Don't Be Surprised When Your Cheap PSU Blows Up

[fineupgrades]

---

The PC power supply market is one of the most difficult for enthusiasts and the tech press to address. There are products for every requirement, every performance category, and even for most tastes in design, not to mention the huge price span! In our past power supply roundups, we tested products ranging from a little more than $40 to more than $200. With very few exceptions, most of the units we've evaluated have done what they've claimed; sometimes by a long-shot and other times just barely.

Beyond the solutions from well-known vendors, there is a very large number of cheap, no-name products out there, many of which are really easy to find on auction sites at really attractive prices. To get an idea of what lies behind these purported bargains, we bought three of them using Buy It Now. Obviously, we did not give away our real identities to the seller, ensuring we'd receive the same hardware as everyone else.

We ended up with 500 W and 750 W PSUs from a brand called Sutai and an additional 420 W unit without an identifying sticker on it. Prices ranged from around €13.90 to €25.90, which currently equals $19 to $35, plus shipping. In the end, we paid something around $60 for 1670 W worth of power delivery. On the surface, that sounds like a pretty juicy deal.

Without giving away too much about performance, it's safe to say that the value of what you get when you spend this little on a power is pretty darned minimal. The two Sutai models came without any accessories at all, and were simply wrapped in film. The 420 W PSU at least came in a box with a descriptive label with Power Supply written on it.

None of the test subjects come with anything more than a minimal selection of cables and connectors, lacking any kind of information about the internals, technical specifications, or capabilities. Anything beyond wattage, voltage, and amperage ratings seems to be asking too much.

Read more...

[BackBeat]

The Sutai Double Power P4-500W PSU does not have anything at all in common with a modern, reliable, and efficient power supply. The build quality is abysmal, the packaging questionable, and the results are, to put it gently, a good reason to stay away from this brand altogether. - Enough said.

Compared to the 500 W model, the Sutai Double Power P4-750W is an even bigger shame. While its little brother shut down at low loads, at least it'd fire back up after resting a bit. The 750 W unit overheated after just a short period of testing, and was completely dead after that. - Toinkz! Samutan.. hehe

[bim27142]

yup yup yup! cheap PSU users, beware!

kasabot raman tag mag save pero mao ni nga scenario nga mag huna2x ka, PSU ba jud ka dapat ma save or to some other components?

my 2 cents lang kay ang PSU jud typically ma neglect sa mga common PC users...

[mickopono]

Boom Baby

YouTube - Huntkey Green Star 450 W Review

Mao ni mahitabo if cheap/shoddy imong PSU at nearly full load.

[personalmgt]

I've had a fair number of PSUs spontaneously combusting considering we cater a lot to the budget bracket market.

Some even blow up even if they're really new

[EarlZ]

I've also had my share of blown up power supplies then I started using entry level brands like HEC and never had issues, when I moved up to a performance machine I started to build systems with Corsair based PSU's then switched to Silverstone due to availability.

IMHO, A PSU should be one of the top focus when building a computer.. not saying that get a gazillion watts but always get e reliable brand.

[Sempron Guy]

Boom Baby

YouTube - Huntkey Green Star 450 W Review

Mao ni mahitabo if cheap/shoddy imong PSU at nearly full load.

nice find but this is old news already, basa nalang sa article bahin ani para makasabot unsa jud nahitabo, huntkey has come up much better now with their psu line,

@topic

ok ra man ang generic sa common user, labi na if basic lang jud kaayo ang build pero pag gaming na, top priority jud ang psu. Ako ginabuhat when building a new set-up kay budgetan daan ang psu, pag by part ang palit, unahon palit daan ang psu.

[dmelsie]

ok ra man ang generic sa common user, labi na if basic lang jud kaayo ang build pero pag gaming na, top priority jud ang psu. Ako ginabuhat when building a new set-up kay budgetan daan ang psu, pag by part ang palit, unahon palit daan ang psu.

dili gyud ok ang generic, maka degrade gyud og lifespan na sa components

if imo e monitor sigi og change change ang voltage outputs ana, ilabi na ng mga pakapin sa case
dili tinood pa gyud ang label nga current rating niya testingi measure og pila ka amperes each rail diba tinunga or lower pa gane

kasagaran nga pc naay problema kay kana pakapin sa case lang ang power supply, minus ra kaayo ang nag branded or good quality psu nga nibalik kay nagka prob

[Sempron Guy]

well if maka-afford ug true rated, then go for it, if dili then save for one. But the reality is more user will still opt for a generic psu sa mga government offices, sa mga internet shops ug bisan sa mga personal user nga dili maka-afford ug gasto/dili willing mu-afford for a true rated psu.

[muzikfreakah]

The problem now is even branded "cheap" priced ones are non reliable. Do a background check, do your research before buying!