Best Inexpensive ATX Power Supply?

[jamesbo]

Re: Best Inexpensive ATX Power Supply?

It was discontinued last year. The link you have is old, the retailer has it for $49.99 right now. There were some really great prices just before it came off the market.

[KenOlson]

Re: Best Inexpensive ATX Power Supply?

Everyone,

Since first posting have taken your advice and have been reading recommended PSU reviews.

Now I have a much better idea of what PSUs to watch for sale prices.

Am now checking prices. The nice thing about the Internet is the ability to find out what previous sale prices have been for each PSU of interest.

Was very surprised to find the Antec HCG-400 PSU - $9.95 After MIR
http://www.overclock.net/t/1258175/a...r-limited-time

Ken

[KenOlson]

Re: Best Inexpensive ATX Power Supply?

Just found the type of PSU comparison have been looking for at
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/...onze,3568.html
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/...onze,3587.html

Any comments concerning these tests and results.

Thanks again for the help!

Ken

[KenOlson]

Re: Best Inexpensive ATX Power Supply?

Everyone,

Thanks for your comments, I have a much better idea of which reviews to study.

Since I have limited funds for this, and it is not an emergency purchase would like to buy the Power Supply on Sale.

Searched the forum using keywords sale, clearance but found nothing concerning seasonal sales or clearance sales of Power Supplies in General.

Did not want to confuse anyone so posted this as a separate forum question at
https://www.badcaps.net/forum/showth...336#post368336

Hope you will share any knowledge of Power Supply Sales.

Thanks

Ken

[Pentium4]

Re: Best Inexpensive ATX Power Supply?

^ A lot use Su'scon too, and in my opinion OST are a few tiers above Su'scon. But yes they seem to last a while since Seasonic designs a very nice PSU

[shovenose]

Re: Best Inexpensive ATX Power Supply?

shovenose,

Thanks for the "SeaSonic SS-300ET Bronze 300W" tip and mention that there are two versions (80mm fan on end and one has 120mm fan on the bottom).

The only reviews I have found so far
http://www.silentpcreview.com/article286-page1.html
http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php...Story&reid=190

Only bad thing I have found about it is "The Bad:secondary side capacitors are questionable quality" http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php...tory5&reid=190

Ken

Seasonic has often used mediocre caps like OST in their lower-end power supplies but since they run cool and are well designed it's not a problem. I had a 380W PSU from many years ago with lots of houors on it from various computers running in my hot AMD FX 6-core HTPC and the only issue was coil whine - caps have been fine the entire time. Finally swapped it out for a 500W Antec since I got it for free and because the coil whine was annoying when I was watching a movie. Also had an old Seasonic "Tornado" 300W and that one lived in my bedside PC for many years without issues (and I got it used with lots of dust and hours).

Short version: don't worry about it.

[ratdude747]

Re: Best Inexpensive ATX Power Supply?

It runs... It was parted out due to a part shortage and the opticals dying.

Pay shipping and it's yours... Still has an XP Pro COA even. PM me for details.

[KenOlson]

Re: Best Inexpensive ATX Power Supply?

shovenose,

Thanks for the "SeaSonic SS-300ET Bronze 300W" tip and mention that there are two versions (80mm fan on end and one has 120mm fan on the bottom).

The only reviews I have found so far
http://www.silentpcreview.com/article286-page1.html
http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php...Story&reid=190

Only bad thing I have found about it is "The Bad:secondary side capacitors are questionable quality" http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php...tory5&reid=190

Ken

[KenOlson]

Re: Best Inexpensive ATX Power Supply?

ratdude747,

"Where do you live?" Rural Upstate New York.

"I may have a good one in my junk pile...I actually have a half-parted 2400 in my basement... I think it still has the PSU; it came with a 200W Newton/Delta as stock (I've seen them with 200W hipro's too). Since they lack AGP, unless you're burning discs all the time, 200W is fair. If you are burning a lot, 250W."

Question: Was your "half-parted 2400" fully working when you got it? If not what died? Thanks.

Am asking because the previous owner somehow managed to blow the PSU which is why I am looking for an inexpensive "Very Rugged PSU".

Ken

[shovenose]

Re: Best Inexpensive ATX Power Supply?

I meant a lot... not once in a while. Like a photographer always making photo CD's for clients or the like.. or maybe burning a lot of DVD's.

Yeah, a 200W might "work" but I tend to overkill my PSU wattages when possible by a bit, just to be safe (and to keep things running cool).

And that's how PSU companies make money. Especially crappy ones. Because the people that buy a $15 "680W" PSU then never load it past 150-200W which it can handle for a couple years until the caps go will think it's a great quality product then they'll tell their friends it's cheap but good and if one in a hundred people put it under too much load and it goes BANG and takes their new GPU and motherboard with it and corrupts their hard drive "oh, it's not the PSU's fault, just a power surge" or something...

I ran a GTX295 on an old 200W Dell PSU as a test and it did work until I ran Prime95 and Furmark at the same time then it shut off. Under normal load it would probably work for quite a while. Had it been a 250W it probably would have worked more permanently.

