What else is important besides watts and rail amps?

[jellysandwich]

This is the power supply that I have:

http://images10.newegg.com/productimage/11-124-060-18.JPG

If those are the only two things, then I'm not sure if I should get
a new PSU since the one I was plan on getting only has 1 more
amp on the +12V rail.

(Sparkle 530)

http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=17-103-489&depa=0&manufactory=BROWSE

Do I really need to upgrade?

-jellysandwich

[Ice Czar]

to answer the question posed in the title

the transient response
(the ability of the supply to return a rail to its proper voltage when other components either start or turn off, within a specified time, failing to do that known as an undershoot or overshoot, this is the rail stability or regulation that we discuss)

the AC Ripple or Periodic and Random Deviation (PARD) otherwise knownn as noise :p
which is AC induced noise in the DC signal

the AC Line Regulation
the ability of the power supply to deal with a variable AC source power and still convert it to a stable DC current

http://www.pcguide.com/ref/power/sup/specElec-c.html

to answer your question in the post
whatcha powerin? :p

[jellysandwich]

ASRock K8S8X
Mobile Athlon 64 3200+
SLK948U Heatsink with 8 cm Cooler Master Fan
4 more 8 cm Cooler Master Fan
2 * 512 MB Corsair XMS 2-3-3-6
120 GB IDE drive
160 GB SATA drive
Lite-on DVD-ROM
Nec 2500a DVD Burner
Floppy

White Castle time!

-jellysandwich

[_Korruption_]

I think you forgot to list your video card...

[Ice Czar]

well I awarded you a ATI Radeon 9700 Pro for the purposes of this exercise
and PC2700 RAM, guessing at the closest components

+3.3V......2.7A
+5V.........18.4A
+12V.......20.3A

then you deduct 1\3rd from the Amps the supply is rated for because unlike when it was tested, your operating system will be about 40C inside the PSU (it was likely rated at 25C)
so.....
+3.3V @ 28A becomes 18.6A plenty
+5V @ 40A becomes 26.6A plenty
+12V @ 17A becomes 11.3A or nine amps short of the theoretical

yes Id say you need an upgrade, that PSU is geared towrds a mobo and CPU that is powered off a combined +3.3 & +5V rails, and the mobo you currently have is powered off the +12V rail primarily

that Fortron (Sparkle) might be a good choice in the budget category
sort of depends on the +12V draw off the card
FSP underates their rails so it might be OK, then again it might be getting close, wouldnt be alot to spare, its still an ATX12V v1.3 PSU, and the +12V rails have jumped quite a bit since then, run your board again and decide

http://takaman.jp/D/index.html?english
caveats, a calculator employs theoretical maximums which are additive, and that rarely if ever happen
offset against generic PSU are rated when fuses blow not when voltages sag outside of the acceptable range :p

Id actually recommend a more powerful fully compliant ATX12V v2.0 supply like the Neopower (http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=17-103-924&depa=0) w\ dual +12V rails
+12V1 @ 18A and +12V2 @ 15A

[MD_Willington]

This is the power supply that I have:

http://images10.newegg.com/productimage/11-124-060-18.JPG

If those are the only two things, then I'm not sure if I should get
a new PSU since the one I was plan on getting only has 1 more
amp on the +12V rail.



Well if you're a total tool and can't figure out what voltage your country uses as it's standard then look for a PSU that has auto sensing on its input...

Met a couple of them today, they keep wondering why their Antec PSU's set to 115V keep blowing up in their faces...I guess in the socialist nanny countries the government has to hold their hand when they build a computer too LOL

[/ RANT

Later

MD

[jellysandwich]

Woops, sorry about that, I was rushed out. The movie
started in a half hour and we needed to get there early
for food (great movie, by the way, Harold and Kumar -
hilarious).

Anyway, I have a Powercolor 9800 Pro 128 and PC3200
RAM. Would that make much of a difference from your
9700 Pro/PC2700 assumption?

It's weird, actually. For some reason, I can't connect to
http://takaman.jp/D/index.html?english. All of my friends
can get to it, but it times out for me. I have no idea why.

I don't think my parents are going to let me get the Neopower.
They're already upset that I'm gonna spend $80 for a power
supply, and I doubt they'll let me spend an extra $50.

Boy do I need a job.

-jellysandwich

[Ice Czar]

lets do it again then

+3.3V......6.6A
+5V.........17.3A
+12V.......20.4A


then you deduct 1\3rd from the Amps the supply is rated for
because unlike when it was tested,
your operating system will be about 40C inside the PSU (it was likely rated at 25C)
so.....
+3.3V @ 28A becomes 4.4A plenty
+5V @ 17.2A becomes 11.5A plenty
+12V @ 20.4A becomes 13.6A or 3.5 amps short of the theoretical


RADEON 9800 Pro (http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/video/display/ati-powercons_8.html) (not overclocked)
+3.3V..........4.35A (AGP)
+5V.............5.41A (4.26A Aux + 1.15 AGP)
+12V...........0.59A (0.44 Aux + 0.15 AGP)


not alot on the +12V rail but for comparision of what is coming
+12V .................Idle..................Load
(stock speeds, obviously increases with overclocking)
X800XT.........0.85A\10.09W...........3.25A\37.73W
9800XT.........1.71A\20.26W...........2.4A\28.07W
9600Pro.......0.40A\4.71W..............0.57A\6.65W

*NOTE
the original calculation was based on just the calculator, which used rough estimates of what the graphics card would draw, but for the 2nd I substituted test figures from xbitlabs
however I didnt go back and do that for the first calculation

however, if you plan on overclocking, more power would be required, and as X800XT and 9800XT figures make so appearant, upgrades will need even more +12V and whatever power supply you do get, able to deal with the transient response of the difference between idle and load draws, which if they are all on the +12V rail (CPU, GPU + Drives) can be considerable, which is why the new ATX12V spec (version 2.0) has dual isolated rails, each individually regulated, seperating the CPU and mobo powered components from the drives (but raising questions regarding the video card being powered by both rails)

[jellysandwich]

Unfortunately, I can't get the Neopower. It simply
costs way too much for me.

It looks like I have to try my luck with the Fortron,
which I think should be good enough since this
Powerup seems to be running decently.

Thanks for all of the information and calculations.
They helped me learn a good bit about power
supplies.

-jellysandwich

[jellysandwich]

Hmmm, would it be better to get an Antec True 430?

It has 20 amps on the +12V rail...

-jellysandwich