Can a bad power supply make a computer slow?

[KarlKarrlander]

Hey!

I actually posted a thread about a build an hour ago and we got into a discussion on power supplies and it got me thinking:

Can a power supply on the lower end of the tier list, say one of Corsair's CX psu's, make a computer slower over the years? Will it have a higher chance of damaging components than other higher tier psu's?

I know that it's always recommended to get a more quality psu, but how much of a difference does it make when it comes to normal use of a computer (browsing, playing minor kids games, paying bills, Youtube)?

I was just curious and wanted to see what everyone has to say! I actually have a CX 750M in one of my gaming rigs and its been running great. Just wanted to see if it's going to slow everything down faster, and in that case I'm inclined on switching!

Thanks!

P.S: Superninja, if you're here then please join the conversation as well!

 

[KarlKarrlander]

A dose of reality: Power supplies can be ford's or Ferraris. Both get you there, unless you plan on thrashing it in which case the Ferrari gets you there faster .......and is still worn out.

Most pc builds people propose here are going to draw a couple of hundred watts tops so even a modest 450 - 500 watt unit will work and stay working for years. Usually longer than the practical life of a pc .
I know of pc's that have been running cx430's for more than 8 years .

Almost no one NEEDS a Ferrari. But I would choose one over a ford if it was in my budget. If not the the ford gets you there

Hehe, nice comparison 😉

CX will work for most users, but the question is, how well does it fare against the Tier 1 psu in a longevity and quality test? Does anyone have some good sources for direct comparisons under different workloads?

 

[superninja12]

Well there are enough cx that smoked out and exploded on this forum, i cant find that about g2 units.

In longativities wihout breakdowns idk that maybe turkey does, its all about under the hood

 

[turkey3_scratch]

I have one gripe with the 650 G2: the price. You can actually get a 750 G2 for like $5 more usually.

I noticed that as well, which got me thinking if I should go for a 750W instead. Is FSP owned by another company? Can't find it on the Swedish retailers (I live in Sweden).

No FSP manufacturers their own, and manufacturers other PSUs, including multiple EVGA ones.

 

[dg27]

Almost no one NEEDS a Ferrari. But I would choose one over a ford if it was in my budget. If not the the ford gets you there

Keep in mind that Ford spelled backwards stands for Driver Returned On Foot.

 

[Outlander_04]

Well there are enough cx that smoked out and exploded on this forum, i cant find that about g2 units.

In longativities wihout breakdowns idk that maybe turkey does, its all about under the hood

Actually I have seen very few people reporting smoked power supplies of any kind .
I do see a number of people recommending people do not buy CX power supplies because they are on a list [ even though they themselves have never used one ] .

There are reviews online for anyone who cares to look . With the possible exception of the CX 750 , the rest of them perform very well for the price

 

[superninja12]

corsair cx strikes again http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/answers/id-3030791/corsair-series-psu-victim.html

 

[rollingbarrels]

Contrary to what people have been telling me and what I've read, in my personal experience all of the tier 1 PSUs I've purchased have had some issue. I had one Seasonic PSU that "exploded" wiping out several other components, and the new Seasonic that I have now makes an unsettling buzzing noise most of the time under normal usage. Oddly enough the only CX series PSU I ever bought has had no issues at all and has been going strong with no signs of failure for 5 years and counting.

While I am not going to deny the laws of physics and say that the electrical engineering work poured into designing higher quality PSUs is bogus, I will say that from my experience it seems as though luck may play a bigger part in the longevity of a PSU than you might think. Extending from the car analogy, you could get a Ferrari that breaks within a week and similarly you could get a Ford that lasts for many years, just one is known to break more than the other. Then again, more people own Fords so who knows really. Ferraris are also more expensive to fix if you do get unlucky, so there are a lot of factors to consider.

In the end, I don't think it matters what make of PSU you have as long as it suits your needs, just make sure you're not driving a plank of wood on wheels 😛

 

[turkey3_scratch]

Contrary to what people have been telling me and what I've read, in my personal experience all of the tier 1 PSUs I've purchased have had some issue. I had one Seasonic PSU that "exploded" wiping out several other components, and the new Seasonic that I have now makes an unsettling buzzing noise most of the time under normal usage. Oddly enough the only CX series PSU I ever bought has had no issues at all and has been going strong with no signs of failure for 5 years and counting.

While I am not going to deny the laws of physics and say that the electrical engineering work poured into designing higher quality PSUs is bogus, I will say that from my experience it seems as though luck may play a bigger part in the longevity of a PSU than you might think. Extending from the car analogy, you could get a Ferrari that breaks within a week and similarly you could get a Ford that lasts for many years, just one is known to break more than the other. Then again, more people own Fords so who knows really. Ferraris are also more expensive to fix if you do get unlucky, so there are a lot of factors to consider.

In the end, I don't think it matters what make of PSU you have as long as it suits your needs, just make sure you're not driving a plank of wood on wheels 😛

No it matters a lot. Your personal experience cannot justify the truth.

 

[rollingbarrels]

It only matters if you need it to 😉

 

[Outlander_04]

corsair cx strikes again http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/answers/id-3030791/corsair-series-psu-victim.html

http://www.realhardtechx.com/index_archivos/Page362.htm
Minimum recommended psu for his build is 800 watts .
So he has a ford and expects it to behave like a Ferrari ........and yet it still hasn't "smoked"

Pretty much proves my point and not yours .

The CX 750 is the weakest of the line. We all acknowledge that .
Now go google some reviews of the 430 , 500 and 600 . They perform well , and very well for the price