What Wattage and Quality Should I Choose for a Replacement PSU?
Asked by
MellowOrbit47
My power supply recently failed after about eight years of reliable use. The system has an Intel i5-8400, GTX 1060 6GB, Gigabyte B360M D3H motherboard, 16GB of DDR4 memory, a 256GB SSD, and a 1TB hard drive. I may add another 2TB hard drive later. The failed unit was an EVGA 500W 80 Plus Bronze model.
I'm considering an 850W 80 Plus Platinum Super Flower power supply because it seems like a high-quality unit that could potentially be reused in a future PC upgrade. However, that would be far more power than this system currently needs. Would 650W or 750W be a better value, or is buying an 850W unit reasonable for future-proofing?
The computer still does everything I need, and I don't play many games, so I'm also wondering how long this hardware might realistically remain useful. Could it continue for another five to ten years if I maintain it and my needs stay modest, or should I expect more components to fail as it ages?
Answers
Super Flower generally makes excellent power supplies, but Platinum efficiency isn’t essential for this build. A good Gold-rated unit is usually the better value. The 850W model you found can still make sense if it’s heavily discounted, since a higher-quality supply may be reusable in a future system. Just remember that buying more wattage doesn’t automatically improve efficiency, and extremely oversized units may spend more time at low loads.
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An 850W unit is a reasonable target if you want to carry it into your next build. A quality 650W or 750W supply would be plenty for the current PC, but 850W gives you more flexibility for a future graphics card without being excessive for most modern systems. Prioritize the specific model’s build quality, protections, warranty, and appropriate modern connectors over the Platinum label alone.
MellowOrbit47: I went with the recommended 850W Gold unit. It looked like a good-value option and should cover both this computer and a potential future upgrade.
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There’s no fixed expiration date for the rest of the computer. If the system remains fast enough for what you do, it can keep working for many more years. Older PCs can remain useful for a surprisingly long time when they’re kept clean and properly maintained. The main limitation will be performance in newer games and applications, not necessarily an unavoidable hardware failure.
MellowOrbit47: That’s what I was hoping to hear. I know nobody can predict exactly when a component will fail, but it’s reassuring that older systems can remain reliable for a long time if they still meet their owner’s needs.
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MellowOrbit47: That makes sense. I ended up choosing an 850W 80 Plus Gold model instead because it seemed like a better balance of quality, capacity, and price.