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Power Supply Reviews

Computer Power Supply Problems: How to Troubleshoot?

Use power supply reviews to select your power unit (for example, an Antec power supply). Computer manufacturers upgrade, change and launch their products on a regular basis so those listed below will likely be replaced and updated from time to time. If you face computer power supply problems once installed, run a computer power supply test to troubleshoot the issue.

A good computer power supply should last for the life of your computer: Mean Time Between Failures or MTBF is the rating that measure the lifespan of the power supply.

A quality supply unit will have a rating of 120,000 hours but it will be a more expensive unit (you really do get what you pay for in computer components).

Please note that the prices shown in these power supply reviews do not include rebates or discounts or other pricing programs, as they change frequently.


 

 

300W - 400W Power Supply - Home Office Computer

Antec EarthWatts EA-380D GREEN ATX12V & EPS12V Power Supply - Price Range: $54.99 - $64.99
If you are looking for a basic power supply, the Antec EA380D fits the bill. With a 24 pin main power connector, 6 pin PCI-E connector, 2 SATA and 6 peripheral connectors, it has everything you will need for a basic computer. If you are looking to replace an older power supply, this is a great choice. With an efficiency rating of over 80%, and an 80PLUS rating, there is not much wasted power. It runs cool and quiet, so you don't have to listen to it either. This is a great power supply for an always on system.

 

400W - 500W Power Supply - Home Office / Low End Gaming Computer

Thermaltake TR2 430W - Price Range: $39.99 - $49.99
The Thermaltake 430W TR2 has performed very well in power supply reviews. This power supply will handle some of the higher end power supplies. It does not quite produce the power for the top end graphics cards and is not setup for running SLI, but for mid to high range single cards will work great. You will get the basic 24 pin main power connection, 2 SATA, 9 peripheral, and a 6 pin PCI-E connector. The power efficiency isn't the greatest, but is in line with the price range. With dual cooling fans, you would expect a louder power supply, but it keeps pretty quiet, and keeps cool.

 

500W-600W Power Supply - Mid Range Gaming Computer

Seasonic S12 Energy Plus 550W Power Supply - Price Range: $104.99 - $114.99
The Seasonic S12 power supply is designed for computers that have a wide range of power needs. With 4 18A 12V rails, you can spread out your power needs. The Seasonic S12 has 6 SATA, 9 peripheral, and Dual 6 pin PCI-E connections. This power supply is 80PLUS certified, and runs with up to 88% efficiency, which means there is very little wasted power in this power supply. This power supply will easily power a mid to high range gaming computer. It is SLI and Crossfire certified, but isn't quite what is needed to run the top end cards in SLI. However, you could easily power dual 9600 GT's and have yourself a nice gaming rig.

 

600W - 800W Power Supply - High End Gaming Computer

PC Power & Cooling Silencer 750W Power Supplyicon - Price Range: $154.99 - $169.99
If you are looking for a power supply that will not cost you a fortune, check out the PC Power & Cooling 750W monster. This power supply does well in all power supply reviews, and features continuous power at 750W with a peak of 825W. There are four 6 pin PCI-E connections, so plugging in 2 high end graphics cards in SLI or Crossfire mode is a cinch. With 6 SATA, and 8 peripheral connections, you will have power for any component that you connect to your motherboard. This is all backed up with a 5 year warranty from a respected power supply company.

 

800W and Up - Enthusiast Level Computer

SILVERSTONE ST1000-P 1000W Power Supply - Price Range: $175.00 - $200.00
Let's face it - this much power is only going to be needed in an enthusiast's system. If you are running dual or quad top end graphics cards, a quad core processor and water cooling, then you may need this much power. The Silverstone Strider series has proven, time and again in multiple power supply reviews, that it will handle pretty much anything you can throw at it. With dual 8 pin and four 8/6 pin PCI-E connectors, you can easily run SLI for today's high end graphics cards. This power supply also gives you six SATA and six peripheral connections and it will handle all your peripheral and drive needs. This power supply has an 85% efficiency rating, which for a power supply putting out this much power is pretty good for under $200. It comes with a three year warranty.
Note - Power supplies this big are longer than smaller power supplies. So you need to ensure that you have a case large enough to fit this larger-sized power supply.

Whether you choose the Antec power supply for your home office computer, or a Thermaltake, Seasonic, PC Power or Silverstone power supply, make sure that you have enough power for your system (or you may encounter computer power supply problems). We recommend running a computer power supply test after installation of new computer components.

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Thanks for
Clear Guide

"Putting the parts together was relatively straightforward. The only snag we hit (my son & I) was getting the CPU fan aligned properly. We had 3 pins in, then noticed when we turned the board over that one wasn't through.

After struggling (carefully!) for 10 minutes, we loosened the other pins, aligned all the pins and we were away again.

The hardest part, I thought, was the wiring. And here your guide really shined.

Most of the other guides ignore it, or just say 'connect all the wires properly'. So thanks for the details (because the devil really is in those wiring details)."

Don, the Netherlands



 





 

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