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Power Supplies

Most cases come with a power supply, usually in the 300 Watt range. Up until about a year ago you could buy one with a standard ATX case and get a 320 Watt or higher power supply for a decent price. Then, as always, things changed. New motherboards and processors came out requiring a new 12 Volt plug that was separate from the standard 20 prong plug. Now you needed a new and different power supply. Time marches on and today we need power supplies with either a 20 or 24 main plug, a 12 volt plug, SATA power plugs and even a separate 4 prong plug for the motherboard. The power supply is tied directly into your motherboard so make sure that the power supply matches your motherboards configuration.

Noise level has always been a problem with me and a power supply can be the source of some of a computers noise. Today you can get fan less power supplies that are real high tech. And the better grade power supplies today usually run quieter than they have in the past. Almost all of this is personal preference as you build a computer you have in mind usually what you want in advance.

One place that has a wide range of power supplies, along with other great items is http://www.xoxide.com/ . You can find just about any kind, price and configuration on their web site.

If you want to build computers, troubleshoot them, repair them then you really need this tool, a PC/SPS Tester. It will test power supplies and check to see if all wires are working properly. This little tool has saved me many hours over the years. Lately I had two computers from two different companies doing the same thing, they would either just shut down by themselves or reboot for no reason at all. When I tested the power supply I found just one wire, -5Volt, that was dead. Replaced the power supply and it was back to normal.

Here is an article with some pictures and explanations of a PSU Tester: http://www.driverheaven.net/reviews/Casebuypsutester/