#1
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PSU Upgrade
I've currently got a 300W PSU that came with the desktop PC I have. However, I'm concerned this is not providing enough power as my new graphics card alone recommends at least 350W PSU.
I'm competent enough to upgrade RAM and install a graphics card but upgrading a power supply looks like a nightmare. I know this probably sounds naive but is there an easy way of upgrading PSU without having to remove the existing one? Perhaps an external PSU that I can literally plug in/bolt on to increase the power? Thanks for the help. |
#2
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Re: PSU Upgrade
Cheap power supplies make your computer crash. 300W is almost certainly enough, but you only need a new power supply if the computer is crashing. A lot of computers have crappy power supplies, so people go way overboard and think they need a 500W power supply or something when they upgrade.
Another reason to upgrade a power supply is if you want a quieter one It sounds like you don't need a power supply. You have to remove the existing power supply, but it isn't that hard. It's like putting together something from ikea. |
#3
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Re: PSU Upgrade
I'm in the same boat, I have a new vid card for my Vista machine so I can dual monitor but it requires a 350W PSU and the box only has a 300W. I just got finished swapping out the PSU on a different machine and while it isn't rocket science it was a large pain in the butt so I'm going to pay someone to do this one.
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#4
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Re: PSU Upgrade
Disconnect and reconnect. No big deal.
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#5
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Re: PSU Upgrade
On the HP machine it wouldn't come out of the stupid case without removing more crap than I wanted to deal with. On the new case everything is hidden away and I don't even see where the plugs go into HD, DVD, and card readers. I've never been a hardware guy and this is beyond my 'put up with crap' threshold.
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#6
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Re: PSU Upgrade
On small cases they can be a pain. On mid towers and above they're not bad.
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#7
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Re: PSU Upgrade
[ QUOTE ]
On small cases they can be a pain. On mid towers and above they're not bad. [/ QUOTE ] QFT. Just hold the new PSU next to the old PSU and unplug one as you replug the other. Pretty straightforward, just lots of plugs. |
#8
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Re: PSU Upgrade
I agree it isn't hard, it's just a pain. I may end up doing it anyway because getting it to a shop will also be a pain.
Two questions about PSUs. Any way to verify that a replacement PSU has the right plugs to replace my existing one? Or is it safe to assume that a 350 or 400W one will have more plugs than a 300W one? And, for a mid tower is there a generic name for that sized PSU? Like ATX or something? I'm at work and can't find which Pavilion it is to look at the specs. |
#9
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Re: PSU Upgrade
[ QUOTE ]
Any way to verify that a replacement PSU has the right plugs to replace my existing one? Or is it safe to assume that a 350 or 400W one will have more plugs than a 300W one? And, for a mid tower is there a generic name for that sized PSU? Like ATX or something? I'm at work and can't find which Pavilion it is to look at the specs. [/ QUOTE ] I've always found the cables I needed and the normal size by defaul. Maybe I've been lucky. |
#10
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Re: PSU Upgrade
This months issue of CPU magazine has a good article on PSU, well worth the $5 or whatever the issue cost. If it is still on the shelves.
Paulie |
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