“The Power Supply�
Part 2 in a Series
In our previous installment of this series, we reviewed how you can substantially save money on the purchase of a new PC or upgrading a PC by purchasing the basic components to increase your system speed. Memory, Hard Drive, Optical Drives and Video/Sound.
Now, if you really want to boost that machine’s performance, you may have to get your hands a little dirty, replacing more “integrated� components of your system. This week, we look at a core component of your system: the power supply.
Power Supplies>
With today’s ever expanding array of devices that we attach to or put inside our computer systems, including multiple optical drives, multiple hard drives and multiple video adapters, power supplies (PSU or Power Supply Unit) need to provide an ever increasing amount of power. Most power supplies are rated in Wattage. Many PCs ship with as low as a 175Watt power supply, simply the basic amount to get the PC booted, without expansion of the current system. Many of you may find that in order to add additional components to your system a power supply upgrade is justified, and the cost isn’t going to break the bank.
Based on the currently most popular Power Supplies, as selected by PriceGrabber.com users, 500 watts seems to be the most common size of PSU. If you’d like to be able to sit back and do the math required to determine what size PSU you need, then let’s take a look at these general values**, that can allow you to construct a formula:
Mid-to-High-End CPU 100 Watts
Memory 20 - 30 Watts
Optical Drives 15 – 25 Watts (per drive)
Motherboard 15-30 Watts
Hard Drive 10 – 30 Watts (per drive)
Video Card 20 – 40 Watts
Dual-Output/High-End Video 60 – 100 Watts
Other PCI Cards +/- 5 Watts (each)
Although at first glance you may not seem to have overwhelming power requirements, remember USB draws power, sometimes your speakers, there can be many options, and in the end, there is an array of technical discussions that can be had regarding the inner-workings, balanced “rail voltages� and a myriad of opinions as to which is the best power supply, as always.
I make the following recommendations when choosing a power supply:
Overbuy
No reason that too much power is bad. If your short, you’ll start crying when your system makes that “melting� noise as the power fails. A 500-500W power supply is not overkill.
Modular Connections
Over the last several years, modular power supplies from Antec, Ultra and other manufacturers have appeared on the market, allowing you the conveniently use modular cable connectors to utilize only the necessary cables without adding a “snakes nest� of extra wires inside your PC. Sometimes a little more expensive, but worth the convenience.
Reputation
Remember, if that power supply catches on fire, your house could burn down. Don’t buy some no-name knock-off Asian import that is cheap as can be. Buy quality product from a known brand which is, without question, UL approved. Reputable manufacturers also tend to get “nods of approval� from various motherboard manufacturers. See who your motherboard manufacturer recommends.
$100 Price Limit
Don’t spend over $100 unless you are investing in a great gamer system or other specialized configuration. Hurricanes and other electrical storms happen. As easy as it is to replace a PSU, allow yourself room to upgrade at the time of next replacement, prices will have fallen.
TIP: Make sure your PC is plugged into either a UPS or Surge Supressor at the very minimum. Often “line conditioning� or “line stabilizing� devices can ensure the power coming into your PSU is as clean as can be, giving your PSU a longer life span and better performance in your system.
Based on PriceGrabber.com user popularity, the most popular Power Supplies are:
- Antec TruePower 2.0 TP-II 550 550W Power Supply as low as $69.62
- Antec NeoPower NeoHE 550 550W Power Supply as low as $88.64
- Enermax Liberty ELT500AWT 500W Power Supply as low as $109.00
- Victory Seasonic S12 500W Power Supply as low as $109.89
- Thermatake TR2 W0070RUC 430W Power Supply as low as $29.99***
**Note that this item is a great value buy. ThermalTake is a great name, this is a great price!Next week, we’ll take a look at your motherboard, and how it can be replaced without killing the bank and during the month of December, it’s all about gifts and buying guides! Until then, make sure you get the best value when you shop online. Start your holiday shopping at PriceGrabber.com, the place to find the best prices for any item – any item you can think of nearly!
**Wattage values provided for estimates based on a review of several component manufacturer websites.
