What type/power of PC power supply should I purchase, and should I install it myself or pay to have it done?

Question

I already built my first PC, but the PCU was pre-installed and I have recently done a lot of upgrading and my old PCU has died.

My specs. are as follows;

Motherboard: Asrock AM2NF3-VSTA nForce 3 250 AGP SATA RAID LAN 7.1ch audio ATX
Processor : AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+
RAM : 1GB DDRII 800
GPU : Radeon X1950pro Sapphire 512MB (AGP ver)
DRIVES : 1 X DVD Read only, 1 X DVD RW
H/Disk : MAXTOR IDE 140GB

Cheers for any input folks!
Tino

Answer 1

hi tino,straight away from seeing you are using a Radeon X1950pro Sapphire i would get at least a 500watt power supply,this will ensue your x1950pro wont burst into flames when the going gets tough!
as for which model,well if moneys no object i would allways go for a enermax power supply...http://www.enermax.com.tw/english/index.asp
the enermax FMA 535W (http://www.enermax.com.tw/english/product_Display1.asp?PrID=27) is a good example of a solid and reliable power supply,this is a 535watt power supply and will easy run your p.c with power left over
one positive aspect of enermax power supplys are how queit they are,and they are also good on the old power aswell,some models actually let you just plug in what cables you need and the psu will adapt to your p.c,s requirments,so if your pc needs 300watt of overall power then thats all the psu will give,then when anymore power is needed the psu will adjust accordinally
hope this helps
good luck tino!

Answer 2

If you built you own PC, you will have no trouble replacing the PSU. It is held in by 4 screws.

The old PSU has a row of numbers on it, showing the amperage rating for each voltage, 15v, 5V, 3.3V... When you look for a new PSU, you should buy one with at least the same rating for each voltage. For example, if you old PSU had a rating of 25 amps at 12V, the new one should have a rating of 25 (or higher) at 12V. You might also want to count plugs to make sure there are enough of the right kinds.

Answer 3

that's a standard improve to swap the skill grant. because of the fact the different adult adult males mentioned, purely a rely of unplugging and removing the 4 screws. i individually do no longer think of you could desire a seven-hundred+W grant nonetheless. you're greater powerful off getting a solid high quality skill grant at a decrease Wattage than in simple terms capturing for the biggest huge style. i've got have been given an Antec Neo550W, it has adequate skill to run SLI 8800GTX's etc. it fairly is greater desirable than passable for many situtations. the main crucial element to study whilst determining to purchase a skill grant is the certainly cutting-edge score for all the voltage rails. e.g. a 700w skill grant could have a extreme cutting-edge score on the 12V rail, yet purely low on the three.3V, or in spite of because of the fact the score is a mixed entire of all rails.

Answer 4

According to your graphics card specs you need a 450W power supply (assuming your system is fully loaded) I recommed going a little higher though so your system won't be maxed out for power. Try the link below. Shop arourd this website for the best deal. Here is a power that would work fine for your system.

Answer 5

Your processor draws up to 125W on the +12V rail. Your graphics card draws up to about 70W also on the +12V rail. You need at least a 450W power supply with 20 amps or more on the +12V rail. A bigger unit with dual +12V rail should run cooler and give you plenty of room for upgrades.
To install, follow step by step:
http://compreviews.about.com/od/tutorials/ss/DIYPSU.htm

Answer 6

Well its not as hard as it looks trust me on this one. As for a PSU I just got a $35 coolermaster 430watt its been running good for over a year now. It powers my graphics card, hard drives, ect.

Answer 7

i don't know the motherboard.. but yer sounds like you over loaded it perhaps..

have a look at >

http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/search/?qfind=psu

i bought the 600watt ebuyer one.. depends on your budget, get a higher rated one than you had before 450watt +

its pretty easy to install. all of hmm 10 minutes if that.