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I'm just about to rebuild my PC and have been told that my 300W Antec might not be powerful enough for my new build. I've had no problems with my Antec, but a friend tells me that they're not as good anymore. I would greatly appreciate some information on current model PSUs, I'm looking for a 450W PSU. Another issue I'm not sure about is a video card, I will not be playing games, but will do some video editing, so I could use some advise here also. Thanks in advance.

My rebuild will consist of the following:

Asus K8V SE Deluxe socket 754 motherboard
AMD Athlon 64 3000+ proccessor
Undetermind PCU cooling fan
Corsair PC3200 2X512MB
Maxtor 40GB hdd (from old PC, will add a new one later)
NEC 3520A DVD/CD burner
Existing case
Existing modem

Have I missed anything?

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by meow

Dani AI

Generated

: pick a replacement PSU by capability and build quality, not brand gossip. Estimate your system's real power draw (use an online PSU calculator) and choose a unit that exceeds that number by about 20–30% to avoid running near the limit. Prioritize an 80 Plus certified supply (Bronze or better), a clean continuous +12V rating (not just peak numbers), solid warranty, and good independent reviews rather than marketing blurbs.

Practical checklist before buying:

  • Confirm the PSU has the PCIe power connectors you might need and enough SATA/Molex plugs for drives and opticals.
  • Prefer modular or semi‑modular cabling for easier cable management.
  • Look for low ripple/noise, good capacitors, and a quiet fan (reviews and teardown photos help).
  • If future GPU upgrades are possible, buy extra headroom now instead of replacing the PSU later.

asked about a graphics card: for video editing, the GPU helps mainly when the editing software supports hardware acceleration. Check which APIs your editor uses (CUDA, OpenCL, Metal) and choose a GPU with driver support for that API. For HD editing, 3–4 GB VRAM is usually fine; for 4K timelines, aim higher. However, editing performance often improves more from faster storage (use an SSD for OS/scratch), more RAM (16 GB+ for comfortable HD work), and a faster CPU with more cores.

Installation/troubleshooting tips:

  • Test the new PSU on the bench before final assembly.
  • If instability appears after the swap, recheck all power connectors and BIOS voltage/monitoring readings.
  • If problems persist, swap back to a known good PSU to isolate the issue.

This approach avoids overspending while ensuring reliable power for editing tasks and any modest GPU you choose.

Member Avatar for meow

graphics card?

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