Power Supply Mistakes, Tier Lists, & Myths, ft. Jonny Guru
Vložit
- čas přidán 17. 05. 2024
- We met with former PSU reviewer "Jonny Guru" to talk about common misconceptions and myths about power supplies, including tier lists, modular cable standards, marketing, and more.
Sponsor: Lexar Hades RGB Memory on Amazon geni.us/iDtEzA4
Watch our recent budget power supply round-up here: • Amazon's 5 Most Popula...
The best way to support our work is through our store: store.gamersnexus.net/
This video was filmed at Corsair's lab just before our Newegg trip, featuring Jon Gerow of power supply R&D at Corsair (GN paid all travel expenses for itself). We talked about power supply tier lists, problems with standardizing modular cables, marketing BS about fans, full bridge rectifiers, 80 Plus Certification, and more. This is an educational piece that should help everyone learn more about power supplies for computers, including how to find the best PSUs in 2022 (and onward) and what specs are best for a power supply for a PC build.
Like our content? Please consider becoming our Patron to support us: / gamersnexus
RELATED PRODUCTS [Affiliate Links]
Budget PSUs below -
Seasonic FOCUS GM-650 on Amazon: geni.us/tVRUm9
Fractal ION Gold 550W on Amazon: geni.us/Dj1Fx
EVGA 700 BQ on Amazon: geni.us/tw9nw
Corsair CX650M on Amazon: geni.us/r3TWaN
Corsair CX650 on Amazon: geni.us/XhD9y7
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 - PSU Misconceptions & Myths
01:15 - Modular Cable Problems
06:12 - Standardizing Modular Cables
07:17 - Heatsink BS
09:38 - Full Bridge Rectification
12:08 - PSU Tier Lists
13:34 - Fan Marketing Lies
17:14 - "Just Buy 80 Plus Gold"
18:54 - New Standards for Testing (Cybenetics)
** Please like, comment, and subscribe for more! **
Links to Amazon and Newegg are typically monetized on our channel (affiliate links) and may return a commission of sales to us from the retailer. This is unrelated to the product manufacturer. Any advertisements or sponsorships are disclosed within the video ("this video is brought to you by") and above the fold in the description. We do not ever produce paid content or "sponsored content" (meaning that the content is our idea and is not funded externally aside from whatever ad placement is in the beginning) and we do not ever charge manufacturers for coverage.
Follow us in these locations for more gaming and hardware updates:
t: / gamersnexus
f: / gamersnexus
w: www.gamersnexus.net/
Host: Steve Burke
Guest, Expert: Jon Gerow, Corsair (formerly Jonny Guru)
Video: Andrew Coleman
Video Production: Keegan Gallick - Hry
![[Vowel]물고기는 물에서 살아야 해🐟🤣Fish have to live in the water #funny](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/3G9MH063Cx4/mqdefault.jpg)
This was so fun to do! Very educational for us and always entertaining to hear Jon go on mini rants about PSU misconceptions or marketing. We have more coming up with him! In the meantime, check out our power supply playlist to get even more PSU content! czcams.com/video/weFJd8dzxAE/video.html
Grab a GN modmat, toolkit, coaster pack, or shirt on our store to support our efforts! store.gamersnexus.net/
What is the gray case next to the cabinet on the ground? Looks like a old Thermaltake?
Really glad you had this interview, Steve. Moving forward, I hope GN picks up the PSU testing space for all of us, enthusiasts and PC gamers alike.
We really need a no-BS JohnnyGuru-like PSU tests/reviews, and not just the usual 'repeat the marketing specs' PSU reviews in YT. 👍
Give my Thanks to mr jhon for being so cool and open to sharing all this with us!! 😍😍
Jonny is the man,He helped me with a few questions i had about power supplies.
It's very rare to see people like that who are happy to help and answer questions to complete strangers on the internet.
The first segment about not mixing modular cables is really good info for people.
