Hey everyone! I'm on a tight budget and I've just picked up some new components for my build: an i5-14600k CPU, a Gigabyte B760M DDR4 motherboard, 32GB of 3200MHz RAM, a 1TB Teamgroup NVMe SSD, and an Intel Arc B580 GPU – all for around $530. I'm planning to use my old Zalman case and a Thermaltake 630W semi-modular PSU that I've had for about 8-9 years. It's been reliable in my previous build (which had a first-gen i7 and GTX 970), but I'm a bit worried. I've heard old PSUs can damage new components. What do you think? Should I invest in a new PSU, or is my old one still good enough?
5 Answers
I picked up a 15-year-old 1000W PSU from Seasonic that's solid, so an older but good brand can still be trustworthy. Just make sure everything is compatible! If it has proper protections in place, you should be fine.
I've had a PSU from secondhand across 3 builds over 13 years that kept working until I upgraded for a GPU. Yours might still do the trick unless you're pushing it to its limits.
Honestly, just get a new PSU. They aren’t that expensive, and it gives you peace of mind.
It's pretty rare for an old PSU to fry new components, so you might be okay. However, if your PSU still has warranty coverage, that’s a good sign. If not, I'd suggest holding off on building until you can get a newer model. Don't skimp here; sometimes spending a bit more on a quality PSU pays off in the long run!
If your PSU isn't being pushed too hard, it should work fine. A wattmeter can help you monitor your power usage; I found mine rarely exceeds 500W even on high-demand games. Might be worth looking into!
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