Hi all, just noticed my PSU (Corsair CX600) is beginning to fail after 5 years with lower voltage readings than normal: 5V at 4.2V, 3.3V at 2.7V, and 12V at 9.7V.
Any recommendations on a replacement to power a 4690K and 1070TI on a budget?

EDIT: Very odd, but I moved the plug to another outlet on my surge protector and voltages are suddenly back in normal range...?

4 years ago*

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PSU Efficiency

View Results
Bronze
Silver
Gold
Plat+

What you used to measure this ?
Your PC will not power on with this values.

4 years ago
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4 years ago
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5V at 4.2V, 3.3V at 2.7V, and 12V at 9.7V.

Huh you can still play games or even turn on the PC? That's amazing.

What budget? 100 dollars? 200?

4 years ago
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4 years ago
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Best on consumer market at reasonable price https://pcpartpicker.com/product/WrNypg/seasonic-focus-plus-gold-650w-80-gold-certified-fully-modular-atx-power-supply-ssr-650fx 10 years warranty

I using myself 450W model to power Ryzen 3600 + Vega 56 UV.

4 years ago*
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+1, The Focus line from Seasonic is a great PSU at a reasonable price. I'm running a 750W Focus Gold, but anything over 500W should be enough for your CPU and GPU. I got the 750W for $65 shipped in 2018 (it was $90 and had a $5 coupon and $20 rebate. I also got another $50 off for opening a CC with Newegg, so I really only ended up paying $15).

4 years ago*
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The brand new Seasonic Focus Plus Gold 550w that I purchased a few months ago fried a new hard drive right after I hooked up the PSU and tried pressing the power button. And yes it was more that enough wattage for my system.

4 years ago
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Well, with any hardware there is always a chance for a failure, no matter how good it is. I would check the internet for more feedback before making any judgement. Also, sorry for your HDD. :<

4 years ago
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That sounds odd, I wonder if they changed something or if you just got a dud. When I purchased it, it had some of the highest reviews from reputable sites that do in depth testing like johnnyguru and hardocp.

Also, are you sure it was the PSU that caused the failure? It can be hard to narrow down what causes a failure sometimes. I had a HDD and motherboard both die at the same time once, but I kept using the PSU for many years after in another computer and never had an issue. I'm still not sure what caused the failure. Did you keep using the PSU, get a replacement, or switch brands?

4 years ago*
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It was the PSU, i swapped it out for my old one and everything worked fine

4 years ago
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My brother 15 Years ago fried Brand New Mobo + CPU because he wrongly insert CPU power Connector, Many factors can contribute to hardware failure, PSU is one from many.

4 years ago
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That's really unfortunate. I'm not sure what happened there, but it sounds like you got really unlucky. :(

I've been using nothing but SeaSonic for the past 8+ years for every PC I've built for family and friends, and haven't had a single issue. That original 8-year-old PSU is still going strong, as are a couple 7+ year-old units, etc.

4 years ago
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I got exactly that model a month ago.

4 years ago
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I got exactly that model a year ago.

0dBA in idle and light gaming 🙌

4 years ago*
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Although I've never had issues with PSUs (like suddenly exploding or suddenly dying), I've never buy a low quality one again.

Bronze + at least, Gold prefered. Seasonic, EVGA or certain Corsair (not all of them)

4 years ago
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4 years ago
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How do you see those values? Just gotta check for mine and IDK how to do it properly.

4 years ago
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Do not buy SeaSonic Focus Plus Gold 650W (SSR-650FX). It has problems with newest GeForces.
I recommend updated one: Seasonic Focus GX 650W 80 Plus Gold. :P

4 years ago
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dude...
if the 12v rail were at 9.7v your rig wouldn't even turn on at -20% voltage.

if you have a multimeter you should check the voltages yourself. 12v on a drive connector would be enough to see if anything is getting out of hand (check both in idle and under some 3dmark load or something).
if you don't know how to do it then don't do it.

psu efficiency doesn't really matter that much. you usually pay for more features and not more efficiency. higher efficiency is good and all but it takes forever to repay for the higher price.
JonnyGuru debunks old power supply myths | Ask a PC expert

as long as you get a name brand you should have little trouble.
bequiet builds really nice psu but they don't come cheap. still worth it though.

edit:
just read about the values in bios.
what mainboard do you use? a good one or a cheap shitty one? a 4690K system would be about 6 years old by now. that could be enough to ruin a cheap one. especially if it runs very hot all the time.

