Power supply (PSU) calculator

There is often discussion on what graphics cards the factory power supplies can power.
Here's a calculator where you can select different graphics cards (along with the rest of your system exactly) and see what power is recommended:
http://www.extreme.outervision.com/psucalculatorlite.jsp

Hi,
can you please provide full system specifications? Please read the >>Posting Guide<< to get an idea of what we need to know. Thanks.
Please test with one memory module only and see if that changes anything.
Quote
- Did a 6 hour stress test on the CPU (Prime95), no errors
Re-run Prime95 and put the emphasis of the test-run on RAM.

Similar Messages

Mac Pro 2,1 Spontaneous Restart with No Boot - Power Supply PSU Problem?

One day I was working away on my Mac Pro 2,1 Quad Core 3.0 (2007) with 8 gb ram running Lion and it just shut itself off like someone pulled the power cord (but no one did of course). Then it attempted to restart, but wouldn't boot. Basically I haven't been able to use it since as I can't get the computer to stay on for any length of time.
I'm thinking its either the power supply or the, oh no, logic board.
Symptoms have been like this so far:
Initially I would get a chime and a boot start but then I would find the computer would shut itself off somewhere in the process and try to restart. Usually the next time I would get no chime and a horrible repeated clicking of my optical drive with a rythmic fan whirring up and down on the original ATI x1900 xt graphics card. I would have to manually power off with the power button to make it stop. Sometimes it would try to restart again anyway. The only way I could get a chime again was to unplug and wait (longer the better). But even if i got a chime and a start of a boot, invariably the computer would turn off again.
I couldn't boot from another source, I couldn't run apple hardware test, I couldn't run diagnostic,... it just wouldn't stay on to do it.
I hauled my mac pro (out of warranty) to the apple store genius bar and the problem presented itself, continuously. The gent was able to get fsck to work long enough to determine my hard drive was ok and said it was one of three things - the power supply, the graphics card, or the logic board. He said because the comp powered on and then shut off, and because there was intermittent chiming, he didn't think it was the power supply. He thought it was the graphics card and said I could leave my Mac for 10 days and they could take a looksy, or I could just install a new graphics card on my own.
I chose the latter, bought a ATI Radeon 5770 from the apple online store for $275 and installed it.
Problem persists.Exactly the same as before. Got initial chime, then next time no chime, optical drives clicking and graphics card fan whirring up and down rhythmically.
I had a touch of time to disconnect everything and I get a chime consistently now when I have my boot drive, graphics card, 4 gb ram, and monitor attached. (As well as wireless mouse, keyboard, trackpad). I even got to logon once only to have a prompt shut off and restart attempt. also I verified it was at least one optical drive clicking (when I removed them both) during these boot attempts.
The improvement in chiming seemed to be when I unseated one ram riser ( I have to with 2 x 2g ram modules each).
I also checked the diagnostic leds on the logic board and all was as it should be... says I got trickle power and rail power etc.
Is there anything else I can do to determine what's wrong? What do you guys think is wrong? Could it be bad RAM? Power Supply? Logic Board?
All your help is massively appreciated in advance!

Well I ran as many tests as I could with no definitive results to the point I would have to start buying replacement parts and testing that way. I opted to take it back to the apple store and they said it's (dun dun dun dunnnnn) the logic board.

IMac Power supply PSU failure due to UPS type

I am posting this to aid anyone else who has suffered a similar issue as it took me some time to rectify and it was difficult to find evidence of proof.
Preamble:
My late 2012 27" iMac began powereing off, sometimes after a few days sometimes after 20 minutes. It gradually got worse until it would not power on at all.
I had tried all possible fixes I could including - reset SMC and NVRAM, reinstalling Mavericks, running from an external HDD with a cloned OS, running with a fresh Mavericks install on a USB stick.
Also ran Apple Hardware tests and used Micromat Techtool 7 with no problems apparent.
Also tried running when moved from my desk and plugged into a different socket in the house (this point is especially relevant).
Repair attempts:
Apple (via Amsys) changed the logic board. This worked for a day then the fault reoccurred. Apple (Apple store this time, Amsys scratched the aluminium housing previously so I avoided them) then changed the PSU.
This fixed the fault and the iMac ran with no problem (apart from audio missing - another discussion perhaps!), BUT when I moved the iMac back to its original position on my desk (having been plugged in the aforementioned other socket) it would not power on again. I then realised it was the UPS and iMac were not playing nicely. If I plugged the iMac into the UPS when the UPS was already powered on, the iMac would work until the next random power down. I have used the UPS with everything else including the iMac for over a year so didn't suspect it. However, I do have the occasional brownout (power dip) and power cut so it has been utilised for the iMac a handful of times without issue.
Solution:
I have now researched and concluded the iMac PSU (at least the Energy Star 5.0 onwards compliant ones, not sure about older iMacs) need a Pure Sine Wave UPS otherwise the PSU may be damaged as mine was. It may not happen until the UPS is called upon either. In fact any active PFC PSU could be affected. I could not find this out from Apple or APC (my UPS manufacturer), only with some reasearch and my own knowledge of electrics. It seems that not all iMacs are as sensitive or for other reasons this fault will not occur with a similar set-up to mine, but I am now confident that this was the cause. Please note I do not yet have my own Pure Sine Wave UPS and I am now running without one for the time being until I buy a Cyberpower CP1300EPFCLCD or similar.
Some of my references are below:-
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/apc-smt1500-cyberpower-cp1500pfclcd-tripp-li te-smart1500slt,2785.html
http://www.primegrid.com/forum_thread.php?id=5553
http://forums.macresource.com/read.php?1,1196487,1197254

Welcome, Cubber;
yes, there are some people complaining here about power supplies -
I'd contact Apple and tell them your problem. Being hit twice by the same failure is not nice. Usually they cooperate - have a look at just this post her:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=673758&tstart=0
Please, keep us informed how it ends.
Thomas

