Posts by Thomas Martin4

But if you end up pushing it too hard, I suppose it'll start getting louder—just something to keep in mind.

The power supply itself is fine—it just isn't quite enough for $117. Over here in the States, prices are just way too high. This isn't some cheap little budget unit from two years ago; I suppose they cut corners on quality somewhere along the line. It probably only got a decent rating because the price tag was low. They’re listing it at $50, which I guess is a steal for that amount. But for $117? Not even close.

Joshua Garcia3 said:What's wrong with the Fortron 400W? It does its job just fine, I suppose. 🙂

Alexander Martinez claims he misses that old level of quality—nothing else really compares 😁 😁. It's just not that same
PNF model anymore.

George Harris said:Greetings. I am looking to swap out the power supply for the following configuration:
The AMD Phenom 550 dual-core—running at that 3.2GHz mark—is an interesting little piece of hardware, I suppose. It sits in that strange middle ground where you wonder if it was actually worth the investment back in the day, or if it was just a stopgap for people waiting on something better. It’s a decent enough chip for basic tasks, though I suspect its longevity is somewhat limited by modern standards. Maybe it holds up better than most would expect, but I wouldn't go betting the house on it.
The ATI Radeon HD 4670—an aging piece of silicon, I suppose. It’s hard to say exactly where it sits in the grand scheme of things these days, but looking back, it was certainly an interesting attempt at balancing cost and performance. Whether it actually holds up for anything meaningful today is... debatable, to say the least.
I suppose we're looking at 2GB of Kingmax RAM running at 1333MHz—though, frankly, I can't say much about that. It’s just a spec, really. Not exactly groundbreaking, but I guess it serves its purpose if you aren't trying to run anything modern.
Something like an ASUS M3A70DE—I suppose.
Two hard drives—and they’re fried.
I wouldn't exactly call myself a newcomer to the world of PC hardware—I've been around the block a few times, I suppose. 😁 Look, I just need something that can actually handle this setup without breaking a sweat—because, frankly, the power supply I'm running right now is a total disaster. Thanks.

Check out this listing over at Micro Center—it’s for the Corsair CX series. I suppose if you're looking for a basic power supply, this might be one of those options that gets the job done without much fanfare. It’s pretty standard stuff, really.

If they actually have it in stock—and that’s a big if—you should probably grab it while you can.

Alexander Moore67 said:If you're torn between picking up a Seasonic 430W or a Silverstone 400W—I suppose it really comes down to what you're actually trying to power—but if I had to make a call, I'd lean toward the Seasonic. It feels like the safer bet in most scenarios, though I might be overthinking it.

You won't miss with any of them—honestly. But if you ask me, I’d say Seasonic still holds the edge.

Morgan Moore37 said:It's true that MS isn't quite on the level of Seasonic—though one might argue Seasonic itself markets two distinct tiers of products. And, well, obviously, price plays a role here.

The reason is rather simple—when dealing with electronic components like capacitors and resistors, you encounter various levels of tolerance. Higher-end devices utilize superior components, which naturally drives up the cost, whereas an identical device built with inferior parts will be cheaper.

Then there are the voltage regulators; some are designed to smooth out voltage perfectly, while others—perhaps due to manufacturer shortcuts—simply cannot manage it.

In all of this, the transformer plays the most critical role, and it is usually the single most expensive component in any power supply unit.

That is precisely why testing exists, along with the collective experience of users who have likely fried their hardware; it allows us to determine which PSU is actually suitable for specific tasks. Nowadays, for a mid-range PC, a Seasonic unit in the 425W to 430W range is more than enough. Most standard builds simply don't draw more than 300W. It’s only when you install a beast of a GPU, or perhaps several in an SLI or CF setup, and start pushing extreme overclocks that you actually need something more substantial. No one on this forum wants to see someone's rig die because of a cheap power supply. The goal is always to find the most reliable option for a given budget. If I disagree with someone's build, I usually suggest they invest in quality rather than just chasing high wattage from a unit that doesn't even hit 70% efficiency. For the average user, buying anything over 600W—which is arguably overkill anyway—is probably just throwing money away.

Morgan Moore37 said:Are you absolutely certain about that?

There was a chart posted here on the forum regarding GPU power consumption, and those graphs showed the exact opposite—that modern cards are drawing significantly more power than the older ones.

Logically speaking, your argument would hold water if we weren't constantly adding more and more components to these cards, each requiring more electricity.

If a graphics card from twenty years ago had the same component layout as one manufactured today, then perhaps we could say power draw is decreasing. But when you compare a card from ten years ago to one released a few months ago, you see an increasing number of new features packed onto that piece of silicon.

Why is it that newer cards often feature dual 6-pin connectors for extra power while older ones only needed one? That seems to suggest—to me, at least—that these cards are indeed consuming more.

Well, I am fairly certain that the GTX 460 and the Phenom II will be adequately powered by this VX unit. If a CX400W can handle a 5830 paired with an Athlon X4, then this should be fine too. If I were planning on buying something more high-end, I might consider a new power supply. Under load, my current configuration doesn't pull more than 250W—or maybe 300W if you want to be safe (though those figures assume overclocking, which isn't what I'm doing). I suppose that means new components won't cause issues since they consume roughly what I'm currently using...
"I don't know why" they put 2x6-pin connectors on some cards (some need them, some don't), but it doesn't change the fact that a CX400W can easily run something like a 9800GTX+. I installed a card like that in a friend's build with that exact power supply, and it has been running flawlessly for a year and a half now. Even though the box says a minimum of 550W is required, it doesn't specify the manufacturer. And we all know it isn't the same thing whether it's MS or Seasonic.

