does this PSU really suck?

I have been researching about power supplies and know that everyone seems to like antec or sparkle. I have a generic 250 watt that came with my sytem and want to upgrade. I know that nobody seems to like Powmax PSU's but I don't want to lay out a bunch of money since I want to upgrade my video card soon. So the question is does this PSU suck?http://www.3btech.net/repcpo55dule.html

and if I buy it what is the worst case scenario that will happen

Not sure about the brand, and $23.00 for a 550 watt PSU sounds way too low. It is unlikely that this is a very good PSU; and it is unlikely that it will live up to its "stated" 550 watts.

You will be happier with a 350, or 400 watt model from this page (though price will be a little bit higher):

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduct.asp?submit=manufactory&catalog=58&manufactory=1919&DEPA=0

As you mentioned, Fortron Source (Sparkle) is highly rated by OCers. But spending $10-20 more on the PSU will give you a more stable system, better OC, and peace of mind.

I would like a sparkle or fotronn, but they don't seem to have the high wattage that some of the others have. the one I linked to was a powmax

That "wattage" you are talking about is nothing but a rating.
Example: the fortron recommended by Z_oc has a rating of 350W but it can easily output 400-420.
Anyway, here is a link to a sticky you def wanna read

where other than newegg can I get good prices on a psu? I need to buy one, but I can't make up my mind,(or my wifes)

Will the Fortron 350 watt be enough to run my machine? I have an Athlon XP 2800 @ 2360 a dvd rom, cdrw, 120gb 7200rpm hd, a geforce3ti200(upgradeing to a radeon AIW 9800).

BTW my current supply shows a 12vof 11.46 at idle and worse during gaming.

I currently have a Antec True 430 (see the specs of the system in my sig and add 6x80mm case fans, a couple of cold cathodes, 2 optical drives). So, a fortron rated at 350W will be perfect for your system (remember, fortrons are waaay underrated)

If you are on a budget I think you should start haunting the refurbished section on Newegg. I bought a lot of refurbished stuff (including the Antec PSU ) and never had any problems.

thanks for the info, I'll start shopping and let ya'll know what I find

does anyone know anything about this psu? It says that the parts are from channel well Technology who I have heard is a good name.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3456929671&category=42021

Channel Well is very good - they are the OEM maker for Antec. However, I have my doubts these Lead Power units are what they claim. I've heard of people using these without any issues, but there's no way to tell if they are what they claim as the UL file number doesn't match up over at the directory at www.ul.com.

There could be anything under the hoods of these - best to go with what's known and grab a Fortron/Sparkle 120mm fan 350w or 400w, or the Antec Truepowers above 430w.

Not all Channel Wells are created equal, and I have doubts about that Turbolink because its power wires come out the side diagonally opposite the rear fan, while on the better Channel Wells, including the Antecs, are unusual in that those wires come out the other side.

Pictures in
http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?threadid=267035]this link show a bad Turbolink/Channel Well, while this is a good Channel Well looks like. The circuitry is very different because the former has three transformers (one big, two small) because its controller chip is on the low voltage side, while the good one has just two, meaning that its controller chip is on the high voltage side (but that's not what makes it better; I mention it only to show that the products are different).

Leadman produces Powmax and Raidmax, and Robanton. Originally, Robanton was the budget brand, but now so is Powmax, which isn't to say that it used to be that good because all Leadmans have had trouble putting out their advertised power, only the old ones looked nicer on the inside.

If power ratings are always accurate, then why do so many cheap 550W PSUs have heatsinks and transformers that are no bigger than those in 300W Fortrons? Or why are the Fortron's capacitors just a large and its transistors and diodes rated for as much power and current?

There is probably more misleading labeling in relation
to PSU's than any other computer component.

Higher operating temps, momentary peak wattage instead of
sustained ... these are but a few of the ways they can inflate
their specs.

Personally, I'll take a stable 15amp 12v rail over
an unstable 45amp 12v rail anyday.

Quality over Quantity!

this sucks, I found this psu that I was going to buy, and they are back ordered and don't know when they'll have more. does anyone know where I can find one near this price?

http://www.dealsonic.com/fohiqat35atp.html

The GU units (like the one you linked) I recently heard aren't as good as normal Fortrons.

Agreed. If you're strapped for cash(like I usually am), this is your best bet. As has been stated, don't let the ratings fool you for a second.

but is 300 watts really enough for my system? I want to upgrade some parts and I know I'll need more power for video card and other parts. what about coolmax supplies or ultra

It's enough for my processor at 2.7 GHz and 2.1v, along with a 9800np flashed to a pro....It's barely possible to make a more power-hungry system, yet, my 300W Fortron powers it without any issues. For under 25 bucks, you really can't go wrong. I don't know where the myth of 400W being the minimum originated from, but just about no AMD system I've ever seen would have problems running on a high quality 250W or 300W power supply. On the other hand, there's no system I'd dare to risk connecting to a Powmax or other such @$@$. The worst that could happen with a low quality power supply is...pretty bad. We're talking about blown PSU's taking the rest of the system with them. There's a good reason why Antec and Fortron are favored.

so you think this fortron would be enough, I just can't get it through my head that this 300watt is better than a 550 watt with seemingly more features. does it have one or two fans?

http://takaman.jp has a power needs estimator that also gives the amp needs from each voltage rail, and unlike most estimators, it doesn't seem to exaggerate very much. It usually says that less than 300W is needed, and measurements done by a German website showed that an XP2400+ system with a fairly fast video card needed no more than about 160-180W.

I can't tell the quality differences between Fortron ATX-xxxGU and FSP-xxx PSUs by looking inside them.
If I had a super-fast system with a Radeon 9800XE and several drives, I'd feel more comfortable running it from a 350-400W high quaility PSU than a 650W piece-o-junk.

thanks for the help. I'll be getting a fortron. soon. that calculator siad that I neede like 280 watts.