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Does Alienware use a stock PSU?

Blu

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Dec 10, 2010
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Grande Prairie, Alberta
Well I'm fixing my clients first PC and it's a alien ware, about 4-6 years old and I think it's the psu that's gone on it, the one inside says it's some no name brand 350 watt. It's running on a Asus motherboard as well as a Asus GPU and with IDE dvd drive/hard drive. Think it uses a standard PSU? I can't seem to find a serial number or anything on this PC there is a part of the case that's quite scratched up so I think this PC may or may not be stolen. But yeah it looks like it's a standard psu but I just wanted to be sure before I connect my spare one to it.
 

enaberif

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Dec 9, 2006
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Calgahree, AB
Alienware is like any other OEM manufacturer and puts crap ass mediocre stuff into any of their builds.
 

Lpfan4ever

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Sep 5, 2008
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Calgary
Should be a standard PSU to my knowledge. Unless there's a proprietary connector somewhere on the motherboard, I don't think there should be an issue.
 

ilya

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Feb 26, 2010
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Markham
Alienware is like any other OEM manufacturer and puts crap ass mediocre stuff into any of their builds.

You'd be surprised by the number of quality Delta PSUs I've seen in Alienwares/Dells.

However, if you can't get any serial numbers off the parts I doubt you'll be able to find out for sure unless you open it up.
 

ipaine

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Apr 13, 2008
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Edmonton, AB
One thing you have to watch out for with Dell is they have been known to use odd shaped PSU's. I'm not saying all do but you will find in many of their cases you will not be able to get a standard ATX power supply to fit without some modification.
 

Stock

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Apr 23, 2010
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211
You can always measure the PSU in the AW case and compare it with whatever you have on hand. If it doesn't fit, you can always put it back. Not like they're soldered in or something.
 

Soultribunal

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Dec 8, 2008
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Orangeville
Alienware is like any other OEM manufacturer and puts crap ass mediocre stuff into any of their builds.

Most of their stuff is Delta, and its really high quality.
I used to get the XPS stuff in for my old job , and its quality was bar none right up there with the best of them.

ST
 

SKYMTL

HardwareCanuck Review Editor
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Feb 26, 2007
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Montreal
From my experience, Alienware uses VERY good quality PSUs but that isn't the question here.

There are several issues you many encounter when replacing a PSU in one of their cases. First of all, they use standard ATX PSUs with identical pin-outs but due to the custom nature of their cases, cable lenghts may be longer or shorter than the norm. Shorter shouldn't cause an issue but make sure you measure the cable lengths prior to ordering a new PSU just in case some are longer.

Also, Alienware products have been known to have custom mounting hole locations for PSUs from time to time. So you may have to physically drill into the case to create standard mounting hole locations.
 

Slik

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Sep 12, 2009
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Sault Ste Marie On.
I think you can do it. I put a 1.1kw PSU from an Alienware into my wife's 730x with no problem. Dell said it's the same PSU.
 

severity

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Nov 27, 2010
Messages
126
Location
Vancouver
Alienware is like any other OEM manufacturer and puts crap ass mediocre stuff into any of their builds.

Not true, Alienware uses asus mobos and corsair ram, i did know someone who bought an alienware though hand got a generic video card just plain said nvidia on it lol, i may be wrong on the ram part, i do know dell uses generic ram though even for there high end XPS systems
 
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