Question How can i tell if the psu is good by looking at the unit?

[veeljko23]

I have been kind of educating myself about the psus lately but i havent found conclusion yet. How can i tell if its good enough or if its a complete trash that could kill my pc?
I read the psu guide and i know about the ratings and protection but the imporant part with 12v railings left me kina clueless? There for example were 4x12v railing with total of 425w and on the cheap one there were 380 on 2 railings so whats the difference there? but also 3.3v and 5v railing were a lot larger for example 300+w on the cheaper one but 170w on the better one. This is really confusing and i would really appreaciate if someone could explain this to me.

 

[kanewolf]

I have been kind of educating myself about the psus lately but i havent found conclusion yet. How can i tell if its good enough or if its a complete trash that could kill my pc?
I read the psu guide and i know about the ratings and protection but the imporant part with 12v railings left me kina clueless? There for example were 4x12v railing with total of 425w and on the cheap one there were 380 on 2 railings so whats the difference there? but also 3.3v and 5v railing were a lot larger for example 300+w on the cheaper one but 170w on the better one. This is really confusing and i would really appreaciate if someone could explain this to me.

IMO, you can't "look at" a power supply and know anything. You have to rely on reviews that actually test the power supply. The labels don't have to be true. That cheap power supply might catch fire if you actually put that much load on the 12V supply. Find a review that you trust and buy what is recommended by people that test power supplies.

 

[veeljko23]

IMO, you can't "look at" a power supply and know anything. You have to rely on reviews that actually test the power supply. The labels don't have to be true. That cheap power supply might catch fire if you actually put that much load on the 12V supply. Find a review that you trust and buy what is recommended by people that test power supplies.

i have i7 870
gtx 1650 super tuf
p7 h55 m pro
4x2gb ddr3 ram
ssd and hdd
For some reason 1650 super is the only card that doesnt show up on psu calculators
how many watts would i need?

 

[punkncat]

In a perfect world, check the label for the voltage/amperage and convert for the actual output on the rails as compared to its advertised rating. Also having a higher certification is (somewhat) reliable indicator of its efficiency. Aside from those aspects, branding can be important as you can judge them based on brand performance and quality in general. Build can also be an important aspect. Does it feel and look solid, or is it one of those cheapy, flimsy base metal color ones with ketchup and mustard cables? (etc.)

As stated above, if you can find reviews they can be helpful if from a reliable source.

1650 S is going to want around 400-450W with the lower output being a higher quality unit.

 

[kanewolf]

i have i7 870
gtx 1650 super tuf
p7 h55 m pro
4x2gb ddr3 ram
ssd and hdd
For some reason 1650 super is the only card that doesnt show up on psu calculators
how many watts would i need?

If that card isn't listed, then pick a 1660 or 1650ti. The difference should be in the noise. My guess would be 500W will provide for any estimation errors.

 

[veeljko23]

In a perfect world, check the label for the voltage/amperage and convert for the actual output on the rails as compared to its advertised rating. Also having a higher certification is (somewhat) reliable indicator of its efficiency. Aside from those aspects, branding can be important as you can judge them based on brand performance and quality in general. Build can also be an important aspect. Does it feel and look solid, or is it one of those cheapy, flimsy base metal color ones with ketchup and mustard cables? (etc.)

As stated above, if you can find reviews they can be helpful if from a reliable source.

1650 S is going to want around 400-450W with the lower output being a higher quality unit.

so a mediocre 500w could do the job for a few years?
EDIT: Im thinking also of corsair cx450 with i3 12100f b660 and 16gb of ddr4 upgrade in the future

 

[punkncat]

In my own opinion, and not necessarily agreed upon with all folks....

Consider the price of a new high quality unit and the savings in using one lesser. Consider that cost as a gamble against the cost of the components you are using with it. If you are comfortable with the risk associated with that equation, then go with it.
A better PSU is always a good idea, but sometimes budgetary restraints keep that from happening when trying to round out a system.

 

[Eximo]

I have been kind of educating myself about the psus lately but i havent found conclusion yet. How can i tell if its good enough or if its a complete trash that could kill my pc?
I read the psu guide and i know about the ratings and protection but the imporant part with 12v railings left me kina clueless? There for example were 4x12v railing with total of 425w and on the cheap one there were 380 on 2 railings so whats the difference there? but also 3.3v and 5v railing were a lot larger for example 300+w on the cheaper one but 170w on the better one. This is really confusing and i would really appreaciate if someone could explain this to me.

Older computers used a lot more 5V and 3.3V then contemporary hardware. If you see large 5V and 3.3V Wattages that make up a good portion of the total output this is a very old design and likely a lower quality unit. Also just wouldn't typically be able to handle the larger graphics cards of today.

Multi-rail PSUs aren't as common as they used to be. Though each rail has a common source, each rail will have independent protections so a high load from a single device could trigger the PSU to shutdown. Generally not a problem with most parts. One rail for CPU, one rail for GPU and you are pretty much fine. Still, these tend to be older designs.

Single rail PSUs with a high 12V output that makes up the majority of the PSU rating are better ones to go for.

80 Plus certifications can be faked, and there are truly fake standards like 85 Plus and 90 Plus you can find out there. 80 Plus Gold ratings are generally a decent place to start if you are picking without reviews.

Though it can be best to stick with known good brands. Not a perfect solution, but generally if you stick with Seasonic, EVGA, Corsair, Superflower you aren't going to find anything that will explode or catch fire on you.

 

[geofelt]

Here is a handy chart to size a power supply:
http://www.realhardtechx.com/index_archivos/Page362.htm
A 1650 does not need aux 6 pin power and should run on a minimal wattage psu.

A psu review from a legitimate review site is your best guide as to quality.
Otherwise, look at the warranty.
If you see at least a 7 year warranty, odds are that it is a good quality unit.

 

[Vic 40]

EDIT: Im thinking also of corsair cx450 with i3 12100f b660 and 16gb of ddr4 upgrade in the future

This psu with this hardware plus the gtx 1650 should be fine, even when upgrade to another lower end gpu with a max need for 1x 8pin pcie power connector should you likely be fine too.

Just make sure this psu is the best you can get for the money it costs. Don't know where you live but made a comparison of three psu's with the CX450watt in there to show what it is up against,

https://pcpartpicker.com/products/compare/6p8H99,Q7L7YJ,3Hwkcf/

the EVGA is much better for just $5 more, the CX-F is even cheaper and imo also a better choice. Just to show that sometimes even or slightly better quality can be found for the same price and for not much more something better.

 

[Nighthawk117]

I have been kind of educating myself about the psus lately but i havent found conclusion yet. How can i tell if its good enough or if its a complete trash that could kill my pc?
I read the psu guide and i know about the ratings and protection but the imporant part with 12v railings left me kina clueless? There for example were 4x12v railing with total of 425w and on the cheap one there were 380 on 2 railings so whats the difference there? but also 3.3v and 5v railing were a lot larger for example 300+w on the cheaper one but 170w on the better one. This is really confusing and i would really appreaciate if someone could explain this to me.

If your looking at the well known brands then the efficiency ratings isn't a bad place to start as a rough indicator of quality.

EDIT: Im thinking also of corsair cx450 with i3 12100f b660 and 16gb of ddr4 upgrade in the future

A CX450 would be perfectly acceptable for the system described above.