When to upgrade PSU?

[Bochin]

Hi,

I own quite old PSU (6+ years) jeantech 450w I have upgraded my whole PC twice since i bought this PSU and i'm still using it.

I recently (last week) upgraded my GPU to HD 7850 and i'm still using my old PSU.

At the moment i have:
2500k overclock to 4.5
2x4Gb RAM
1x SSD
And this new single HD 7850 not yet overclocked as no need atm

My question is how would i terminate if i need a new PSU? Putting the efficiency on one side. Everything works, i'm playing BF3, SC2 for the last week on the new GPU and no problems, system is table etc.

I have been reading quite a bit on the forum and there are lots of different opinions that PSU is a heart of the PC, old PSU can blow and destroy other components. However is there any test i can do to check if my PSU is fine? To make sure it doesn't affect performance and I do not risk my brand you PC

I did some time ago test for Voltage, and all are ok 12,5 and 3.

I'm just wondering should i do anything or should i just wait until i get some random blue screens or something?

Any suggestions would by much appreciated

[andrewmchugh]

To be honest I would throw that jeantech pos as far as you can. 450Watts is fine for that System.

I would suggest something like the XFX 550, that is a nice solid psu that you can trust.

more psus.

520W Antec High Current Gamer HCG-520
520W Seasonic M12II-520

Could list more..

I had a jeantek 300Watt in the first ever pc that I had ever build, On the first power on it made a massive bang and started smoking like mad. I was only about 12 at the time, so it was pretty funny xD.

[c12038]

Personally i would get a more reputable name like OCZ or Antec, Be quiet and such like also i would recommend a PSU with a single +12v rail of around 40 - 50ish amps at 550w - 650watts will be more than adequate for your needs make sure you get enough PCI-E connectors on the PSU as some only come with 1 attached...

hope this helps clear things up

[andrewmchugh]

Personally i would get a more reputable name like OCZ or Antec, Be quiet and such like also i would recommend a PSU with a single +12v rail of around 40 - 50ish amps at 550w - 650watts will be more than adequate for your needs make sure you get enough PCI-E connectors on the PSU as some only come with 1 attached...

hope this helps clear things up

I would not recommend OCZ.

[deejayburnout]

I would not recommend OCZ.

I would.

any PSU you buy, ensure it has a bronze or above rating for efficency.

[c12038]

I would not recommend OCZ.

Why would you not recommend OCZ without explination MMMMmmmm me thinks you no likey them without just cause

Please explain in not more than 200 words why you no like OCZ or do 300 lines "I must not tell lies"

Trust me I am no expert but I know what I am talking about

[andrewmchugh]

Why would you not recommend OCZ without explination MMMMmmmm me thinks you no likey them without just cause

Please explain in not more than 200 words why you no like OCZ or do 300 lines "I must not tell lies"

Trust me I am no expert but I know what I am talking about

I have owned OCZ psus in the past, Its 12v was miles out of spec and it eventually died. OCZ definatly have the most horror stories of all the PSU manufactures out there. There higher end units are ok but the budget ones are just not worth touching. http://enthusiast.hardocp.com/articl...power_supply/4

[KeyboardDemon]

OCZ, like many other PSU brands, don't make PSUs themselves but unlike others they design their own units and send the designs to another company who makes them to the designer's specs. I think at one point OCZ and Corsair were using the same internal designs and then using a different exterior design.

[andrewmchugh]

OCZ, like many other PSU brands, don't make PSUs themselves but unlike others they design their own units and send the designs to another company who makes them to the designer's specs. I think at one point OCZ and Corsair were using the same internal designs and then using a different exterior design.

Corsair on the better units use Seasonic. I don't think OCZ have ever used seasonic apart from the latest PCP&C SM3.

