PSU Advice for my old system

[jadaspende]

Hi this is my current system:

CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 2.4GHz FSB 1066, 8MB Quad Core CPU
RAM: OCZ SLI-Ready Dual Channel PC6400 DDR2 800MHz Memory (3x2048MB)
Mother Board: EVGA 680i SE SLI 122CKNF63TR Motherboard
Video: EVGA GeForce 8800 GTS (640 MB)

My old PSU was a 550 Watt Optimax Dual Fan Power Supply.

Model:ATX-550PS
+3.3V--30A
+5V--40A
+12V--24A
-5V--0.5A
-12V--1A
+5VSB--2A

It worked fine fore more than a year, then I Upgraded my original RAM (2Gb) with 8GB (4x2048mb) and about a month after my PSU just stop working.

I went to a PC shop and they gave me a cheap PSU 600w it worked fine for about 2 weeks then just stop working lol.

Now, at the shop they changed my PSU (OEM) 600w for a "better one" Thermaltake purepower 500w, the only one they had at that time (im in a small town).

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817153052

+3.3V@22A,
+5V@32A,
+12V1@14A,
+12V2@15A,
-12V@0.3A,
+5VSB@2A

My system is working but i feel it a bit slow (maybe just my imagination), and I dont know if i can add more stuff to it or if Im risking something with this PSU.

I would really like to know if this PSU is good for my current system (begining of the post) and i have about:

3 or 4 USB gadgets (mouse, keyboard, ipod, headset).
2 SATA HDD
1 DVD Recorder

Im working with 6bg (3x2048mb) RAM, because I had lots of random system reboot-freez).

Thank you for your information.

 

[TonCharr28]

Just to be clear, is the system now slower than how it was before you put in the additional RAM? Also, what's your OS? You might actually be using a 32-bit OS, meaning you're seeing no improvements due to the 3.25GB limit.

 

[AlphaOmegaX]

Just to be clear, is the system now slower than how it was before you put in the additional RAM? Also, what's your OS? You might actually be using a 32-bit OS, meaning you're seeing no improvements due to the 3.25GB limit.

Jeez wouldn't that piss you off

 

[Onus]

Where to start...
The Thermaltake PSU you just got is a step up from the no-name crap you had been using. That said, it still isn't great. It may be sufficient, but I personally would not buy one because it is an older, inefficient design and is overrated (meaning it isn't capable of putting out 500W, particularly under realistic conditions). You don't need to toss it, just be aware that there are much better units out there. When you next buy a PSU, look for Active PFC and 80+ certification. At the very least, to get the 80+, it was tested at full load and didn't croak. Antec, Corsair, PC Power and Cooling, Seasonic, and Enermax are among the brands I would trust.
What makes this situation more difficult is that cheap PSUs can damage the equipment to which they are attached. Often, this damage is lethal, for example a final spike when it dies. Sometimes it isn't. If the damage has not been really bad, but has caused error rates to go up, your system could be slower from retries or other error recovery, but that is useless speculation as there's no way to tell.

 

[captaincharisma]

well Thermaltake is a good brand. i use a 600W Thermaltake toughpower in my q6600 system with no issues for over 3 years. if your system is running slow it is least likely that it is underpowered by the PSU.

 

[jadaspende]

Just to be clear, is the system now slower than how it was before you put in the additional RAM? Also, what's your OS? You might actually be using a 32-bit OS, meaning you're seeing no improvements due to the 3.25GB limit.

Vista 64, and it went slower after I changed my PSU (Thermaltek).

Thanks for the info jtt283, I had a 430W at http://extreme.outervision.com/psucalculatorlite.jsp so, I think im at the limit. Ill go for the 80+ if this PSU fail lol.