There's a reason why cablemod has specific modular sets for different brands/models.
I really miss Jonny Guru reviewing power supplies considering he was so detailed and reliable on choosing great PSUs. It's great to see him doing well elsewhere and even just ranting on PSUs.
I miss him reviewing as well, I have been hoping for a replacement reviewer and always thought that might/would be GN but not yet.
Probably a safe bet to just buy a Corsair psu now.
@@Gari.Hughes Corsair as a brand isn't bullet proof. They've had their issues even since he came on.
@@optiquest86 I just buy high end corsair power supplies. Every brand also makes cost down budget items, but I know my expensive corsair power supply most likely had Jonny’s approval.
I'm using a Super Flower Leadex III PSU so I think I'm still good. 😉
Interviews with people who know their shit are way more enjoyable than others, good stuff.
It's a plus that they're often quite passionate about the subject of their expertise
@@sosukelele Indeed
Engineers > some weird managers
It's fascinating how you must really think you're adding anything to the conversation or saying something meaningful by stating something that obvious, really genius? Are they really more interesting than listening to clueless bumblefucks rattling off bullshit? Would've never guessed! CZcams comment section can really feel like a mindless non-sensical circle jerk at times
Yeah. And the comments that just don’t point out the obvious are also way more interesting.
The fact that modular cable pinouts wasn't standardized 10+ years ago has to be one of the things in the PC world that grinds my gears the most. It's maddening, and dangerous!
I’ve blown up a few motherboards before because each had their own unique pin out instead of the atx standard
@@thetesseract2237 I remember the old days of Dell and the physically compatible but electrically incompatible pinouts. Fortunately that's been the exception and not the norm. While proprietary power supplies haven't gone anywhere, at least they are clearly proprietary most of the time.
Even with standardized pinouts the modular cables are not really identical because they use different wires, different type of plastic for connectors, some have filtering capacitors, are of different lengths etc. Would it really be less dangerous to have an option to use "compatible" cheap cables on your 150+$ psu in a 2000+$ build?
@@veduci22 Given that there IS a specification for the other end of the cable, that includes minimum current carrying capabilities, and 95% of use cases don't even come close to exceeding those, I'd say yes, it would still be preferable by a long shot. I don't buy cheap power supplies, so any of the cables available to me wouldn't be of questionable quality to begin with.
Of course, most of my power supplies are already Corsair. And it IS nice that my 11 year old Corsair cables still work with my newest Corsair PSUs. But I also have a mix of EVGA and Cooler Master. And it's just flat out annoying how careful I have to be where-as every other PC cable I own is universal and I can just toss them in a box together.
cry me a river
I always wondered why he stopped doing reviews. Now I know. Glad to see he's putting his knowledge into bettering the industry, or at least Corsair's part of it. Also thankful that the GN team is now helping keep the manufacturers honest by doing their part and testing some PSUs. Looking forward to part 2 of your time at Corsair. 🤘
Him just being apart of the brand bought me for life as a customer.
@@FeedMeSalt yeah Fr I’m about to buy a new power supply because I beleive mine is not enough
conflict of interest.
If hes directly employed by corsair now, then its impossible for him to be unbiased, as a manufacture of power supplies is his primary employer
@@jasonlib1996 welcome to the industry.
I bet he has alot of incentives trust me.
@@FeedMeSalt sheep
The legend Johnny! Nice to see him doing well.
jonny Guru peaked my interest in Power supplies! Great man
Jonny Guru is a LEGEND. It's cool to see that there's finally somebody to whom he can pass the torch.
Oh a Goril--- ROARRRRR !!! xD (Silverpower Box logos meme)
Who has he passed the torch to? Is there a new reviewer of power supplies out there that is a big deal?
@@Dennzer1 GN does actual PSU reviews. Unlike every other tech youtuber who "reviews" them
All of my PSUs were rec'd by Jonny Guru. None of them ever failed me. Legend.
