Power supply problems?

Question

My aspire 420watt power supply just died and I replaced it with a cheapo 450watt ps(xion) that I had lying around the house. I an now getting these voltage readings... 12v @ 11.61, 3.3v@ 3.2, and 5v @ 4.89 are these too low? Is it a lot better to have a good name brand 350watt power supply than a cheap generic 500watt power supply? I shop at newegg.com quite often and have found a few 400 watt ps's for around $35 (rosewill, sparkle, & thermaltake) the 3 brand that I have narrowed it down to all have excellent customer review ratings.... should I go ahead and get the better name brand one?

Answer 1

Newegg.com ... by far the best computer parts dealer EVER! they have like over 200 power supply's to choose from.

Answer 2

When it comes to power supplies, you get what you pay for. Spend a few extra dollars and get one that is powerful and tough enough to go the extra mile for you. Look for dual 12 volt power rails to make sure your cpu video card and drives have all the juice they need. I also like modular power connectors so you only plug the cables you need into the power supply to cut down on clutter. Another thing to look for is weight of the power supply. The heaver it is, the better. heaver means larger heat sinks and capacitors, again for better performance. This is the one i am using now, after having my power supply die after 5 years and buying a cheap replacement that lasted 4 month I got this one, and I am glad I did. By the way...your 12 volt reading is indeed low. I'm getting 12.74 on both 12 volt rails, 3.30 on the 3.3 volt and 4.99 on the 5 volt
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=273503

Answer 3

The voltage output you listed above are fine: you are allowed a 10% difference in either direction.

Since they are ALL on the low side, check that the input is correct.

It is MUCH better to spend a few more dollars and get something good while you're at it.

Answer 4

Use the calculator link to find the needed power.

Good brands are a MUST. PC Power and Cooling is great but pricey.

Antec, OCZ, SeaSonic,Enermax.

Listen to the rest ...I dont care... good luck my friend.

I've built many custom pc's... I could care a less about points, and I could care a less if your one of the many failure storys....my 2 cents.

Edit: medic like modular....Crap!!!! hard wired is the way to go. connectors=resistance=teh suck

Answer 5

You should be fine with what you have. Unless you are experiencing problems or are exceeding the ability of the power supply (P4 with tons of fans and hard drives, and a bunch of USB powered junk) there is not much benefit to upgrading it. I would use the current one until it dies then consider getting a nicer one if I really wanted it.

Answer 6

This is the best cheap power supply available: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817101513 Of course, this is twice the quality, and isn't all that much more expensive: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817103459 And whoever said don't skimp on power supplies is right. It's the most important part of your computer. AND, it can take everything else inside the box with it when it goes.

Answer 7

Never skimp on money when it comes to a powersupply. Bad power can cause symptoms that are a serious ***** to troubleshoot.

I personally buy all my powersupplies from www.pcpowerandcooling.com. Pricey but worth it.

Answer 8

hmmm if u hav a mid range system with no SLI or dual core n anything else u just need a 350 watt PS

Answer 9

Why buy yourself more problems??? Replace it with at least 420 watt that you took out of the thing.

Answer 10

It's fine as long as your computer don't shut down and re-boot for no apparent reason.