$550 Challenge - Is Refurb PSU Worth It?

[gjt86]

Best power supply offered at MicroCenter for less than 60 bucks?

Is it worth it to get a refurb PSU? I am current looking at:

http://www.microcenter.com/product/457194/TX850_850_Watt_12V_80_Plus_Bronze_ATX_Power_Supply_Refurbished


Trying to make a build for around the 550 mark for everything but monitor basically. This is what I currently have:

Storage: http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0454560
Case: http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0432417
CPU: http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0451887
KB & Mouse: http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0420706
MOBO: http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0460956
RAM: http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0466885 (or 2x4gb for same price)
GPU: http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0443053 - Changed to http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0468297

Must stay around the 550'ish mark (mainly used for web browsing, light gaming, DOTA 2, etc. with the ability to upgrade), but I am concerned about the PSU being a refurb - any suggestions? Feel free to chime in on any other performance aspect of the hardware setup mentioned as well.

 

[Dark Lord of Tech]

You only need a decent 550w.

 

[weberdarren97]

Is it worth it? No.

You see, to be refurbished, it had to be sent back to the factory. Why was it sent back to the factory? Was it defective? Did it malfunction or underperform? These are questions we don't know the answers to, so I don't recommend buying refurbished power supplies.

 

[gjt86]

You only need a decent 550w.

Definitely, but given my choices, there are a ton of refurbs to sift through in the price range: http://www.microcenter.com/search/search_results.aspx?N=4294966654&sortby=pricelow&NTK=all&page=2&cat=Power-Supplies-:-Computer-Parts-:-MicroCenter

 

[turkey3_scratch]

The GTX 760 is not worth it with the RX 460 out. It should perform somewhat better and be new, not refurbished, and uses a lot less power.

 

[ADrunkBunny]

I mean you can pick up a evga 750 watt bronze for $65 https://www.amazon.com/EVGA-BRONZE-Modular-Warranty-110-BQ-0750-V1/dp/B00K85X23O/ref=sr_1_3?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1475715792&sr=1-3&keywords=evga%2B750w%2Bbronze&th=1

 

[weberdarren97]

You only need a decent 550w.

Is this one of the old models? Or is it one of the newer more acceptable models?

http://www.microcenter.com/product/460288/CX650M_650_Watt_ATX_Modular_Power_Supply

 

[gjt86]

I mean you can pick up a evga 750 watt bronze for $65 https://www.amazon.com/EVGA-BRONZE-Modular-Warranty-110-BQ-0750-V1/dp/B00K85X23O/ref=sr_1_3?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1475715792&sr=1-3&keywords=evga%2B750w%2Bbronze&th=1

For sure, but dude I am building for wants to buy all of it via retail at Microcenter tomorrow morning.

 

[gjt86]

You only need a decent 550w.

Is this one of the old models? Or is it one of the newer more acceptable models?

http://www.microcenter.com/product/460288/CX650M_650_Watt_ATX_Modular_Power_Supply

Pretty solid PSU I think, but outside of price range needed - unless someone can justify getting that over one of the other components.

 

[weberdarren97]

It is very important that OP gets a high quality power supply. Since the power supply is in charge of delivering power to all of the components, a low quality unit that outputs unstable voltage could destroy sensitive components like hard drives and motherboards.

I think that right there justifies spending a few extra dollars on the power supply.

 

[gjt86]

Changed GPU to http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0468297 - upgrade for the same price?

 

[gjt86]

The GTX 760 is not worth it with the RX 460 out. It should perform somewhat better and be new, not refurbished, and uses a lot less power.

LOL didn't mean to pick yours as the solution, but I did switch to a http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0468297 as it is the same price - upgrade?

 

[weberdarren97]

Best Answer unselected. Was not intentionally selected by OP.

 

[gjt86]

It is very important that OP gets a high quality power supply. Since the power supply is in charge of delivering power to all of the components, a low quality unit that outputs unstable voltage could destroy sensitive components like hard drives and motherboards.

I think that right there justifies spending a few extra dollars on the power supply.

It sure does, but what to swap out to keep around the 550 mark? (Total can be absolutely no higher than 590). If I were shopping around online and buying from separate entities, it would be an entirely different story, but everything has to be from local MC. :/

 

[weberdarren97]

$55 for a decent quality PSU? Not really gonna happen, sorry.

I don't see much else that can be brought down in price without lowering performance... I guess you either need to bring your budget up or just use a friend's keyboard and mouse until you get the money for your own. That gives you an extra $15 to put towards the power supply.

 

[gjt86]

$55 for a decent quality PSU? Not really gonna happen, sorry.

I don't see much else that can be brought down in price without lowering performance... I guess you either need to bring your budget up or just use a friend's keyboard and mouse until you get the money for your own. That gives you an extra $15 to put towards the power supply.

Yeah, pretty much where I am at. How does this one fare - or should I keep looking? http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0457411

 

[weberdarren97]

It's acceptable, although I'd like to see you get a higher quality unit... It'll make it a year or so with no problems, then can be upgraded for a higher quality unit.

 

[gjt86]

It's acceptable, although I'd like to see you get a higher quality unit... It'll make it a year or so with no problems, then can be upgraded for a higher quality unit.

Thoughts on Thermaltake or Corsair Builder Series? Some of these are little higher in price, but seem more solid? Personally, I run XFX as of late and am loving them, but none here available and not familiar with some of these models.

As long as I can get him a decent stable build going for the light gaming he wants, parts can be upgraded within the next year or so one by one. Hence a bit of the lower budget.

 

[weberdarren97]

Thermaltake is rather low quality. As for the Corsair Builder series, there's older and newer models... The old ones are just about crap, the new ones are acceptable but nothing special. I advise to stay away from both of them.

I never really got an answer to whether my link was an older model or a newer model, so I can't really recommend that model.

 

[turkey3_scratch]

Why Microcenter only? Newegg and Amazon are better.

 

[gjt86]

Why Microcenter only? Newegg and Amazon are better.

I wholeheartedly agree, but its because he plans on picking it all up today.