Need advice on PSU

[Niixme]

Hi everyone,

I heard that the psu i was using is of low quality though i have been using it for nearly 2years, I was wondering if it is REALLY necessary to change it and if i need a PSU of more than 550W to power the system. If i do need to change it, are there any recommendations?


My current specs:

CPU: i7-4790 3.6ghz
CPU cooler: Hyper 212 led
Motherboard: H97-PC mate
GPU: Zotac gtx 1070 8gb
PSU: FSP Hexa+ 80+ 550W
RAM: 2X 8gb 1600mhz ram
HDD: 1TB WD blue 7200rpm

 

[raisonjohn]

It's highly recommended to get a good quality PSU. Your rig does not need more than 550W. In fact, the 550W PSU that you have, despite it's lower quality compared to available PSUs out there, has more than enough juice to power your rig.

If I was in your position, I'd be looking at well-build, ample-wattage PSUs with a longer warranty than yours (the HEXA+ series, if I am not mistaken, has only 3-year warranty).

Suggested good-quality PSUs to look at:

Semi-Modular, 5-year warranty:
SeaSonic - G 550W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($68.98 @ NCIX US)

Fully Modular, 7-year warranty:
EVGA - SuperNOVA G3 550W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($79.99 @ SuperBiiz)

Fully Modular, 7-year warranty:
EVGA - SuperNOVA G2 550W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($79.49 @ SuperBiiz)

Full Modular, 10-year warranty:
Corsair - RMx 550W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($99.99 @ Amazon)

If you are on a very tight budget, you can also consider these 5-year warranty (more affordable but lesser quality than above) PSUs:

SeaSonic - 520W 80+ Bronze Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($56.99 @ SuperBiiz)

Corsair - CXM 550W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($59.88 @ OutletPC)

 

[Niixme]

I probably would go for the first option, also wondering if its as simple as just removing the previous psu and plugging in the new one for installation. Would the current PSU have already negatively affected the parts of the componets despite no issues currently? just want to be sure...

 

[raisonjohn]

It's actually as simple as that. Just make sure you only use the cables that comes with your specific PSU (don't mix them up as they usually have different pinouts and will definitely damage your components). So, when you remove your FSP PSU, all the power cables that came with it should also be removed and must not be re-used with your new Seasonic PSU.

I highly doubt that other components would be negatively affected by your current PSU without you knowing right away. As long as they are still functioning (no smoke, no burning smell, no sparks, whatsoever), those components will still perform as it is (wear-and-tear excluded obviously).

 

[Susquehannock]

Good list. My choice would be the EVGA G3 or the Corsair RMx.

Quality PSU should always be paramount. A unit that can hold tight voltage at specs will put far less strain on other components and will help insure your system enjoys a long happy existence.