Advice on a PSU

[vashtanerada]

I'm buying this computer.

Relevant specs are:

8th Generation Intel® Core i5-8400 processor
8GB, DDR4, 2666MHz; up to 32GB
NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 1030 with 2GB GDDR5 Graphics Memory
3.5" 1TB 7200 rpm Hard Drive
802.11bgn + Bluetooth 4.0, 1x1
(2) USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A
(4) USB 2.0 ports
Ethernet port
DVD-RW Drive
290W PSU

Is that PSU going to be enough to power this with another 7200rpm HDD and another 8GB RAM stick added in?

I was looking to upgrade to a better quality PSU since the generic one DELL is going to put in probably won't be very good. Was going to put in a Corsair VS550 550W since I'm likely to upgrade the graphics card to at least a GTX 1050ti? And I'll be adding an SSD at some point in the near future. Will that Corsair PSU be enough be enough for a 1050ti and all the rest of that hardware?

Thanks for any help

 

[Ralston18]

290 Watts - No.

The Cosair VS550 550 Watt - may be on the low side.

Add up the load component by component and add 40% more or so.

Use the high ends of the wattage ranges.

Check PSU product reviews from verified buyers or independent reviewers. Do not go by just the wattage specifications.

 

[ArchitSahu]

The Corsair PSU will be enough but that unit is of horrible quality and the worst in Corsair's lineup. Look for a better replacement ASAP.

 

[vashtanerada]

So something like this might be better?

 

[ArchitSahu]

Yes, but I have always been wary of eBay. So, if I were you, I would be careful.

 

[vashtanerada]

Sadly, I have to take a chance on eBay. The town I live in has only one store actually sells PSUs and they're all Thermaltakes. I've had nothing but bad experiences with Thermaltake. But I've found a Corsair CX650 on eBay from a reputable store (one with actual physical brick and mortar stores) for only $5 more.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[Rexper]

The 290W PSU in your inspiron is either an AC290EM-01, HU290EM-01, or L290EM-01. They are 12V only power supplies.
Your current PSU includes an 8 pin motherboard connector, and 4 pin CPU connector.
Your motherboard has two HDD power ports. https://topics-cdn.dell.com/pdf/inspiron-3670-desktop_service-manual_en-us.pdf

To upgrade, you'll need a 24 to 8 pin adaptor from ModDIY, a good 400W+ PSU with DC-DC / independent voltage regulation, a 4pin or 4+4 pin CPU connector, and whatever connections you need for additional parts you'll be adding, such as PCIe or Sata power cables. An example is the Corsair CX450.

450W PSU will be enough for a GTX 1070 in your system. A 550W PSU would allow for GTX 1080ti.

 

[vashtanerada]

Thank you Rexper. Just had a look at the motherboard diagram again. I didn't notice that it was only 8 pins. Saved me some frustration when I do buy the new PSU.

 

[vashtanerada]

One more question if you can answer please. My old computer has this RAM (MTA8ATF1G64AZ-2G3B1) in it. Do you think that may be compatible with this computer? Or more likely, can you tell if it won't work.

I know it's generally not advised to mix RAM, and the two have different speeds so even if it works, it'll run at the slowest speed. But I'm just curious if you can tell if it's possible it will work or a definite no.