I Need To Upgrade My PSU?

[jamesc25313]

Im upgrading my graphics card to morrow, hopefully on newegg and I only have a 305 watt power supply. Most cards I look at need at least 350 or 400w my problem is I have no idea what Im looking for when upgrading my PSU! Id like to run something decent like a 8600gt Any help would be appreciated and this is geared towards playing rail simulator. I just need to be pointed in the right direction. My wife will kill me if this is going to be exspensive and Im trying to stay on budget so I dont gain a good graphics card but lose a good wife :)

Ive found my current PSU stats and they are:

# AC INPUT:

o 100-120V~/9.0A (50-60Hz)
o 200-240V~/4.5A (50-60Hz)

# DC OUTPUT:

o +5V=/22.0A -12V=/1.0A
o +5V(FP)=/2.0A +3.3=/17A
o +12VA=/18.0A +12VB=/18A
o MAX. OUTPUT POWER: 305Watt

My current system stats are:

Dell GX280
P4 3.4 Ghz w/HT
1GB DDR2 RAM
80GB SATA HD

Thanks!

[OTTODAD]

Hi James !

My WIN-XP SP2, Radeon X1950XT Pro 512Mb, Soundblaster Audigy and 3 internal 150Gb SATA Raptor hard drives are adequately supplied by a 600W PSU, which buying is not going to break the bank ! ;)

Go a for quiet running one with an efficient cooling fan !

O t t o

[jamesc25313]

Go a for quiet running one with an efficient cooling fan !

O t t o

Thats kind of my problem, I have no idea what Im looking for. I dont want to buy something that will melt my computer :) I hear talk about rails and 12v this and that so I have no idea what Im looking at. Ive searched forums and asked the dell guys and they go over my head talking about rails and 20 pins and 24 pins ect. In other words Im lost. Thanks for the quick reply!

[kevinculla9]

Thats kind of my problem, I have no idea what Im looking for. I dont want to buy something that will melt my computer :) I hear talk about rails and 12v this and that so I have no idea what Im looking at. Ive searched forums and asked the dell guys and they go over my head talking about rails and 20 pins and 24 pins ect. In other words Im lost. Thanks for the quick reply!


you can get a good 600 watt power supply for cheap money.....go to newegg.com........also buy an 8800GT way better bang for the buck than the 8600...............pm me if you need any help!!!


power supply
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817702003

Vid Card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814143118

or
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150278

I built my whole system from newegg they are awesome!!!!

oh yeah and about the 20 and 24 pin they are talking about the main connector that plugs onto the motherboard......all new power supplies use a 24pin.....im pretty sure they also work with 20 pin boards......however if you have a P4 im pretty sure your board is 24 pin!!! k!

-Kevin

[mttcrlsn]

Either a Seasonic or Enermax power supply are the current favorites in the quality & quite area.

ENERMAX MODU82+ EMD525AWT 525W
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817194035

ENERMAX PRO82+ EPR525AWT
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817194034

SeaSonic S12 Energy Plus SS-550HT
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151027

[chucksc]

Hey guys - did you notice he has a dell???

Better make sure what ever you buy is compatible - most are not

[USRailFan]

Dell.. Ouch..
In the "old days" Dell used proprietary connectors between PSU and motherboards. Meaning you had to either get a stock Dell PSU, or find someone who was willing to make a convertor cable. Dunno if it is still like that tho.

[concaddy]

PC Power and Cooling makes excellent Dell replacement PSU's. And yes, Newegg has them as well...

[kevinculla9]

holy crap I forgot about the dell power connector thing.....I think his is new enuff that it doesn't have that tho.............I am so used to building stuff that that skipped my mind

[plainsman]

