380 watt vs 430 watt computer PSU

[rookie1010]

Hi
I was wondering what the difference between 380 watt and 430 watt PSUs is. what i mean is what added benefit does a 430 watt give me.

i am a home user, but intend to use my pc for development in the future. would 380 watt suffice or should i go for a 430 watt PSU?

 

[ohGrFreak]

what components do you plan on using, and what kind of development? i am a home user, but my comp is a gaming machine and the 420 PSU, even though it works and has never failed, is cutting it close. the added benifit of a bigger PSU is the fact that it will give you more power when you need it, if you don't have enough power, your comp will restart or you might get the BSOD. also remember, there is no such thing as "too much" power when talking abou PSU's, the computer will only take as much power as it needs. On the other hand, there is such thing as "too little" power.

Post some specs or go into detail a little more of what you want in your comp and what you want it to do.

 

[rookie1010]

i am looking for a good computer case, the antec 1080 with its 430 watt supply interested me, but it seems to be unavailable at the moment.

i use my machine for development as well as for gaming every now and then. i have got a nvidia 5700 video card and plan to install an audigy 2zs

the sonata is at 380 watts, i am not sure if it is underpowered

i was interested in the xaser V but i am not sure what power supply should i hook up

 

[Smauler]

I recently bought a 500 watt PSU for next to no money (£11, less than $20). They're not as good, cheap ones, obviously, but I've only had one PSU die on me, and that why I've got my new one . Cheap PSUs are a lot less likely to actually deliver their quoted wattage though, so I seriously doubt mine is actually a 500w PSU... it's not being pushed anywhere near that anyway, I just got it because it was cheap.

Back to your question.... 380watts should be fine to power your GFX (the 5700 isn't too power hungry IIRC), and almost certainly everything else, you don't say anything about the rest of your setup though.

 

[ohGrFreak]

yeah, with a 5700, i dont see you needing more than a 380 PSU. unless you have like a power hungry proc, more than two harddrives, bunch of fans, and a bunch of add on cards, which you say you only have a soundcard besides the 5700, you'll be fine with the 380.

 

[rookie1010]

i will be having an extra hard drive and will be having the audigy 2zs, and i am looking at a xaser V or an antec 1080(it says it is a SOHO file server),
i am looking at either 2 120mm fans for colloing or 6 80mm fans

what do you think by power requirements are gonna be?

 

[lokivn]

while we're doing power estimates:

Gigabyte 7nf-rz Socket A
Athlon XP 2200+
7200 RPM 80 gig Maxtor HD
40 gig WD HD
Radeon 9600 pro
2 back case fans
1 front fan
CD-R and DVD drives

i'm wondering if 300w could power this, or 350w.

 

[rookie1010]

yes, i think the question is how do you calculate the power requirement for your system.