Mac Pro Buzzing Power Supply (PSU)

Hi,
Have any of you experienced a buzzing sound coming from the PSU? Sleeping the machine gets rid of the buzzing. So I'm not exactly sure what is causing it.
Thanks

Just wondering if you are sure that it is the PSU. Could the buzz come from one of the drive sleds? I would rule that out and make sure that it is the PSU. Take the sleds out and see if it is still buzzing. If the sleds have drives installed, the screws holding the drive in place might need to be slightly tightened (a loose drive will allow the sled to vibrate.) If there isn't a drive in the sled, the sled might be vibrating. Anyway, just a thought.
It would be a good idea to put the machine on a UPS. This will regulate the power flow to your machine. I know that power fluctuations can cause the PSU to do strange things. (And with a MP, I feel that a UPS is a MUST.)
If the power to your computer is steady and the drive sleds are not vibrating, I think it would be pertinent to call AppleCare.
Anyway, hope this helps.
D.

Shock Therapy - An Athlon64 / FX Power Supply Guide

I used to make a hardware list of all the components I would like to incorporate in my next
computer build. Normally...at the bottom of that list would be the power supply, not that I
didn't think it was important, it's just that my other hardware was so interesting! Today, power supplys
seem to take a back seat to blazing-speed CPU's, Dual-Cored processors, glitz and glamour
video cards...not to mention supersonic, heat-sinked RAM and modular, gizmoe'd PSU's promising not
only over-achiever specifications, but eye-candy as well. The lowly PSU....tucked up somewhere inside
it's dark and lonely loft....effortlessly supplying us with the energy required for important 3D imaging
or just funning with the latest games.
What a power supply does is rather simple. It converts your office or home's socketed electricity to
usable 3.3v, 5.0v and 12.0v energy...that's all. A power supply that cannot efficiently do this will-
over time-cause computer crashes, continuous reboots and shutdowns, and worse...expensive component damage.
And now, with faster processors such as AMD's Athlon64 and FX line of CPU's, never has there been a time, when
choosing the right power supply is so important! This article is written for those using these high-powered CPU's!
Well...Do we have your attention!?
If you are experiencing these problems, or still scratching your head over that last RMA....could be
your PSU is trying to tell you something.
To begin with, a power supply's ratings refer to its maximum output under ideal conditions. No power
supply is 100% efficient. In high-quantity manufacturing, power supplys may not put out any more than 60% of
their advertised specifications. In any PSU, that rating can be further reduced by the effects of heat
and electro-magnetic radiation. That's where "switching" power supplys come in. A switching power supply draws
only as much current that is needed from the AC input. Buying a hefty PSU with this feature will guarantee
that you will be paying no more for electric service, than you would with a cheaper, less powerful unit.
One of the most common causes of power supply inefficiency, and ultimately failure is dirt. Dust and
foreign materials can cause the beginning of the end for a power supply, by attacking the fan first.
It begins by slowing the fan down...thus creating heat through friction, then ultimately burning it out.
PSU's with high-quality ball bearing fans are a must. They are far more durable, and not as likely to
become noisier as time goes by.
As a general rule...a failing PSU will usually emit abnormal sounds, followed by unstable voltage readings....
then the computer crashes or lock-ups, with random shutdowns, and sometimes...refusal to even power-up.
If you think your power supply is on its last leg...better to deal with it now, or face the more serious dilemmas later on.
APM (Advanced Power Management)
APM is a feature originally developed by partners, Microsoft and Intel. It relates to a systems ability
to utilize different states in regards to a systems utilization of power. On, Off, Standby and Suspend
are examples...these are BIOS features, not PSU functions. APM only requires of the power supply, the
function to turn power on or off through an electrical signal, and the presence of stand-by voltage.
All ATX power supplys are required to incorporate this feature. However, if some components in a computer
are not APM-compliant, your system may encounter errors or freezes when going into hibernate or stand-by
modes.
ACPI (Advanced Control Power Interface)
It's the latest power management control that was developed by a conglomeration of IT corporations. This interface
is O.S. derived, rather than BIOS, and all ATX power supplys should be ACPI-compliant. You should not have to be
concerned about this feature.
Line-Conditioning Circuitry
A power supply component that helps control power levels, spikes and surges in
the most unreliable of home sockets.
EMI Filter
This circuitry smooths the fluctuations of incoming AC currents, also known
as Electro-Magnetic Interference - EMI filters are usually found in higher-end power supplys.
PFCC
Power Factor Correction Circuitry...smooths out sudden, initial spikes in power
delivery - reducing amplitude and preventing circuit overloads.
Connectors
There are five main connectors found on the latest version ATX power supply.
1) ATX main power connector - 20-pin, 24-pin, and 20 to 24-pin adapter.
2) ATX 12v power connector (4-pin to CPU)
3) Molex peripheral power connector
4) Floppy power connector
5) Serial ATA power connector
On newer SLI-certified power supplys, you'll find two 6-pin video card connectors.
Know What You Need
When purchasing a power supply, make sure your parts list is all-inclusive...know ahead of time, what you expect to
install in your system. You should also visit the motherboard manufacturer's site, as well as the CPU's. Most of the
products will have specifics regarding power supply requirements needed for that specific component. Unfortunately, you
really won't know how well the PSU performs until it is installed and running your system (hopefully!) This is the main reason we
recommend the most popular brands - power supplys that have shown a duration of manufacturing quality over the years. Those are
as follows: Antec, Enermax, OCZ, PC Power and Cooling, Tagan, and a few newcomers such as SeaSonic and Silverstone are
worth looking into.
If you believe you have found the PSU of choice, remember this: AMD recommends a minimum 350 watt power supply to run
Athlon64 and FX CPU's. To that, add the 30% for power lost to heat, and the subsequent electro-magnetic radiation. Hold on with that
calculator...throw in an additional 40% to 60% for the "potential" inaccuracies of specifications inherent in mass-produced electronics.
Pay special attention to outputs on either single, or dual rail +12v lines. A motherboard, CPU, and graphics card can consume up to
150 watts alone - before hooking up your remaining components. If running an SLI configured board, look for a PSU that is certified
to run that configuration...there's only a few PSU's that lay claim to that!
Broken down, you can look at it this way: An Athlon64/FX processor can use up to 90 watts off the +12v rail. High performance RAM
can take in about 25 watts for each stick of 256MB system memory from the +3.3v line. PCI cards will use about 10 watts each, while
an AGP video card can consume about 50 precious watts alone from the +5v or +12v. Hard drives? A 7,200 RPM drive...about 15 watts
each, taken from the +5v and +12v rail. Finally, but not absolutely is the optical drives...robbing about 20 watts each, also from
the +5v and +12v lines. So you see....not only is the +12v amp ratings of concern, but also the +5v line!
In doing the math...on a system incorporating an Athlon64 (say a 4000+), 2 sticks of high-end RAM, 2 or 3 PCI cards, 1 mid-to-high
end AGP video card, 2 ~ 7,200 RPM hard drives, and a couple of CD/RW or DVD/RW opticals...you're looking at a "base" requirement of 270 to 325 watts. That's for a running system...now figure boot-up loads, 30% for heat and radiation bleed-off, then a 40% safety factor for manufacturing inconsistencies...you've got a power supply in the 450 to 520 watt range!
Modular Power Supplys:
The pins that are used for the modular plugs are not very good at passing current. It's basically electrical resistance between the male and female components, and voltage "drops" are likely. In real world events, they will become loose, dirty, corrosive, and eventually burn. You can figure about 10% less efficiency with a modular power supply.
Now you can understand how manufacturing "tolerances" that are inaccurate by 40% to 60%, can have such a devastating effect on
the performance of your new system. If you follow these simple guidelines, bearing in mind the hardware you will be using, and what
your intended use of the computer is for...then it will be one less dramatic incident when pushing the power button for the first time!
Here's a neat little tool....a bit out of date - that can give you a basic idea of what you'll need in a PSU.
You can apply the percentages above, for an even more accurate assesment of your PSU requirements!
http://www.jscustompcs.com/power_supply/Power_Supply_Calculator.php?cmd=AMD