Hi James,
I am going to digress a moment so please bear with me as it will make sense later I hope.
Back in the 1970s I bought my first good stereo system. It had a Sherwood S-7900 reciever, a pair of Rectilinear 5 speakers, and a Garrard Zero 100c turntable. I splurged a bit, but the units lasted many years with excellent sound. Now the S-7900 was only rated at (if I remember correctly), 60 watts. Many other units in that era were rated at 80-100 watts. The Sherwood was always besting these other products in testing and reviews, because it was the first major manufacturer to rate the power from 20 to 20,000 htz with both channels driven into an 8 ohm load. Then most folks rated with only one channel driven into a 4 ohm load at a fixed frequency, I think 1500 or 2000 htz was common. Sherwood was also very conservative, most S-7900/S-8900 units easily produced 75 watts into real 8 ohm speaker loads (the only difference in the S-7900 and the S-8900 was the tuner), and into the 6 ohm Rectilinears, it would do 90 watts (and just under 120 watts into 4 ohms). An 80 watt Pioneer or Sansui would never sound as clean and have the dynamic range ability of the Sherwood.
Now back to PSUs. PSU power ratings are today, what stereo amps were in the 1970s. Some are rated to easily do the rated power where it really is needed, others rate to get very high numbers, but can't deliver into the rails as needed.
The ability of a PSU to get the required output into the rail demanding the output is the real measure of a PSU. Check on the net, and you will find a lot of information as to which rails are likely to be the most demanding, and which PDU units really deleiver (and maybe which don't). Not all 600 watt PSU units will be enough for a modern computer. Anything less is probably asking for trouble, and shortening the life of itself and other components.
BTW, the 8600GT is not a great buy. I highly suggest you don't go with anything less than a 8600GTS/512 (that is what I am running). It won't make as much difference in MSTS, but other programs will really need that much card.

[jamesc25313]

Hi James,
I am going to digress a moment so please bear with me as it will make sense later I hope.
Back in the 1970s I bought my first good stereo system. It had a Sherwood S-7900 reciever, a pair of Rectilinear 5 speakers, and a Garrard Zero 100c turntable. I splurged a bit, but the units lasted many years with excellent sound. Now the S-7900 was only rated at (if I remember correctly), 60 watts. Many other units in that era were rated at 80-100 watts. The Sherwood was always besting these other products in testing and reviews, because it was the first major manufacturer to rate the power from 20 to 20,000 htz with both channels driven into an 8 ohm load. Then most folks rated with only one channel driven into a 4 ohm load at a fixed frequency, I think 1500 or 2000 htz was common. Sherwood was also very conservative, most S-7900/S-8900 units easily produced 75 watts into real 8 ohm speaker loads (the only difference in the S-7900 and the S-8900 was the tuner), and into the 6 ohm Rectilinears, it would do 90 watts (and just under 120 watts into 4 ohms). An 80 watt Pioneer or Sansui would never sound as clean and have the dynamic range ability of the Sherwood.
Now back to PSUs. PSU power ratings are today, what stereo amps were in the 1970s. Some are rated to easily do the rated power where it really is needed, others rate to get very high numbers, but can't deliver into the rails as needed.
The ability of a PSU to get the required output into the rail demanding the output is the real measure of a PSU. Check on the net, and you will find a lot of information as to which rails are likely to be the most demanding, and which PDU units really deleiver (and maybe which don't). Not all 600 watt PSU units will be enough for a modern computer. Anything less is probably asking for trouble, and shortening the life of itself and other components.
BTW, the 8600GT is not a great buy. I highly suggest you don't go with anything less than a 8600GTS/512 (that is what I am running). It won't make as much difference in MSTS, but other programs will really need that much card.

Hi guys. I went with this power supply a week ago and it will be here friday.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817709015 I read about the dell connector issue before hand and seen adapters ect Here is the link to all my specs and it has everything there is to know about my computer.
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/opgx280/en/ug/smtindex.htm

BTW I didnt go with the 8600GT I went with the GTS model and it should be here friday also. I hope this power supply will work...

[kevinculla9]

confused as to why you would buy a 8600gts when you could have had an 8800GT for the same money? hmm wierd

[jamesc25313]

I was looking through the dell threads and some guy was wanting to upgrade his gx280 to a power supply that had a 24 pin for the main power but the one I ordered has a 20+4 pin connector. Whats the difference if any???

[djt1]

confused as to why you would buy a 8600gts when you could have had an 8800GT for the same money? hmm wierd

The other question is will this dandy “Sunbeam” even fit in Dell’s el-cheapo proprietary case without blocking airflow to the fan on the PSU. I’m not sure if this PSU is worth the card board box they ship it in.

If the machine is even worth putting money into, PC Power and Cooling makes excellent replacement PSU’s for Dell’s –
http://www.pcpower.com/products/power_supplies/dell/

Here’s an excellent source of PSU info –
http://www.jonnyguru.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=3

[jamesc25313]

The other question is will this dandy “Sunbeam” even fit in Dell’s el-cheapo proprietary case without blocking airflow to the fan on the PSU. I’m not sure if this PSU is worth the card board box they ship it in.

