A four-year-old psu

[amd1361]

hi
is a four-year-old psu reliable and efficient?
A friend of mine has offered me his four year old psu,but i am not sure if the psu is as efficient as it must be because of the age.
the brand is ok but somewhere on the net i read that the maximum reliable lifespan of a psu is three years
what would you do if you were me
thanks

 

[Hawkshot]

it depends on what PSU it is, if you buy a quality psu like I have then you can expect it to last at least 7 years. some psu's come with a 10 year warranty.

 

[jossrik]

If it's just "ok", I'd say pass on it. Most parts you buy for performance, but the PSU is the heart and soul, and a good one can mean the difference between spending a few hundred for an upgrade or a whole new PC. A faulty PSU can take everything with it, it's the one part where you absolutely don't want to go for performance at a budget. You can get a good PSU in the range of 50 or so USD and frequently there are sales.

 

[plywrlw]

Totally depends on what the PSU is. If it's something like a CX600 I'd say run away, if it's a PCPC MkIII silencer then it might be worth a second look....

 

[bicycle_repair_man]

My XFX XXX Pro is over four years old and still going strong.

As said, if it's a quality unit, it'll last years and years.

 

[amd1361]

Here is the model
http://www.amazon.com/XFX-PRO850W-Edition-Certified-P1850SNLB9/dp/B0045L4BNW
What do you think?
P.s. It has been used for almost 4 years

 

[plywrlw]

That's a decent Seasonic-built PSU. Do you know what is PC setup is? Has he been overclocking, running SLI?

What're the specs of the PC you want to put it in?

How much is he asking for it?

 

[bicycle_repair_man]

That's a good unit, no reason to avoid it unless it's damaged or been neglected.