PC Power Supply source?

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What are some good computer part stores that carry a wide range of power supplies?

I'm considering this mini-desktop from HP. It comes with a 230W power supply. I want to get a 300W PS for it because I'll be adding a dedicated video card. I found a couple on newegg.com, but how can I be 100% sure that they'll fit? For example, this one:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817104044

I believe what I need is a microATX power supply, but I don't see the actual dimensions there. Are they all standardized size?
 
No. They're all around 2.5 x 4 x 5, but I've seen thinner.

Really, you'll probably have to get measurements of the actual size in the HP. From there, it shouldn't be hard to find what you want. I probably wouldn't order a supply before I had the computer.
 
Be careful. PC mfgr's sometimes use non-standard connectors or non-standard pinouts.

Dell was notorious for making their motherboards with ATX connectors but a totally different pinout. If you hooked up a regular ATX power supply to it, you'd fry the motherboard.
 
This is the company I use to buy odd size power supplies for machines that I service.

They even carry the ones for odd-power pinout connectors for Dell etc. as mentioned above.

http://www.power-on.com/

Their customer service is top-notch when I had questions!
 
Nice site...
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Pete - I just picked up a used HP myself and it only has a 250w PSU. Even an inexpensive Nvidia PCIe x16 video card "requires" a 300w PSU.

I verified with HP's tech support that it was a standard ATX PSU so whenever I have the itch to upgrade, I know what I need to buy.

FWIW, I'd get a higher wattage PSU than 300w if you're going to be upgrading it. There's really no price difference until you get over 500w~600w.
 
How does it work with the PS ratings? Just because it's rated at say 400W doesn't mean it actually draws this much power constantly, right? It's more of a maximum power draw that it can handle?
 
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
How does it work with the PS ratings? Just because it's rated at say 400W doesn't mean it actually draws this much power constantly, right? It's more of a maximum power draw that it can handle?


Correct.
 
That's correct.

I recently Googled some info regarding power supplies and ran across a PSU test a few years old. In the test, they state that there is a MAX Power rating (which is what the PSU is advertised for) and then there is the CONSTANT power rating.

This is why one should buy a name brand like Antec, PC Power & Cooling, Corsair, etc., and buy more PSU than what you need right now.

Take a look at this thread:

http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=589708


Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
How does it work with the PS ratings? Just because it's rated at say 400W doesn't mean it actually draws this much power constantly, right? It's more of a maximum power draw that it can handle?
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: AlanRebod
Be careful. PC mfgr's sometimes use non-standard connectors or non-standard pinouts.

Dell was notorious for making their motherboards with ATX connectors but a totally different pinout. If you hooked up a regular ATX power supply to it, you'd fry the motherboard.


That was at least 5 years ago. The current DELL are standard ATX connector.
 
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
How does it work with the PS ratings? Just because it's rated at say 400W doesn't mean it actually draws this much power constantly, right? It's more of a maximum power draw that it can handle?


Very true, it is more important to see what current output limit for the voltage you need, and see if yours is sufficient. Having 10A on 12V for a 250W is probably not going to be much different than having 10A on 12V for a 400W, if the system is limited by the 12V current.
 
Anyone ever measured their PC with a Kill-A-Watt meter to see how much power it really takes? I see around 80W with the CPU idle on most, and around 150W with it running Folding @ Home.

Most power supplies are around 70 to 80% efficient, by the way.
 
My biggest issue with a desktop PS is that a lot of them can be noisy. This PC is going to be sitting in a TV stand, under the TV, so I don't want the hum to detract from the movie watching experience. I am still contemplating whether to just buy a notebook instead... it'll be a bit more expensive, but will most likely be quieter, smaller, and consume less power (it'll be always on). On top of that, I get a laptop out of it, just in case I ever need a spare one. It'd have an Intel 4500MHD video chipset with HDMI out.
 
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
My biggest issue with a desktop PS is that a lot of them can be noisy. This PC is going to be sitting in a TV stand, under the TV, so I don't want the hum to detract from the movie watching experience. I am still contemplating whether to just buy a notebook instead... it'll be a bit more expensive, but will most likely be quieter, smaller, and consume less power (it'll be always on). On top of that, I get a laptop out of it, just in case I ever need a spare one. It'd have an Intel 4500MHD video chipset with HDMI out.


There are a lot of silent components (mainly adjustable or silent fans) you can use to build an HTPC, and in the worst case, a couple wire crimps that switches fan voltages from 12V to 5V can work wonder.

The difference between a Delta Black Label and a Vantec Stealth is huge, to a point that you can hear your laptop's power supply more than your other components.
 
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