PSU tier list 2.0

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That can't be considered a full power supply review, let alone a review IMO, and the thresholds for OVP are way too high.
 
We don't know; they go over no internals and that site would only use multimeters to test PSUs in the past instead of oscilliscopes for ripple. I'm not reading any review like that one that doesn't do stuff right. It's just not professionally done, but if I had to guess I can't imagine it being any higher than Tier 4.
 
Remember that the rating on a PSU is 'continuous' - there's already headroom above that for short-term overloads.

They describe them:
Average: Metro: Last Light at 1920x1080, representing a typical gaming power draw. Average of all readings (12 per second) while the benchmark was rendering (no title/loading screen). In order to heat up the card, we run the benchmark once without measuring power consumption.

Peak: Metro: Last Light at 1920x1080, representing a typical gaming power draw. Highest single reading during the test.

Maximum: Furmark Stability Test at 1280x1024, 0xAA. This results in a very high no-game power-consumption that can typically be reached only with stress-testing applications. We report the highest single reading after a short startup period. Initial bursts during startup are not included, as they are too short to be relevant.
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I would go by average, or possibly peak. Continuous furmark/folding/mining numbers would be ideal.
 
I suggest you to include Spanish brand (but with international presence) Tacens.
They are "famous" in Spain "PSU-enthusiasts" thanks to their 80+ falsification and sending to reviews different units than sold, more poor quality. For example, Tacens Radix VII AG units are certified based on FSP600-90TSN, FSP700-90TSN and FSP800-90TSN platforms, selling Andyson very low quality builds. The same with Tacens Valeo V, based on EPS-1270, EPS-1280 and EPS-1290. El Chapuzas Informático reported that and the trusted website "RealHardTechX" also reported what Tacens did. Just ask any person who knows PSU in Spain.

THank you.

References:
http://elchapuzasinformatico.com/2014/09/review-tacens-radix-vii-ag/1/ (comments)
http://www.realhardtechx.com/index_archivos/Tacens.html
http://elchapuzasinformatico.com/2013/10/review-tacens-valeo-v/ "The purchase (of this model) is not recommended, the model actually released for sale is much lower in terms of quality and product differs analyzed here. We do not recommend purchase."
 


Cool information! That could definitely hit a Tier 5.
 
So recently a person in CS:GO said that he had bought a high end 4790K and 980ti, but he has frequent crashes in gaming and he blames the computer shop for "not building it properly"

His power supply?, A cheapo unit using a 6 to 6+2 pin connector.

His reasoning? "Friend said that 500W is enough"
 
500w being "enough", and 500w POS being "enough" are probably the difference between that statement working and not working. You "could" run one on a very good 500w PSU, depending on overclocking and other considerations, but not if the unit is junk to start with. But it wouldn't be my recommendation, even then.
 
If I understand correctly the "xx watts" rating on a PSU is *supposed* to mean it'll run that full load, whether it's all on the 12V as in a modern PC or some on the minor rails like a pre-Pentium 4, in a 50+°C room, 24/7 for the entire length of the warranty, without threatening going out of spec or dying.
But, I sometimes wonder if some of the fireball PSUs are more like, the "xx watts" means that ONE of a dozen units they tested actually managed to achieve that power draw for 0.000001 seconds without dying, in a -273°C environment or something like that. :)

Also, speaking of choosing PSUs for a build ... I still don't know when my dad's gonna build/get a new PC, hopefully after taxes are done, idk. He seems to have a reputation around this house of being kind-of cheap on things, though. He does fix some appliances himself and I think has had some inside-the-PC experience 20 years or so ago, but modern PCs are different of course. :)
Anyway, I fear he probably would balk at "splurging" on the EVGA 550-watt G2, or even the SeaSonic G-360, depending on what his system needs. So, the other day I was thinking... maybe a less-than-tier-1 PSU might be a way to have him learn that cheapening out on a PSU is not a good idea? :) What might be some good options in that category? Something like the Bestec 250-12E? Allied AL-500? Jersey 420? Hercules 500W? I'm thinking something along the lines of it would cost more to replace the equipment taken out by the PSU than it would have cost to just buy an EVGA 1600W T2 or Corsair AX1500i in the first place. (That cost doesn't include data recovery from the dead hard drive, and assumes he goes really low end like an AM1 system or LGA1150 H81 Celeron with 4 GB RAM & iGPU, although I'd rather him get a Skylake i3 or i5, H170 or Z170 and 8/16GB RAM considering his reputation for keeping PCs 6+ years.) 😛 Or are there better ways of teaching someone through "their own experience" not to cheap out on a critical part like that?
 
The whole idea of "having enough power" I never liked. I get frustrated when people ask "do I have enough power?" Any circuit in theory can supply 10000 amps of current. It is capable. The charge can move at such a speed to merit that many passing any cross-sectional area in a wire. These people just need to learn that it's all about what each component in the PSU is rated for - when that charge can flow safely and when something burns. And when the protection circuitry shuts things down.
 


Those power supplies you just mentioned are absolutely pitiful quality, especially the Hercules 500W. Just absolute rotten eggs. But you don't need to buy a $300 PSU either, Get a good one that is inexpensive - they are out there.

If there's one thing I've learned about rated wattage is that it means nothing other than a pattern. It is a pattern in that humans recognize rated wattage as a trend in power supplies with combined wattage near the rated wattage, but the trend is not always followed or met, which is why I consider it to mean nothing realistically. Even rated amperage cannot always be trusted. Even companies falsely put they have single or multirail when they have the opposite. The only thing I trust are reviews.
 
I get frustrated when people ask "do I have enough power?" Any circuit in theory can supply 10000 amps of current.
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Even in a dead short, you're not going to get kA of current (at least on the smaller ones). Combination of resistance, voltage, and parasitic induction will mean the capacitors run out of just before the current can ramp up that far.
 


I know, that's why I said "in theory" because it won't actually happen.
 
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