My PC is dead after a power outage—what should I check first?

Was your PC plugged into a surge protector? That can make a big difference, as power surges can fry components once the power comes back on. If you were lucky, it might just be the PSU that took the hit and saved the rest of your hardware.

Keep in mind that power outages often come with surges when the power returns, which are what usually cause damage. If your PSU managed to catch that surge, it could save other parts, but it might still need replacing. Also, make sure you're using a good surge protector or a UPS for future outages.

This is a tough situation—I learned the hard way about having a UPS to protect against surges. It's possible your power supply is fried, or it could be another component like the graphics card or motherboard. If you're up for it, you could replace parts one at a time to see what's faulty. Otherwise, taking it to a professional shop for diagnostics can save you a lot of headache.

Before assuming it's the power supply, make sure it's plugged into a working outlet—sounds simple, but I've messed that up before! If it’s plugged in correctly, check the power cable and swap it out if you have another. Many motherboards have a power button you can hit directly on them, which can help rule out a faulty case button. If you still get nothing, you’re probably looking at a bad PSU.

It sounds like your PSU might have taken a hit during the outage, especially if there's no response at all. I'd recommend unplugging everything from your motherboard, like the GPU and hard drives, to see if you get any signals back when you're down to just the motherboard and RAM. If nothing works, it’s likely a dead PSU, which is more common than a dead motherboard.