I need help with psu to mobo config

SkateFam

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I have the "FIC KTBC51G" motherboard and I want to upgrade my psu. I have a stock 300 watt power supply so I wanna know what is the highest I could go in power supply's for my motherboard without burning it out.
 
About 1500W, I guess. Seriously, man, a more powerful PSU will still deliver only as much as needed to the motherboard. In fact, a more powerful PSU may save you some money on the electricity bill.

What you need to worry about is the max physical dimensions allowed for the PSU, so it can still fit inside your case. If your PC is a box from Dell or HP then you probably have a problem there.

What is your configuration?

Edit: OK, you have a Gateway, don't you? Measure the current PSU and make sure the one you buy is the same size. My Dad's HP for example had enough room for a GameXStream 600, but not for a Corsair 520HX or a Silencer 610W.
 

einstein4pres

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There should be no limit to the total wattage that your PSU could put out. Power supplies only output the correct amount of current for the device.

While replacing a power supply, be aware that most power supplies are most efficient around 50% load, and can be quite bad below 20% load.

Also note that it takes a really serious system to take more than 600 or 700W of power, or even 500W.
 
Right. The wattage rating of a power supply will tell you how much power it can provide, not how much it will provide.

Assuming a quality power supply (an entirely different issue) and a computer that pulls 400 watts (just for example), it will not matter if you use a 500, 750, or 1500 watt power supply. Regardless of what you choose, the computer will still only pull 400 watts.

It's like a 100 watt lightbulb in your house. It will not matter if it is connected to a 10, 20, or 50 amp circuit breaker. It will still pull (or draw) a bit less than 1 amp assuming you live in the U.S.

Here's a link to help in choosing a good brand:

http://www.tomswiki.com/page/Tiered+PSU+Listings

Stick to Tier 3 or higher.
 

SkateFam

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Actually aevm I just want to add a simple EVGA 7600GT but My power Supply does not handle that..Also another quick issue, My CPU stays at 60*C Idle I'm thinking thats really bad, I Have a Gateway GT4010 and I guess the cooling really sucks if it's that hot..Does anyone recommend me to take off the included fan holder and heatsink and install an aftermarket CPU cooler and a good 120mm in the front of my case..My PSU Says ATX 300 So I'm guessing it's ok for a ATX sized power Supply I'll measure anyways thank you for your quick reply's
 
The 7600GT needs only 30W or so. A 500W PSU should do very nicely, maybe even 400W. It's pointless to buy something much bigger because that PC won't allow many future upgrades. Just mind the physical size, of course.
BTW, if you can afford a 7900GS instead that would help, it's 30% faster and needs 40W.

This page gives the specs for your PC.
http://support.gateway.com/s/PC/R/5891/5891sp3.shtml

Make sure you get the PCI_E version of the 7600GT, not AGP.
Make sure you get the DDR3 version of the 7600GT, not the DDR2. The DDR2 version is much slower.

60 C is bad, but still acceptable, IMO. My Q6600 idles at 35, for example. Sure, if you add a cooler and a fan it will help.

About the PSU:
http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.php?referrerid=33495&t=183239
Your current PSU looks like this, according to that guy:
Dimensions (L × W × H) 5.5 × 5.9 × 3.4 inches (140 × 150 × 86 × mm)

The Antec 430W has the same dimensions, except it's 6.1" in depth (i.e. length) instead of 5.5". I bet it would fit.
My Dad's HP had about 2" available on the length - I only needed to match the W and H exactly. You could also look at FSP models, excellent brand with some inexpensive models under 500W.

Here's a page about the Antec. I'm not saying buy from those guys, I only attach it because it has the dimensions. Shop around for best price.
http://iomega.axiontech.com/prdt.php?item=78393&PRICECOMPARISONSID=def209945910406c759d1604595de7f3