Same. If a PSU had his approval it was pretty much an automatic buy for me.
which PSU u are using and is it quiet ?
+2
list your psu bite
Jonny Guru is the GOAT of PSU reviews. Corsair could literally use his tenure as marketing
Well in his time they have gone from making a range of what were essentially hot garbage from almost top to bottom, to what are now excellent units. It has taken some time (even as recent as 2018 they had some real duds out there) but it seems he has finally got rid of all their average quality stuff (that they sold for high quality prices) and now have waht is a solid range from the very lowest of their models. Just remember don't buy a Corsair PSU with a "v" in the name, thats old design bad stuff which unfortunately are still round in stock.
@@malphadour I assume the 2018 dud you're referring to is the AX?
@@malphadour He has worked for Corsair for well over a decade.
As to Corsair using him for marketing? That wouldn't sit well with me, but i can't quite put my finger on why.
@@SianaGearz Yes he has. But it didn't stop them continuing to sell old garbage designs for quite a while. The RM and CM series were the first that were completely under his overview, and they still managed to have problems with the pre 2019 RM models - thats why there are RM's, and RM2019 models - the 2019 being the revised ones which, btw, are very good now.
@@malphadour yeah, i have never touched a RM or CM unit, but 2021+ are finally good
When Linus was talking about all the OG's from print media in the tech industry moving over to the industrial side, this is a great example. I hope his upcoming lab gets a few gems back into the game of putting out information to customers without brand bias holding them back.
Linus Torvalds or the slales guy?
@@santiagoferrari1973 Linus Tech Tips
@@santiagoferrari1973 Linus from Linus tech tips.
I don't think you'll see anything from LTT without brand bias. With how many business connections they have in the industry, I doubt they'd be willing to burn bridges over a shit product. Tech reviews in general should always be taken with a mountain of salt.
@@BrainScramblies There is no difference, you're correct. Like I said, you shouldn't take tech reviews as gospel. Even the objective things like benchmarks should probably be taken with a grain of salt if they got the product for free, since it could be a special high quality media unit.
Always good to see Jonny. For years I would check jonnyguru daily and hang out on the forums. I miss the great reviews that Jonny, OklahomaWolf, and the others put out. What a loss that it's gone now.
100% second this, though Jon is still fairly active on some forums which is good for all of us. It shows the expertise required to properly review a PSU that there are maybe half a dozen respected reviewers out there (and I'm talking over the last 10 to 15 years) vs the fifty thousand people who review everything else.
This video is great timing considering the new Nvidia GPUs. As I am German and won't be able to heat my flat with Russian gas next winter, I will just heat it with my GPU...
#minersBeLike
If power consumption is anywhere near the leaked stuff, I will get myself an additional super bright LED and a cheap plastic chair so I can get the most authentic vacation feeling for next winter
That's what they want you to think. They've invested too much in NS2 to now do a 180 on it.
By next winter the mess in Ukraine will be over and forgotten, we'll go back to business as usual, including the Russian gas.
@@comdo831 Bullshit. Germany is already diversifying it's energy sources and they will not go back to being reliant on Russia.
80 Plus Gold may not be indicative of a quality power supply. That being said, as soon as you see 95 Plus Gold from a sketchy power supply, you know you have a real treat. 👌💯
legend in power supply reviews. really helped me when recommending different units in the earlier part of the past decade
I miss when Jonny Guru et al. were putting up sick burns of 'Gutless Wonders' reviews, melting plastic PSUs and other fun.
Really hoping that Gamers Nexus can bring back some of the magic, perhaps with more side appearances of a Jonny and perhaps OklahomaWolf and crew :)
Maya, omg yessss.
If anyone can do that, it's GN
Steve has the comedic flair to work those jokes too. Both OklahomaWolf's subtle digs and sick burns were hilarious AND well woven into their pieces, it was fkn brilliant
I need new PSU reviews by OklahomaWolf.