[ratdude747]

Re: Best Inexpensive ATX Power Supply?

burning discs? LOL. Really a 200W can handle anything in those computers as long as you're not trying to run a high end (well, AGP high end LOL) video card.

I meant a lot... not once in a while. Like a photographer always making photo CD's for clients or the like.. or maybe burning a lot of DVD's.

Yeah, a 200W might "work" but I tend to overkill my PSU wattages when possible by a bit, just to be safe (and to keep things running cool).

[shovenose]

Re: Best Inexpensive ATX Power Supply?

To the OP:

Where do you live? Country? If US,State? If you're in the US, I may have a good one in my junk pile...

The dell 2400 uses a standard ATX PSU. The oddball ones were PIII and older... and usually in white cases. The cutout is standard too.

I actually have a half-parted 2400 in my basement... I think it still has the PSU; it came with a 200W Newton/Delta as stock (I've seen them with 200W hipro's too). Since they lack AGP, unless you're burning discs all the time, 200W is fair. If you are burning a lot, 250W.

burning discs? LOL. Really a 200W can handle anything in those computers as long as you're not trying to run a high end (well, AGP high end LOL) video card.

All these gamers that are the same people that recommend Corsair PSUs (which have abnormally high failure rates over and over again even though they are theoretically well built units) also say that even the most basic computer needs a 600W PSU.

Fact: Seasonic G-360W is fine for almost any PC that has a single graphics card that needs the single 6-Pin PCI-Express connect.
Fact #2: Seasonic Seasonic SS-300ET is fine for almost any PC that has a video card without its own power connector.

No need to overspend on crap!
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817151086
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817151085

[luke10050]

Re: Best Inexpensive ATX Power Supply?

yeah i was going to say my 2400 came with a 250W Hipro that still runs fine near its rated wattage.

[ratdude747]

Re: Best Inexpensive ATX Power Supply?

To the OP:

Where do you live? Country? If US,State? If you're in the US, I may have a good one in my junk pile...

The dell 2400 uses a standard ATX PSU. The oddball ones were PIII and older... and usually in white cases. The cutout is standard too.

I actually have a half-parted 2400 in my basement... I think it still has the PSU; it came with a 200W Newton/Delta as stock (I've seen them with 200W hipro's too). Since they lack AGP, unless you're burning discs all the time, 200W is fair. If you are burning a lot, 250W.

[shovenose]

Re: Best Inexpensive ATX Power Supply?

I own and have used that Seasonic G 360w great power supply but search New egg they have a 300w Seasonic ATX with 80+ Bronze. Two versions one has 80mm fan on end and one has 120mm fan on the bottom.

[KenOlson]

Re: Best Inexpensive ATX Power Supply?

mariushm,

Thanks for the Review tips.

"Seasonic in general makes quality power supplies." Agree all the reviews I have read to date indicate this.

"You have to keep in mind though, that like most fanless power supplies, they're only designed to take care of their own heat issues." I wonder how the fanless life span will compare with the fan ones?

Would like to get a fan PSU. Believe the smallest Seasonic fan model is "G Series 360" http://www.seasonicusa.com/G-series-360.htm

It got an excellent review from http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php...Story&reid=313

Has anyone seen it or the other Seasonic PSUs on Sale?

Ken

[mariushm]

Re: Best Inexpensive ATX Power Supply?

Silent PC Review focuses more on how silent the power supplies are, on their noise profile etc. They're not a good source to get an impression of the quality of the electronics.

If you want to learn about the insides, i'd suggest starting with jonnyguru.com , techpowerup.com hardwaresecrets.com ... I know those have good reviews. I couldn't recommend other sites with quality reviews but I'm sure there's many.

Seasonic in general makes quality power supplies. I'm sure that 300w one is a good power supply.

You have to keep in mind though, that like most fanless power supplies, they're only designed to take care of their own heat issues. The system still needs some fans to move the air heated up by the video card, by the processor, by the hard drives etc.

[KenOlson]

Re: Best Inexpensive ATX Power Supply?

Thanks everyone!

Should have added to my post that I am not handy with a soldering iron and would rather buy a New PSU with Good Caps.

Since posting have been searching and found
http://www.silentpcreview.com/Recommended_PSUs

Does anyone have comments concerning the SPCR EDITOR'S CHOICE POWER SUPPLIES recommended.

I wonder how well a Fanless PSU like the Seasonic SS-300SFD 80 Plus would work?

Thanks again everyone for your help!!!

Ken

[c_hegge]

Re: Best Inexpensive ATX Power Supply?

Well at work,we come across a lot of those units they almost always work fine with low failure rate. Sure, they might have one bad cap in there but the customers computers work so no point in checking

Every computer that comes my way gets its PSU opened and inspected (unless it's one which I know is unlikely to have bad caps), regardless of how well it seems to work. Customers generally appreciate some warning and a pre-emptive replacement, rather than just have the high ripple kill the motherboard.

[shovenose]

Re: Best Inexpensive ATX Power Supply?

So if you see a bad cap in the customers PSU you don't replace it?!

Not what I said :P