http://www.microdirect.co.uk/ProductInfo.aspx?ProductID=5334&GroupID=0

the above link is to a PSU i currently own

nowww, will it allow me to support a PCI-E motherboard? obv with PCI-E
graphics.

apparantly all ATX2.0 PSU will work with PCI-E motherboards, but i'm not
sure here as there is nothing at all anywhere on micro direct there

so if anyone could comment i would appreciate it

Thanks

On Tue, 15 Feb 2005 22:08:09 -0000, "Christo"
<chris@juststuffnospam.co.uk> wrote:

Sure.  It looks defintely like a decent one Ive seen posts on it. The
two things people are concerned with are the plugs. Many of the less
than super new PSes dont have the bigger plugs on the new boards.

Theres a debate at some sites. You can actually buy adaptors for older
PS power plugs that go to your new motherboard that adds two more pin
plugs so that it fits with no problems.  The other way is --- you can
actiually plug the old plugs in and it works as many people post. You
just have it all the way to the right. Actually LOOK at the pin plugs
and youll see that they alternate shapes so theres really only one way
to plug it in  without forcing it in as long as the clip is on the
same side as the clip on your motherboard plug.  Youll have two
leftover pin holes.

The debates are kind of comical. At one site the more seasoned posters
swear its insane to not use the adaptor and you arent supposed to do
it the halfass way and leave two pins open. Another says its insane to
use the adaptor and NOT to use it.

And another says its insane to do both you have to buy a new PS cause
thats what its designed for.

I looked it up and ANTEC at least for their PSes says its OK to plug
it all the way to the right or whatever and leave two pins open. The
main thing is your PS decent enough for the new systems. A cheapo old
generic PS may not cut it.

Show quote Hide quote dont spose you can comment on "hiper" PSs

i been looking at the prices of all PSs and hiper (i'v heard of them before,
so figured they musnt be as bad as Q-Tec or some other cheapo lame as
manufacturer)

anyhow the prices of some PSUs is mental!!

some head into triple figures, I know its important to have a decent PSbut
come on!

a £35 hiper 425w should be ok for all these new PCI-E systems shouldnt it?

or am i gonna have to take the 480W Thermaltake out of my old skt A system
and plonk it in the new system and use the hiper in the older system? just
dont wanna end up spending money and then needing to return stuff because it
isnt spot on

cheers for the advice though about the pins, one to bear in mind later, i
will probably end up leaving two pins open... see what happens there lol

On Sun, 20 Feb 2005 18:13:46 -0000, "Christo"
<chris@juststuffnospam.co.uk> wrote:

Ive never heard of hiper PSes. Dont have a clue.

What was it Directron that had that weight test.
They claimed a crude way of telling if a PS was decent or not was how
much it weighed. If it was super light (excluding some expensive one
made of super duper light alloy or something ) then it correlated with
crappy PS according to them and I noticed the cheaper ones I bought
were lighter and the Antecs were generally heavier.

Obviously if you see a 600 watt super duper PS for $15 its probably
not that great. 

Others who post here have lists of decent PSes to buy. Its hard to say
cause the US has the regular places - Newegg , ZZF and Mwave and maybe
Monarch that are really popular and have certain cheaper units that
are OK but that may differ completely with Canada or the UK or
especially New Zealand or Australia and Europe.

Show quote Hide quote yeap hiper PS's are pretty heavy, more so than the crappy pre installed ones
in cheap cases, thanks to one of those i lost a motherboard a while back,
darn crap!

On Sun, 20 Feb 2005 18:13:46 -0000, "Christo"
<chris@juststuffnospam.co.uk> wrote:


When evaluating an unknown PSU, you can either:

-  Bench test it, not in a system but with varying load and
a scope

-  Trace back it's origins, who made it and how it differs
from other products by same manufacturer

-  Take it apart and assess the design yourself, but it is
not really a substitute for testing


I"ve heard of Deer before but that doesn't speak  well for
them. 

"Come on" what?  There is a vast difference in junk and good
PSU.  Your motherboard or CPU doesn't cost $30, why should
the PSU?  "Most" do not need a $100+ PSU because they don't
have such high current demands, but that's not an argument
to buy cheap either, rather seeking cost reduction though
lower wattage output rather than cutting-corners.
Realistically there is always some significant tradeoff on a
400W+ PSU "normally" costing < $60.  If it's stylized with
fancy grills and  shealths, etc, too, then tack on another
$15... not that it really costs that much to beautify them,
but it is a smaller niche market and lower volume means
higher prices.


Impossible question to answer.
Determine true output capability of the unit, whether it has
necessary safety features, then compare to specific systems'
needs.  "PCI-E" really has nothing to do with it, a PCI-E
system varies in power usage based on components, as any
other would.  The one key thing might be that, being newer
tech, it's most likely using more 12V power due to CPU  VRM
circuit suppiled from that rail, BUT certainly several older
designs did too.

If the hiper is unsuitable, is it even fit for the "old skt
A system"?  I suggest leaving the working system, working as
a whole.  Determine if the new mystery PSU is  really
decent.  If so, use it.  If not, buy something better.
Maybe it's junk but that's not necessarily an argument that
you MUST speed in excess of $100, merely that you needed
better (that it is).

You probably don't need 530W, but a Sparkle/Fortron 530W is
about the best bang for the buck out there, given a web
search for best prices

solving a custom build computer problem
detecting Processor
Performance gain with Windows XP x64?
Help!!!
Dynamic vs Basic
Shuttle SB51G repeately crashes and will not post until tilting the box
SCSI confusion
older pc & newer card...
Buzzing Noise From TFT
whats a bloody sone?