I'm on a tight budget and have recently bought some new components for a PC build: an i5-14600k processor, a Gigabyte B760M DDR4 motherboard, 32GB of 3200MHz RAM, a 1TB Teamgroup NVMe SSD, and an Intel Arc B580 graphics card, totaling around $530. I'm planning to reuse my old Thermaltake 630W semi-modular PSU, which is about 8-9 years old. I've heard that old PSUs can potentially fry new components, which makes me nervous. Do you think it's wise to continue using my current PSU or should I invest in a new one?
5 Answers
Every PSU has the potential to cause issues if something goes wrong, but it sounds like you have a solid unit. I think you could use your old PSU temporarily while keeping an eye on it. If it fails, you’ll need to replace it—just be ready to get a new one sooner rather than later. Brands with longer warranties are a good investment when you're ready to upgrade!
If you've been using it without issues and haven't maxed out its capacity, you should be okay. I suggest getting a wattmeter to check how much your system pulls during heavy usage. Most modern builds rarely pull over 500W, so you might not be pushing the limits too much.
Honestly, just get a new PSU for peace of mind. It’s not a huge expense compared to the rest of your build and can save you from potential headaches later!
I’ve used the same PSU for three builds across 13 years, and it worked fine until I finally replaced it due to compatibility with my new GPU. If it’s a decent model, it could last longer than you'd expect!
It's quite rare for an old PSU to actually damage new components. Warranty is a big factor—if yours is still under warranty, you're probably safe. Otherwise, I recommend waiting to get a more recent PSU because a new but low-quality one could be worse. Brands like Corsair often have long warranties for a reason, so if you can, invest in a good model!
Should I specifically stick to gold-rated PSUs or just any good brand?