How much of an effect does the PSU have on performance?

Here's my situation:

I'm building a new system, right now the parts I have ready to order for it are:

AMD64 3000+
Giga-Byte GA-K8NSC socket 939
9800 Pro (same one I've had for about a year.)
512 MB 3200 RAM
CD-RW/DVD 52x32x52/16x (Had this for a few weeks)
Audigy 2 ZS Platinum (Also already have this)

My concers are with my PSU. Right now I have a crappy 250 (possibly 300) watt power supply. It's a generic brand, it came in a cybertron PC I bought off my friend probably 2 years ago. Right now I plan on using this current case and putting my new stuff in it, but at the moment, I am worried about my power supply being too crappy to run it all effectively, and the last thing I want is for it to blow up and take out all my new parts with it.

So should I wait two more weeks to my next paycheck and get a case with a good 400w power supply, or am I good with the one I have?

 

wait and get a new one

 

Get A New One

that psu would deffinatly struggle to power than system, especially since it's proberly generic too...

also how many hdd's do you have?


*just to let you know when you get any psu, say for instance rated at 400w it can't keep supplying at that rate, only a small amout of time when the system's fully loaded..

i would get a 400w+ branded psu

 

get a good psu. Generic brands are usually very poor. A psu cannot supply the stated wattage continusouly, also generic psus are likely to be rated at a higher wattage e.g 500w but at lower temperature say 25C. Its likely to be operating at about 40-50c and we all know that psus are less efficient the hotter they get. Specially a problem with generic psus which often don't have big heatsinks. (pick it up, is it heavy?)

you can sometimes tell a good psu by its wieght and most cheap generic psus are very very light compared to a decent one.

A decent psu doesn't have to be that expensive Try something like a Fortron or sparkle psu they are cheap but very solid psus. at 300w fortron will out perform a 550w generic psu.

for your rig you'd get by on a quality 350psu but would want a 400w psu to give you some head room.

 

As above, 350-400 from a quality brand would be plenty. As for how they affect peformance - I'd say not at all. Stability... now that might be affected.

 

Like everyone else said, get a nice quality PSU. Keep your current case if you want but definately get a nice quality brand-name PSU.

 

I'd say go for an Antec or Enermax 350/400W. Stable rails and quite quiet

 

I don't think that a "250 /probably 300/ W" would be enought for that system..get a PSU

 

Don't go generic, wait and save for a good one. Why spend so much money on high end parts only to a get a bad PSU and risk it messing your system up? Or worce killing something on you.

 

I have an Antec one rated at 350w that came with my case (SL3700BLK??)


and to be honest it probably one of my most reliable, stable, solid purchases ever.

 

Thanks for all the helpful responses. I posted a simlar topic on the Gamefaqs PC /DOS messege board and it instantly turned into a flamewar. I'll be getting a good PSU/Case in that case.

Anyone who knows me knows I stick random smilieys in every post I make just about.

 

Especially having your components feed on "dirty power" or having your psu keep tripping your breakers because it is a cheap and pratically useless psu.

 

I have a very similar system running on a 380Watt Antec, hasnt given me any problems and it wasnt too expensive

 

I tend to like Antec PSUs because they are reasonably priced and are nice and solid.
Read up before you buy though, some Athlon64 boards are very picky with powersupplies believe it or not (my Neo2 is, and the Abit AV8 i had before the Neo2 also had some problems with my PSU on the odd occasion).