[SOLVED] 250W or 400W? For low spec PC.

[Ash_GameKiller?]

Hi Community,

My PC specs are:
2X2GB DDR2 (800Mhz) RAM - Dual Channel (In CPUZ it shows - 333.x. MHz)
3.14Ghz(2Core) - Core 2 Duo CPU
CPU Fan (or stock cooler) and Back case Fan(for cooling)
Nividea GT 710 2GB DDR3
Motherboard: MSI G31-P21 (MS-7529) Rev 1.0

I know it's entry level chipset and very old.

My PC hard hangs sometimes. So I thought that it might be PSU problem. So I'm thinking of buying new PSU.

When I calculated my PSU requirements...It showed that Load Wattage is around 235-245 W and Recommended Is 285W.

Should I go for 250W PSU or 400W PSU?

Will 400W fry my motherboard if I go for it?

I'm little confused. Now I need your help, Folks!

Thanks in advance!

 

[NightHawkRMX]

Your system will not draw much power at all. 250w would cut it.

A higher wattage PSU then needed will not damage your PC, the PC just draws what it needs.

What units were you looking at?

 

[Darkbreeze]

What matters a LOT MORE than how many "watts" it has, it what MODEL it is. Five different 400w units might be capable, in the end, of only achieving five different ACTUAL sustained output capacities, or three of them might have spectactularly high ripple or very poor voltage regulation. You can't just say "I need 400w". You NEED to say, "I need a QUALITY power supply that is in THIS range".

What is your budget for a PSU and where can you purchase from? Are you able to purchase online through Indian online retailers or must you purchase through local shops? If local shops only, then you will want to find out a list of models that are available to you and then check back here so we can offer advice based on your options.

Reading this might also help you with that decision. Honestly, even given the low powered nature of your system, knowing that you are probably mostly only going to find VERY POOR QUALITY units below 400w, I'm going to say you really want to look at 450w models unless you can find a decent 350w Delta, FSP or Seasonic branded OEM style unit.

Discussion - PSU recommendations and power supply discussion thread - Tom's hardware

Below you will find MY standard list of recommended power supplies and beyond that this thread is intended as a landing place for questions or discussions regarding specific units, platforms or related PSU tech, all of which are all welcome to be discussed here. If it's related to power supplies...

forums.tomshardware.com

 

[Ash_GameKiller?]

What units were you looking at?

Do you mean Brand? If you do mean by brand, then I'm looking at:
Circle(400W)
Thermal take lite(450W)
Antec(450w) 12v rail - dual
Cheap brand - iball - 250W
Zebronics - 450w - sounds like it's cheap brand, I don't know btw
I dont know what is rail.

 

[NightHawkRMX]

Avoid all but the thermaltake and the antec.

Can you link the specific thermaltake and antec you are looking at.

 

[Darkbreeze]

No, avoid them all. The Thermaltake lite is garbage. The Antec, hard to say because you did not offer a SPECIFIC model that you are looking at. Brand does not matter, unless it is a brand that we know has ZERO models that are trustworthy.

Watts doesn't matter. Unless it is specifically a model that we already know is good, and therefore, trustworthy.

Efficiency rating doesn't matter, bronze, silver, gold, etc., unless it is a platform that we already KNOW is good, and if the model itself is a good representation of that platform.

About the only Thermaltake units I trust, are the Toughpower grand units. There are quite a few good Antec units, but there are also quite a few turds sold by them as well.

The others, Circle, iBall, Zebronics, are pure garbage and should be completely avoided unless you like throwing money away.

As stated in the bottom of my guide that I linked you to, if you had read it, you'd have seen this:

Other models that IN GENERAL should never be trusted OR USED AT ALL, under any circumstances.

One or two of these brands listed below MIGHT have a single model or two (Or manufacture anything from mediocre to decent quality units under other brand names but not their own. One example would be HEC that makes some decent models under the Cougar label and a few rather borderline ones in the past for EVGA, but their own HEC/Compucase Orion units have historically been terrible.) that are cut from a completely different mold than what that brand is known for, but overall, if they are listed below they are primarily known for selling just plain junk and in many cases, very dangerous junk that lacks adequate protections or cannot even manage to sustain a fraction of whatever rated capacity their products might indicate on the specifications s far as units sold under their OWN name, I have yet to see any that were of recommendable quality or in many cases even safe for use.

