PSU +5v Question (also, choose/find me a good psu (price/performance))

[AkumaX]

there's a Powmax 400w PSU for $15, and the +5v is 30A
there's also a L&C 350w PSU for $20, and the +5v is 35A

edit: i think i need more power (my generic 350w just died)
how about this Achieve 500w dual fan PSU for $30, and the +5v is 50A

which one would you get?

 

[lenjack]

Don't know between those two, but for sure, I wouln't by any ps beow $50.

 

[Hazer]

Here

The L&C 350 has proven to be a good PSU. It is simple and well designed. The components used are highly rated.

But on the other hand, its simple design also has some drawbacks. Theres only one fan, which is all it needs. But some case modders would turn their noses at just that alone. Also, if the cooling in your case is not well thought out, then you could be in trouble. Its one fan does a good job at keeping itself cool, but if its drawing in too much heat from the ambience in your case, it might have problems. Also, theres not in the way of redundancy or safeguards like some enermax/antec PSU.

If you have a modest PC, well worth it. If you casemod like crazy with leds, tons of fans, and CCFL, or overclock with voltage changes, or have RAID, then you dont want to trust that much power on these PSUs.

 

[AkumaX]

oh yeah, im not using a case

and is there a pots in the l&c or powmax to adjust the 5v rail?

 

[Jhhnn]

L&C is a Deer brandname, so I'd stay away. Either one is way too cheap to really be very good.

There's absolutely no truth in advertising for cheap psu's- zero, zip, zilch, nada, nothing. They get away with it because even heavily loaded systems seldom draw over 150w, other than momentarily at bootup.

Buy a 300w Sparkle from Newegg- $27 plus shipping, well worth it. Or splurge and get a 350w Sparkle or Compucase/Heroichi. These three were the big winners in a recent comparison at tomshardware, rightfully so. In that comparison, the sparkles were rebadged models with quieter fans, still winners.

Cheap power supplies are the leading cause of instability and related hardware failure, imho, and the notion that more power is better just a marketing slogan....

 

[AkumaX]

haha, my 350w generic just burnt out on me, oh wells

goes to show you cant o/c your 2100+ and 8rda combo to 2500mhz at 2.1vcore when the +5v rail's at 4.4v

 

[Stasis]

Antec 430W True Power. Rock solid voltages plus very quiet. I have three of 'em.