Power!!

[Master_Xan]

Alright, I'm ecstatic. I just got a modular power supply, complete with not one, but two fans to cool it. Snazzy green cables, and a nice green glow effect to the main unit makes my case look really cool, especially since I have a window on one side. The thing is quiet as a mouse, provides 500 continues watts, and really freed up space and improved airflow.

 

And the best part? It cost me $5. Eleven if you include shipping and taxes. That's right, five dollars. I spend more then that when I eat lunch at Burger King. It was $106, minus a $40 rebate and another $50 rebate. Add in the fact that I bought it from Radio Shack (no discount because it was online, but I sold it under my name so I got $5 back from commission) and I end up with a net loss of a mere 11 dollars.

 

(I'll bet many of you have no idea what I just rambled on about. Just smile and pretend, I had to vent my joy somewhere, and my family is less then interested in computer parts. Oh, if you want one too, I can give you the info for it. But only if you live in the US, sorry but the Shack doesn't do international stuff.)

[Guest Scathane]

I'll bet many of you have no idea what I just rambled on about.

No, I don't but I don't understand what a modular power supply does...

[Master_Xan]

Well... in typical geeky fashion, it doesn't really do anything. The power supply (PSU) is the little box that sits in your computers tower, upper back (back portion of the case, above the outputs for keyboard, mouse, monitor, etc.). A normal PSU has cables all hooked directly to the box, and the user is unable to remove them or add to them at will. A modular supply has cables that can be removed if unneeded, or added later if you buy additional parts.

 

Basically, the advantages of a modular as compared to a regular are as follows:

Fewer cables in the tower, allowing for more work room

Fewer cables means better airflow, helping to cool the computer down

They usually look really cool

Some people will tell you they help reduce shorts, but I don't know for sure on that one

 

The disadvantages:

Its easier to have a loose connection, as there are two places for each cable to connect as compared to one

They usually cost much more then the standard PSUs, and almost never come pre-packaged with a computer case

 

Figures 3.1 through 3.3 show the difference. The modular supply shown is different from mine, as mine even has the motherboard cables in modular design.

[Guest Scathane]

Thanx! I've been meaning to build my own pc for a few years now but I've never come around to it... What are the specs for the rest of your system?

[SOCL]

 

I am so out of my league, I don't even understand why I'm posting here...

[Mitth_raw_nuruodo]

I'm only posting to agree with you SOCL.

[Mad78]

Nice.

I bought a new PC last weekend. I didn't know about these powersupplies though.

[Master_Xan]

There are a few very important parts to each computer. Dispite what the page I linked to said, this is the order of importance I'd rank them:

Motherboard

CPU (processor)

Hard drive

Video card

Power supply

 

If you're thinking of building your machine, you should decide what you want to spend, what you want it to do, and based on that, find a motherboard. That is the piece that is used for each and every single thing you do on your computer, it controls the other parts, its expensive, and its a buggar to replace later on. So you want it to last, and its got to have all the expansion room you'll want for awhile. Try to get one packaged with a CPU, its just easier that way. The hard drive is important not for space reasons, but for speed. Getting at least a 7,200 RPM drive will greatly inhance your system, as you use that drive for almost everything as well. And you don't want your hard drive going out on you... thats a bigger pain then the motherboard!

 

The video card is very important for games, obviously. RAM is too, but its really easy to replace if it goes bad or add more later on, so it doesn't even make my list. The PSU is important because, like the page I linked to said, without a good one all your other parts aren't going to work. But I've never had a bad experience with them, it seems easy to get good, cheap PSUs.

 

So basically, think about what you want it to do, find a motherboard/CPU combo, get a case that will fit your chosen motherboard, perferably one that comes with a PSU if you want to make things easy. Pick up a 7,200 RPM hard drive, and then work on the rest... RAM, video card, CD/DVD drive, additional USB ports, a Nic card (or LAN card or network card, whatever you want to call it), floppy drive... all that stuff. I'd add a seperate sound card, even if the motherboard has integrated sound, just because the integrated stuff sucks and the extra card won't cost too much.

 

My system config is as follows; I've put it together over years so some of the parts are a little dated. Next on my replacement list is the hard drives.

Asus motherboard with 1MB cache and... hmm, forget the bus speed.

Intel Pentium processor, 2.4 GHz (I wish I had an AMD...)

Asus case, ATX form, blue with window, two USB on front and a firewire front as well

various fans for case and a good one for the processor

768 MB RAM

256 Radeon 9550 AGP card

SB Audigy Sound card

THREE hard drives, pulled from different systems and totalling a mere 24 gigs (hence why they are next on the replacement list)

Floppy drive (Yes, I still use it)

Sony CD-R/RW/DVD ROM drive

Dlink Nic card

And as of now, a Continuous Power System, 500 watt modular PSU

[Guest Scathane]

Thnx for the tutorial, Xan!