PSU upgrade

[dannylu88]

Hi guys i have a dell dimension 8400.... and i was thinking of upgrading the power supply because the default 350 isnt cutting it ....


i was wondering what type of powersupply can i get and are all powersupply sizes standard because i never upgraded before??


Thanks


i was looking at the antec truepower 2.0....


Thanks

 

[Bobthelost]

How is it not cutting it?

Powersupply sizes are mostly standardised, some dells use special shapes and power connections, i've no idea about your particular one. It might be that you can only use a dell branded one.

The TPII is ok, but not good, nor is it really good value.

 

[dBTelos]

Please, tell how it is not 'cutting it'.

 

[dannylu88]

well i have like 7 hard drives.... a fan running, audigy sound card, x800xt vid card.... its not cutting it because, from time to time the hard drive would not even show up on my windows explorer, and when i try to transfer files it freezes

 

[dBTelos]

Alright then. I wouldn't consider the TPII, too many potential problems. 460W Enhance ENP, 460W Sytrin Nextherm, and the 500W Silverstone Element are all good choises.

 

[SunSamurai]

With seven hard drives, why are you buying a namebrand system? With seven hard drives, WHY DO YOU HAVE SEVEN? Jesus man. Invest in a single large drive to replace at least half of them, not a PSU. Faster. More stable. Less chance of corruption ect ect. PSU upgrades are for people that build their own system. Think before you act.

 

[dBTelos]

Originally posted by: aeternitas
With seven hard drives, why are you buying a namebrand system? With seven hard drives, WHY DO YOU HAVE SEVEN? Jesus man. Invest in a single large drive to replace at least half of them, not a PSU. Faster. More stable. Less chance of corruption ect ect. PSU upgrades are for people that build their own system. Think before you act.

So your telling him to spend hunderads of dollers to replace 7 HDDs, when he could just get a new PSU for, say, $70? You really arn't making any sence.

 

[Mattd46612]

Because of how dells are he may spend hundreds on a Dell psu anyway. Contact Dell and see what will and wont work. Cant go wrong with Enhance power supplys or the 600w OCZ Gamexstream is great also.

 

[taltamir]

How big are your harddrives... if the combined size of 3 or more of your smallest drives is less then 200GB or even 300GB you are better off buying a new, bigger drive to replace them (would be much cheaper then a PSU that can handle 7 drives... and better idea overall for myrid reasons)... If they are all big HDD to begin with (over 300GB each) then his question holds, why are you buying a dell instead of building your own, if you don't feel confident enough to build your own then you should have someone you trust who knows the stuff do it for you... (and then he wouldn't need to ask for this advice).

With 7 HDD there is a VERY good chance that its not your PSU that aint cutting it, but rather that they overheat like crazy. How did you even MANAGE to put 7 HDD into one case? Heck with that many drives you should probably be using a special case that allows you to put TWO PSUs in the case, and then use two 500W HIGH QUALITY PSUs... that is... expect it to cost hundreds of dollars... Unless you replace small drives with single, larger drives.

 

[dannylu88]

500,500,320,300,250, 120,160 which is the c drive