is there a difference in power supplies?

Would a 500watt power suppy be the same as a duo core /sli ready powersupply? here's the dilema, i have a power supply i can get at my work place for cheap, a 500watt mad dogg, it's one of those powersupplies that come with those detachable cables, but it doesn't say duo core ready or anything. would that affect my computer or it wouldn't matter?

Oh no, power supplies vary greatly. There is a night and day difference between the no name 500W PSU and say, a high-end PSU. The major differences are the amps, since low-end PSU's will often have a very low wattage and efficiency, along with not having that many connections (usually).

I would not even think about using a cheapo 500W PSU for an SLI setup.

[-OMEGA-] is 100% correct about this, never try to use a generic 500W PSU for a highend system, as there's almost no chance of it actually putting out 500W.



I'd suggest taking a look at the various PSU guides: http://www.computerforum.com/90118-u...su-guides.html



If you're after some specific recommendations, please provide your system specs and a budget.