"Don't mix and match modular cables"
- Kyle taking notes
Wouldn't blame Phanteks if they got a little miffed at his level of disrespect. They sent him a ton of stuff for that mITX build, and he didn't even bother to open the boxes, just shoved it all in a corner.
Jonny Guru is a god walking amongst mere mortals.
His review of the V1000 by Cooler Master led me to purchase it. Its been through 10 years of builds including tri sli builds back in the day.... I finally bought a new PS EVGA 1000w to replace it. Would have bought the V1000 but it wasn't in stock. Shane that...
The man, the myth, the legend! I miss both his intricate, ruthless PSU reviews and the endless forum discussions they sparked! Glad to see he's putting his incredible knowledge to great use at Corsair! Sigh, now I feel old as well...
You've taught me a lot about power supplies with this channel. I didn't know anything about them before
Steve & JG ranting, time to press 'like' before it starts.
This guy talks about PSUs the way Tarantino talks about movies, and I'm comparing him to Tarantino because he actually talks like him too.
9:36 "FULL BRIDGE RECTIFIER!"
That dude was a client of ours. I didn't know he was a PSU master. I really enjoyed working with him.
Corsair properly labeling their cables was pretty important for me, using an older HX power supply it was easy to figure out which cables I needed to buy from corsair.
But the fact that Corsair even have multiple standards themselves just shows what a shit-show it is.
What's funny is that everyone is focused on the Seasonic PSUs on the top shelf, but I'm also seeing a bunch of EVGA, Super Flower, there's a Super Flower on the cart behind Steve.... It's called competitor analysis people. I don't know why so many people are trying to read into this. We buy dozens of the competitors PSUs every month and throw them on that ATE. Everyone does it to everyone. Just this time it was captured on camera.
Ask your wife/gf how her day went. When she's finished, you know pretty much where you stand, what you need to do in the next few hours, how you can improve etc. Everyone does that, but don't realize it. Pretty much the same concept as tearing into the competitions psus, seeing how yours match up, what you need to do next, what improvements you can make...
It's not a hard concept to grasp and a great way to get the creative juices flowing.
I actually managed to fry a bank of 4 HDDs because of the interchangeable but not pin compatible modular cables...
It was a really expensive lesson in always changing the PSU cables, even if the keying is identical...
Same here. I killed an old SSD.
I killed two hard drives and an SSD. Being an Engineer, I foolishly assumed (yes, I know, ass-u-me makes an ass of you and me :() that cables would be standardized. I managed to revive one hard drive by getting a controller board from ebay and swapping the EEPROM.
@@suziscarborough9665 Yeah, it's not like there was a 20+ year precedent that you can not plug stuff in that doesn't belong there...
Same. Killed 2 HDDs. Was nice and sparky and smelly. When in doubt, don't plug in, and if you have to, select the least important part and test with that.
@@Blazehoof In my case I didn't even notice it was from a different power supply. I was making two systems with 2 modular PSUs from different brands and somehow I mixed one of the cables. They looked the same except for tiny text in one of them. Honestly, other brands cables just shouldn't fit.
Great information Steve coming from an Electronic Technician with 30+ years of experience. I still find these types of in depth reviews and information educational for myself and folks on every level of PC building or modding. Or those including myself who want to know how things work and perform. Thank you for all your hard work. Cheers
This was an awesome interview and it's just really nice to see a conversation with someone so invested and knowledgeable about their field, especially someone like Jonny Guru. I've been using the same EVGA Supernova 750W G2 in my system for 7 years now and I originally went with it after reading his very detailed review of it. The level of detail, thoroughness, and most importantly truly impartial and honest reviews are the same reasons I take so seriously all of your guy's reviews too.
Would like to see a deeper dive, specifically on ripple and any factors that would determine overclocking stability. Yes protections are important, yes efficiency is important, but what factors makes a PSU good\bad for providing the most stable and consistent power delivery while pushing a system to its limits and why they are important.
