Need PSU for an elderly AMD s939 config

[NewbieOneKenobi]

Basically, what's in my signature. I'm using an old (2003 or 2004) PSU that came with my original box. It has a nominal 350W (possibly 320-330 real) and good nominal amperage (20A on 3.3V and 5V, 16A on 12V), but I'm getting errors such as inexplicable lag or CMOS checksum erros (without hardware change; time gets reset too). Besides, I'd like to OC a bit and there's possibility that I will want to get an X2 CPU and a HD3850 AGP card, so I might use a good PSU.

1. What kind of PSU do I need for the current moment?
2. What if I would like to OC the CPU, get a stronger fan etc?
3. What with some margin for upgrading?

I'm limited to somewhat global brands that get imported here - I've seen a lot of Tagan, Chieftec, Feel (ermm... not my first choice, but...), Tracer (ekhm...), perhaps some other major ones - my guess would be Revoltec, Arctic, something like that.

I have $150 to spend on it, but I'd rather spend the excess on something else if I don't really need superb power.

Ah, what's also very important to me is stability, protection from electricity malfunctions, and silence. It doesn't have to be completely silent, but I get a headache easily from fan vibrations.

If we are at it, name a cheap but reliable UPS, please? Just for saving things when a thunderstorm comes and I need to pull the plug. It doesn't have to last long. Would be great if it could prevent me from sudden resets from short malfunctions, as well.

[RollingThunder]

Basically, what's in my signature. I'm using an old (2003 or 2004) PSU that came with my original box. It has a nominal 350W (possibly 320-330 real) and good nominal amperage (20A on 3.3V and 5V, 16A on 12V), but I'm getting errors such as inexplicable lag or CMOS checksum erros (without hardware change; time gets reset too). Besides, I'd like to OC a bit and there's possibility that I will want to get an X2 CPU and a HD3850 AGP card, so I might use a good PSU.

1. What kind of PSU do I need for the current moment?
2. What if I would like to OC the CPU, get a stronger fan etc?
3. What with some margin for upgrading?

I'm limited to somewhat global brands that get imported here - I've seen a lot of Tagan, Chieftec, Feel (ermm... not my first choice, but...), Tracer (ekhm...), perhaps some other major ones - my guess would be Revoltec, Arctic, something like that.

I have $150 to spend on it, but I'd rather spend the excess on something else if I don't really need superb power.

Ah, what's also very important to me is stability, protection from electricity malfunctions, and silence. It doesn't have to be completely silent, but I get a headache easily from fan vibrations.

If we are at it, name a cheap but reliable UPS, please? Just for saving things when a thunderstorm comes and I need to pull the plug. It doesn't have to last long. Would be great if it could prevent me from sudden resets from short malfunctions, as well.

NOK,

Something like an Antec Earth Watts 430 would do fine or a comparable unit if you want to upgrade to that 3850 card later. I know you're at a disadvantage with choices. Can you list some other specific choices available to you, it would help? We could sort out the "bad" from the "acceptable" in your situation. Those you mentioned aren't that good on their small end PS.

A UPS won't do you much good in a thunderstom with a direct hit or one very close. Most aren't made for that kind of voltage surge. A simple "power out" is what they are made for. Any APC unit that's equal to your operating wattage would do. I use an APC BE620 390w unit and it's fine.

[jiggamanjb]

I would look for something that is 450W or more with at least 26A on the 12v.

[Oklahoma Wolf]

Grab one of the Delta based Chieftecs over 450W if you can - those models usually start with GPS or DPS (like this (http://www.ciao.co.uk/Chieftec_GPS_450AA_101A_Power_supply__6487727) one). Should do the trick.

[NewbieOneKenobi]

NOK,

Something like an Antec Earth Watts 430 would do fine or a comparable unit if you want to upgrade to that 3850 card later. I know you're at a disadvantage with choices. Can you list some other specific choices available to you, it would help? We could sort out the "bad" from the "acceptable" in your situation. Those you mentioned aren't that good on their small end PS.

Antec is there. Rasurbo, Xilence, Corsair, Warrior, OCZ, Be Quiet... Don't know about specific models, but whatever is there looks competent as far as watts and amperes go, and quite in my price range. Well, except some top models I could technically afford, but it would be over the top.

A UPS won't do you much good in a thunderstom with a direct hit or one very close. Most aren't made for that kind of voltage surge. A simple "power out" is what they are made for.

Yeah, I know. I sometimes get power outs too, including short ones that just make for a reset. For thunders and the like, I'll just get a PSU with protections and hopefully if there's a thunder nothing more than mobo will die.

Any APC unit that's equal to your operating wattage would do. I use an APC BE620 390w unit and it's fine.

Great, thanks.

[NewbieOneKenobi]

Grab one of the Delta based Chieftecs over 450W if you can - those models usually start with GPS or DPS (like this (http://www.ciao.co.uk/Chieftec_GPS_450AA_101A_Power_supply__6487727) one). Should do the trick.

Delta is pretty much unheard of here, but Chieftecs are very popular. I know a reliable guy who sells those.

