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Thread: PSU/Case advice for resurrecting an Intel Core i5 2500K budget gaming system

  1. #1
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    PSU/Case advice for resurrecting an Intel Core i5 2500K budget gaming system

    The PSUs subforum is pretty quiet so I'll try posting this here. I am looking for PSU and case recommendations to put together a budget gaming PC built mainly out of spare parts from my previous gaming PC, for my 11yr old son. He'll be doing light gaming like Minecraft, coding, browsing, youtube etc. I am based in the UK and am looking to spend up to £180 on the PSU and case. Stockists are likely to be Scan, CCL Online or Amazon at a push. I would like at least a hybrid modular PSU for decent cable management and airflow, and preferably a Gold over Bronze rated PSU. The case needs to be mid-tower ATX, quiet and luggable around the house (so no glass side panels).

    I think technically a 500W PSU would be plenty but would consider a 550W or 600W to ensure some upgrade potential in the future. I have already done quite a lot of research and narrowed my choices down to a Corsair TX (e.g TX-550M or TX-650M), 550W Corsair RMx Series RM550x, or the EVGA 650 GQ 650W or 550W EVGA G3. For cases I quite like the look of the be quiet! Pure Base 500 (£70) or Fractal Design Define 7 Compact (£92) but would consider others up to around £95 max.

    Parts are as listed in the build list below. I ran the rig below with a Seasonic X-660 which ran for 3 years then failed and was replaced under warranty with an S-12II which also started getting flaky. I ended up replacing it with an EVGA SuperNOVA 750W Gold which has run fine since 2015. So perhaps, regrettably, not looking for a Seasonic this time unless the 550W Seasonic Focus GX-550 80PLUS Gold is rock solid and worth busting my £85 budget up to £90? Is there an amazingly better PSU at £100 that I should be considering in preference to Corsair/EVGA?

    New parts:
    PSU: TBD
    Case: be quiet! Pure Base 500 (£70) or Fractal Design Define 7 Compact (£92)?

    Existing parts:
    CPU: Intel Core i5 2500K OC'd to 3.7GHz
    CPU Cooler: Thermalright HR-02 Macho CPU cooler with 140mm fan
    Motherboard: Asus P8Z68-V PRO/GEN3
    RAM: 8GB (2x4GB) Corsair DDR3 Vengeance
    GPU: 2GB Gigabyte GTX 670 Windforce 3X
    Storage: Samsung 850 PRO 256GB SSD
    No need for a DVD burner but needs capacity to add an HDD or another larger SSD in future.

  2. #2
    Moosing about! CAT-THE-FIFTH's Avatar
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    Re: PSU/Case advice for resurrecting an Intel Core i5 2500K budget gaming system

    If the current PSU is working fine I would keep it?? Not sure why your PSUs are failing so often,especially as the rig you listed probably will consume probably under 350W at the wall.

  3. #3
    Senior Member
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    • timread's system
      • Motherboard:
      • MSI B450 Tomahawk Max
      • CPU:
      • AMD Ryzen 5 3600
      • Memory:
      • 16GB (2x8GB) Corsair DDR4 Vengeance LPX
      • Storage:
      • 1x WD Blue SN550 500GB M.2 NVMe SSD, , 1x Crucial MX500 1TB SSD, 2x WD 1TB HDD in RAID1
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1660 Ti WINDFORCE OC 6G
      • PSU:
      • EVGA SuperNOVA 750W Gold Gen2
      • Case:
      • Fractal Design Define R3 Arctic White
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 10 Pro
      • Monitor(s):
      • AOC 2590 G4, Dell U2412M
      • Internet:
      • VirginMedia

    Re: PSU/Case advice for resurrecting an Intel Core i5 2500K budget gaming system

    The EVGA 750W is powering my current rig. All I need to get the old parts up and running again are a PSU and case, as I still have everything else.

    I also quite like the look of the Super Flower Leadex III 650W 80 PLUS Gold. It's well reviewed over on jonnyguru.

  4. #4
    Super Moderator Jonj1611's Avatar
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    Re: PSU/Case advice for resurrecting an Intel Core i5 2500K budget gaming system

    I have the EVGA G2, great psu, made by Superflower I believe. Never had any problems with EVGA power supplies and the warranty is good too. Though I did read recently they have closed the UK returns centre :/
    Jon

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    Re: PSU/Case advice for resurrecting an Intel Core i5 2500K budget gaming system

    Seasonic Focus GX 550 - strong psu, fully modular.
    Seasonic S12III 500W - also good, half the price, fully wired.

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    Re: PSU/Case advice for resurrecting an Intel Core i5 2500K budget gaming system

    Corsair TX550M or Bitfenix Whisper M 550W for PSU. For case, out of all the options I'd just say get whichever u like the look of most and has most front ventilation

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