First Rule of pc building. Don't skimp on the psu. It's why a Corsair SFX 600w Platinum is sitting in my mITX custom loop. I have every expectation of everything else failing or becoming obsolete before that psu gives up the ghost.
If there was ever a product that screams for a standard, it's power supply cable pinouts. Stupid that this hasn't happened yet.
If only there had been a video made recently explaining why that hasn't happened.....
@@malphadour and the reason why that hasn’t happened is stupid. Imagine if every phone brand made their own version of micro usbs 12 years ago - the smartphone boom would have been a nightmare
@@Junya01 You are looking at the wrong object. The issue would be if every graphics card or motherboard had a different power connector. These are the same, so the power supplies are all following this standard - how it exits the actual PSU is less relevant unless you decide to swap cables. Yes it certainly would be nice if they were all the same, but in reality how often are psu cables swapped about?
I love how honest and thorough are you guys. I've been looking around how to copper mod mi 3080 ti a few months now, and I'm literally dying to see your take on that!!!
So that’s where he went! Happy to see Johny doing well and still putting his vast knowledge to great use.
No way! I was just watching a video from a few years ago where you were talking with Jonny Guru about power supplies. And then this popped up. Crazy
It's really nice when you see companies actually out here on social media it makes me feel like I'm actually purchasing something from real people
Thanks for this. I love watching this technical yet personal discussions with experts in the field. I feel spoiled knowing that every one of these videos is going to be top notch content wise, without having to worry otherwise.
I love content like this! Jonny taught me a lot as a fledgling PC builder when I was young and I do miss him making those great reviews. It's great to see and I'm happy that he's doing well at Corsair.
I'm glad PSU tier lists was mentioned, I ironically had this debate with someone I know and kinda explained the same point Guru makes but as per usual many take those Tier lists as gospel forgetting its still going to miss "potential" faults that havent happened yet and when they do it then drops the Tier listing but it still gives a question of doubt to the user looking at them
I still largely ignore the tier list - there is so much bad info still on it.
The tier list makes sense to me as a heuristic until more precise data is available. I'd take a solid GN review over the tier list but what do you do when there's no equipment to do deep testing on failures? Short of becoming an electrical engineer myself, I have to offload the decision elsewhere. My point is that it's better than nothing, if only for just that psu with observed failures are likely to drop ranks the next year.
@@malphadour if you have anything specific to mention... feel free to pass it on to me 😄
The problem is we can't find most of tierA and tierB psu review online, atm i'm looking for 3: Corsair Cx550, Asus Tuf bronze, Xigmatek minotaur. All of them in tierB, yet can't find a single review for them on the entire google
@@profchaos7289 I can help you with that. Xigmatec are terrible across the board. The Tuf bronze is ok- the 550 only has one GPU power cable, the 650w version has two - so for a mid tier graphics card )requiring 2 connectors)avoid the 550w. They are made by Great Wall who are a decent OEM and they also make the Corsair CX models(as well as CWT). Both brands are LLC with DC-DC on the secondary. This means it is modern design. The Asus Tuf usse Teapo caps which are ok, however the Corsair models use better quality ones - its a minor difference, but one that may make a difference as the units age. Of the two I would go with the Corsair model as their X ranges have proven to be solid units. With the CX models also check how many GPU power cables they have - the 650 has 2, but again i beleive the 550 is only one.
Great video! Hit on a much needed discussion point in the first 2 minutes. Do NOT interchange PSU cables even within the same brand. I've been saying this for almost 2 decades and it's never seemed to come up in videos very often if ever.
Gamer jesus really is the most honest and wholesome guy, thanks Steve. It's just great to see someone approach reporting with genuine curiosity and a will to listen carefully
Thank you for talking to Jon! I sorely miss his reviews, but it's awesome that he's doing well at his present gig.
I absolutely LOVED this. Very frank and didn’t feel corporate at all! What a great bunch of information!