Acbell, A-Top, AK Power, Alpine, Apevia, Apex (Supercase/Allied), Artic, Ace, Aerocool (There might be one model worth using, but I'd still avoid them.), Aspire (Turbocase), Atadc, Atrix, Broadway com corp, Chieftech, Circle, CIT, Coolmax, Deer, Diablotek, Dynapower, Dynex, Eagletech, Enlight, Eurotech, Evo labs, EZ cool, Feedtek, Foxconn, G7, HEC (Compucase Orion), HEDY, High power, iBall, iStar computer co., Jeantec, JPac, Just PC, Kentek, Kolink, LC Power, Linkworld electronics, Logisys, Macron, MSI, Njoy, NmediaPC, Norwood Micro (CompUSA), Okia, Powercool, Powmax, Pulsepower, Q-tec, Raidmax, Rave, Rocketfish, Segotep, SFC, Sharkoon, Shuttle, Skyhawk, Spire, Startech, Storm, Sumvision, Tesla, Trust, Ultra, Wintech, Winpower, Xilence (Until I see a reputable review of a model showing different), xTreme (Cyberpower), Youngbear and Zebronics.​

 

[Karadjgne]

A rail is a series of circuits for one particular voltage. The 12v rail is the major rail in any modern psu, but contains the primary input section, the secondary output section, protective circuitry, regulatory circuitry etc. Just so that when you put 120v/240v AC power in, you get 12v DC out.

The issue with cheap built units and outputs is that there's so little real regulation that the DC voltage output looks a lot more like the 120v AC input, and DC components like motherboard, cpu, gpu do not like to be fed AC voltages.

The other issue, mentioned by Darkbreeze, is output size vs claim. In those cheap units, you'll see a claim for 400w, but that's really 250w on the 12v rail and the other 150w on the minor rails. Which does a pc no good when it's drawing 235-245w. Basically that 400w claim is an outright lie. Meaning you'll then have to trust that the 'claim' of the 250w on the 12v rail is the truth. Eh, probably not. More like 200w at best. In the video, look at the claimed wattage vs the wattage at Death.

View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=f6snWfd1v7M


There's a reason why ppl like Darkbreeze and myself are so Adamant and Vociferous about Quality. If you buy a 400w psu it should give you pretty close, to right around 400w on the rail that counts, not just all the rails that see very little use. 3.3v rail is motherboard logic circuitry, 5v is storage and usb. That's about it. 12v is cpu, gpu, fans, all the heavy hitting wattage hardware.

I don't like Thermaltake psus, but that unit will at least do the job with your requirements. Same for the Antec, but depending on the model might be actually decent. Circle is rated one of the Worst on the Planet - avoid at all costs. IBall is the same psu under another name. Zebronics is a step up at least, but when you are that close to ground level, one step doesn't amount to anything. Total garbage and somewhat garbage = same thing realistically. Garbage.

 

[Ash_GameKiller?]

Avoid all but the thermaltake and the antec.

Can you link the specific thermaltake and antec you are looking at.

It's Antec VP450P.
Thernaltake Lite Power Black Edition.

 

[Ash_GameKiller?]

No, avoid them all. The Thermaltake lite is garbage. The Antec, hard to say because you did not offer a SPECIFIC model that you are looking at. Brand does not matter, unless it is a brand that we know has ZERO models that are trustworthy.

Watts doesn't matter. Unless it is specifically a model that we already know is good, and therefore, trustworthy.

Efficiency rating doesn't matter, bronze, silver, gold, etc., unless it is a platform that we already KNOW is good, and if the model itself is a good representation of that platform.

About the only Thermaltake units I trust, are the Toughpower grand units. There are quite a few good Antec units, but there are also quite a few turds sold by them as well.

The others, Circle, iBall, Zebronics, are pure garbage and should be completely avoided unless you like throwing money away.

As stated in the bottom of my guide that I linked you to, if you had read it, you'd have seen this:

Other models that IN GENERAL should never be trusted OR USED AT ALL, under any circumstances.

One or two of these brands listed below MIGHT have a single model or two (Or manufacture anything from mediocre to decent quality units under other brand names but not their own. One example would be HEC that makes some decent models under the Cougar label and a few rather borderline ones in the past for EVGA, but their own HEC/Compucase Orion units have historically been terrible.) that are cut from a completely different mold than what that brand is known for, but overall, if they are listed below they are primarily known for selling just plain junk and in many cases, very dangerous junk that lacks adequate protections or cannot even manage to sustain a fraction of whatever rated capacity their products might indicate on the specifications s far as units sold under their OWN name, I have yet to see any that were of recommendable quality or in many cases even safe for use.