4 years ago*
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My last PSU fried and took my entire PC along with it, including my MX518 mouse :(
In response, for my next PC I bought a top of the line Platinum grade modular PSU from SeaSonic, that was about 5 years ago, and its been working great ever since.

4 years ago
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And it will most likely for another 5 years, unless it has too few watts and has to run the fan that is the most common part to break. Perfect example of why the PSU is the absolutely worst part to save couple bucks on.

4 years ago
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I just looked up the date on my first SeaSonic - 8-years-old and still going strong, currently being used by a family member. My PC has a 7-year-old SeaSonic, as does my friend's who's PC I built at the same time.

I've seen Antec and Enermax PSUs die after ~3-5 years, but the SeaSonics just keep on going.

4 years ago
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Picking a quality PSU is not about the certification at all.

I would suggest Seasonic Focus Plus Gold, EVGA G2/G3, EVGA P2/P3, Corsair RMx - these are all high quality units.

https://linustechtips.com/main/topic/1116640-psu-tier-list-40/ this might help.

4 years ago
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I love SeaSonic PSUs - reliable, efficient, and silent. I put them in every computer I've built, and those PSUs have been running for 5-7 years now without issue.

I'm not familiar with their current lineup as I haven't built any PCs recently, but generally something in the 500-650 Watt range that's Gold or Platinum is ideal and should suit you fine.

4 years ago
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I have been using -> be quiet! 750W Power Zone BOX (Bronze plus) for 5 years now. No problems so far.

4 years ago
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Seasonic.

4 years ago
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I too would recommend the EVGA G2/G3 line. I have some GPU miners running non-stop for 8 years using the G2s and 3+ years running the G3. Then only time they go off is when the power went out. No fan issues and very clean voltages. Superflower makes them, see Johhnyguru's site for reviews.

You usually can't go wrong with most Seasonics, but they are pricier than EVGA and Corsairs. Oddly, the only PSU I've had go bad in the last 10 years was a Seasonic that blew the PCIe connectors and melted a 7970. Fortunately easy RMA but still annoying.

4 years ago
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So, at the risk of sounding difficult, I don't believe in bargain PSUs. Ever. Don't get me wrong -- I buy stuff on sale and drive the price down, but your PSU is the most important component in your entire PC. That's because, if you invest in a really good one, you can run it for years across multiple hardware upgrades...that, and the fact that literally every other component you have is plugged into it. If it goes south, a lot of the time it takes other things with it.

I always buy more power than I need, and more quality than I should technically need (I build lots of systems for other people as well). This methodology has never steered me wrong. Trying to squeeze as much as possible out of a PSU that just meets requirements almost guarantees that it dies earlier. It's like overclocking your CPU on a stock cooler...it may work, but you're reducing the life of the component.

I haven't bought a PSU under 750W in over 10 years, probably 15. I'm currently running a NZXT 1.2KW PSU that is now running its third build. Zero sag in power measurements almost seven years in. Before that, I actually had an Enermax 850W PSU as well as a 330W PowerPal secondary PSU dedicated to fans/lights/peripherals in my old case. Those were both solid when I changed cases and did a big upgrade, and I was able to eBay each one of those for around 50% of what I originally paid for them, which gave me a nice chunk of change toward my new components. 😁

All of that said, I agree with other comments that Seasonic is a solid brand -- their capacitors are generally excellent, and while they used to be super expensive, they've come down to a really reasonable price range since the number of PSU manufacturers has been reduced quite a bit over the past few years. Thermaltake makes quite a few really solid contenders, although you usually need to wait for a sale on those. I've also had zero issues with Zalman, Corsair (although I've had a couple of friends have issues here, but none for me), and XFX (but they're pretty rare these days). NZXT is really good, but unfortunately usually overpriced (again, great when they're on sale -- that's how I got mine :) ), so that's not likely to be good for your current situation. EVGA is good, but only in their premium PSUs -- their bargain ones are usually junk. Again, they tend to come with a bigger price tag, but if you can find one on sale that's Gold or Plat+, then it's a contender too.

4 years ago*
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4 years ago*
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Closed 4 years ago by brantloafizzle.