If the machine is even worth putting money into, PC Power and Cooling makes excellent replacement PSU’s for Dell’s –
http://www.pcpower.com/products/power_supplies/dell/

Here’s an excellent source of PSU info –
http://www.jonnyguru.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=3

I was going to go with the pcpower psu but someone told me this one would work and Im on a budget.

Well just looking at the dell documents for my pc which is the small mini tower version I have a 20 pin connector.....which I did a little more reading and found that the 20+4 connecter is detachable making the 20+4 either a 20pin or a 24 pin so either way I should be covered? Can someone tell me if I got my mind right?

[djt1]

I was going to go with the pcpower psu but someone told me this one would work and Im on a budget.

Well just looking at the dell documents for my pc which is the small mini tower version I have a 20 pin connector.....


I can understand that you’re on a budget but I don’t know how long this PSU is going to last you either. If it does fail, you also risk taking other components in the system with it. Have you checked to make sure it will fit in your Dell’s case?

[jamesc25313]

I can understand that you’re on a budget but I don’t know how long this PSU is going to last you either. If it does fail, you also risk taking other components in the system with it. Have you checked to make sure it will fit in your Dell’s case?

Thanks for the fast reply. Ive eyeballed it is the best I can do. From what I see it will be tight since I have that green platic thing directing airflow from the heatsink. If that wasnt in the way Id say for sure it should fit but if you mean from the back I may have to do some hacking but from the best I could see from what pictures newegg has it will be close. I dont hink they had the dimensions displayed or that would have helped.

[djt1]

Thanks for the fast reply. Ive eyeballed it is the best I can do. From what I see it will be tight since I have that green platic thing directing airflow from the heatsink. If that wasnt in the way Id say for sure it should fit but if you mean from the back I may have to do some hacking but from the best I could see from what pictures newegg has it will be close. I dont hink they had the dimensions displayed or that would have helped.

One thing you do not want is the intake fan on the PSU blocked, if you have to do some hacking on the case I suggest you hack enough for good air flow.

[kevinculla9]

Well just looking at the dell documents for my pc which is the small mini tower version I have a 20 pin connector.....which I did a little more reading and found that the 20+4 connecter is detachable making the 20+4 either a 20pin or a 24 pin so either way I should be covered? Can someone tell me if I got my mind right?


20+4 should be compatible as your mobo IS a 24 pin plug

and if the someone you are refering to is me......all you asked is if it would work, not if it was a good unit!

[jamesc25313]

20+4 should be compatible as your mobo IS a 24 pin plug

and if the someone you are refering to is me......all you asked is if it would work, not if it was a good unit!

I dont think I said I asked you if it was a good unit. From the above post I said "I was going to go with the pcpower psu but someone told me this one would work and Im on a budget." I didnt say you said it was a good unit.Either way Ill have to wait and see I guess. I wont argue with anyone so Ill drop it until I see how well it works or not.

[kevinculla9]

I dont think I said I asked you if it was a good unit. From the above post I said "I was going to go with the pcpower psu but someone told me this one would work and Im on a budget." I didnt say you said it was a good unit.Either way Ill have to wait and see I guess. I wont argue with anyone so Ill drop it until I see how well it works or not.

Good luck man let us all know how it turns out!!! BTW what was up with the video card??? y did you go for the 8600?

[jamesc25313]

Hi. Actually I went with a 7600GT I reread that post and seen I put GTS I read what plainsman said and had that on the brain and had the whole power supply thing bothering me.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&item=300225825078
The 8600s on newegg were a little out of my range. I was really strapped for cash and got this one for 60$ and its factory overclocked to 1600mhz and nothing I found in my price range which wasnt much to start with really matched that. If this PSU doesnt kill over on me, Ill definitely pick something better up in a month or so. Gas is really killing me right now and Ive bought so many cards and crap for computers (besides psus :) ) that my wife nags when it comes time to upgrade now. Thanks guys for your help, I really appreciate everything.

[jamesc25313]

So far so good. How long? we could debate all day. I had to do a little hacking to get the power switch in the back to fit but other than that everything went fine and took less than five minutes. If you dont see me post for a while it may be my psu went out on me :)

[kevinculla9]

Glad it worked out for ya man!!

[jamesc25313]

I got the card today. Ive get around 40-50 fps in the yards and 80+ outside the yards so Im happy. Thanks guys once again!