I was gaming on my computer when it suddenly powered off. I tried hitting the power button, but nothing happened. I suspect it overheated, so I foolishly turned off the PSU and switched it back on. That's when I noticed a white spark and heard a bang from the back of the PC. I've unplugged it and haven't attempted to turn it back on since. I think my power supply unit (PSU) might be broken. Should I just buy a new one? Could my other hardware have also been damaged?
4 Answers
It's possible that more than just the PSU took a hit. You won't know for sure until you start testing everything out.
It really depends on your PSU's protections. You can reference your PSU against a protection tier list to get an idea of how safe your components might be. Just look for the tiering criteria to see if it has reliable protections.
Most PSUs are designed to protect your components, but there's no guarantee. If you're unsure, replacing the PSU is your best bet. After that, see if everything else works.
Yeah, there's a chance other parts might be damaged, especially if the PSU was of lower quality. What brand and model was your PSU, and what hardware was it powering?
Mine's rated E tier, so does that mean there's a good chance my other parts are fried too?