[c12038]

Well if anyone is interested in knowning whats inside their PSU go here http://www.realhardtechx.com/index_archivos/Page541.htm comprehensive database for PSU's details for all present day PSU read it see what i mean

[KeyboardDemon]

No OCZ have never used Seasonic and most likely never will as they recently bought PC P&C so they now have their own plant for making PSUs. Both companies have used Channel Well in the past though, OCZ had two models produced by Channel Well (ModXstream Pro 400 CWT and StealthXstream 400 CWT) while Corsair have had 13 SKUs made by them (CX430/500/600, Gaming Series GS600/700/800, DSG Platform HX750/850 TX950, PSH platform TX750/850 VX950 and HX1000).

Tom's Hardware published an article call Who's who in Power 2011, which might be a little out of date now but covers so most of the major brands and shows how companies like Jeantech have no tecnhnical input into the Jeantech branded products while others like Corsair and Thermaltake design their PSUs and then outsource the manufacturing. Enermax and Seasonic design and build their PSUs.

[dacads]

I would recommend the XFX Pro 550w or OCZ ZT/ZS 550w

[Fjo]

Every review i've read lately hasn't particularly recommended the OCZ ZS/ZT models. They're not bad, it's still better than some arse CIT or Powercool, but their +12V lines just aren't quite as good as some others in the same price range.
OP'll only need 450W to 550W (assuming there are no big upgrades coming soon), and the best out there are Seasonic, Antec and XFX. Corsair maybe, but look at the reviews for the model under consideration.
I used to use a 600W OCZ StealthXStream, and it was fine, but now i'm looking around again and OCZ are only a perhaps.

[c12038]

No OCZ have never used Seasonic and most likely never will as they recently bought PC P&C so they now have their own plant for making PSUs. Both companies have used Channel Well in the past though, OCZ had two models produced by Channel Well (ModXstream Pro 400 CWT and StealthXstream 400 CWT) while Corsair have had 13 SKUs made by them (CX430/500/600, Gaming Series GS600/700/800, DSG Platform HX750/850 TX950, PSH platform TX750/850 VX950 and HX1000).

Tom's Hardware published an article call Who's who in Power 2011, which might be a little out of date now but covers so most of the major brands and shows how companies like Jeantech have no tecnhnical input into the Jeantech branded products while others like Corsair and Thermaltake design their PSUs and then outsource the manufacturing. Enermax and Seasonic design and build their PSUs.

For your information OCZ use

Great wall, HEC, Sirtec, FSP, mpervio (Made by Etasis) and Topower

All good spec manufactures along the same lines as seasonic

However cosair mainly use CWT for low end PSU and for the high end PSU they use Seasonic

View the database review http://www.realhardtechx.com/index_archivos/Page447.htm <<< here this explains about each PSU provider and thier spec details for Each PSU

Or are you just too lazy too read other people comments....

Hope this clears many things up....

its not being rude that counts but being truthfull is all but wise knowledge....

[dacads]

Well then it depends on reviews because the ones I have read recommended the ZS/ZT units. But maybe we're going off topic here as its turning into which brand is better/best

[KeyboardDemon]

View the database review http://www.realhardtechx.com/index_archivos/Page447.htm <<< here this explains about each PSU provider and thier spec details for Each PSU

My last reply was to andrewmchugh (I could have quoted him, I forgot), but yes, I did miss your reply, I spent a bit of time looking up the Corsair & OCZ PSUs and didn't have time to open up your link and look as my wife wanted me to go somewhere with her.

Looking through the pages on the reviews database I was surprised about PC Power & Cooling, probably because I never really looked them up in detail, but I always thought that they made their own PSUs, now I see they design and then outsource manufacturing, so the work they do for OCZ (or as part of OCZ) is in designing the PSUs. I've bookmarked the database, I'm sure it will come in handy.

Or are you just too lazy too read other people comments....

Hope this clears many things up....

its not being rude that counts but being truthfull is all but wise knowledge....

You might be right about that, but it is possible to be honest without being rude, I still would have looked at the link if you had just politely pointed out that the database you linked was more up to date and had better insight, as it stands I don't really appreciate your passive aggressive tone.