Quote
In doing the math...on a system incorporating an Athlon64 (say a 4000+), 2 sticks of high-end RAM, 2 or 3 PCI cards, 1 mid-to-high
end AGP video card, 2 ~ 7,200 RPM hard drives, and a couple of CD/RW or DVD/RW opticals...you're looking at a "base" requirement of 270 to 325 watts. That's for a running system...now figure boot-up loads, 30% for heat and radiation bleed-off, then a 40% safety factor for manufacturing inconsistencies...you've got a power supply in the 450 to 520 watt range!
Well, except the CPU, my system has all that you mentioned there (I even have 3 optical drives). And my 350W PSU has been rock solid for more than a year (BeQuiet, = Tagan, IIRC). I don't think a 4000+ needs 100W more than my 3200+ . And that link you posted says that the minimum recommended PSU for my system is 506W xD. Come on.
Oh, and in the place I work there are 6 amd64 with GeForce 6800 GT and 2GB RAM with 380W Antec PSUs. All 100% stable, of course.
I would only go for >400W if I wanted to do extreme OC (with overvolting), or SLI. Otherwise, a good brand 350W PSU is more than enough.

Choosing the Right Power Supply

First things first. If you've got a poor-quality and/or faulty power supply, nothing else you do will work to solve your problems. Stick to the basics before you go further...The short answer is to buy a hi-powered, brand name supply, like the new ENERMAX line (430 W or higher) or ANTEC True550. Almost nothing else will do with today's computers. In over 30 years of electronic/computer service, I have found that 85% or more of problems were power-related.
If you want to know more, read on...
Choosing The Right Power Supply
If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance that one of my colleagues or I believe that you could be experiencing problems with your power supply, based upon the symptoms you mentioned in your post, and provided you with this link. Relax, you’re not alone. In 30 years of electronic and computer troubleshooting, I’d say that the majority of the electronic, mainframe, mini, and microcomputer problems I’ve diagnosed and repaired were with the basic power the problematic device was receiving. The symptoms often included random reboots, crashing, the BSOD, lockups, etc.
(As the national support technician for few major computer service companies, working US Defense contracts, I was often the person that had to fly in and correct the problem, or “walk through” the on-site technician as he closely followed my instructions. I achieved success in my career by carefully reading the manuals, knowing where to go for more information that was otherwise unavailable to me, and/or systematically troubleshooting until the problems were discovered and repaired. I never had the option of giving up.)
The most overlooked component when building or upgrading a PC is the power supply unit (PSU). Some people use their old case and PSU when they upgrade. Some use the PSU that came with their new case. Some people even buy a new PSU. And most inexperienced builders all make the same mistake: The PSU that they’re trying to use is simply inadequate for the job.
Suppose you’re upgrading to a new motherboard, CPU, ram, and video card, but still using the old case and PSU. It’s most likely that you’re upgrading in order to build a machine that is more powerful, faster, has a more colorful display, can number-crunch more quickly, play the latest games, etc. These gains in performance all have one thing in common: They require more raw power. However, have you thought about where that power comes from?
Suppose you’re building a new system with a new case and PSU. Has it occurred to you that the company that you bought the case/PSU from might make more money if they skimp on the supply, even if the supply has a large wattage rating? Most bulk power supply manufacturers don’t make good PSU’s. They use older, cheaper technology, and slap on labels that represent the PSU’s peak outputs, and not their continuous output rating. These companies are intentionally misleading you in order to sell you an inferior product. Brands I avoid when building/repairing my friends’ and family’s computers: Allied, Q-Tec, Chieftech, and many others.
For those of you who bought a power supply separately, did you know that you’re only supposed to run a power supply continuously at 30-70% (with 50% being optimal) of its continuous rating for maximum efficiency (which means less heat to you)? Most inexperienced builders either buy PSU’s that are matched to their equipment’s continuous power usage, or ones that are even less powerful than they need. Why? Because they’re trying to save money.
I mean, what’s the fun in a power supply? You don’t get any games with it, there’s no more storage, hardly ever any more bells and whistles, etc. A power supply is boring, and it’s supposed to be, because it’s supposed to provide a stable, reliable platform upon which the rest of the equipment can easily access the amount of power it needs, and when it’s needed. In almost EVERY review of powers supplies, the same point is stressed: Better safe than sorry.
But what does safe vs sorry mean? It can mean that you don’t have to waste money on the wrong PSU in the first place, but it can also mean that you don’t have to replace your expensive ram, CPU, video card, etc. NEEDLESSLY, or because your cheap PSU destroyed them. What? A cheap power supply can wreck your computer? YES IT CAN. A cheap power supply can cause thermal damage, not only from the heat it produces, but also the heat it can create in your components as well. RAM is especially sensitive to heat, and there’s RAM in your CPU, your video cards, and, well, your RAM too. A cheap switching power supply, run at its maximum, or peak, continuously can also destroy components by creating RF (Radio Frequency) signals on your power rails, signals which the components on your peripheral devices were not equipped to handle in the first place.
