Why you must never buy an 'el cheapo' PSU...

[Saxito Pau]

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/low-cost-psu-pc-power-supply,2862.html


Let's just say that I will have to seriously try to cease and desist from buying any PSU under $200 for customers after reading this:

There is not much to say about the test results of this PSU. We again started out cautiously and were actually able to identify its efficiency levels at 25, 50, and 85 W loads, reaching a maximum efficiency value of 79% at 85 W. Further testing was not possible because, during a short test with a 300 W load, the PSU suddenly bode us farewell with several explosions and sparks flying everywhere. Once more, we didn’t even have our camera ready. We simply were unprepared for a unit to totally give up so far below its rated output ceiling.

that was for a LPK-225, rated at 420W....get this: the 420 was written on the box...

[Spazosaurus]

Good enforcement of what many of us already know, informative for those who dont. Pretty hilarious read too.

[Arcmanov]

...and people's eyebrows shoot up when I tell them you need to fork out at LEAST
700-1000 TT for a 'proper' PSU.

When a PSU costs 150 TT, expect 150-dollar performance.
I fully expect those cheap-ass PSUs to die any day.

[Saxito Pau]

... then again, there WAS that day Arcman and I "benefited" from a grave pricing error by Circuit Zone...

See me toting FOUR Cooler Master 600W PSU... at $225 each... lol

To date none of them have failed, though I had to change the fan in the one I remained with. That PSU was about $500 - $600 (normal price) at the time of purchase...

[Arcmanov]

Ah yes...the great CZ 'deal full of win'. 

Them PSUs still humming along quite nicely.  I even sold one (to Hard O/C I think)
last year.

I even replaced the burned 24-pin connector (the plastic housing itself) on the
850W Cooler Master PSU that I used previously, and that one still works flawlessly as well.

You really do get what you pay for with PSUs.  Every cheap one that has ever died
suddenly on me has been a grave reminder, because most times they take some
other component with it, like a hard-drive.