Acbell, A-Top, AK Power, Alpine, Apevia, Apex (Supercase/Allied), Artic, Ace, Aerocool (There might be one model worth using, but I'd still avoid them.), Aspire (Turbocase), Atadc, Atrix, Broadway com corp, Chieftech, Circle, CIT, Coolmax, Deer, Diablotek, Dynapower, Dynex, Eagletech, Enlight, Eurotech, Evo labs, EZ cool, Feedtek, Foxconn, G7, HEC (Compucase Orion), HEDY, High power, iBall, iStar computer co., Jeantec, JPac, Just PC, Kentek, Kolink, LC Power, Linkworld electronics, Logisys, Macron, MSI, Njoy, NmediaPC, Norwood Micro (CompUSA), Okia, Powercool, Powmax, Pulsepower, Q-tec, Raidmax, Rave, Rocketfish, Segotep, SFC, Sharkoon, Shuttle, Skyhawk, Spire, Startech, Storm, Sumvision, Tesla, Trust, Ultra, Wintech, Winpower, Xilence (Until I see a reputable review of a model showing different), xTreme (Cyberpower), Youngbear and Zebronics.​

I've added two more PSU in my list.
Aerocool VX Plus 450W PSU with Active PFC.
Coolmaster Elite V3 400W.
Cool master has some bad reviews.
Should I order coolmaster ?because only one is left in stock.

 

[Darkbreeze]

You don't want either of those units.

Of everything you've named so far, the Antec VP450P is probably the best choice but even that isn't a terrific unit. It's a completely different unit than the original VP450 that lacked active power factor correction and had a red switch on the back to manually change from 110/115v to 220/230v. The Cooler master and Aerocool units are low quality. I would avoid them as well.

Any other models you have access to?

 

[Ash_GameKiller?]

You don't want either of those units.

Of everything you've named so far, the Antec VP450P is probably the best choice but even that isn't a terrific unit. It's a completely different unit than the original VP450 that lacked active power factor correction and had a red switch on the back to manually change from 110/115v to 220/230v. The Cooler master and Aerocool units are low quality. I would avoid them as well.

Any other models you have access to?

Nope!
Other model I've seen so far is:
Corsair 500W.
But I don't want to blow money on 500W becuz I don't need atm.

What should I do now?
Should I go for Antec or Aerocool?

Do you know any other brand?

 

[NightHawkRMX]

Avoid Aerocool PSUs altogether and also avoid cooler master elite. Likely this is a Corsair CX500? If so, avoid it since its like a decade old. You won't need 500w either.

This is a core 2 duo and gt710. While you will never want an utter garbage PSU, you do not need anything fancy for this system.

The Antec VP would be all you need.

 

[Ash_GameKiller?]

Are you sure that it won't fry my motherboard?

My PC hard hangs sometimes
Is this problem happens because of PSU?

I've 200W PSU ATM.
If I go for Antec VP, will it solve my problem?

 

[Darkbreeze]

Nobody can say for SURE that something is going to solve your problems. The age of your system it could be anything. Failing motherboard. Failing CPU. Failing memory. Failing hard drive. Failing power supply. We can't TELL you that it is the power supply for SURE. All we can tell you is that what you have now is most likely a really cheap PSU and that IF the PSU is your problem, then which specific models are the better choices. That's it.

Personally, I think you should change it out regardless because I really don't know of any "good" power supplies out there for ATX desktop systems aside from MAYBE a few low capacity Delta units, that are going to be 200w models. Most 200w models are just going to be generic or off brand garbage.

We also can't tell you that it's not going to fry your motherboard, because THAT is entirely up to you and whether or not you do something wrong. It's certainly not going to fry your motherboard from being "wrong" or "incompatible". Whether it fries something because you did something wrong, we don't know that. We don't know you or what you know or anything else that might tell us whether you are competent to replace the PSU or not.

 

[Ash_GameKiller?]

I highly appreciate your comment on this.

I did HDD test using CrystalDiskInfo. HDD health is good. 99.4%(1 weak sector was found).
Memory Test using MemTest86. No problem found.
I checked CPU temp it stays between 45-65°C.
Now I couldn't check PSU temp and test it.
That's why I thought that it might be PSU that is causing hard freeze.

I don't know how to test or find out fault in my motherboard. So ATM I can't say that my motherboard is faulty.

I can go for seasonic 750W PSU. But I'm again afraid that it might fry my mob. As my mob only needs 285W and PSU is of 750W.
I think I do know little about PSUs and mob.

Should I go for Antec VP450? I know it's all up to me. But I couldn't find any other PSUs other than Thermaltake, Corsair, Antec, Aerocool.
Please enlighten me regarding this. (I'm serious).

 

[Darkbreeze]

Yes, given your options, that is probably the best choice.

You could do a lot worse for the type of system that you have. If you had a more powerful gaming system, I'd advise a higher quality, higher capacity unit, but this unit which really only offers 360w on the 12v rails, is more than enough for your system and is, at least, not likely to be a ticking time bomb or dumpster fire like these others.

This was a surprisingly good, in depth review of the VP450P, despite not being from one of the more widely known reviewers.

http://smfarhaduzzaman.blogspot.com/2016/11/review-and-test-power-supply-unit-antec.html