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Which PSU should I buy?

Started by wiredmarlin5 · · 👁 87 views · 2.2K replies

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amberangler99 amberangler99 Newcomer
9 messages
joined Mar 2011
#821 ·
Taylor Brown said:you should've just shelled out more $6.75 and grabbed an XFX 450W. then you wouldn't be sweating it. 😁
now who knows how long this thing actually lasts? darkowl72 already told you that.😬

Looks like I screwed myself.
But look, all my old cheap 200W power supplies lasted me four or five years easy.
If this one holds up that long, I'll be happy enough.😁
Paul Clark80 Paul Clark80 Newcomer
3 messages
joined Oct 2017
#822 ·
darkowl72 said:Like I said, it’ll probably run forever if it’s just sitting in some office cubicle doing light work for a few hours a day... but if you start pushing high-end components through it? Who knows.

.......... so you're saying under a heavy workload, it should last about 5-6 years?
Rebecca Parker Rebecca Parker Member
24 messages
joined Nov 2007
#823 ·
And honestly, you could be out of commission for a second day if you’ve got a damn trophy on the line... I mean, isn't that a stupid question? Who actually knows how long electronics are going to last anyway?!
amberangler99 amberangler99 Newcomer
9 messages
joined Mar 2011
#824 ·
Since we picked up those lower-end power supplies from you guys, we’ll be checking back in over the next few years to let you know how they actually hold up.

Exclusive to Reddit😁
Kimberly Gomez34 Kimberly Gomez34 Regular
686 messages
joined Jul 2009
#825 ·
Honestly, I think people are overreacting a bit regarding these power supplies. I’ve got this old, off-brand unit from a random manufacturer that’s been running for nearly six years now. My PC has been absolutely hammered with gaming 90% of the time—really pushing it to the limit—and yet, it’s still kicking. (Knock on wood here). So, the brand name doesn't necessarily mean everything to me.
Larry Ortiz5 Larry Ortiz5 Regular
710 messages
joined May 2020
#826 ·
You really need to have a high-quality, stable power supply unit. If you go with some cheap junk and it dies, there’s a huge chance it’ll take your other components down with it—and then you're looking at a total disaster. On the flip side, with the good stuff, that just doesn't happen. I see so many people who spend a fortune on their PC $6.75 but then try to skimp on the PSU, basically inviting trouble into their setup 🙂
. It’s kind of like driving a Ferrari but putting cheap hubcaps on it, right? In the world of power supplies, it's definitely better to pay $33 a little extra for something reliable than to deal with those sketchy brands that claim to provide certain wattage but don't actually deliver what they promise.
Kimberly Gomez34 Kimberly Gomez34 Regular
686 messages
joined Jul 2009
#827 ·
I’ve personally seen cases where you build a high-end rig $0.00, everything looks top-tier, and even the power supplies are absolute beasts—yet somehow, two or three units just give up the ghost within a year. I wasn't even overclocking anything; everything was running strictly by the book, but I can't tell you why. The point is, you can never truly be certain. You basically need a bit of luck on your side.
darkowl72 darkowl72 Regular
311 messages
joined Oct 2015
#828 ·
Timothy Kim60 said:computer shut down and Prime crashed
+furmark
ran both at the same time
and the PC died after
5 mins with a weird smell coming from the
power supply area. just dropped it off at Best Buy now
waiting.
LC Power 460W, one month old
Q6600, nothing overclocked
GTX 550 Ti
HDD
mentioned the motherboard somewhere earlier.
I can't do it again because it's OVER
MOBO
did I do the right thing? was it the
power supply? the fan sped up crazy
during those tests


So, a user just reached out to me on Reddit. He had an LC Power GP3 series (meaning the higher quality stuff) 460W unit. Couldn't help himself, so he stress-tested his rig by running Furmark and Prime simultaneously. Result? The PSU fried... even though that exact setup had been running fine for a while.

I'm not saying every GP3 460W is going to die in this situation, but yeah, he just caught a bad break and his unit gave up the ghost. 🙂

This is exactly what we've been saying about LC Power units. They're decent (the GP3 series), but you shouldn't push them too hard. The internal components aren't top-tier, so it's really just a matter of time before something fails under heavy, sustained load. Plus, the PSU itself states the max power on the +12V rails is ONLY 220W, even though it claims 14A and 15A. That amperage isn't actually bad, but it's likely just the maximum peak per rail—because if it were true, the total power should be 348W (12V * 29A = 348W). Instead, the manufacturer declares 220W, which implies about 9A per rail when distributed.

