Which PSU should I buy?

By the way, I think I’m actually gonna go with the 3-core processor after all. $33 Honestly, it's worth paying a little extra just to get that one additional core 🙂
As for a graphics card? Forget about it. Seriously, the absolute peak of my gaming library is Tetris and Pac-Man!

Hey there. I need to swap out the power supply for this build:
AMD Phenom 550 3.2GHz
Radeon HD 4670
2GB Kingmax RAM 1333MHz
ASRock M3A70DE motherboard or similar
2 hard drives and a SSD.
I'm not exactly a PC pro😁, but I need something reliable that can handle this setup without breaking a sweat. My current unit is just a cheap generic one from a local shop. Thanks.

Which would be the better buy, a Seasonic 430W or a Silverstone 400W?

George Harris said:Greetings. I am looking to swap out the power supply for the following configuration:
The AMD Phenom 550 dual-core—running at that 3.2GHz mark—is an interesting little piece of hardware, I suppose. It sits in that strange middle ground where you wonder if it was actually worth the investment back in the day, or if it was just a stopgap for people waiting on something better. It’s a decent enough chip for basic tasks, though I suspect its longevity is somewhat limited by modern standards. Maybe it holds up better than most would expect, but I wouldn't go betting the house on it.
The ATI Radeon HD 4670—an aging piece of silicon, I suppose. It’s hard to say exactly where it sits in the grand scheme of things these days, but looking back, it was certainly an interesting attempt at balancing cost and performance. Whether it actually holds up for anything meaningful today is... debatable, to say the least.
I suppose we're looking at 2GB of Kingmax RAM running at 1333MHz—though, frankly, I can't say much about that. It’s just a spec, really. Not exactly groundbreaking, but I guess it serves its purpose if you aren't trying to run anything modern.
Something like an ASUS M3A70DE—I suppose.
Two hard drives—and they’re fried.
I wouldn't exactly call myself a newcomer to the world of PC hardware—I've been around the block a few times, I suppose. 😁 Look, I just need something that can actually handle this setup without breaking a sweat—because, frankly, the power supply I'm running right now is a total disaster. Thanks.

Check out this listing over at Micro Center—it’s for the Corsair CX series. I suppose if you're looking for a basic power supply, this might be one of those options that gets the job done without much fanfare. It’s pretty standard stuff, really.

If they actually have it in stock—and that’s a big if—you should probably grab it while you can.

Alexander Moore67 said:If you're torn between picking up a Seasonic 430W or a Silverstone 400W—I suppose it really comes down to what you're actually trying to power—but if I had to make a call, I'd lean toward the Seasonic. It feels like the safer bet in most scenarios, though I might be overthinking it.

You won't miss with any of them—honestly. But if you ask me, I’d say Seasonic still holds the edge.

Thanks 🙂 this thread is actually pretty useful

George Harris said:Hey there! I really need to swap out my power supply for this setup:
amd phenom 5200 x2 3.2ghz
ati Radeon HD 4670
2gb kingmax 1333mhz ram
an asrock M3A70DE motherboard or something similar
2 hard drives and a burner.
I'm not exactly a total newbie when it comes to PCs😁 , but I need something reliable that can handle this rig without breaking a sweat, because the PSU I'm using right now is basically junk. Thanks!

You can actually find a wattage calculator over at newegg.com

Personally, I ended up grabbing a Corsair 430W, but hey, unlike you, I don't have a graphics card that's going to go hogging an extra 100 watts all by itself!
Efficiency is the real deal here. If it says it's 80% efficient (like, if it's rated for 400W, you're getting 320W at max load), then you're golden. That's actual usable power!
But if they don't list the efficiency rating? Well, there's a huge chance you're looking at some absolute garbage. Those cheap units often struggle to even hit 50% efficiency!

Since I’ll probably be upgrading the quad core and grabbing a better GPU this summer, I'm wondering if this power supply can actually handle it. I'd rather not end up buying a new PSU five different times...

Look, you've got options. Grab a Seasonic 430W, a Silverstone 400W, or maybe a Corsair CX series 400W if you can even find one in stock anymore. Honestly, though? That LC Power Silent Giant Green Power 460W actually turned out to be a decent little unit if you're trying to keep things cheap.

stormywolf39 said:So, we're looking at a Seasonic 430W, maybe a Silverstone 400W, or a Corsair CX 400W if you can even track one down anymore—though, in my experience, that LC Power Silent Giant Green Power 460W actually turned out to be a decent little budget option for the price.

Just a quick signature note, and honestly, just saying this in the hope that people will actually take it to heart: AVOID THE CORSAIR CX SERIES UNLESS YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE 400W MODEL.

This might sound like a pretty stupid question, but why isn't there a Seasonic option listed upfront? Everyone knows they make killer power supplies, and if I recall correctly, they even manufactured some for Corsair. So... yeah. Just asking, please don't come for me. 😁
Is anyone actually going to check the front page and notice the lack of Seasonic? Because right now, Seasonic is basically the gold standard everyone recommends.

Uncle Gilbert just can't get this update to work 😬

Casey Long2 said:Just a signature here, and honestly, just for the sake of it—hoping people actually take note—STAY AWAY FROM THE CORSAIR CX SERIESUNLESS YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE 400W MODEL

So, I heard through the grapevine that the CX series was basically made just to grab some market share in the budget tier.
But wait, why on earth is the 400W an exception?

Because that’s an older lineup—way higher build quality than this new stuff they're pushing now.

The 400W version is an older unit built on a Seasonic design—it hits over 80% efficiency and can actually handle more current than what’s officially rated without breaking a sweat.
On the other hand, these newer models are based on a stripped-down CWT budget platform that doesn't even reach 80% efficiency. They come with a weaker two-year warranty, perform worse overall, and rely on much lower-quality components.

And what's wrong with Fortron 400W? It does its job just fine, I guess. 🙂

Joshua Garcia3 said:What's wrong with the Fortron 400W? It does its job just fine, I suppose. 🙂

Alexander Martinez claims he misses that old level of quality—nothing else really compares 😁 😁. It's just not that same
PNF model anymore.

Joshua Garcia3 said:What’s wrong with the Fortron 400W? It does its job perfectly fine. 🙂

It’s roughly the same quality as the CX430—maybe even a tiny bit better 😁... they changed quite a few things compared to the PNF version, though "changed" is just a polite way of saying they cut corners on manufacturing.

but at least it’s got an 80 Plus certificate😁

boldcanyon14 said:At least it has an 80+ certification. 😁

That actually piqued my interest, so I decided to go take a look at the 80 Plus website... but nope, it’s nowhere to be found. 😕

So, you do a quick little Google search and—presto!—a review pops up on newegg.com. PCForum

Scroll down to the efficiency test and you'll stumble upon a little something interesting:



At first glance, everything looks fine here, but there’s a catch. Since Sweden uses a 230V grid while the 80 Plus certification is typically tested using 115V—the standard for the US market—the whole situation becomes pretty obvious immediately.

There’s a very simple reason why this power supply isn't on the 80 PLUS list... it simply doesn't deserve the certification.

Why?

Efficiency at 115V runs about 2% lower than at 230V. What does that mean for the Fortron (FSP400-60APN) numbers regarding the 80 PLUS standard? At 115V, you should expect them to look roughly like this:



Honestly, you can't trust anyone anymore. Not one single soul. 🙄

Alexander Martinez 👍

Honestly, I’d still lean toward picking up that one over the CX430—if nothing else, it just makes more sense from a budget perspective. 😁