How important is a good PSU?

[slash196]

I know a good PSU is essential to good system health, but do I need to drop the extra cash to replace the PSU that comes with my case if I'm not overclocking? This is the PSU that comes with my case (the Aspire X-Navigator), and while Aspire isn't known for their power supplies, is there any problem with it that I should know? Appearantly it delivers 12V a little low, but within 5% or so. Will that matter? I just don''t want to kill my shiny components.

 

[Ricemarine]

I heard that aspire cases don't actually come with aspire PSU's, they come with tree tops or something...

 

[Operandi]

Aspire PSU's are cheap crap, just like their cases.

 

[blodhi74]

Originally posted by: slash196
I know a good PSU is essential to good system health, but do I need to drop the extra cash to replace the PSU that comes with my case if I'm not overclocking? This is the PSU that comes with my case (the Aspire X-Navigator), and while Aspire isn't known for their power supplies, is there any problem with it that I should know? Appearantly it delivers 12V a little low, but within 5% or so. Will that matter? I just don''t want to kill my shiny components.

what is the case that UR getting??

 

[Slugbait]

Cool-looking PSU, much nicer and more powerful than what came with my Aspire X-Infinity. However, I never hooked the supplied PSU up to my mobo, I ripped it right out and pushed in my trusty old Enermax.

But the Aspire case I got had two dead LEDs, and another died two weeks ago. I wrote a review for the case when I first got it, then realized newegg didn't publish it. So after the recent LED death, I wrote another review, with a lower score...I didn't say anything nasty, but I also didn't praise the fast shipping and great service from newegg, so maybe that's why I didn't get my review published again.

Anyway, considering it pushes 500W, you should be OK for a system that you will not overclock, and one which you will not impede airflow. It should especially be OK for an AMD system. But if you're looking for rock-solid stability, consider looking at an Enermax or Antec.

 

[Chronoshock]

Just assume that it has 3/4 (I made up that number, but just less in general) of the rated wattage and don't push it too hard (ie if you're getting a 6800 ultra, of course if you were getting one I doubt you'd be getting an aspire case and psu).

 

[0roo0roo]

http://www.silentpcreview.com/article28-page1.html

 

[jonnyGURU]

Originally posted by: Chronoshock
Just assume that it has 3/4 (I made up that number, but just less in general) of the rated wattage and don't push it too hard (ie if you're getting a 6800 ultra, of course if you were getting one I doubt you'd be getting an aspire case and psu).

3/4? Heck. I go with 1/2 if you're talking about a cheap power supply, being that they're rated at 20C.

Insufficient power can cause the most sporadic problems in a PC. Memory related. CPU related. It's the one item I don't like to cheap out on simply because the problems caused by them are the hardest to troubleshoot.

 

[0roo0roo]

lol yea 20c @ 240v and whatever else bogusness they can shove in

 

[dnoyeb]

If it aint broke, don't fix it. Monitor the system for instability. If there is a PSU issue the system will likely reset occasionally under heavy load
after a while. Also if you seem to get poor drive performance.