9:38 FULL BRIDGE RECTIFIER
-ElectroBoom
Fantastic video! When I first got into overclocking, everyone was talking about single rail vs multirail and that you needed single for overclocking
Nice to know Jonny Guru is still around and contributing to top quality gear. Discovered his site in 2009. Convinced me to migrate over to Seasonic PSUs and the absolute necessity of UPS ever since. Thanks Jonny! PSUs: the bedrock foundation of all PCs.
I really enjoyed this interview. Jonny really knows a lot.
Even if Jonny stopped doing reviews, he set a precedent for people being more aware of what to look for, and manufacturers being held accountable. I think GN is doing a similar job in case reviewing - even if you stopped reviewing cases tomorrow, people would still know not to trust manufacturer claims, what to look out for and what a useful review is.
My hope is that GN can grow to encompass psu's in the same way. A Jonny Guru Jr. if you will.
I volunteer at a nonprofit that refurbs PCs and we have to have a giant sign next to the modular cables that says "DO NOT MIX AND MATCH PSU CABLES, YOU WILL BREAK SOMETHING, USE A MULTIMETER TO VERIFY" and people STILL do it.
Such a cool and informative segment I'd love to see more like it. You guys are incredible for all the work you do.
When I did my first custom loop build, I went with a purple and gold theme. The PC had been up and running for a couple weeks without issue. I decided I wanted colored cables and had planned on getting some from Cablemod but didn't have the money at the moment so I decided to get some colored extensions from Amazon. It came with enough extensions for everything that runs to the motherboard. I installed them. About a week later my motherboard failed due to a VRM short. I'll never use that stuff again. Cablemod, maybe, Amazon junk, nope.
Hey GN, recently LTT posted a video on a really cheap 2000W PSU, would love to see you guys test it with your proper equipment and see if it can actually output 2000W
Or the quality of the output. In the video it could pump out lots of watts, but they didn't measure the efficiency or the ripple.
@@sp00n the finger test suggested its efficiency wasn't great.
They would literally have to move overseas to properly test it. Just slapping a 220/240V plug onto a 110/120V extension cord and plugging into a 220/240V outlet isn't proper testing.
Aaron Thomas Why would you have to move overseas, a proper 240v outlet could easily be installed for testing purpose.
@@aaronthomas6155 LTT literally is based in Canada where it's 120V and they had a 220V outlet... GN probably has a 220V plug that they can use
This i will rate to one of the most entertaining, informative and educational videos you have made.
Great questions were made. And Jonny delivered some really awesome answers. You can really tell that he has a passion for power supplies.
I just absolutely love all the factors toursy interviews with people in the industry etc. because of the unique inside view you get, into stuff like manufacturing .
Interesting coming back to this video after Jonny Guru made that comment about that cable adapter
You know, the ONE thing I will give Intel is that they had the ability to push things like the standardization of the power connectors between the PSU and Motherboard. Intel basically made the ATX spec and had the market power to get everyone on-board with using it. There are lots and lots of bad things they did, but promulgating the ATX specs was actually a good thing for consumers. Unfortunately in the PSU world, there is no one manufacturer or OEM with the clout to get everyone else to jump on the bandwagon of picking a standard for PSU-side modular cable connectors, and consumers are worse off for it.
There doesn't seem to be a PSU standards group either, as everyone got used to letting Intel spend all the money to make the specs, and no one wants to spend the time and effort to work with their competitors so that consumers don't have to worry about accidentally using the wrong cables. Maybe the 80-plus guys could come up with a 'modular certified' sticker or something to indicate that a modular PSU conforms to a set standard for pinout and connector type? Unless Intel or AMD decide to come up with something, the 80-plus folks are about the only ones that almost all PSU makes work with, outside of government agencies.
I think this is one of the things that is hard to leave up to the market unless you do have an almost-monopoly like Intel. Otherwise, the market is designed to compete, not cooperate, while standardization requires cooperation and agreement to adhere to whatever it is.
