Sparkle. Wasn't having a problem with the 300 watt, just thought it was a good idea.

rushstrike · Jun 26, 2002, 03:46 PM

haha my generic 250w POS is doing just fine!

Jun 24, 2002, 04:52 PM	#1
*Zardon* enchanted Join Date: May 2002 Location: Driverheaven Posts: 32,255 Rep Power: 3150	PSU, how much power do YOU need? was wanting to hear your experiences with power supplies, what you own and any problems you have had with makes, models, and any findings regarding power delivery you have had. bad makes? good makes? is 300w enough for you? im using an Enermax 550w in this rig and a Sparkle 400w in my other rig. and both give superb performance, I really think its a frequently overlooked part of a system, or do you just stick with a stock 250w and think im talking out of my ass?

Jun 24, 2002, 07:41 PM	#4
DallasStar Junior Join Date: May 2002 Location: Wave Existence Posts: 2,065 Rep Power: 0	I try to give my PCs more than enough power just to make sure that they run as stable as possible. example: I ran my 133mhz pentium with a 275 watt powersupply . My current 1800XP is running with a 375. I doubt I'll need more than that (and if I ever do, I'll get a 500w). __________________ "A picture of my existence... would show a useless wooden stake covered in snow... stuck loosely at a slant in the ground in a ploughed field on the edge of a vast open plain on a dark winter night." --- Franz Kafka

Jun 25, 2002, 08:26 AM	#8
alewisa DriverHeaven Addict Join Date: May 2002 Location: Kendal, UK Posts: 260 Rep Power: 0	haven't a cluse, but I'll tell you what... As I don't extreme o/c, I don't buy branded PSU's, just replace the stock case one's with 350+ in order to supply the power required. So what do I do with the old PSU? Well.... in some PC's here, heat is an issue. So, I re-use the stock PSU to supply power to extra fans. The tower cases have the room, and it's easy enough to cut the case and mount the PSU. The fans are nothing special, I pick's them up from a local fair, and have the molex power connectors. All they do is suck air, push it out, and ensure a good airflow through the case. Course, my 'leccy bill aint small __________________ TRS-80, dual 5.25", 32K C-64 o/c to 2Mhz, 1541 with PhantomDOS Amiga 4000/040@66Mhz, C64-3D, 64mb, 4.3gb SCSI Netware 4.11 And too many damn PC's to care!

Jun 25, 2002, 08:32 AM	#9
Doomtrooper Driverheaven Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The Great White North Posts: 206 Rep Power: 0	I use 430 Watt Enermax, best power supply I have ever used. Total wattage is misleading, having good voltage to 12V (accessories) and 5V (CPU, Ram) rail are critical, some quality 300 watt powersupplies would be much more stable and reliable then some 400 watt generic garbage. __________________ "It's time to kick A$$ and chew bubble gum....and I'm all out of gum." Duke Nukem November 1996

Jun 25, 2002, 05:20 PM	#11
Frodo301 Outraged Join Date: May 2002 Location: The mountains Posts: 585 Rep Power: 0	Changed to a Sparkle 350 watt recently from a 300 watt Sparkle. Wasn't having a problem with the 300 watt, just thought it was a good idea. __________________ The greatest thing you'll every learn is to love, and be loved in return.

Jun 24, 2002, 04:58 PM	#2
kinetic DriverHeaven Senior Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Manchester England Posts: 2,559 Rep Power: 0	350w Enermax for me, no problems as yet(only 4 months old).

Jun 24, 2002, 06:18 PM	#3
~~David~~ Banned Join Date: May 2002 Location: Atlanta Posts: 959 Rep Power: 0	With todays power hungry systems, I`d say a min of 350 watts 40amp in the +5volt line personaly I use 400watts antec 45amp on the +5volt line. Whats even weirder is I get no stupid problems with my system runs great. Amazing what a good psu can do System: AthlonXp 2100+ kr7a-raid 2x WD 120gb raid -0 Lite-on 40x cdrw Lite-on 16x DVD sb Audigy x-gamer Radeon 8500 128 meg 2x Net gear 10/100 nic`s cooling: Alpha 8045a 80mm 80 cfm delta(cpu) 2x 92 mm 113 cfm delta`s(side) 2x 80mm 45 cfm delta`s(front and rear)

Jun 25, 2002, 01:12 AM	#6
shuki DriverHeaven Senior Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: in the hidden place Posts: 1,975 Rep Power: 0	400W sparkle here and loving it! upon install the 5V and 12V lines were a bit weak but a small sparkle PSU tweak has me running strong now!5.13 and 12.16

Jun 25, 2002, 01:01 PM	#10
reno Painlord of Ichor Join Date: May 2002 Location: bloinkin! Posts: 1,611 Rep Power: 0	430watt Antec Truepower, 36a 20a 28a for the +5v/+12v/+3.3v lines Stable, cool, quiet, very quiet...I think it's the best power supply ever made.

Jun 26, 2002, 03:46 PM	#12
rushstrike DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 34 Rep Power: 0	haha my generic 250w POS is doing just fine! __________________ MSI KT3 Ultra-2 xp 1400mhz@1790mhz radeon 8500 OEM 256mb corsair xms3000