My old FSP HEXA 85+ power supply seems to be failing. It makes random cracking and popping noises while the computer is running, and it can also make strange sounds after the PC is shut down when I switch the PSU on. I want to replace it before it becomes dangerous. My current system uses a Gigabyte B550 Gaming X V2 motherboard, Ryzen 5 5600X, PowerColor Radeon RX 6600, 16 GB of DDR4-3200 memory, a 1 TB hard drive, a 500 GB SATA SSD, and a 500 GB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD. The Seasonic Core GX-650 ATX 3.1 costs about 100 RON-equivalent in Romania and seems to provide plenty of capacity. Is it a good choice, or are there better alternatives at a similar price?
3 Answers
You could also save money with a decent 500–550 W model. Something like the Endorfy Vero L5 500 W would have enough capacity for this configuration, while a Cooler Master MWE Gold V3 550 W would be an option if you specifically want a Gold-rated supply. Make sure whichever model you choose is from a reputable line and has the connectors needed for your graphics card.
The Seasonic Core GX-650 is a perfectly reasonable choice for this build, and its 650 W capacity is already more than enough for a Ryzen 5 5600X and RX 6600. Your system should stay well below 400 W under normal heavy use. An 850 W unit is not necessary unless you already have a specific, much more power-hungry GPU upgrade in mind. Check local pricing, though, since a 750 W or even 850 W ATX 3.1 model can sometimes cost the same or less.
The wattage is not the concern here; quality and condition are. Cracking or popping from the old PSU is a strong reason to stop using it immediately and replace it. The GX-650 should handle this system comfortably, and the ATX 3.1 specification is a nice bonus, but you do not need to overspend just for a larger wattage number.
I ended up choosing a 750 W ATX 3.1 unit because it was cheaper than the 650 W version. That gives me some extra upgrade headroom, but the current hardware definitely does not require it.