Good Power Supply?

My dads old computer PSU died and he wants to use it so he told me to look up a good PSU for it. I offered him another solution, to buy me a new PSU and I will give him mine. Mine is a stock case PSU and always wanted a "real" one, it is more than enough for his regular computer.

I run a Geforce 7900 GT, 2GB of PC6400 DDR2, and an AMD X2 4200+. In the future I plan to get a Geforce 8800 GT, or whatever is high end but not absurdly expensive at the time. I will probably buy a better Mobo and processor too. To take this into account, I need to find a good PSU that will run this setup fine. My dad is willing to spend $50 on it, and I can also fork some in too. So obviously, I don't plan to get anything super expensive.

One person suggested this PSU: Newegg.com - Antec earthwatts EA430 430W ATX12V v2.0 Power Supply 100 - 240 V UL, CUL, FCC, TUV, CE, CB, C-tick, CCC - Power Supplies

But I also found this one:Newegg.com - RAIDMAX HYBRID 2 RX-530SS 530W ATX12V V2.2/ EPS12V Modular LED Power Supply 100 - 240 V UL, CUL, FCC, TUV, CE, C-tick, CCC, CB - Power Supplies

I actually think the one I found looks pretty good, only problem is I don't know if its trustworthy. Anyone want to offer some logic into the problem or find something good for me?

Welcome to Hot Hardware zeppelinfreak. I wouldn't recommend a 430 Watt PSU for the system you are looking to upgrade to. The other power supply seems better, even still I don't think it's good enough. Your budget suggests you are trying to keep costs down. However when it comes to power supplies getting the cheapest high wattage power supply isn't a good plan. Power supply is the one component you shouldn't skimp on. I understand your predicament, I suggest you talk to your father and explain that spending a bit extra will go a long way. If you must absolutely must keep costs down I would look into getting the one below.

Seasonic S12 Energy+ 550

The reasons for getting a good power supply are simple.

• They are unlikely to damage your computer over long term use.
• The power supplies themselves tend to last longer.
• They offer some degree of future proofing.
  

-Dev

 Seasonic makes excllent Power supplies, Fortron or FSP is another option for a quality PSU. Just make sure whatever you get has dual rails so you can put your video cards load on one rail and the drives and other peripherals on the other rail.

heres a good seasonic thats only 72, so it might actually work out for you. it is high energy efficent, good, and 500 watts (not totally future proof but pretty decently future proof as long as you keep it down to 1 video card)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151040

If you like Antec, you might try out the following from Fry's: http://shop2.frys.com/product/4947861?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG. It's an Antec TruePowerTrio 650W Power Supply on sale for $79.99 with free shipping.

Also, I just bought the Raidmax Volcano 630 Watt Modular Power Supply from Fry's on sale for $99.99 with a $40 rebate, bringing it down to $59.99 (not including tax or shipping).  It's my first experience with a Raidmax, but I really like it. It's modular and rated at 630W, plus it looks really cool in my case: http://shop2.frys.com/product/4806800?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG

Whatever you do, don't skimp on the power supply. Without enough wattage, your entire system could become unstable or not run at all. I wouldn't get anything less than 550W and make sure it's a quality PSU, not one of those cheap obscure brands. Personally, I like Antec, ABS Tagan, Corsair, PC Power & Cooling, OCZ, and Seasonic just to name a few. You can get a lot of recommendations, and everyone has their own personal preferences, so just decide what you want and watch for sales. Power supplies are doing what memory has done over time - more companies are making them, they're getting better and better, and prices are falling. If you can't afford a good power supply today, just wait and keep an eye out for a good deal. Just save yourself a lot of trouble by getting a good one and not settling for a cheap model.

Remember, the rest of your system depends on the power supply and if you skimp here, everything else will suffer!

 Seasonic make windeful PSU's as does antec. Modular is always nice helps keep the case cleaner.

I would say Ultra, CoolerMaster, Thermaltake, Corsair, Mushkin, OCZ, and Tagan would be a great pick. When you pick a PSU, make sure it has Active PFC and at least %80+ efficiency. Also if you happen to run higher end video cards and processor then I would say you would need a minimum of 550Watts and more. Preferebly a 650Watt. If you want to go SLI a 700-800Watt is just enough. :) It's good to have a little spare even if the computer only uses half of the power supplies wattage, because the power jumps up and down and you never know when it jumps just high enough that you computer will crash. So a high wattage, and ampage powersupply is always a good thing to have. You computer is more stable that way.