PSU for Sempron 2400+

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Al

what's the approximate minimum wattage for a PSU for a computer with Sempron
2400+, 512MB DDR333, a MB with onboard video and sound (something like PCChips
M863G), and not much by way of plans for future expansion?

I just want to build a basic computer for starters. Thanks.
 
Al said:
what's the approximate minimum wattage for a PSU for a computer with Sempron
2400+, 512MB DDR333, a MB with onboard video and sound (something like PCChips
M863G), and not much by way of plans for future expansion?

I just want to build a basic computer for starters. Thanks.
Click to expand...

A 300W will suffice however buy a good quality one. PSU is usualy
overlooked on building a "cheap" system it will save you some grief in
the long run and make a more stable computer. I personally would opt for
a 400w PSU
 
Al said:
thanks. How do I determine good quality, apart from price?
Click to expand...

Buy a branded PSU with fans as opposed to those cheap and nasty brand x
one's without the fans (usualy labled as noisless) I tend to use Targan,
Zalman, superflower etc
 
JD said:
Buy a branded PSU with fans as opposed to those cheap and nasty brand x
one's without the fans (usualy labled as noisless) I tend to use Targan,
Zalman, superflower etc
Click to expand...

And since my fingers are already on the keyboard, I'll add, look at the
specs on each of the output rails -- 12v, 5v, 3v etcetera. Output will be
expressed in terms of amps -- amps * volts gives watts for the given rail.
You want over voltage protection, and whatever other such bells, whistles
you can afford.

Beyond the specs, as JD wrote, reputation, and reviews -- e.g., name brand.
Enermax, Antec, Zalman are ones I hear a lot. Specs are important, but even
cheap supplies can have good specs, and even do well in synthetic tests, but
not perform reliably in the real world. That's why brand name reputation is
just as important, if not more important than specs, and reviews.

Bryan
 
I always use a PS with around 18amp rating on the 12 volt side.
Cost should be somewhere between 25 and 35 dollars.
 
what's the approximate minimum wattage for a PSU for a computer with Sempron
2400+, 512MB DDR333, a MB with onboard video and sound (something like PCChips
M863G), and not much by way of plans for future expansion?

I just want to build a basic computer for starters. Thanks.
Click to expand...

The answer to your question is a 150 watt PSU would be fine for what you
need assuming a single HD and a single Optical drive.

I have a laptop with a P4 2.6, 1GB RAM, Radeon 9700 card and this runs fine
on a 76 watt supply.

However as other posters have said the PSU should not be cheap. Personally
I would get a quiet PSU such as a Zalmann of about 300 watts. (By the way
it is very difficult to get much lower than a 300w PSU so do not worry
about that part)

Hope this helps

Andy
 
The answer to your question is a 150 watt PSU would be fine for what you
need assuming a single HD and a single Optical drive.

I have a laptop with a P4 2.6, 1GB RAM, Radeon 9700 card and this runs fine
on a 76 watt supply.

However as other posters have said the PSU should not be cheap. Personally
I would get a quiet PSU such as a Zalmann of about 300 watts. (By the way
it is very difficult to get much lower than a 300w PSU so do not worry
about that part)

Hope this helps

Andy
Click to expand...

Laptops are different to desktop machines. To be honest, I'm not sure
how it all works out on a laptop, but everything generally uses less
power, and the PSU is probably more efficient than most.

For his system a decent 300W is probably fine, but a 350W would be
better. However the system could probably run on a 200W (or 250W to be
safe) shuttle system without any problems.
 
Al said:
what's the approximate minimum wattage for a PSU for
a computer with Sempron 2400+, 512MB DDR333, a MB
with onboard video and sound (something like PCChips
M863G), and not much by way of plans for future expansion?
Click to expand...

A very good 250W supply should have no problems running all that, but
get a very good 300-350W since the CPU may draw 8-10 amps from the +12V
output, and some 250W supplies will leave only 2A to spare for the disk
drives. Fortron, Sparkle, and Antec are good brands.
 
Laptops are different to desktop machines. To be honest, I'm not sure
how it all works out on a laptop, but everything generally uses less
power, and the PSU is probably more efficient than most.
Click to expand...
Which is of course why I mentioned it being a P4 2.6 which is a desktop
chip not a laptop. And of course you are powering a screen which you are
not on a laptop.

Yes the PSU is more efficient on laptops but the only point I am trying to
make to the OP is that for the specification of machine he gave power it is
not something to worry about and he would do better to focus on the quality
of the manufacturer than the supposed Output wattage.

As always quality is better than quantity :-)

Andy
 
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