So this begs the question, how does one choose the right power supply? I’ll illustrate this using my own PC as the example. This is my setup that I use for video processing:
K7N2G-ILSR
Athlon 2500+ Barton @ 2125Mhz
AMD Retail Heatsink/Fan
2 - 512MB DDR333 w/Thermaltake Spreaders (slot 1&3)
MSI TV@nywhere Video Capture
ATI Radeon 9600
120GB Maxtor DiamondMax Plus 9 SATA
30GB Quantum IDE
TEAC DV-W50E DVD/CD-R/W
BTC DVD-ROM Drive
Artec CD-R/W
Using this Power Supply Calculator link:
http://www.jscustompcs.com/power_supply/
I plug in all my equipment values, but some of this can be a little tricky. For example, since I often run the CPU like an XP 3000, I choose the 3000 as my processor; it’s the same chip run at the faster rate. I also choose the ATI Radeon video card, and I select the RAM wattage for 2 sticks of DDR. I also choose every card I have, like my video capture card, but I also select the boxes for the separate cards that correspond to the functions that my ILSR provides as well (and that I use), like sound, USB, Firewire, NIC, etc. Although I use the onboard SATA controller, I don’t select the SCSI PCI card, because, in truth, I’ve probably made up for it by selecting all the other corresponding devices, including cards that the motherboard replaces. I check the boxes for the fans and drives I use, and I’m done, right?
Not yet.
I just remembered that I plan to upgrade soon, so I go back and change the values to reflect my impending changes. I mean, I want to make sure that I have enough power to begin with so that I don’t have to replace the power supply again, right?
Ok. Done. I look at the bottom and see that it tells me that I need a 468 watt PSU. So a 480 watt supply will do, right? Wrong.
Remember that, for efficiency, long-life, and less heat, you want your actual power consumption to fall between 30-70% of the PSU’s rating, so add 30% (minimum) to the 468, and you get 468 + (468*.30)= 608 Watts! Holy Cow!
However, I’d only need a 608-Watt supply if I was using all the devices at once, and I don’t. But, in truth, with video and audio processing, I often get close when I process, burn, and monitor at the same time. (Hardcore gamers also get close a lot, as they blast the sound and push that video to its limits.) So, let’s take off 10% (maximum) of 608, for a total of 541 Watts.
I need a 550 Watt supply, but not just ANY 550 watt PSU. I need a supply that can give me enough power on the critical 3.3, 5, and 12V rails combined. I also want a supply from a trusted, name-brand manufacturer, so I start hitting the many online reviews. Here are just two from Tom’s Hardware:
http://www6.tomshardware.com/howto/20030609/index.html
http://www6.tomshardware.com/howto/20021021/index.html
Read these in their entirety. I didn’t post them because they’re pretty links.
In the end, I chose Antec, because they’ve got the reputation, the recommendation, and because the Antec True550 has better specs than the rest of the 550 Watt competition. I also bought it from a reputable company I found on Pricegrabber.com, for the lowest price I could find, $95.00 shipped to my door. (In truth, I wanted two mini-redundant supplies, like the hospitals and military use, but they were too expensive.)
The result? Not only are the random reboots, crashing, the BSOD, lockups, etc., gone like magic, but I also now have “peace of mind” in that whatever might happen to my equipment in the future, I know almost for certain that the PSU is NOT the problem. I also bought an UPS, because the East Coast Blackout proved to me that even the Antec True550 isn’t going to provide me any power for emergency shutdown if it doesn’t get its power from somewhere.
Even if your problem doesn’t lie in the PSU completely, it gives you a GREAT platform for troubleshooting further. If you’re not reasonably certain that the supply is the cause, borrow one, or buy one that you can return once you’ve solved the problem. But, above all else, BUY THE RIGHT SUPPLY before you do anything else! Otherwise, you could be plugging and unplugging components, buying and blowing up expensive memory, and causing even further damage, until you give up or die.
I mean, I assume you built your own system to enjoy “more bang for your buck,” right? What’s the fun of a random reboot in the middle of Unreal Tournament 2003?
William Hopkins
Former Staff Sergeant, USAF
B.A., B.S., with Honors
The University of California, San Diego
[email protected]
P.S. It should be noted that while Enermax, ThermalTake, Zalman, Fortron, and others make great PSU’s, and I compared and considered them, the Antec still won out overall in my critical evaluation, like it did in so may others’ reviews. You’d probably be ok if you went with another reputable manufacturer as listed above, but pick a supply that gives you at least 230 watts on the 3.3 and 5V lines combined, and still meets the 30% criteria as stated above. Remember, if the manufacturers don’t give you maximum combined specs up front, they’re untrustworthy right off the bat. With power supplies, you definitely end up getting what you pay for. Don’t say nobody warned you.
P.P.S. Update! After recent developments, it looks like Enermax is the leader, but only the latest line of PSU's.

