What size PSU should I get if I get a new comp? The setup would include 1GB ram @ 533Mhz, a P4@3.6GHz, 250GB HDD, 128MB video card, SoundBlaster Audigy w/ small speaker system and woofer, zip drive, 3-1/2"A:\ and two printers? I'm currently looking at about a 350W (Output). Any suggestions, not really manufactures, just wattage? Dell Dimension 4600i Windows XP Home v2002 SP2 Microsoft Office 2003 Pentium 4 @ 2.8GHz 512MB DDR RAM 40GB HD ...If my computer's not happy, I'm not happy.

350 is minimum. For pennies more you can get a 400W, that is best. The Zip drive and Speakers shouldn't enter into the picture, they should be independently powered. Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime; Then industry pollutes the water and kills all the fish.

Ok. It's actually a Dell 8400 Im looking at and it has a 350W output. It should handle that stuff I hope...maybe by the time I buy the system they would have added a few more watts. Dell Dimension 4600i Windows XP Home v2002 SP2 Microsoft Office 2003 Pentium 4 @ 2.8GHz 512MB DDR RAM 40GB HD ...If my computer's not happy, I'm not happy.

If this is a Dell rig, are you sure about that memory speed? I am an AMD person but with a 3.6GHz processor I would expect 800FSB or more. Do you REALLY want to buy this rig? Budweiser and Heineken are both beers but most beer drinkers can recognise that the similarity ends there. That is what you are dealing with when buying a big vendor computer. The biggest issue, but not the only by far, is the fact that no real software is provided. You say "that isn't so" well you get to borrow that software to use on THAT computer for as long as THAT computer continues to run. Don't think about any real upgrades either. You are already questioning the PSU as marginal at best. This carries thru the entire hardware list. Propietory parts are common. I suggest that you look at a computer purchase just as you would any other major expenditure. Most people want the most value for the money spent, not just the cheapest price. Do that with Dell, or for that matter, any computer brand that uses restore disks, and you may reconsider. If, after informed evaluation you feel that the Dell is the best value for you by all means buy it.

Thanks for the input. I'll probably not be buying a new comp for at least 6 months. I was just trying to get a feel for PSU wattage. At the time, this seems to be the best setup, (price is not that much of a matter) I can find, and I imagine by the fall or next Christmas, Dell may roll out another Dimension model which may be more suited for me. I'm also not experienced enough to build my own, even thought it's a great learning experience. Thanks for the info. Dell Dimension 4600i Windows XP Home v2002 SP2 Microsoft Office 2003 Pentium 4 @ 2.8GHz 512MB DDR RAM 40GB HD ...If my computer's not happy, I'm not happy.

I wasn't suggesting that you build your own PC. There are lots of other options. If your interested post another question and watch the reply come in. Are you in the US?

Yes I am, I won't post back for a while until I get an idea of what I'm doing for a new pc. Dell Dimension 4600i Windows XP Home v2002 SP2 Microsoft Office 2003 Pentium 4 @ 2.8GHz 512MB DDR RAM 40GB HD ...If my computer's not happy, I'm not happy.