YAPST: Is 200W enough for this rig?

Electrode

Diamond Member
May 4, 2001
6,063
2
81
Mobo: Chaintech 7NIF2
CPU: AMD Athlon XP 2500+ (Barton)
RAM: 768MB PC2100
Storage: Western Digital 40GB 7200RPM hard drive, Lite-on 16X DVD-ROM
Fans: Two 60mm exhaust, 80mm intake, 80mm on CPU
Cards: Leadtek WinFast TV2000XP Deluxe w/ remote
PSU: Off-brand 200W MicroATX

I've been running this setup for the past 3 months. I have noticed that the system often locks up for no apparent reason, usually when capturing video, but sometimes just out of the blue. I think it's being cooled well enough (Thermalright SLK800U w/ 80mm Panaflo on the CPU, exhaust fan in the back of the cabinet it's set up in), and the RAM survives memtest86, so that leaves me with the PSU. Is a lack of power to blame? If so, what would be my best bet for a replacement? There isn't really much to choose from as far as MicroATX PSU's go...
 
Jan 31, 2002
40,819
2
0
It might be because it's an offbrand. 200W rated, yes - but what can it hold on 3.3/5 combined? That's a fair bit of components for GhettoTech outputs.

- M4H
 
Jan 31, 2002
40,819
2
0
Originally posted by: Electrode
Alright, what do you recommend I get?

Enermax or Enhance make good mATX PSUs - so does the case OEM usually. (IBM case, IBM PSU.)

Pics of the case this is going in?

- M4H
 

Electrode

Diamond Member
May 4, 2001
6,063
2
81
Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire

Pics of the case this is going in?

It's an Athenatech A100SC.200. This stock pic looks just like it, except mine is set up horizontally. I'll take a pic of the setup later. For now, here's an old pic I took while doing some last-minute tweaking. Since I took this pic,the sound card has been removed and the TV card and hard drive have been replaced.

As for PSUs, I just ordered a Fortron FSP200-50SNV. It's 200W and newegg has it for $25.
 

ams30gts

Golden Member
May 20, 2001
1,694
0
0
dunno if 200w would be enough. especially if its generic. ive tried my share of cheap PSUs and hate them. after getting my antec, theres no turning back now
 

WalkingDead

Golden Member
Jul 28, 2000
1,103
0
76
you're fine w/ 200W for microATX. Most of the people here don't know that mATX use way less power than full ATX. As for a good brand of mATX PS, Seasonic is the one to get. It's very quiet and I had been using it one a full ATX board. That's right a 200w microATX power supply on a full ATX board.
 

Walay

Senior member
Apr 25, 2001
705
0
76
errr...actually altough 200 watt might be enough, but since it is a no brand p/s, they r usually rated higher and since they don't use good components, the voltage is also not stable at high output.

it might work, but u better get a better one just to be safe, because u are pushing a no brand powersupply at/more then its limit, and is cheaper to buy a power supply then haveing the risk of it breaking ur whole comp.
 

WobbleWobble

Diamond Member
Jun 29, 2001
4,867
1
0
mATX cases usually come with very low 180-230W PSUs because you can't really fit more than 1 HDD and 1 optical drive.

I've had great success with Inwin 180W PSUs that come with their mATX cases on both AMD and Intel machines.