Cheap Build - advice needed on PSU

[zaphox]

I need to build a cheap PC that won't be doing anything intensive like gaming. Here's what I've got so far:


AMD Athlon X2 4400+, AM2, Windsor Core, Dual Core, 2.3GHz, 2x 512KB Cache, OEM £34.01

Gigabyte GA-M61PME-S2, NF6100, S AM2/AM2+, PCI-E (x16), DDR2 667/ 800, SATA RAID, Micro ATX £40.14

4GB Corsair (2x2GB) TwinX XMS2, DDR2 PC2-6400 (800), 240 Pins, Non-ECC Unbuffered, CAS 5-5-5-18 £37.54

250 GB Western Digital WD2500AAKS Caviar SE16, SATA 3Gb/s, 7200 rpm, 16MB Cache, 9 ms £38.38

Total so far: £158.09

I have a couple of queries:

The MOBO has onboard graphics, which I imagine should be ok, or does Vista actually require a graphics card? It will most likely be 32 bit Vista Home.

I was hoping to spend no more than £50 on a PSU, but the 2 brands I trust; Corsair and Enermax, are both more in the £70 range. (have PSU prices significantly gone up in the last year or something?!). I definitely want a quality PSU, so are there other brands/models have proved to be trust worthy for the last 5 years or so? Or am I best to stick with Corsair/Enermax and pay the asking price?

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

For a low powered build I would go for either of the following two PSUs:

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/350W-...ATA-80plus-Eff

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/400w-...2V-6Serial-ATA

Silverpower PSUs are made by Tagan. It has got a good review:

http://techreport.com/articles.x/16073/11

It is also 80 Plus certified too!!

Also do you have a heatsink for the CPU?? OEM CPUs do not come with a heatsink.

The onboard graphics should be fine for Vista.

However if this motherboard comes back into stock it will be a better choice IMHO as it has faster graphics:

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/JandW...Board-Graphics

[Nobull]

I would go with this Hiper 425W at just £28!! Very trusted and respected brand with good efficiency. Obviously not as good as the high end type-r models but should be more than enough for your rig and cheaper than the others suggested

[Maccer101]

Mobo wise think I'd go for a 740g board rather than a nvidia 6100, better onboard GFX, and lower power consumption.

Not sure if the Hiper has any overvolt protection, I have a second Hand Antec Earthwatts 430w and its pretty efficient and quiet, maybe the Antec Basiq could be a good choice?

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/114928

failing that just check the Scan daily deals as they often put an OK PSU on deal.

[UseItNow]

zaphox, you're right the Enermax PSU's have gone up in price, was quite surprised at by how much!

[Singh400]

The MOBO has onboard graphics, which I imagine should be ok, or does Vista actually require a graphics card? It will most likely be 32 bit Vista Home.

Vista will be fine with on board graphics.

I was hoping to spend no more than £50 on a PSU, but the 2 brands I trust; Corsair and Enermax, are both more in the £70 range. (have PSU prices significantly gone up in the last year or something?!). I definitely want a quality PSU, so are there other brands/models have proved to be trust worthy for the last 5 years or so? Or am I best to stick with Corsair/Enermax and pay the asking price?

You can get the Corsair CX 400W for £40 from Scan. I've got one of those in my home server and it's rock solid.

[zaphox]

Thanks for all the feedback.

I think I will go for either the Corsair CX 400W (Not sure how I missed that one in my search!) or the SilverPower sp-ss400w.

I will probably stick with that MoBo as it has an external Serial Port which is required.

Cat: Yeah, I will of course need a Heatsink & fan for the CPU - cheers.

[Thorsson]

Silverpower PSUs are made by Tagan.

Tagan don't make PSUs. Their PSUs are made by OEMs, mainly TwoPower IIRC.

I would go with this Hiper 425W at just £28!! Very trusted and respected brand with good efficiency. Obviously not as good as the high end type-r models but should be more than enough for your rig and cheaper than the others suggested

Hiper Type-R's actually have a very dodgy reputation. Many of us here have had them, and had them die (or worse). So getting an even cheaper Hiper cannot be recommended.

[Nobull]

Oh, my apologies. Over at buildyourown PC forums, the respected members and experienced system builders very often reccommend Hiper for PSUs and hold the brand in high regard. I admitedly am not an experienced system builder, only built about 6 machines. My rig has a Hiper Type-R n touch wood hasnt had any problems.

[Webby]

Hiper originally had very good PSUs then the quality dropped off, they are now again back up their with decent quality PSUs the problem is a lot of people have had a bad experiance and it takes a while for that stigma to pass over, much easier to gain a bad reputation than it is to re-build a good one.

I personally do not recommend them as I have not used them and the Corsair (and indirectly Seasonic) and Enermax units I have used have been top notch so they get my vote generally.

[Thorsson]

You may well be right, but a £28 PSU ain't gonna be no good, nohow...

To put a little meat on that - they can't afford to put in decent capacitors, for example, at that price.

[Webby]

Oh I wasn't referring to a particular PSU just the brand in general.

[Thorsson]

I don't want to flog a dead horse here, but the closeout point on Hiper is that they don't make their own PSUs and that they have a patchy record on those that they sell. You could be lucky, but I'd rather invest in a certainty, like Seasonic, for a few £s more.