PC Power Supply suggestions?

[cthomer5000]

My current Power Supply (420W) isn't enough to handle the second video card I just installed.

Here's what I've got running:

2 hard drives (and i'd like to have room to add at least 1 more)
1 floppy
2 CD/DVD drives
ATI video card
6-7 fans

PCI stuff:
wireless card
TV tuner
video card
sound card



How high should i go? 600+ Watts?

Money isn't a huge concern. I'll spend what I need to, but if I dont want to pay an extra $100 bucks for negligble difference in performance.


So, any general or specific suggestions?

How much do i have to worry about a new PS fitting into my case? (case can be found here: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811156148)


thanks in advance for any guidance.

[Kozure]

I have never had a problem finding a PS fitting into my machine. And I have always found good deals at pricewatch.com.

Right now you can get a 600w for $35. But for a little more, you can probably get a name brand PS.

[gstelmack]

I'm a big fan of Antec power supplies. They have some nice ones that have a special fan connector that you hook your case fans up to, and it controls their speed based on case temperature, helping to keep the case quiet.

As for fitting in your case, that's not typically an issue. What IS an issue is ATX vs ATX II vs BTX. You want to check what power connectors you have on your motherboard, and then make sure the power supply provides those connections. Most older P4 motherboards are ATX II w/ the extra 12V connector, but now there is a newer ATX standard that provides a 24-pin connector instead of the older 20-pin connector (the 24-pin is used by the newer motherboards for the dual-core CPUs and PCIX slots).

Note that pure wattage is not what's important, what's important is how much amperage the power supply puts out on each voltage line. Some power supplies will have a high wattage rating but gip you on 5V power or somesuch. So you may find a different 420W supply will work in your case. But most likely you'll want a 550-620 or something in that range.

[yabanci]

I like Antec too.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817103932

[Airhog]

Just to reiterate what was said above, make sure the amperage is decent across all of the voltage lines. Also, make sure the variance in voltage is low.

[jeff061]

I'm thinking 500+ is good enough. If money isn't a big concern it may be worth going 600+ so you don't need to worry about it if you upgrade your computer. I just bought a 620 watt modular Enermax. Antec is a quality name as well, I had replaced my Antec true 460 after having some stability issues. I'm quite sure the problem was just a lack of wattage though.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817194004

[hukarez]

Avoid generic as much as possible.

I've been running on a Fortron power supply from back in '99 on my machine (400-450 watts, forgot the exact specs) that's undergone major overhauls over the years with no problems whatsoever.

If you've got the cash, I'd get another Fortron. It's pricey, but so long as you stick with any good known brand (Antec, SPI, etc...) you'll fare well. As for wattage, I'd probably be between 500-600, depending on your components these days. From what I remember, the latest nVidia videocards are beginning to demand more power. Just food for thought; it's always nice to have enough power running whatever you've got going on.

[flere-imsaho]

I'll echo what gstelmack said. I've also used Antec power supplies pretty exclusively and can vouch for them.