Anyway, his specific unit couldn't handle the torture. And there’s been plenty of talk about Furmark and other component benchmarks being basically pointless "component frying" sessions, since the way Furmark stresses hardware doesn't actually reflect real-world usage.
Adam Moore3 Adam Moore3 Regular
322 messages
joined Jun 2014
#829 ·
Which of these two power supplies is better, and is the OCZ modular? 🙂
graniteharbor85 graniteharbor85 Active Member
116 messages
joined Apr 2014
#830 ·
I'd say the LC Power GP3 is the better pick here—plus, both of them are non-modular. Just a heads-up though, with the LC Power one, the cables are pretty short. If you're rocking a massive case, your cable management might end up looking a little messy.
Bradley Bishop60 Bradley Bishop60 Newcomer
2 messages
joined Jul 2016
#831 ·
So, I've finally decided it's time to pick up a new power supply
Here’s what I'm running at the moment:
Motherboard: Gigabyte MA78G-DS3H
CPU: AMD Athlon 64 X2 5200+ 2.70 GHz
GPU: Radeon HD 6850
Current PSU: Codegen 400W

I have about $233 set aside, and I'm looking at grabbing a Corsair CX600
I could use some advice—will this unit have all the right connectors for my setup? Or is there something else out there that might be a better deal or just a better overall choice?
graniteharbor85 graniteharbor85 Active Member
116 messages
joined Apr 2014
#832 ·
Grab XFX 550W—it’ll serve you well for a long time, plus it supports way beefier setups than what you're running now, so you won't have to sweat it when you eventually want to upgrade your components.
fadedorca66 fadedorca66 Regular
372 messages
joined Nov 2022
#833 ·
Exactly, I’d go with the AMD one if I were you. That EVGA CX series isn't exactly anything to write home about...
Adam Moore3 Adam Moore3 Regular
322 messages
joined Jun 2014
#834 ·
Bradley Bishop60 said:So, I've decided to pick up a new power supply.
My current build:
Motherboard: Gigabyte MA78G-DS3H
CPU: AMD Athlon 64 X2 5200+ 2.70 GHz
GPU: Radeon HD 6850
PSU: Codegen 400W

I've got about $233 set aside, and I'm looking at getting an EVGA
I could use some advice—will this PSU have all the right connectors? Or is there something better or even cheaper out there?

Just jumping in here—that 5200+ is going to be a massive bottleneck for a 6850. 😉
stormynomad53 stormynomad53 Newcomer
2 messages
joined Jul 2012
#835 ·
I am quite novice when it comes to computer hardware, so I truly value any guidance you can offer.
CPU: Intel Core i7 2.66 GHz
RAM: 3.00 GB
32-bit OS
Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 (approx. total memory 1777MB)
1 DVD RW and CD RW drive

Thank you!
Robert Rodriguez2 Robert Rodriguez2 Regular
353 messages
joined Jul 2015
#836 ·
stormynomad53 said:I don't know much about PCs, so I appreciate any help here.
CPU: Intel Core i7 2.66 GHz
RAM: 3.00 GB
32-bit OS
Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 (approx. total memory 1777MB)
1 DVD RW and CD RW drive

Thanks!!

http://www.bestbuy.com/product_info.php?c...ducts_id=11453
stormynomad53 stormynomad53 Newcomer
2 messages
joined Jul 2012
#837 ·
What would be the approximate cost if I were to opt for a different, similar model instead?
fadedorca66 fadedorca66 Regular
372 messages
joined Nov 2022
#838 ·
400W, but there’s a huge difference between 400W for an $50 and 400W for an $120, so I guess you should probably watch what you're buying.
Walter Bennett32 Walter Bennett32 Newcomer
4 messages
joined Jul 2012
#839 ·
My motherboard just died on me, so I'm looking at a full replacement.
What kind of power supply should I get for this setup:
Intel G620 Sandy Bridge 2.6 GHz CPU
ASRock H61M-HVS
G.Skill PC 10600 4GB (2x2)
GeForce G210 512 DDR2
500 GB WD HDD 7,200 rpm
Keep in mind I'll have about six USB ports running constantly.
Will a 420W unit from a budget brand like LC Power be enough, or should I really spring for something higher quality? Thanks.
fadedorca66 fadedorca66 Regular
372 messages
joined Nov 2022
#840 ·
I guess a 420W liquid cooler would do the trick, but if you're looking to save some cash, maybe stick with the Regus series using a 12cm fan. If you actually want something decent, though, I'd probably look at a Corsair or a Cooler Master...

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