[cyberspacegenie]

I have an Antec P150 and therefore a NEO430w powering the system as outlined below. The PSU is now sending out a high-pitched whine under load which seems to suggest there is a problem with it. I will take the PSU back and hopefully get a replacement in the next few days.

It has been suggested that the problem could have been caused by the PSU being underpowered for the rig. Out of interest I used the extreme power supply calculator at it came out saying that I need a PSU rated at 298w, hence 430w should be ok.

My question is this - is the PSU underpowered and therefore being pushed too much - hence I need to get a more highly rated PSU?

or

Is the PSU fine for this rig and I was just unlucky with the PSU unit that I got?

Q6600 (GO) - overclocked to 3.2Ghz @ 1.4v
P5K-E/Wi-fi
2 RAM sticks (1GB x 2) DDR2 800 RAM (1.95v)
Asus EN8600GT silent (passive - no fan)
Samsung HD501LJ SATA HD (500GB) x 1
Asus DVD RW
2 x 120cm fans (1600RPM - currently 1100RPM)
1 x 100cm fan (1500RPM - currently 1100RPM)
Antec spot fan (2200RPM currently 1300RPM)
scythe Karmameter fan controller
floppy drive with card reader
Antec P150 case

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You definitely need to get at least a 500W (I recommend 600) for that system. 430W just won't cut it. And the longer you run the rig with that power supply, the greater the chance that you will cause damage to the components of the computer. If the PSU blows, it can take everything in your computer with it. I suggest turn the computer off and not turning it back on until after you get a new power supply.

Also, make sure you don't get the cheapest power supply. I would go for medium-high to high on the price value.

[Fenor]

You definitely need to get at least a 500W (I recommend 600) for that system. 430W just won't cut it. And the longer you run the rig with that power supply, the greater the chance that you will cause damage to the components of the computer. If the PSU blows, it can take everything in your computer with it. I suggest turn the computer off and not turning it back on until after you get a new power supply.

Also, make sure you don't get the cheapest power supply. I would go for medium-high to high on the price value.

[cyberspacegenie]

Hi Fenor,

thanks for the reply.

I'm getting lots of conflicting info on this. Some people saying the wattage is fine and others saying it isnt. That wattage calculator recommended PSU wattage was less than 430w. can you let me know how all this worked out and why you think it isnt enough.

In terms of other PSUs. if I do need to put in something more powerful then I was looking at around 600w anyway. Its likely to be either the Corsair HX620 or the Enermax Infiniti - any comments on either of these PSUs?

Many thanks.

[james_8970]

It is extremely easy to make mistakes with the wattage calculator, so what it gives to you should only be taken as a guide line and having a overclocked quad on a 430W PSU isn't a good idea. Once your PSU is operating near full load the efficiency dips from 85% down to 76%.
When a PSU whines there are two culprits, it's either being put under a lot of stress, meaning it's near/at/over it's max rated output or the fan is going. Since this unit is new and considering the low wattage on this PSU, I'm going with it being under to much stress.
Like Fenor said, for todays modern computers, 550W should be the minimum, around 600W or greater would be ideal.
For little more you could get a much better PSU.
James

Edited by james_8970, 29 October 2007 - 07:21 PM.