Ok, as an electrical engineer...I have to step in here! LOL
First, these amp rating are for 2 +12 rails. That is why you see a protection of around 15-18A on the +12 rail. That means each Rail is allowed up to 18A lets say for the new Enermax 1.2 version like the one I have.
Now, Lets say 18A for 12V....well as you know the Abit NF7-S uses the 12V for powering the CPU.
Lets say you have a Barton like me and you want it stable at around 2.4-2.5Ghz. You will have to put lets say around 2V to the cpu to get it stable at that kinda speed, specially if you have high FSB like I do. So 12V * 18Amps = 216W ....well the converter on the NFS-7 is really bad, its loss on the step down convertion is probably around 25% along with the PSU lost cuz its not running at 25oC (another 15%)....you will actually only get around 100-120W for the CPU.
Now, if you go into Sandra and see how much a Barton eats up at 2.4Ghz you will see its around 110Watts.
So, if you wanna push more, dont even think about it! Prime Power test fails and your +12 rail will drop as low as 11.60 Volts.
Now, lets say you got yourself a AMD 64 bit chip and you wanna overclock it....I bet it will need more than 110Watts.
So, what im saying is, dont buy nothing less than a 500 Watt PSU!
You really need around 20-22 A on the main +12 along with really really good cooling on the case and PSU so it is running at a 100%.
http://forums.amdmb.com/showindex.php?s=&threadid=287828
i found this quite interesting especially the bit re the power loss turning the 12v into 1.6v or what ever cpu needs

What power supply????????---Help!!!!!!

Building new system,,,,,K8Nneo4 platinum SLi----with two 6800GT's and AMD64 4000+,,,,,WHAT POWER SUPPLY DO I NEED?????

Actually, you really do need to do your homework first. Go to takaman's Power Supply Calculator and figure out HOW MANY AMPS YOU NEED ON EACH RAIL. Watts mean nothing as many manufacturers make distorted claims anyways. And they also test their PSU's at 25c. At 50c many of those cheap 550w PSU's output will actually drop to something like 250w!! Check THIS out.
Here's the [H]ardOCP list of Un-reccomended and Unscrupulous Power Supply Companies:
Achieve
Aerocool
Allied
Aspire
Codegen
Coolmax
Demon
Deer
Devanni.
Dynapower
Eagle
E-power (except Tagan series)
InWin
JustPC
Kingwin
L&C
Linkworld
MGE,
PCMICS
Power-Man
Powmax
Power-Up
Raidmax
Thermaltakes (low end ones, butterflies are fine, and some enlight models, the TT category depends)
Turbo
Ultra-X (yes, the pretty looking ones, they are made by a low-quality Chinese company that starts with "Young". Can't get much more generic than that!!!)
X-superalien
X-treme
syar2003 gave you the best info you could have regarding a PSU for a SLI system. My personal recommendation? PC Power & Cooling Turbo Cool 510 SLI. The Enermax EG701AX-VE would be a good choice also, but for $25 more the PCP&C TC 510 SLI is definitely the top choice.
Look at it this way, you're going to have to spend $200 for a good SLI PSU anyways, why not get the best. I mean, it's just the most important component in your computer. If you're gonna spend $2000 - $3000 on your new Rig, do you really want to risk all that valuable hardware on some cheap PSU?
Anyone could buy that cheap PSU for their sweet new SLI Rig, but, they better have a fire extinguisher and $2000 handy when they've OC'd their new AMD64 4000+ and those two sweet 6800GT's and their cheap PSU bursts into flames.
We all like to get the best for as little as possible, but the PSU is NOT the component anyone should want to cut costs on.
Go over to The [H]ardOCP Power Supplies Forum and read the Stickies there.
Tons of extremely valuable info the on PSU's. Good Luck & Good Hunting.

Can Someone tell me the symptoms of a failing power supply?

My system is having lots of problems, especially running games and graphics apps.
When running a game my PC just hangs(not a shut down, just locked screen). This forces me to do a hard reset.
All my components test fine individually...
I'm wondering if this problem can be caused by a failing power supply that isn't delivering adequate power to my motherboard.
Please help!!!

It turns out that my power supply hasn't really failed... It just can't handle my new rig. After calculating that nearly 100 watts of 3.3v are required to keep my 1.5Gig's of ram juiced, there was no way that my cheap little no-name NON-UL listed PSU is going to be able to keep up!
So, here's what I did about that.
tt-420
:D
I got it from newegg (great store, which is willing to adjust prices if you can get through on the phone, make a reasonable reference to a site that is selling the same item for less, AND you bug the hell out of them for long enough that they'll give in just to get rid of you. ) for $55USD.
I also did this about that. I thought that I might as well have a beauty new case to put all this great hardware in. :P
tt-5000a
I also got this at newegg. They knocked off the shipping for me, in an effort to do some price matching. Makes it within $2 of the best price I could find elsewhere, GOOD ENOUGH!
I can't wait to get my new rig all setup (and possibly hovering due to all the fans 8o )
Thanks for the insight go to all who replied... CHEERS!
PS. I checked out the model numbers of my "enermax" power supply. It turns out that enermax doesn't have a "EN400NUL". That's the last time that I buy important parts from a surplus store.

