Recommend me a replacement PSU for a NZXT case

[Rob94hawk]

My son and I get a kick out of this case: http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=11-146-003&depa=0

I have an X800XT on the way and a FX53 socket 939 and I was thinking of a 550 watt PSU either Enermax or Antec to replace the 400 watt PSU from the NZXT.

2 questions:
1. Do you have to dremel out a hole in the top of the case to fit the top fan of the PSU
2. Is the 550watt overkill?

Thanx

[Vertigo Acid]

1. It's a bottom fan ;)
2. Yes, 550w is probably over-kill. Can you give a better list of components that will be in there? I'm sure Ice Czar will pop-in with the PSU math calculator, and you can fill that out.

[Ice Czar]

I'm sure Ice Czar will pop-in with the PSU math
you must be Miss Cleo :p
http://takaman.jp/D/index.html?english

it aint the watts, its the distribution of the amps ;)
as Vertigo Acid will tell you

[Rob94hawk]

1. It's a bottom fan ;)
.
DOH! Well, you learn alot from these forums.

OK, here's the list of parts:
Abit Av8 mobo
FX-53 socket 939
1 Gig Ram (Corsair 3200XL?)
ATI X800XTPE (on the way)
36GB SATA Raptor
250GB WD SATA
DVD writer (havent picked that one yet)

[Falls Included]

the raptor and 250gig combo is nice... i donnt have the sata version though.. another raptor shall be had.

if it were me... i would get the true 480 atleast.. the 550 wont be overkill... think of it as futureproofing... the 6800U's use, what, 105 watt or something like that...

[Ice Czar]

I too would recommend the TruePower Line by Antec
because of its tighter voltage regulation
(transient response on the +5V,+12V and 3.3V outputs return to within 3% in less than 1ms for 20% load change)
and dedicated voltage rails
(+3.3v and +5v being seperate)

5% being the ATX standard for voltage regulation
but is a spec that is showing its age with the high frequencies
now so common with modern mobo FSB and memory
now the mobo itself has voltage regulation components
but they vary quite a bit in quality and number of components and scheme
best to feed them power that is as stable as possible

[miasman1]

I second the Antec choice. SPI makes good PSUs too.

[Rob94hawk]

How'bout this: http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=17-103-914&depa=0

[Ice Czar]

nice choice
your almost done now cross reference the total amps per rail listed in the calculator above for the components you have with the specs here
http://www.antec.com/specs/trueblue480_spe.html

basically only the +12V +3.3V and +5V are inportant and are as follows

Max. Load
+5V 38A*
+12V 22A
+3.3V 30A*

if those exceed your totals per rail (since this supply has seperate rails as opposed to many others that have combined +3.3V & +5V) your done ;)

anything above that in amp capacity is you safety margin and "expansion" zone for additional components or upgrades

its always a good idea to have a little extra, as even the True Line is rated at 25C if Im not mistaken, and since your operating temperature will be 40C or so, that can be around a 30% decrease in the actual output, offset that against the fact the calculator uses the theoretical maximum of each component and adds them all together, something that is extremely unlikely to occur (maxing everything at once)

and a power supply running at half its capacity will last longer than one running at near its full capacity, a little "overpowering" never hurts, and the PSU only produces power as its needed so its not like its putting out 480watts all the time

of course this is still just one link in a chain of good power
the rest being your house circuit, and utility
its a good idea to check that your outlets are properly grounded and to run some form of power conditioning (http://www.dansdata.com/sbs9.htm) or UPS

Ive been getting brownouts here, just bound to get worse with the dog days of summer ;)

.