[NewbieOneKenobi]

I would look for something that is 450W or more with at least 26A on the 12v.

Is there any risk I could put too much amperage on the CPU or something like that? I've noticed that some high-wattage PSU's even from reliable makers have small amperage - is it just that they're made for Intel mobos or...?

[RollingThunder]

Delta is pretty much unheard of here, but Chieftecs are very popular. I know a reliable guy who sells those.


NOK,

If a Corsair VX450 is available, it would be a top choice anywhere and it's more than adequate.

[NewbieOneKenobi]

Argh. I could have got a Corsair 450 (not sure if it was VX), but as I was thinking about the purchase, someone bought the last one. So tough luck. :( I could have got it tomorrow instead, but no, I had to buy something, anything that would work for a while until I bought a new computer. The result was that I bought a cheap Modecom Feel III 500W that wasn't even that much cheaper than a Chieftec 400W or 450W, and certainly louder.

Here's a question: I can actually return the PSU, it seems. I will have to pay 20% of the price. Luckily, that's just $11 in local currency. Do I want to pay $11 for the privilege of getting rid of this PSU and buying a Corsair 450W? $11 "noob fee" hurts, but a bad PSU hurts more.

Or do I prefer to keep this PSU in the house for older P4 setups which are in my family (at least 2, plus probably 1 more soon) and buy the Corsair?

Or do I keep this one and only buy a new PSU when I get a raise? I have professional exams 20th Sept. + "trial period" finishing 30th June, which means I might be earning 50% more in autumn, which would be enough to afford whatever I want (within reason), so I could buy a whole new computer. Whoever inherits this one, may still replace the CPU with an X2 and HD 2600XT with a 3850 AGP.

I'm a bit at a loss and sorely regretting not taking that Corsair. :S This Feel III (Illumination) doesn't suck - it has good opinions, 5 RMAs in a 1000 (Tagan has more), the guy who sold me GFX okayed it too. It's just I'm beginning to think that buying the Corsair would have been a better solution.

Ah, there is also a popular 500W OCZ for a sixpack less than the 450W Corsair. However, OCZ = Fortron and Corsair = Seasonic and Seasonic > Fortron.

For the moment, I'm decided to return the cheapo and buy the Corsair - perhaps after talking to my friend who bought it. Or am I exaggerating? I want to OC the CPU to 3 GHz if possible, the GPU by say 5-7% initially (stock cooling, don't care to replace given the cost of card replacement), I might want to replace the CPU with an X2 if the socket 939 version goes down on price, and an AGP HD 3850 when/if it loses some price by the time I'm done studying for my September exams. However, I'm inclined to think I'd rather get a new computer instead. Replacing this PSU (the 500W Feel III) with the Corsair 450W (not sure if it's VX) would cost me $44 and a trip. Is it worth it? Or do I get the OCZ piece?

BTW: Replacing just the PSU, I got from 7600 to 8900 in 3D Mark 05. Might have been drivers, but I doubt there's that much difference between stock 7.1 and tweaked 8.5 (to work on AGP) - the latter even installed for testing and without proper driver cleaning. Wonder if a stronger PSU wouldn't make the parts take a deeper breath and put more power to good use.

[RollingThunder]

NOK,

The OCZ is fine too!

I don't know the name Modecom but if you can list the number under "UR" on the label, we could find out who the OEM is.

[NewbieOneKenobi]

5903560985907 on barcode, M500TCA 07110 3803 serial number.

And here's one more question: my mobo manual says 20A is required, My PSU has a 15A and 17A line. Does this mean, say, mobo wants 20A for the system (rather than a single part like mobo itself or CPU) or am in trouble because I can't put a complete 20A through the 12V line?

[RollingThunder]

5903560985907 on barcode, M500TCA 07110 3803 serial number.

This number:

[NewbieOneKenobi]

No UR for me, so won't be able to check that. :(

I've decided to go to the market tomorrow, I think. What about the single vs double 12V line? If my mobo requires 20A, does this mean 18A+18A or 15A+14A is bad and I need a single 30A or higher? Or do 2 or 3 12V lines add up and provide enough amperage for my mobo?

Also, the 450W Corsair costs $110, although I can get it down to $97 with one vendor. The OCZ 500W costs $87 (could probably argue $5). Chieftec (lower end of Chieftecs) 450W costs $69. Chieftec (also lower end of Chieftecs) 550W costs $110. Which one do I prefer out of these?

[NewbieOneKenobi]

Update: I've talked to my friend who got the Corsair and I watched it at work. It's a VX450, the EU version. It's quiet. The reviews are great. Only I've heard there's been a defective line here and there, like 3 out of 4 returning in one shop or a whole line with a defective fan. The OCZ also gets great reviews and seems to be a bit more powerful than the Corsair, but the Corsair has a bit more efficiency and Japanese tiny parts inside.

Oh, and it seems Corsair VX450 is basically identical with Antec 500 with the only difference being those tiny parts.

However, OCZ entry level PSUs tend to be identical with the higher ones, except for the power of some circuitry on the 12V line or somewhere. Otherwise very similar.

So what do I get?