PSU's, Coolers & Fans

[Tiger_Steve]

Needs some advice guys...

I'm well on with selecting the key components for a new custom built PC, but as a novice, I'm not up on things like PSU's, coolers and fans. Most cases I've seen come with a PSU, but will they be sufficient for a high end gaming PC? If not, what make/power should I look to get?

In terms of coolers and fans, are there any general do's and don'ts when deciding if they are needed and which ones to select?

For info, I'm looking at an AMD Athlon 64 3200 or 3500, with a 939 mobo (any recommendations?), 1Gb of DDR and a 6600GT card.

ATB
Steve

 

[floppybootstomp]

Good PSU brands: Antec, Tagan, Enermax.

There's a question mark about Antec not being compatible with certain Socket 939 motherboards, so I'd go for one of the other two.

I think the next PSU I buy will be a Tagan, have heard lots of good about these.

Coolers - The Gigabyte 3D Rocket Pro is an excellent cooler for about £29.00.

And Thermalright do a whole load of good ones.

Fans/cases/cooling? That's a whole field by itself. It's that eternal battle/search to compromise between cool and noise.

Generally, Pabst and Panaflo make good fans, Vantec and Zalman seem quite OK as well.

I like the DFI LAN Party 939 boards, going by my experience with my current Socket A DFI board, but I don't think they're available yet and I haven't read any reviews of them.

The MSI Sckt 939 boards seem to be doing well.

 

[Kye]

Tagan PSU's sound really good, but google for problems about them ^_^ they tend too blow up in 20 minutes or so. somthing about people connecting somthing that they think is the 24 pin but is'nt. Probably there are is a better revision, this was from reading about them a while ago.

Enermax and Antec are very much equal, with antec with a slight upper hand. With these two brands i would pick a wattage, then go with the lower priced one of the two ^_^

 

[psd99]

Tiger_Steve,

I have had an Enermax 365W power supply for over two years, i beleieve this to be my best buy.
Quality product, hasnt let me down yet (touch wood!)
and its v silent aswell, hardly notice that its on! So it might cost more than the others, but from my experience u are paying for exceptional quality!

 

[muckshifter]

Tiger_Steve,

I have had an Enermax 365W power supply for over two years, i beleieve this to be my best buy.
Quality product, hasnt let me down yet (touch wood!)
and its v silent aswell, hardly notice that its on! So it might cost more than the others, but from my experience u are paying for exceptional quality!

Mine has been going for 3 years and has seen 3 new systems ... initially cost £65 ... I love it. Just pointing out the reliability of an Enermax PSU, you can get them cheaper now.

 

[ChristopherP]

and its v silent aswell, hardly notice that its on!

Tell you what, you'd sure as hell notice if it weren't

 

[psd99]

Tell you what, you'd sure as hell notice if it weren't

definetly i would back that right up! its got this knob on the back when its turnt to the lowest u can hear a needle drop!

so i see i have some support, thanks

 

[floppybootstomp]

Hmm, so question marks over both Antec and Tagan eh? (albeit small ones, I still think they're both good).

All things said and done then, go for Enermax

And I know I keep going on about it, but the Jeantech PSU's you can get in PC World really are quite good. I've had one going 2.5 years now and am using another 350W unit. Solid rails, well built - and cheap as well. Sometimes they're even on special offer.

Hard to believe, I know, but it be de truth