Some good, some bad

[Spono]

I recently found out my system is actually running 10 degrees colder than what speedfan was reporting, due to a bug in the bios that eVga never fixed. So, I can push my overclock further, meaning more voltage to Vcore.

However, I also just recently found out that my power supply, an Aspire, is the absolute worst brand out there. Is it seriously as bad as I've read? Should I just go and buy a new one? Should I just try pushing some more and see what happens?

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

[Super Nade]

Welcome to the forums! Aspire does deserve the bad rep it has acquired. I'd get a better supply.

[Spono]

Thanks Super Nade, my current power supply is 450W, so I guess I'll just get something of that wattage in a better brand. Any suggestions for a system with:

1 Athlon 64 3500+
1 motherboard
1 pci-e video card
1 pci tv tuner card
3 HDDs
2 sticks of ram
2 case fans
1 cpu fan
1 DVD burner
1 case light (coolermaster musketeer 2)
keyboard, mouse

[pak]

Whats your budget?

--pak

[RollingThunder]

Thanks Super Nade, my current power supply is 450W, so I guess I'll just get something of that wattage in a better brand. Any suggestions for a system with:

1 Athlon 64 3500+
1 motherboard
1 pci-e video card
1 pci tv tuner card
3 HDDs
2 sticks of ram
2 case fans
1 cpu fan
1 DVD burner
1 case light (coolermaster musketeer 2)
keyboard, mouse

:welcome:

Spono,

Listen to the guys here, they are a good bunch.

If you're on a budget, this one is recommended by many:

http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?name=PS-E5150GH

[Spono]

pak, I'd say I could go as high as $100 on the new power supply. Maybe a little more initially if there's some kind of rebate involved that gets the end price back under 100.

And RollingThunder, that looks like a pretty solid PSU right there, I'll have to do some research to find out how loud the fan is.

I'm looking for something to power my current system (obviously) but I'd like to do some major upgrades before the end of the year. I've had this system since August 2005, but I'd really like to get some more ram in there and play around with a dual-core CPU, both of which would also require a new motherboard (unless I get some X2 3600, which would in a way be a step down).

So, does this new info bring any more power supplies to mind?

[Rival904]

Look at Xclio's PSU, they are a new company, but they have some impressive products, their Greatpower 650W is a little over $100, and its Modular!

Link - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817189008

[greenmaji]

with that budget..
http://froogle.google.com/froogle?hl=en&newwindow=1&safe=off&q=corsair+520HX&btnG=Search&oe=UTF-8&um=1&lmode=online&scoring=p

[funnyperson1]

That Enhance is pretty durn quiet, I have one and can't hear it over the rest of my system, granted my system is far from silent but nothing inside is over 30dbs.

The folks at SPCR thought the identical (well I think some of the connectors are different, but internally identical) Siverstone Element 500 was ok (and they are quite anal about noise):
http://www.silentpcreview.com/article670-page1.html

One of the favorites for silence, efficiency, and modularity is the Corsair HX520, but its just a tad out of your price range:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139001

A high quality 500W PSU is way more than enough for your system, and likely any system you build in the future within reason.

The Enhance will easily power a dual-core CPU and high end graphics card, but I am not sure about high end SLI/Crossfire. If you got a dual-core and a second 7800GT to put in SLI you would be pushing it close to its limits (would probably still work though).

The Corsair is SLI certified and should handle anything except perhaps 8800 SLI (though I believe people have tried and succeeded in doing this) over the long term.

Both are great choices, but imho the Enhance is a better bang for the buck choice if you don't need a modular PSU and you don't mind that it isn't completely silent (from what I've read the Corsair is close to silent).

[PWatterson]

If you do not need modular cables, I would go with the enhance. I would bet some pretty good money that it could power a dual core set-up with something like SLI 7800/7900GT. Just look at my sig and you can get an idea. Also not that I have about 45-50 watts / 4-4.5 amps of Delta fans going in there.

I have a friend who has the Corsair and he loves it. It is quiet and the cables it comes with are really neat.

Your choice, but I think the enhance would work just fine.

[Silver]

Bought two of the enhance 500's myself for the two builds I have in the works. Having a folding farm I am not putting in any more psus that are below 80% efficiency. Of course running smp clients (but oc'ing the systems) I do not have the power requirements that I would with one or two high powered vid cards.

[Spono]

The Enhance comes to about $85 after shipping and tax, and the Corsair 520W comes to $98 after free shipping, google-checkout and tax, with a $10 mail in rebate that would bring the eventual total down to $88. For $3 difference, I can't see any reason to go with the Enhance over the Corsair, unless there are any people with something negative to say about the Corsair.

Buy.com link: http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=203270716&loc=101

I'm gonna head out to Fry's just in case they have either of these in-store for less.

Thanks everyone for all the help so far!

[funnyperson1]

Nice find on the Corsair price!

[Airbornederekc]

i like the enermax line. aside from that thermaltake has some nice products. FSP group makes a nice product too.

i am no longer a fan of antec as i had one fail pretty quickly.

also Aspire is horrible. i had one go and it too my entire system with it. the only thing to survive was my single raptor at the time and my 3.0 northy cpu. everything else was toast.

[Pandam00nium]

I'm actually using a 600W Apevia PSU, and it hasn't died down on me yet. Although with all the talk about youngyear being a horrible manufacturer it kinda stays in the back of my mind. But luckily nothing has happened yet.

Just to let you guys know though. Apevia has recently changed manufacturers to Wintech. Seems like their first move on the change is on their X-QPack 2 case. Taken from their website: http://www.apevia.com/images/products/X-QPACK2-BK-11_500.jpg

[Spono]

Thanks for all the help, everyone.

I ordered the Corsair HX520 last night, and hopefully I'll have it in my hands soon.

[funnyperson1]

Yea youngyear is horrible, they are the ones who made those X-Connects that gave Ultra a bad name. Wintech is decent, not the best, but serviceable.

[Super Nade]

I'm actually using a 600W Apevia PSU, and it hasn't died down on me yet. Although with all the talk about youngyear being a horrible manufacturer it kinda stays in the back of my mind. But luckily nothing has happened yet.

Just to let you guys know though. Apevia has recently changed manufacturers to Wintech. Seems like their first move on the change is on their X-QPack 2 case. Taken from their website: http://www.apevia.com/images/products/X-QPACK2-BK-11_500.jpg

These units have held up rather well under stress-testing. Check hardware canucks for SKYMNTL's tests. Ofcourse, this does not guarentee long term reliability in any way, but it is good to know that it didn't blow up. :)

[Silver]

The Enhance comes to about $85 after shipping and tax, and the Corsair 520W comes to $98 after free shipping, google-checkout and tax, with a $10 mail in rebate that would bring the eventual total down to $88. For $3 difference, I can't see any reason to go with the Enhance over the Corsair, unless there are any people with something negative to say about the Corsair.

Buy.com link: http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=203270716&loc=101

I'm gonna head out to Fry's just in case they have either of these in-store for less.

Thanks everyone for all the help so far!

Realize you have ordered but I just wanted to add that I paid $69 each for two Enhance psu's with free shipping (and no tax).

[Spono]

Nice deal, Silver. Might I ask where you ordered them from? I'm in California, so I get taxed on pretty much everything.