Can i use my 10 years old PSU for my current system ?

[TrollHunter]

my 10 years old PC just died and i cant find a replacement motherboard, so i wanted to build a new rig

however it have a perfectly working standard 450w psu which used to power my decade old rig
specs below.

- core 2 duo e6750
- 2 x 2 GB ddr2 ram
- 2 x HDD's (1 x 1 TB seagate 7200 RPM, 1 x 1 TB WD 5200 RPM)
-1 x r7 250 1GB DDR5
-1 x DVD/CD combo drive.
- standard no frills keyboard and mouse.

i wanted to upgrade my rig but decided to wait for coffee lake cause i just got a new (well sorta new) pc from a friend for free. It's a budget build i3 system back from 2012 which he never used. The thing is sealed and packed brand new.

system specs -
- 13 - 2120
- h61 Mini ITX
- 1 x 4 GB ram
- 1 x 256 GB HDD
- 1x DVD/CD combo drive

the problem is, its psu does not have enough juice to power my added components which i have recently bought.

- 1050 ti mini
- 1 x 8 GB ram (total of 12 GB)
- 512 GB SSD

so i was thinking maybe i can reuse my old PSU which seems to be working fine (tested with the new system and it powered it up just fine) ... i have to say even if its over a decade old its never been stressed too much (well maybe occasionally), not to mention it was outright never used for 3~4 years straight when i was in university, only when i came back home did i powered it. i usually play SP games most of the time but also play competitive mp games when my friends and bothers show up.

i use my pc for general stuff

- illustrator
- photoshop
- Visual studio C#
- browse
- games
- watch movies and listen to music

the reason i ask this question rather than just buying out a new PSU is cause
- those things are expensive here and i am a student so that money could go elsewhere.
- i am still saving up for my coffee lake build. so it will take a toll on my build
- i live in asia so yea electronics are generally expensive.
- this pc saved my ass by giving me more head room to save and be able to pay bills comfortably , so buying a new psu would ruin that balance sorta.

i'd rather just use the old one than buying a new one cause am really tight on budget. i just want some kinda assurance.

 

[lperreault21]

it should be ok, what brand is it?

 

[13thmonkey]

Precisely what is that old PSU
Precisely what is your new system, is it the i3 + 1050ti + SSD?

PSU's age, as their capacitors age, which just happens over time, and not necessarily over use.

 

[thx1138v2]

It will probably work fine for a while. It will eventually go out and probably sooner rather than later with the added load. At that time your system will be at risk if it is not a good quality unit with over voltage and under voltage protection.

Everything else in the system relies on clean, stable power. When it does eventually go out it can damage any component connected to it if it is a low quality unit. That could be more damaging to your budget than a new PSU.

IMO, you should get a new, high quality PSU.

 

[vrumor]

I wouldnt use it. But that is a personal thing. PSU is the single most important component in any PC. A 10 yr old PSU is just asking for problems. Im guessing its probably a low quality one to boot.

 

[Phillip Corcoran]

Nobody worth their salt can give you a proper opinion without knowing it's brand and model number.

 

[TrollHunter]

Its A Grandiz PX-450BTX psu, i guess its an asian brand or something. I do forget to mention i got a sold high capacity home UPS, pure sine wave inverter with 8 hrs backup and a solid surge protection, never had a problem. So power fluctuations is not a problem. i just want to know if this thing works fine cause there wont be any problems related to power. Thank You

 

[vrumor]

I wouldnt continue to use that PSU. Im sure it is a very low tier brand. Get a quality PSU. SOmething like a Seasonic or Corsair.

 

[TrollHunter]

okay, i think i need to provide some kinda perspective so it'll be easier to understand a tier 5 450W PSU would cost as much as a months rent, so its not like am really cheaping out on the most important part D: ...

 

[vrumor]

Cant help how much it costs, can only advise that it isnt a wise choice. Even if it were my only choice, I wouldnt use it until I could get another one that is new, and a quality brand.

 

[Kenton82]

New rig, New PSU. My personal standard and opinion. If I was buying new components, I would not risk it. Plus a good PSU will have a good warranty.

 

[jankerson]

okay, i think i need to provide some kinda perspective so it'll be easier to understand a tier 5 450W PSU would cost as much as a months rent, so its not like am really cheaping out on the most important part D: ...

Well, I wouldn't use the old PSU, it's 10 years old and sounds like an unknown brand.

I recommend saving up and getting a new higher quality PSU.

 

[DSzymborski]

I wouldn't have used that PSU at 0 years old. You don't actually know whether it's working fine, either; a junk-tier PSU can power on and run a PC while slowly damaging components over the long-term. It's the same reason heart surgeons don't evaluate the health of a patient by just checking if they're alive or not.

The PSU is the most important part of your PC. Cutting corners here is penny-wise, pound-foolish.

 

[TrollHunter]

Thank you guys, decided to buy a new psu.

 

[thx1138v2]

Thank you guys, decided to buy a new psu.

You wouldn't put a 10 year old engine in a new car would you? Good choice.

 

[13thmonkey]

https://www.hardocp.com/news/2017/06/16/seasonic_pulls_plug_on_review_samples_retail_direct_for_reviews - hint hint

 

[jankerson]

https://www.hardocp.com/news/2017/06/16/seasonic_pulls_plug_on_review_samples_retail_direct_for_reviews - hint hint

I saw that and it is actually a good thing when it comes to computer parts and or electronics in general, should stop some of the nit picking.

I do a lot of testing myself in another field and I usually get retail review samples.

There are always accusations about hand picked review samples no matter what field. Personally I do believe people think too much and are just nit picking and or looking for things to complain about.