# Question for PC hardware gurus. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 31, 2002, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-pc-hardware-gurus/126408 "2002-08-31T04:38:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2002, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-pc-hardware-gurus/126408/1 "2002-08-31T04:38:19Z")
I have just bought a new ultra-quiet 400W PSU (Power Supply Unit) from [quietpc.com](http://www.quietpc.com) for my PC. Being a lazy useless waste of life and space I haven’t investigated whether there are any issues about replacing the PSU. I just bought the thing on a whim. My question is - will it run everything fine? I ask because I have a vague recollection of powerful bits (like my geforce 3) needing a certain voltage from the PSU. Also, is there anything important I need to know before I swap the PSUs? thanks. ---
**Author:** ![happyheathen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5e925/32.png) [@happyheathen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/happyheathen)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2002, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-pc-hardware-gurus/126408/2 "2002-08-31T06:36:29Z")
assuming (read: look carefully!) that your PC: 1. is a PC (not Apple) built within last 5 years 2. the new p/s has the same type connectors the old one does (no unaccounted-for wires on the old one, not present on the new one (it’s not a Dell, right?)) you SHOULD be good to go - the modern motherboards are equipped with voltage regulators (unless they’re not, in which case, you will fry the PC). good luck [sub]_why_ do people buy first, then ask?[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2002, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-pc-hardware-gurus/126408/3 "2002-08-31T07:26:51Z")
My motherboard is ATX so I know the wires will connect. It’s just that I prefer my fry-ups to be on a plate rather than in my computer. Thanks. I am pretty confident that it will be ok, specially as I opted for the higher wattage model they do (they do a 300 and a 400) why do people buy first then ask? that’s capitalism for you. ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2002, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-pc-hardware-gurus/126408/4 "2002-08-31T08:09:15Z")
A 400W power supply? Hell, that’ll run you just fine. I’m only on a 300W, with an AMD chip, and a GeForce-3, and I haven’t had a hitch. ---
**Author:** ![Gozu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gozu/32/6615_2.png) [@Gozu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2002, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-pc-hardware-gurus/126408/5 "2002-08-31T14:52:18Z")
Antec TruePower 430W here. It cannot harm your computer. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2002, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-pc-hardware-gurus/126408/6 "2002-08-31T17:09:46Z")
I’ve a 350ATX, though offhand I can’t remember the brand. I installed it myself when my previous one died. No problem. Unless the supply is defective (in which case it will reduce your computer and possibly your house to a smoldering pile of rubble) you’ll be fine. ---
**Author:** ![Gozu\_Tashoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7993a0/32.png) [@Gozu\_Tashoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu_Tashoya)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2002, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-pc-hardware-gurus/126408/7 "2002-08-31T17:51:32Z")
400 will run damn near anything you want, unless you’re all SCSI, and have 2 or more CPUs and, say, more than seven drives in your system. (And even then, it will probably work fine.) One caveat, though. I believe I read something in PC Mag or here on the boards saying that some (older?) Dell and Gateway PCs didn’t take kindly to new PSUs. You may want to check the user’s manual if you have one of these brands of PC. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2002, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-pc-hardware-gurus/126408/8 "2002-08-31T23:01:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by KKBattousai \* > \*\*400 will run damn near anything you want, unless you’re all SCSI, and have 2 or more CPUs and, say, more than seven drives in your system. (And even then, it will probably work fine.) > > One caveat, though. I believe I read something in PC Mag or here on the boards saying that some (older?) Dell and Gateway PCs didn’t take kindly to new PSUs. You may want to check the user’s manual if you have one of these brands of PC. \*\* I don’t know what the term is for such a thing, but my PC is like trigger’s broom [on Only Fools and Horses] - none of it’s parts are original, it is all built bit-by-bit by me over the years. Ironically the newest parts are the cpu, case and motherboard. the case is an unbranded dark grey thing. the motherboard is an atx one with an amd athlon 1000Mhz on it thanks all! the PSU is going in like a flash (and I hope I don’t see any flashes) ---
**Author:** ![williambaskerville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f14d63/32.png) [@williambaskerville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/williambaskerville)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2002, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-pc-hardware-gurus/126408/9 "2002-09-01T10:03:43Z")
Not relevant to the original post, but I post this as a public service announcement…all Dell desktop PC’s built since 1998 have a nasty surprise built into them. The power supply looks like a standard ATX, and the connectors are physically compatible, but they’ve swapped (if I remember correctly) the 12 and 5 volt lines. Result - replacing the P/S in such a machine with a standard P/S will fry the motherboard, and replacing the motherboard and leaving the P/S will fry the new motherboard. If the original poster’s machine had been such a Dell machine, swapping in his new P/S would have produced a puff of the magic blue smoke without which computers cannot work. As I say, not relevant in this case, but important that people are aware of this. ---
**Author:** ![GopherGod72](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f0a364/32.png) [@GopherGod72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GopherGod72)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2002, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-pc-hardware-gurus/126408/10 "2002-09-02T00:17:04Z")
I’m going to have to ask you for a cite for that one Williambaskerville. I’ve never heard of nor seen that. ---
**Author:** ![GopherGod72](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f0a364/32.png) [@GopherGod72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GopherGod72)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2002, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-pc-hardware-gurus/126408/11 "2002-09-02T00:38:07Z")
Nevermind, I found some info claiming the same. ---
**Author:** ![williambaskerville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f14d63/32.png) [@williambaskerville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/williambaskerville)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2002, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-pc-hardware-gurus/126408/12 "2002-09-02T09:28:40Z")
Hi, As regards a cite, this is from the website of the author of “PC Hardware in a Nut Shell”, [http://www.ttgnet.com/daynotes/2002/2002-16.html](http://www.ttgnet.com/daynotes/2002/2002-16.html) This is from the author of “Upgrading and Repairing PC’s”. [http://www.upgradingandrepairingpcs.com/articles/upgrade3\_01\_01.asp](http://www.upgradingandrepairingpcs.com/articles/upgrade3_01_01.asp) I couldn’t believe it either, but I found a relevant Dell and buzzed out the “ATX” connectors with a multimeter myself. It’s true. Regards, William