Morgan Moore37 said:I've been there—I pushed my rig through two solid years of constant use before finally deciding it was time for an upgrade, and then... poof. Everything just gave out.

The power supply is essentially the foundation of everything—just like the motherboard. I suppose if you opt for something that seems adequate today, it might not actually hold up for whatever comes down the line.

He can certainly get away with that CX400W for now—I suppose that’s fine if he's just idling—but once he actually starts diving into serious upgrades and tries to beef up the rig, he's going to run into a wall. He'll see exactly where he messed up then.

If he goes with a 550W or 650W unit, he’ll actually have enough breathing room for everything—including future upgrades to more powerful components—without the constant fear that his power supply might fall short.

Well, it all really depends on what you're planning to pair this with—everything is relative, I suppose. If you’re trying to slap a 5970 onto a CX400W, then obviously, you’re going to run into trouble; there just won't be enough juice. But if you go with something like a 6850, well, who knows? Maybe it'll hold up, maybe it won't. That’s why I always say you have to think about the end goal—you need to decide exactly what you want to do with the build and then find the most logical solution that fits within your specific budget. It’s a balancing act. Modern cards are getting much more efficient, too—the performance-per-watt ratio is significantly better now than it used to be. My current card pulls over 150W when it's actually being pushed, yet these newer models could eat it for breakfast while consuming the same amount, if not less. Which, I guess, suggests my current power supply might actually handle an upgrade to a mid-range card and a new processor—assuming we're strictly talking mid-tier hardware, of course.

driftingpilot8 said:Is there actually any logic in spending the same amount—or even more—on a power supply than I would for my CPU (say $500) or my motherboard ($470)? If I do this, people are probably going to yell at me for being foolish... 😁

You should always be willing to shell out a little extra for a power supply—though, I suppose, that only applies if you're buying something actually reliable, like a reputable brand and a proven series. At the end of the day, a motherboard or a processor isn't going to complain about having a high-quality power supply feeding it.

Seasonic—without even a second thought...

I have nothing but respect for Protis, but they don't offer free shipping—and they won't put a PC together for you either...

It depends on which GPU you're running... I doubt everything will just fail at once...

Thomas Miller3 said:Do you think the Chieftec gear makes the cut for this list from the original post?

Well, when Uncle Gilbert claims they’re up to snuff, I suppose they usually are 😁 😁. Right, Gilby?

William Mitchell8 said:BIOSTAR A880G+
amd athlon ii 245 2.9 ghz
2 gb ram ddr3
integrated graphics

I’m thinking about adding a better GPU later on.
I realize I probably shouldn't be cutting corners on the power supply—given how tight my budget was for this whole setup—but if this unit is decent enough to handle it, I'd take it.

If you grab that Silverstone 400W, it should actually be plenty for almost any card. Since you aren't planning on dropping a high-end beast in there, 400W will be more than sufficient. Even if you decided to throw in something like a 5850 or a GTX 460, it would likely run without any issues....

William Mitchell8 said:Could someone perhaps elaborate on this power supply? I haven't been able to dig up much info online regarding its specifics. I suppose I'm wondering about the actual wattage, the build quality... maybe anyone here has some firsthand experience with this particular unit?

Personally, I’d probably lean toward those Silverstone units listed further down the price list rather than this one... assuming you actually have any in stock.

ATI 5670 versus an ATI 4850, perhaps an Nvidia 8800 gts 512, or even a GTS 250—all second-hand, of course...

analogfox7 said:So, my card just died on me—typical—and now I’m looking at buying a replacement. The problem is, I have no clue if my motherboard can actually handle an ASUS P5PL2, so I’d appreciate some help if anyone knows

It supports basically any modern graphics card. Your board has a PCI-E slot, after all. What kind of processor and power supply are you running?

Daniel Stewart12 said:what's the actual difference between EVGA and ATI Radeon 5830—which one is actually better?

edit: also, would I be able to run newer titles, and what kind of power supply would suffice for a build like this:

Intel Pentium Processor, LGA 1366, BOX, 2MB cache, 95W

Gigabyte MA770TA-UD3, Intel SB600, S. LGA 1366, 6xSATA RAID, 2xSATA

DDR3 4GB (2x2GB) Kingmax, 1333MHz, FLFE

HDD Seagate Barracuda, Serial ATA II, 7200 rpm

Personally, I’d probably go with the ATI Radeon 5830... though, if I'm being honest, they're both more or less the same tier of junk. A Corsair CX400 or maybe a Corsair 430W should be sufficient for this setup... and yes, you could likely play newer games... provided it isn't too much trouble, let me know the price of the card, because for roughly $533 my preference would have been the GTX 460 1GB.

Honestly, I don't quite grasp why they're struggling with parts shortages. They produce a single spare and then everyone starts bickering over who gets to use it—it’s exhausting. I mean... since when did manufacturing a set of wings become some sort of science fiction feat?

Michael Lee4 said:Button just couldn't find any grip on those rear tires...

And now, I suppose, Red Bull will just hit the nitro and vanish into thin air—leaving everyone else in the dust while they cruise around the track tomorrow, casually waving at the fans in the stands.🤦

It probably would have been better if he were in the Williams.😁 😁

P.S. waka waka baby, lol

Michael Lee4 said:For heaven's sake... 😠

Jenson Button in 14th... 🤦

Between the new package and the setup—honestly, I’ve had enough of this nonsense.

God, I am absolutely livid. 😠

😍😍😍 It’s almost as if he doesn't even know how to tune the car... 😁