MSI KT6 Delta MOBO - recommended power supply

My power supply exploded , I think, and I cannot power up the system. Hopefully this has not affected the rest of the system: chip, graphcard etc.
What voltage power supply should I have for this particular motherboard?
cheers

I'm sorry some of you are having problems with cheap power supplies. That is beside the point, however. I can only state what I know from experience, as I have never taken any classes in switching supply design. I have absolutely zero (0) problems with cheap supplies. And any motherboard that is so power hungry that it can itself overdraw a power supply is very poor design. As I said, I ran my HP Pavilion xt983 with a 200-watt cheap-o PSU with all that stuff in my previous post for over 4 years with no problems (and the PSU still works even after the mobo died from bad capacitors). I am using it to rebuild the exact same (minus HP mobo) system when the replacement mobo (crappy Chaintech) comes back this week from being repaired under warranty.
I never said wattage was the only metric - it's just a guide, as no manufacturer I know of specifies exactly how much and what type of current anything they build uses in the computer world (nor would I trust the spec if they did) - it changes under load. Most people use max figures to decide how much current they need. I just don't want people thinking they need an expensive PSU to run their good to mediocre PC. I don't use junk and my PCs last for years on end (actually never had one I built die for any reason, knock on wood). You do not need a high-wattage or even big namebrand PSU at all, unless you are building a very high-end PC (with light cathodes, water cooling, light kits, multiple every kind of drives, etc. - meaning you plan to abuse the system). The run-of-the-mill PC needs no more than a cheap (non-junky) PSU that can provide at least 17 amps on the 12V rail. That's what I use and that's what I recommend. Wattage should be at 300+ watts to "allow for expansion". Use the calculator. See what all you have to add to get up anywhere near 430 Watts. It can be done, but I would never tax a system that way. The bottom line is watts are only a limiting factor, not a design factor. If you add up all the rails on a typical 430-Watt PSU, it is way over 430 watts. However, if you use all the 12V amps it can turn out and still stay near 12 volts, most of the 5V amps, and most of the 3.3V amps by overloading the system with doodads and whatnots, the 430W limit will matter. As long as you build what I consider a normal system, you'll never use 430 Watts. All decent PSUs can supply enough 3.3V and 5V current (should be around 30-40+ amps each), but many of them are deficient on the 12V rail. Looking for a PSU that can churn out 17+ amps on the 12V rail usually means it can handle about any normal load (meaning single processor, mobo, a HDD or two, a FDD, a few sticks of RAM, and DR/DVD burner or two, and a few expansion cards with no strange mods like lights and 100 fans, water cooling, etc.) on all rails.
So, to recap: For everyday computing, watts are only a limiting factor, so don't get less than 300 in case you really want that power hungry device of the future or want to build a top-end system now. Current is critical, so don't get anything that's puny on any rail (3.3+5V = ~30-40+ amps each and 12V = 17+ amps). Ignore all the "this power supply rocks" junk you'll see in bulletin boards and on Newegg (and other retailers) and look at the specs yourself. Namebrand means as much as you think it does - some have a good rep, some have a bad rep, some have no rep.

The pavillion 500-319na only has a180 w power supply is this enough

I am thinking of buying a HP Pavillion 500-319na desktop PC, like the spec but my main worry is that its only has a 180 watt power supply, is this enough.

Dear wb2001 & banhien and anyone else willing to contribute,
Please disregard the PSU form factor list at:
HP 500-319na
In actual fact, the Psu is an internal unit. It seems there has been an error when listing the specs.
It is a 180W internal PSU.
The question remains for anyone willing to help us understand.
How is it possible to run this system with these components with just a 180w PSU at moderate to full load/system resource capacity.
Every single Wattage calculator I've used online (mainstream manufacturers and industry accepted benchmarks) show that this setup needs at least a 220w to 300w psu to run at full load. Have there been comprimises made in some shape or form?
I'd really appreciate any input that the community can provide.
Please help fill in the gaps!
i5-4460s
8GB Pc-1600 DDR3 (2x4GB)
NVIDIA GeForce GT 705 (~31W)
Wifi Card - atheros single band 802.11 b/g/n
2TB 7200 rpm HDD
Super multi DVD drive
7in1 multimedia Card reader
Pendragon Memphis-s Motherboard
Beats Audio 7.1
@ Full whack
on 180w PSU? - Don't understand how.
My genuine and sincere thanks,
Algren

Recommend Power Supply

I'm still collecting parts for my new MSI 865G Neo2-PLS with a P4 2.8C 800MHz.
I've obtained a new case and am considering the Power Supply for the system.
Would the Thermaltake 420W (W0009R) be a good choice?
Or would the Antec SL-400 be a better choice?
I'm seriously considering the Thermaltake... but it's not on Intel's List of Tested Power Supplies for the New Pentium 4 HTs.
I will soon put together a complete list of my system when I have it together with one-beep!
Thanks is advamce.
//PantherFan

Try this link to calc your needs:
http://www.adecy.com/psu/
I have the SL400. No complaints, but I haven't worked it hard. Yet.
With the fans in case, and the other components in my signature, the calculator indicates I am marginal powerwise.
I also have an SL400 I will put in my wife's AMD1800+ XP machine, MSI K7N2 DELTA-ILSR, MSI Ti4200vtd8x.
I expect it to be marginal there also. But it now has a 350W "PowerUp" PSU, Motto, "We might be cheap, but we smell HOT...."
It is common routine to see people posting problems dissing the 865, & other boards, when they are really just underpowered. Underpowered systems will give you some really wierd symptoms.
Go bigger, if you can. Enermax 465, or some of the 550W units others have recommended. Good for the long haul and upgrades to other hardware. Or if you want to overclock.
Whatever you do, HAVE FUN WITH IT!