So I think someone will have to come in and enforce the standard just like we have for outlets in our walls. We don't have to match plugs to brands or have different draws based on what wires were used in the house. We don't have to worry if this "Corsair cord" will match my "EVGA wall outlet".
Power supplies should be the same at that point. The difference is the innards and proprietary designs of non-user components.
Jonny Guru! My build from 2008 had a PSU selection based on your site! The PSU (HX850W) is still going strong and even ran backup duties when my new Prime Platinum 850W gave up with powering a 3080 due to the 12V noise. Thank you for enlightening us with regards to good PSU build quality, components and supply ripple/noise!
Very informative to this non-tech guy. I have gotten into the tech sector very late, and the vocabulary and theory v. practice are often confusing. Thank you all at Gamer's Nexus for helping to clarify all the aspects of computers and gaming.
I've been using Corsair for four years and I'm never disappointed. Thank you Jonny Guru for your wonderful work that goes into my PSU!
Jonnys reviews made me pick the evga supernova g2 all those years ago.
Has worked flawlessly since then
Superflower at their best :) Legendary quality units.
This channel has been consistently having amazing informative and varied content.
Absolutely killing it guys, great job.
Great interview and conversation. I love the obvious care and passion... from both of you really. Good chemistry too. More please!
U understand that this is a great video, when Cybenetics and Aris of Hardware Busters is mentioned. And of course, JonnyGuru the Legend! 💯
This is the same guy who called you guys out about the 4090 not supporting the 450 watts and then you proved him completely wrong. Don't think he'll be back on the channel lmao.
when ???? really
this was so long ago, but yeah in the current 4090 videos that i had watched at the time, He called this channel wrong and that they had no idea what they were talking about and then i came back to this video to comment on this because its the same guy lmao
Johnny Guru and the cultist lists all helped me pick out a power source for my most recent build! So cool to see the man behind the legend!
OMG! I saw different pinouts of power supplies and cabled fuck me up before.
I am capable enough to voltage test, and pull out terminals to switch...
That problem has totally happened to me before.
"That isn't an explosion, that's just IRL RGB" - Gigabyte Probably
@@terasestHammasratas and some blue-white lightning arcs, don't forget.
So what's the G stands for?
Garbage!
Very informative and interesting. It is good to get the details about why certain decisions were made. There is so much more information needed than the capacity in watts to allow the consumer to make informed choices when buying a power supply.
Great interview. Would love more episodes with deep dives into important aspects of PSUs.
the biggest thing that i've had issues with is when i spec'd out a system for a friend of mine, others chimed in and said "I would have went with a higher wattage" or "I don't know if that's sufficient"
For reference the system was:
R7 5800X
32 GB DDR4 3200 2 x 16 GB
RX 6600
600W 80+ Bronze PSU.
PC Partpicker puts the estimate at 366 watts. I consider this to be the sweet spot of this PSU's efficiency. Over specing would reduce efficiency if i'm not mistaken.
There's another development in PSU land. That's efficiency at very low power demand. Interesting to follow that.
After determining the required power for the build, it's all about PSU quality and connectors needed. But that's very hard for us consumers to determine. What's good enough? And why is one better than the other? And does it matter?
I'm currently researching a new gaming rig for a friend and read some tests on PSUs (Tom's hardware). In the end I'm considering picking an EVGA G6 Supernova 750 for around 90 euros or a Corsair 2021 model year RM750x for around 130.
The Corsair should be 'more better' according to what I've read, but the EVGA should be just fine, to quite good.
So apart from brand preference or customer service... how does one justify the premium between very good and pretty good?
I just helped my friend to build a computer with i5 12600K, RTX 3060Ti, and 5 fans only to be told that 550W PSU would not be sufficient. I mean yeah sure, it's going to be tight in edge cases but OC is not gonna be a consideration and it's still possible to spec down a little bit than to take bigger PSU because not every house would have the luxury of running PCs with huge PSUs.
