Power Supply Compatibility

Before you install a new power supply, you must make sure the one you want to install is compatible with your system. Make sure the power supply physically fits in your case. Slim-line PCs use smaller power supplies often and smaller cases sometimes have clearance issues with full size power supplies. Retailers often use proprietary power supplies that are quite expensive. If a customer is ok with a little cosmetic alteration to the case sometimes you can put regular power supplies in retail cases, just make sure they are wired the same..

External

Power supplies are the part of the PC that convert AC power from your home outlets to DC power so that your computer can use it effectively. Like any power converter it is best not to run it right up against the maximum power amount as it shortens the life of the unit. Power supplies have an "efficiency rating" The important part of the rating to look for is the 80Plus seal. What this means is the unit maintains an 80% efficiency rating across the board. The % rating is coming from how well the unit converts AC to DC power. If you had for instance an 800watt power supply it would draw 1000watts from the wall at 80% efficiency. 80Plus gold is a higher certification where the unit runs between above 87% and 90% across its entire range. Remember also that when you run multiple hard drives and ROM drives and a big video card and so on, the headroom lowers for each device installed. If your power supply can’t supply everything under full load (when it pulls the most), your PC will shut down or blue screen due to hardware not functioning correctly.






Once the power needs of a system are met you need to take a look at features and hookups of the unit. Most modern power supplies are going to use many SATA power connectors; this can be a problem if you have a large amount of IDE drives that you are still running. You can get adapters so plan accordingly.