[SOLVED] Do I NEED 80+ Gold? Is 80+ Bronze good enough?

[giancua0]

I always see people recommending 80+ Gold as the standard, and I just wanted to ask are Bronze/Silver really that bad? Or would I be okay using a 80+ Bronze/Silver?

Here are my specs

Ryzen 5 3600
GTX 1650 Super
Corsair 2x8 16GB 3000 MHz

 

[siaan312]

The difference is there, but choosing quality over rating is usually more important.

Your machine is pretty low end one, so a bronze psu, as long as it's a good unit should work.
Say a corsair cx550m

 

[Flayed]

I always see people recommending 80+ Gold as the standard, and I just wanted to ask are Bronze/Silver really that bad? Or would I be okay using a 80+ Bronze/Silver?

Here are my specs

Ryzen 5 3600
GTX 1650 Super
Corsair 2x8 16GB 3000 MHz

What country are you in? The UK? It is less about the efficiency rating and more about the quality of the components that make up the power supply. How long it will last before it fails.
This is the cheapest I would recommend if you are in the UK:
PCPartPicker Part List

Power Supply: Corsair TXM Gold 550 W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-modular ATX Power Supply (£69.95 @ CCL Computers)
Total: £69.95
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2020-10-25 09:34 GMT+0000

Here is a review of the unit:
https://www.anandtech.com/show/12070/the-corsair-tx550m-80plus-gold-psu-review

 

[siaan312]

What country are you in? The UK? It is less about the efficiency rating and more about the quality of the components that make up the power supply. How long it will last before it fails.
This is the cheapest I would recommend if you are in the UK:
PCPartPicker Part List

Power Supply: Corsair TXM Gold 550 W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-modular ATX Power Supply (£69.95 @ CCL Computers)
Total: £69.95
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2020-10-25 09:34 GMT+0000

Here is a review of the unit:
https://www.anandtech.com/show/12070/the-corsair-tx550m-80plus-gold-psu-review

That's a solid psu, but for his low end rig even a cx550m will suffice, which should be almsot half the price.

 

[Flayed]

That's a solid psu, but for his low end rig even a cx550m will suffice, which should be almsot half the price.

It should be but it is not.

PCPartPicker Part List

Power Supply: Corsair CXM 550 W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-modular ATX Power Supply (£95.00 @ Amazon UK)
Total: £95.00
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2020-10-25 11:13 GMT+0000

The 450W version is cheaper but only £12 cheaper. Not worth the saving for a lower quality unit in my opinion.

PCPartPicker Part List

Power Supply: Corsair CXM (2015) 450 W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-modular ATX Power Supply (£57.99 @ Corsair UK)
Total: £57.99
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2020-10-25 11:15 GMT+0000

 

[siaan312]

It should be but it is not.

PCPartPicker Part List

Power Supply: Corsair CXM 550 W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-modular ATX Power Supply (£95.00 @ Amazon UK)
Total: £95.00
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2020-10-25 11:13 GMT+0000

The 450W version is cheaper but only £12 cheaper. Not worth the saving for a lower quality unit in my opinion.

PCPartPicker Part List

Power Supply: Corsair CXM (2015) 450 W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-modular ATX Power Supply (£57.99 @ Corsair UK)
Total: £57.99
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2020-10-25 11:15 GMT+0000

Well, the TX is also a very solid gpu, and in those prices I could sort of see what you mean with the TX being better bang for the buck.

Where I live they are both quite a bit lower than the TX.
450 is not enough so..

 

[Vic 40]

450 is not enough so..

With the build posted in the first post will that be fine when decent quality, but looking at future upgrades would it be good to take something higher.

 

[siaan312]

With the build posted in the first post will that be fine when decent quality, but looking at future upgrades would it be good to take something higher.

That's what I ment. I avoid going for good enough, especially when we're talking about psus.

 

[geofelt]

Bronze, silver, gold, etc are efficiency ratings, not quality ratings.
True, gold is usually better quality, but not always.
First, determine the power you need.
Here is a handy chart:
http://www.realhardtechx.com/index_archivos/Page362.htm
400W would be ok.
I have no problem overprovisioning a PSU a bit. Say 20%.
It will allow for a stronger future graphics card upgrade.
It will run cooler, quieter, and more efficiently in the middle third of it's range.
A PSU will only use the wattage demanded of it, regardless of it's max capability.
550-650w is what I would look for.

Consider a quality psu purchase as a long term investment.
You will be able to use it for a number of updates or new builds.
Quality is all important.
Buy a tier 1/2, no worse than 3 unit from a listing such as this:

PSU Tier List [OLD]

Credit to @Starelementpokeand @Energycore for helping out with this long-awaited refresh of the old PSU tier list by Aniallation (who previously went several months without logging in), leaving the old list in need of help. This is simply an update of the list that was flawed in creation by the P...

linustechtips.com

I like the seasonic focus line.

 

[Flayed]

I like the seasonic focus line.

Funny you said this as the OP started this thread after I replied in another thread suggesting he get a Seasonic Focus 550W

 

[JoBalz]

PSU Tier List [OLD]

Credit to @Starelementpokeand @Energycore for helping out with this long-awaited refresh of the old PSU tier list by Aniallation (who previously went several months without logging in), leaving the old list in need of help. This is simply an update of the list that was flawed in creation by the P...

linustechtips.com

[/URL]

I like the seasonic focus line.

I took as course in building PCs way back in the Dark Ages (mid-1990s!). I always remember the Prime Directive of the course: DON'T GO CHEAP WHEN IT COMES TO THE PSU. The PSU is the most important component of the PC, as it is the source of power for every other component in the computer. And a poor PSU can cause all kinds of glitches, problems, and component failures (up to and including the PSU catching fire...it's happened!) If you're going with good quality or high quality parts and then have to skimp on the price of the PSU, you have your priorities wrong and need to trim the cost on some other component(s) so you can buy a quality (and properly sized for the power draw of your PC) PSU. Avoid no name units. Do your homework and study up on and understand the PSU and it's interior components as well as understand modularity and cable lengths (you don't want to end up with cables too short for the case you're using). Websites like Tom's Hardware, Anandtech, and JohnnyGuru are great sites to find PSU reviews, as well as Gamers Nexus on YouTube.