How many Watts do you really need?

[Xajen]

Ok, i've heard you need 300watts for a Athlon based system (especially with some of the new video cards out there)

It leaves me wondering, is 300watts enough for just a normal athlon system, does it give you room to expand, or will adding a couple more HDs to it cause it to get unstable?

Example Setup

Athlon 1Ghz
256MB+ ram
Abit KT7 Raid
4 IBM 45GB /ultra100 7200rpm drives
SB + Drive II
ATI AIW Radeon 32MB
Zip 100
Plextor 12/10/32
Pioneer DVD 16x
Plextor CDrom

* not sure about the Plextor CDrom yet, the jury is still out on it*

And likly a 5th HD

---------------------------------------
Also, what is the best PS for
Price, Performance, Sound, Reliablity

Thanks Everyone
Xajen

 

[Insane3D]

Get the Enermax 450W. It is, in my opinion, the best power supply out there. It has a 80mm ball bearing exhaust and a 92mm ball bearing intake on the bottom. There are very quiet as well. I had a Antec 300W with my 1ghz Athlon system, and it is was ok, but once I got the Enermax, I could tell it was in a different league. It is probably more power than you need, but power in reserve is a good thing. Sounds like a nice set-up by the way. One suggestion though, why the Zip 100? With a burner, you can just make CD's and not worry about zip disks. Just an idea.

 

[Xajen]

Why the zip100?

Mainly for compatability with those who use zip disk.
I've noticed more and more people having zip disk
on their machines (and not CDrw), keep in mind these
people arn't into PCs like the rest of us. They usally
have it shoved down their throat when they bought that
new PC from gateway or some money pit.

"Hey, give me all your money and I will give you a bunch
of generic parts at an over priced rate! Btw did you notice
the black dots on our boxes?"

Poor lost souls

I don't use zip disk myself, i have some collecting
dust somewhere...


Thanks
Xajen

 

[Insane3D]

Yes, that's true....but if you burn a CD, you do not need a CDRW drive to read it. Any CDROM..well most..will read it like a normal. Most PC's, even older ones, have a CDROM drive. I burn driver CD's for my mom, and she has a very old Gateway Pentium Pro system with a 12X (Hehe) CDROM. They work fine in her system.

 

[cwand]

I've got the Enermax 450W. I doubt I really need all the power right now, but in the future I probably will.

 

[Xajen]

Its for when they bring zips to me

Xajen

 

[toph99]

i'd go for the plextor cdrom, because that and the plextor cd-rw will work with cd duplication software, and will make perfect duplicates of the target cd, so you can, oh, say make a 'backup' of full version protected software... lol

 

[bonkers325]

250w minimum
300w for more leverage when u play amd

 

[Bill]

Watts shouldn't be primary on people's minds, current usage should be. Peer at the total current usage of all your peripherals and the CPU, MB, then compare those numbers with the +5 and +12 volt current ratings of a particular power supply. Give yourself at least 25-35% margin for error.

Check out the only power reviews I've found:

http://www.targetpc.com/hardware/power_supplies/measure/

Bill

 

[Russ]

Yeah, found in your word processor.

Russ, NCNE

 

[Technonut]

You pegged that one Russ! LOL!!

 

[altern8]

anyone tell me where i can pick up one of these power supplys?

 

[Howard]

Russ @ http://www.compucheap.com/ sells a 350W Enermax.

 

[Davegod75]

i want the enermax 450w...where do i get one?

 

[Renob]

I just baught a 400w enermax from a small computer shop in concord ca for $115 there number is 925 8254046 call them they might ship you one. and BTW how much did you guys pay for the 450w???

 

[AMB]

Xajen, I would say that you only need a 300w PS, if you look at my system, it runs perfectly with a 300w

 

[Insane3D]

I paid $89 USD at Plycon.com for my 450W...

 

[cwand]

Jim Hanson carries Enermax.

click here

 

[Xajen]

I ended up getting a Enermax330 and a Genie case
from Jim... If i need more power down the line, then
i will upgrade.

And chances are, if i am upgrading my power to support
more stuff, then i would be building a second machine
anyways, so this PS won't be going to waste

Xajen

 

[ArkAoss]

how about a 145 watt psu? is that sucky or what, and i saw another sys today with a 90 watt, it was an old packard bell

 

[HouRman]

Well If your gonna use peltiers, your gonna need some good wattage. But 300 watts seems to be a good safe point with AMD systems.