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Newb Help - Which Power Supply?

S

saz_1

n00b
Joined
Nov 19, 2005
Messages
5
Ok. First let me preface this by saying that I did read the sticky threads at the top. However, my computer knowledge is not as good as it should be and I still feel that I need a bit of guidance. The problem I have is that there are too many recommendations in the threads and I guess I just want someone to tell me 1) yes/no you need a new PSU. 2) This is the PSU you need to get.

I have a Gateway 7200XL (Here are the specs http://support.gateway.com/s/PC/720...l?sourceid=00390999248235080764&AFID=BEFREE01)


It has the following components:
915G Express Chipset
Intel 640 3.2 Ghz
4 sticks of pc3200 DDR ram = 768MB
1 160GB IDE HD
1 Memory Card reader
1 DVD RW drive
2 * 120mm fan
MSI GeForce 6600GT
Linksys Wireless G PCI Network Card
Crappy PCI Sound Card
Wireless USB Keyboard/Mouse

The case has a 300W power supply. I used the wattage calculator in the aforementioned sticky threads as well as others on the internet and they tell me that I need a 300W power supply. My question is whether I am pushing my luck? If I am, I dont mind getting a replacement, but if I do, I have no idea which one I should get. Any help? I guess my budget for a new PSU is about $50 but I'm flexible if it is necessary. Thanks in advance.
 
Whoa... Let's back up to Uncle Wiggly and draw another card here.....

Why do you feel you need to replace your power supply?

Are you having problems with your PC and feel the problems may be power supply related?

Dells.. Gateways... you can runs any "PSU configurator" and find that what you may need is exactly what you have with no overhead... but OEM PSU's for mass system builders often have rails that are tweaked to the exact requirements of the build that they're going into. So odds are, you may have a 300W power supply... but it may actually be perfectly adequate for your machine. And if you're not having any problems, why break what doesn't need fixing?
 
jonnyGURU said:
Whoa... Let's back up to Uncle Wiggly and draw another card here.....

Why do you feel you need to replace your power supply?

Are you having problems with your PC and feel the problems may be power supply related?

Dells.. Gateways... you can runs any "PSU configurator" and find that what you may need is exactly what you have with no overhead... but OEM PSU's for mass system builders often have rails that are tweaked to the exact requirements of the build that they're going into. So odds are, you may have a 300W power supply... but it may actually be perfectly adequate for your machine. And if you're not having any problems, why break what doesn't need fixing?
Click to expand...

I believe you are right, but the only problem I have is that the wattage calculators are telling me that I am on the edge of having an acceptable PSU. I dont plan on doing any overclocking... I just dont want to fry my equipment. I bought the 7200xl case as a barebones, so I'm not sure if I'm going beyond the OEM specs. All the components I told you about are ones that I added, so I'm just making sure that I'm not doing anything silly.
 
Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..... So you DON'T have the Gateway machine... just the case/PSU combo? I wouldn't use that power supply for anything other than what Gateway intended it for.

Again: The power supply was likely engineered for the PC it's powering. Not something you built up and decided to throw into a 7200XL case.
 
jonnyGURU said:
Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..... So you DON'T have the Gateway machine... just the case/PSU combo? I wouldn't use that power supply for anything other than what Gateway intended it for.

Again: The power supply was likely engineered for the PC it's powering. Not something you built up and decided to throw into a 7200XL case.
Click to expand...

Now you're with me. So do you have a recommendation?
 
saz_1 said:
Now you're with me. So do you have a recommendation?
Click to expand...

Anything on the recommended list 400W and up.
 
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