Would this be a unnessasary upgrade (Power Supply)

Ok this is my power supply Rhycom 550W ATX Power Supply Dual Fans Gold I bought at the local Marketpro computer show for $25 bucks. NOw when I seen the 550 watts I said to myself thats more then enuff power.But then I found this great msi fourm page and see I am very rookie on the whole psu thing. I tried to use the power supply calculator but I would rather Have some expert advise on this and any help would be great I will upgrade if I have to I dont mind at all. So should I upgrade are is this just fine....
Link to the psu I have http://tekgems.com/Products/et-9619-pwr-atx550p4-nb.htm

I might be missing something on that website but I could not find the
Max output combined watts for the 3.3v and 5v rails. Don’t buy any
PSU that does not have at least 200 combined watts!
Also, if you add up the amps I come up with 532 amps @ 100%,
now if you take those 532 amps @ 70% you get 372.4 amps,
that’s not to good for a 550watt PSU!
Usually in PSU, you get what you pay for!
Take a look at this thread on “Choosing the right power supply” by
clarkkent57 its a very good read:
Choosing the right
power supply
Take care,
The H2O Guru
If You Build The Circuit, The Electrons Will Come, You Hope!
Enermax 550 v1.2 EG651P-VE PSU
+3.3V @ 36A / +5V @ 36A / +12V @ 36A
+5V & +3.3v = 200Watts
Nvidia MB Chipset Drivers v3.13
Nvidia VGA Drivers v56.72

Power Supply Confusion ...Please Help.

So I will admit to not being able to understand the couple of guides on this forum concerning choosing a power supply ...they are REALLY wordy with ALOT of info that honestly seems irrelavant while not exactly dealing with how to choose (alot of bias over single vs mutliple rail and preferred brands). While I aprreciate knowing what PSU's people with money and expereince can afford I am simply trying to find out the minumum so I can choose a little higher rated to maintaining capacitor life.
I would like to ask if the current power supply I have will be sufficient (for at least a month) to the system Im building for mom. Here are the components Im working with:
MSI 880GM-E41 w/HDMI
AMD PhenomII x2 560 BE (Calisto 3.3 GHz AM3 80w)
4GB GSkill Ripjaw Series (2x2GB) DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800)
500GB WD Caviar Blue (7200 rpm)
CD/DVD -RW (DL) Drive
DVD ROM
PSU - PowerUp LP6100D
DC Output 400w MAX (+5V=30A / +3.3V=28a / -12V=0.8a / +12V=25a / +5V sb=2a / -5V=0.3a)
Total Output 230w (this is really the only value Im confused over)
I have another PSU to use as well:
Tiger Pro LC-B350 ATX
MAX TOTAL WATTAGE 350W (+5V=35A / +3.3V=28a / -12V=0.8a / +12V=16a / +5V sb=2a / -5V=0.3a)
(I think this one might hold??)
At a guess, Im a little under my actual requirements, but Im confused as to whether I have a 400W or 230W PSU. I have full intention on replacing the PSU but need to know if this one is suficient or if it will cause damage if used for only a month or less. I also understand brands mean alot but at this point am more concerned about sufficient power requirements.
*** I even tried the calculator available via the link but couldnt find my processor in the selection field.
https://forum-en.msi.com/index.php?topic=31880.0
https://forum-en.msi.com/index.php?topic=116580.0

Quote from: Mike on 29-July-11, 03:31:14
Carvetii,
I wouldn't touch a $20 PSU if someone cut me a million dollar check to do so...well, I might touch it, but I wouldn't ever use it. The PSU is sold for $20 for a reason...it is made with cheap components. I hope yours works for you and doesn't have any issues--like take out your whole system.
MyWonThing,
What are your plans? Do you plan on always using onbord video, or are you going to get a discrete VGA in the future? Do you want a PSU to handle what you have now only or something that you can use in an upgrade, add-in VGA or when you build a newer system? A Corsair CX400 should be plenty for what you have now, but, for future proofing, depending on your plans, you may want a Corsair CX600 or TX750(or bigger if you plan on a high-end VGA).
I understand why lower priced parts make people nervous, but I make hardly nothin as a disbaled veteran. My plans for the described setup are so a 60+ year old can check email, etc. NOTHING TO MUCH BEYOND THAT. If I do add a VGA card it will simply be to allow for dual monitor output and will not be chosen for high end graphics capbility. I dont mind spending as much as $40 for a reliable PSU but again, I get about nothing per month, no overtime ever, and do not have the luxury to choose a high end power supply, nor will this system ever be taxed enough to matter.
BTW...Price has VERY little to do these days with reliability . The current MoBo Im using I got new, for cheaper than most others on the market when obtained and it is not going to be fully retired but used as a *nux set up , as it still runs like a champ ( OORAH MSI!!! ). Its still pretty much a stable board, just time to upgrade for OS compatibilities. Also, take a look a t the PS3 . Very expensive (especially at release) yet some of the cheapest components and solder out there were used , and its just gotten cheaper(the parts). I know some of the components in said console ARE high quality but there is still alot of other crap that the manufacturer simply skimped on , for whatever reason but none the less, they went with very inferior parts.
So with all that being said, Im AM NOT concerned about brand. This is something I will research. I was confused as to whether I had a 400W or 230W PSU, but Im pretty sure its a 230W (if Im wrong let me know on PSU#1).
I am more interested in the minimum power rating required for listed set-up. NOT BRANDS for it.
Quote from: MyWonThing on 29-July-11, 01:41:39
MSI 880GM-E41 w/HDMI
AMD PhenomII x2 560 BE (Calisto 3.3 GHz AM3 80w)
4GB GSkill Ripjaw Series (2x2GB) DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800)
500GB WD Caviar Blue (7200 rpm)
CD/DVD -RW (DL) Drive
DVD ROM
PSU - PowerUp LP6100D
DC Output 400w MAX (+5V=30A / +3.3V=28a / -12V=0.8a / +12V=25a / +5V sb=2a / -5V=0.3a)
Total Output 230w (this is really the only value Im confused over)
I have another PSU to use as well:
Tiger Pro LC-B350 ATX
MAX TOTAL WATTAGE 350W (+5V=35A / +3.3V=28a / -12V=0.8a / +12V=16a / +5V sb=2a / -5V=0.3a)
(I think this one might hold??)
While I wont be using the minimum , it will help a fixed income veteran possibly save money from getting more than this needs .
Thanks guys

