Replacing a 650w psu

[apesoccer]

My 650w psu blew out this weekend, after an extended gaming session. What a terrible smell...

I'm running:
1 4850
2.4 @ 3.0 q6600
4x2gb
4 120mm fans
4 500gb hds raid 5
1 36gb10k hd
1 dvd burner
1 gigabyte motherboard
xp 64

I'm thinking 550w +, anybody think i should get something stronger then that? I won't be adding another 4850, though at some point when i go to 7, i'll upgrade to a 5xxx gpu.

 

[JohnnyLucky]

The general rule of thumb is a high quality 500 to 550 watt power supply with sufficient current (amps) on the +12 volt rail(s) can easily power a system with any single video card made. A high quality 700 to 750 watt power supply with sufficient current (amps) on the +12 volt rail(s) can power a system with two video cards operating in dual mode. There are a few exceptions like the new ATI Radeon HD 5XXX series cards which use less power due to their energy efficiency.

A high quality 500 to 550 watt psu will have a +12 volt rail rated at 40 amps. A high quality 700 to 750 watt psu will have a +12 volt rail rated at 60 amps.

In addition the power supply should be at least 80+ Bronze certified for energy efficiency. There are some models available which have achieved 80+ Silver and 80+ Gold Certifications.

Before purchasing a new psu you will need to decide whether you will eventually have a pc with one or two video cards.

Corsair, PC Power & Cooling, and Seasonic are some of the brands that have a reputation for high quality power supplies that consistently earn high marks in technical reviews. They are reliable, stable, and come with a 5 year warranty. Some of the newer models come with a 7 year warranty. Lately we've been seeing a few other brands offering some high quality units. One example would be the Antec Earthwatts series which is a major improvement over Antec’s older psu’s like the Basiq models.

 

[jsc]

A good 550 watt would do. But I would put in a good 650 watt Psu.

 

[MagicPants]

Why would you replace a 650 watt PSU that blew up with something smaller?

A bad 650 watt PSU is about the same as a good 400 watt because cheap manufacturers often fudge their numbers whereas the good ones tend not to.

What make/model was it and what make/model are you thinking of?

 

[JohnnyLucky]

MagicPants - Commodore 64 from the mid 1980's? Is that even possible in this day and age?

 

[apesoccer]

antec truepower trio 650...think i got it on sale for $100 bucks a year ago...or maybe longer...

Thx for the replies! I'll try to remember to post what i got. Prob be a slickdeal, if there's a good one, over the next cpl weeks. I have more then 1 computer, which i'll make use of in the meantime.

 

[apesoccer]

Best answer selected by apesoccer.