3 reasons I regret buying a cheap power supply
When I built my first fully custom PC in 2017, I made several mistakes that I vowed to never repeat. Most of them were fixed in the new PC I built earlier this year, except one. If I could turn back time, getting a different diet is the only decision I would change.
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Choosing an Undernourished Diet Was My First Mistake
Buying good food without spending too much is harder than it seems. There are countless brands on the market, and even within a single brand, some models are much better than others.
One of the first decisions I made was to get something that would have just enough power for my system, with a bit of headroom in case I wanted to upgrade to a more power-hungry graphics card.
My logic was simple: as in the past, new graphics cards often became more powerful while consuming less power. So why waste money on future-proofing my PSU if I wasn’t planning on buying something super high-end in the near future?
I read online that my planned new graphics card, a used RX 6800 sure).
I thought it would be good since it had all the power for the card and some headroom for future upgrades. This decision turned out to be my first mistake.
I bought the PSU right before the Radeon RX 9000 and GeForce RTX 50 series launched, and now that I know the RX 9070 XT requires a 750W PSU, I wish I’d at least bought something with that rating.
Opting for a non-modular unit was my second mistake
If you’re unfamiliar with the difference between modular and non-modular PSUs, it’s pretty simple: Modular power supplies use detachable cables, while non-modular units have all of their cables permanently attached in one large bundle.
There is also a third, rarer option that combines elements of both in a semi-modular design, where essential connectors such as the 24-pin motherboard and CPU cables are fixed, while the SATA and Molex cables are removable. Although they are still sold, they are a much less common option than cheaper non-modular units and more premium fully modular units.
Non-modular power supplies are generally a bit cheaper, partly because they are cheaper to manufacture, but the convenience of modular units is undeniable. If you ever want to replace cables due to excessive plug and unplug cycles or swap them for custom cables for aesthetic reasons, modular power supplies make that possible.
A fully modular power supply like the Cooler Master MWE Gold 750W V2 cost about $20 more at the time. I naively thought I could pocket the difference because I’m an expert in cable management and PC building. Since I didn’t plan on installing hard drives, I assumed I would have enough space in the drive bays to store excess cables out of sight.
I Saved Money on My PC Setup and Now I’m in Cable Management Hell
I was saving money when I should have been saving my sanity instead.
The problems only got worse when assembling my equipment
My PC build went as smoothly as expected. It wasn’t until I installed the power supply and started plugging everything in that I realized what a pain a non-modular PSU would be to manage.
The larger cables, like the 24-pin motherboard connector and the 8-pin CPU and PCIe, were pretty easy to untangle from the tight space at the bottom of my case and put them in place.
What I had forgotten was how many thick Molex and SATA cables come with a typical power supply. My build didn’t use any of them, so not having the option to unplug them and remove them from the case quickly became an immediate headache.
Besides their large numbers, these unused cables were also rigid and sheathed together, making them even more difficult to move.
After struggling with them for a good fifteen minutes, I managed to tuck the excess cables into the empty drive bay slots inside my case. I thought I was finally done, but I still couldn’t close the side panel because part of the cable was sticking out. This meant squeezing everything even tighter, despite all my instincts telling me not to, before I could finally close the case and finish the build.
Paying a little more for a more powerful modular PSU is worth it
In total, I wasted over an hour trying to make the cables tidy, just on the visible side behind the tempered glass. I wish I had spent a little extra money on a modular power supply to save time.
Besides being modular, I could also have gotten more watts and a higher efficiency rating, 80 Plus Gold or Platinum instead of the 80 Plus White of my unit.
I’ve already mentioned the Cooler Master MWE Gold 750W V2 as a solid option, but other interesting modular PSUs that don’t break the bank include the be quiet! Pure Power 13M 750W, Thermaltake Toughpower GT 750W and Thermaltake GF1 750W.
- Brand
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Chiller Master
- To go out
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750W
The Cooler Master MWE Gold 750 V2 is a 750W modular power supply with an 80Plus Gold energy efficiency rating. It strikes the perfect balance between price and power delivery, and the added convenience of being modular makes it the ideal power supply for most PC builds.
Honestly, the 850W power supplies only cost $10-$20 more, which could have been an even smarter choice, leaving plenty of room for a used RTX 5080 in a few years.
At least I was lucky that my case’s PSU shroud had enough clearance to hide most of the damage. If your case doesn’t provide this extra space, you’ll likely end up leaving cables dangling in awkward or ugly places. All that excess wiring can also restrict airflow, which is why modular power supplies make so much sense, especially in small cases.
Looking back, I wish I had spent the extra money on a modular model. These unused cables accumulate dust, making regular dusting more annoying than necessary. Without the added bulk, opening the right side panel wouldn’t feel like starting the whole process again.