Probably the most correct PSU calculator you can use for MSI K8N Nvidia Neo's

Syar & Shanks PSUCalc
Given the issues we see in the forum from lack of understanding of power supply requirements
& the variation in users experiences, Syar had the original idea to setup a PSU Calculator & invited me to get involved.
The result is an Excel Spreadsheet
For Pre Office 2003
Download Link - PSUCalc - PSUCalcv1.82.xls
For Office 2003
Download Link - PSUCalc - PSUCalc2003.v2
Features:-
1) Select CPU
2) Select Gfx Card Press SLI button if applicable.
3) Allows for Overclocking impact By:-
Selecting CPU Voltage, Lower CPU Multiplier, Select Htt/FSB speed.
4) User Selectable Power supply Load target. For PSU to run efficiently, Quietly & cooler
It can't run @100%, generally accepted load Target is 80% of Maximum.
5) Enter PSU Specs by rail. The spreadsheet will then indicate wether the PSU is acceptable.
6) Variable Load calculations - Enable impact of idle & different % component activity to be seen. Graphics has (L)oad (3d) & (I)dle (2d) settings - All others on % load.
7) Enter Inputs in Colour Coded Cells.
The Spreadsheet uses US/UK Formating & so does not conform to European conention eg 1.56 US/UK to 1,56 Europe. To get round this European users should:-
Point to programs - Microsoft Office - Office Tools - Languages
Then set office language as us-English or uk-english as default .
Inside excel select tools - options - international-tab
Remove the tick on "use system separators" and enter . as the separator in the "desimal separator" box .
As somebody said Quote
Uk and US is as far as i know the only countrys in the world using . as desimal seperator .
For anyone interested comments are around that show the basis of key calculations. CPU values have been derived from.
1) AMD Athlon™ 64 Processor Power and Thermal Data Sheet
2) Thermal and Electrical Specification of 8th generation AMD Processors
Thanks goes to Carlsberg without it this project might have been a lot harder

PSUCalcv1.8
This is an update of the pre 2003 version.
THe major change is the addition of a Component Detail section below the Main screen similar to that found in the 2003
version.
Without VBA the lists used in the 2003 version using Data verificartion cannot be dynamically updated. So the Component Detail section in this version allows the user to enter data for specific components themselves.
This means that you have thae ability of getting a fairly accurate estimate of power usage using the default power settings, which will be adequate for troubleshooting PSU Issues or helping to choose a new supply. By entering custom data a very accurate model can be created.
The accuracy basically revolves around how average is an an average(ok whats the SD for statisticians) This is best shown with an example. This is the List in the 2003 version all of which can be specifcally selected. in this version only a single value can be selected :-
Hard Drives     3.3v   5v   12v
all WD Caviar Sata   0.00   4.00   5.40
Generic PATA     0.00   8.00   17.00
Generic SATA     0.00   4.00   8.00
Maxtor DM10      0.00   4.29   7.95** Used as Default
Maxtor DM9/DM10 sata   0.00   4.29   7.95
None     0.00   0.00   0.00
Seagate sata 120gb   0.00   4.50   8.00
WD raptor     0.00   3.50   4.20
So to take an extreme example if using 2 Generic Pata drives the default will understate consumption etc.,
To set up Cusytom user data:-
1) Enter Description
2) Select component Category using the row list selector & choosing:-
GFX   Graphics Card
CPUF   CPU Fan
FAN   Fans
CD   Dvd/CD
HD   Hard Drives
PCI   PCI/PCI-E
This ensures that the component is added to the relevent category in the summary sheet.
2) Enter the Watts used for the component (Normal running/Load) 3.3v,5v,12v.
3) Enter Number of the component used.
4) Optional Select Variable load %
As in the previous version you can use the default values However the entry point has now moved from the main form to the summary section of the component detail section. Just enter the number of items against each category.
CPU Fan
Fans
Dvd/CD
Hard Drives
PCI/PCI-E
The Variable load % for default components are in the orange user cells in Column L of the summary sheet as b4.
Summary :-
If you haven't got office 2003 or don't like to many lists & buttons This is the version 4 you.
2003 has more inbuilt component choices & data lists can be easily added.
The Same Set up steps need to be taken
1) Non US/UK - regional windows settings other than us/uk
2) Excel Addins

K8N Neo4 Power Supply Issues

I'm having trouble getting my computer to even start up. I have the Rosewill Performance TU153 case and Athlon 64 3200+ processor, as well as 2x512 MB ram (PQI) and a seagate 80 GB hard drive. I plugged the power supply wires into the AGX1 slot and JPW1 slot. Then, for the front panel connectors, I plugged in the HDD LED, Reset Switch, Power Switch, and Power LED into the appropriate slots in the JFP1 (with the colored part of the wires going into the positive slot). But the computer doesn't even start up at all. When I flip the switch on the back of the case, the LED will sometimes flicker on and off.

Hi gandalf85,
Welcome to the forum
What are the output amps for your Power supply - should appear ob the side of the unit something like like
Max Output : 3.3v=??A 5v=??A 12v=??A
The 12v in particular is important with AMD64 systems.
see Power Suppy Requirements & Selection
u can try the Quote
Probably the most correct PSU calculator you can use for MSI K8N Nvidia Neo's
to check what power u need.
see my signature 4 link.
luck

Power supply (PSU) calculator

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