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Old 04-10-2010, 08:33 PM   #1
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Will an EarthWatts 380W PSU handle an i5-750/Radeon 5750/etc. system?

I'm looking at replacing my Latitude E6400 with a MacBook and a desktop, since I'll be graduating soon and won't really need a do-everything laptop. Only problem is I'm kind of out of the loop on hardware by now. Here's the rough outline of the system:

Intel Core i5-750
Asus P7P55D-E
Crucial 4GB DDR3-1333 (2x2GB)
Powercolor SCS3 AX5750 (1GB, passive cooling)
2x WD Caviar Black 1TB SATA-3.0Gb/s
Asus 24x DVD+/-RW
memory card reader

I'm trying to get a good but cheap case and PSU. The Antec NSK 4482 is looking tantalizing because it's $80 shipped after rebate, but the PSU is an Earthwatts 380W. Is 380 enough to deal with my other specs? Would that change if I upgrade to 8 GB DDR3? If it won't work, what's the minimum I can get away with on a decent-quality PSU? Or is there a PSU/case that are sold separately for less than that that combo with a sufficiently powerful PSU, and the case does not have punch-out slot/IO panels? I hate those things. (Ideally, the case would also use 120mm fans.)
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Computer: Intel Core i5-750 2.66 GHz quad-core processor @ 3.71 GHz | Asus P7P55D-E motherboard | Crucial 4 GB DDR3-1333 RAM | nVidia GeForce 8600GT | 2x WD Caviar Black WD1501FASS 1.5TB hard drives in RAID 1 | Antec Sonata III case with Antec EarthWatts 500-watt PSU | Dual Dell UltraSharp 2408WFP 24" widescreens | Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit

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Old 04-11-2010, 03:45 AM   #2
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I am afraid the 380W won't cut it. Check out ATI minimum requirements for the 5750 http://www.amd.com/us/products/deskt...uirements.aspx
I recomend a 500W, the Antec BP500U will do the trick at a low price but I would spend a little more and get the Seasonic SS-500ES Bronze which is about the best 500W power supply on the market dollar for dollar.
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Old 04-11-2010, 07:43 AM   #3
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We talked about this on IRC last night, and he found a deal on a Sonata 3 500 at Staples.com for $100.
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Old 04-11-2010, 10:04 AM   #4
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Great! the Sonata with the Antec 500W are excellent!
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Old 04-15-2010, 11:55 AM   #5
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The Sonata III came in on Tuesday, and I bought the CPU, motherboard, and RAM from Microcenter today (I'm going to pick them up in a few minutes). I'm going to run a 6600GT I'm borrowing from my girlfriend's brother until I can afford to get a new card, at which point I'll get a Radeon HD 5570. I'm reusing a Seagate 1TB drive that's in a broken Apricorn enclosure right now, and will use a USB DVD+/-RW until I can spend the $20-25 for a SATA one.
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