As a safety measure, I decided to take 650W instead to give more headroom, or maybe I should've gone 600W instead. And as for your build, 600W would definitely leave enough room already.
@@ronanharris8216 from what i'm seeing the power budget for that is probably 450 watts. 650-700 watts should be fine. the 12600k is a bit of a thirsty chip as is the 3060ti for it's performance tier
If the budget forces you to stick with a 80+ Bronze rated supply, at least look up its efficiency at 10% load... some modern designs are no worse than typical 80+ Gold rated models (84-87%), but you still see sub-80% as well, so buyer beware.
Oh, and of course it goes without saying that "watts" do not equal "watts". There is nothing keeping a manufacturer from operating a platform beyond its prime, although you can usually tell by 100% load efficiency (which, mind you, is also influenced by cable gauge). Likewise, secondary side capacitor quality may vary.
Heavy gaming loads tend to average about 70ish% of the absolute maximim wattage the pc can pull. So according to pcp, you'd be averaging @ 260w draws. Psus tend to be most efficient at @ 50%ish, so a good 550w puts you in the green. Considering the 6600xt only spikes around 40w over TDP, a good 550w will cover that easily. There really aren't any Good 600w Bronze ATX psus, so it's a questionable psu from the get-go, regardless of wattage rating or efficiency.
Ask Corsair when they are going to offer new link-connected PSUs, like my old HX850i. Love the monitoring capability and no one else has had that.
is it connected to your motherboard with USB?
@@prydzen Yes it has a micro-usb to USB-header cable on the internal side, or you could use a Corsair link cable to a Commander.
@@RavTokomi thats cool. all PSU should have usb connection to mobo imho.
I love this feature. It also reports efficiency, temperature, fan speed and probably a few other things I can't remember.
two years later and I came back to this video for references before my next purchase! thanks to everyone who participated.
Seriously, i don't have any kind of technical education but thanks to your continuous efforts and awesome knowledge peices like this one, i have a basic understanding of what components do and how they work together.
I started watching your vids in summer 21 to learn stuff in order to buy the right computer, in November i built it myself and now i am still hooked on all the cool content you deliver.
Thank you, GN!
You know when a company cares about their products if they hire such people like Jonny. Thanks for this video!
P.S.: The 80 Plus people should look for another job. So much money for nothing? Interesting...
Jonny Guru works for Corsair... therefore he will recommend those...
Jonnyguru helped me pick out my first power supply (EVGA Supernova G2 850), which I'm still using to this day.
Thank you so much for your knowledge
Love this type of content. Great to hear from the experts in the field
Every power supply I've purchased has been off the research done by JonnyGuru. I miss that website very much, and I hope that GN can eventually fill that role. Nobody else went into a fraction of the detail or meticulous testing, and their credibility was off the charts.
There are plenty of reviewers who are meticulous in power supply testing like Anandtech and smaller youtubers. If you're too lazy or blind to utilize them, you're a part of the problem.
@@lightly-red-huedmaleindivi6266 If you really think they're awesome, would you mind sharing? If they're that thorough, but small, then we should be trying to get their name out as much as possible, not gatekeeping who can see them.
@@lightly-red-huedmaleindivi6266
Not as meticulous as Johnny! That is the problem. You fool!!!
1:15 "Don't mix and match cables"
On the same day, Bitwit released a video related to PSU's mismatched cable bricking his mobo.
Is this a coincidence? I THINK NOT!
Word. Linus Tech Tips makes a video about a 2000w power supply, Gamers Nexus makes a video about power supply misconceptions, and BitWit fucks a machine from his power supply.
"Jonny Guru" (Jon Gerow) is a LEGEND!
I would love to see more Jonny Guru on the channel. Such as a great mix of information.
I have only built a couple of computers but sadly never knew that you could not interchange cables from one modular psu to another. Fortunately I never had a reason to try it (ie lost a cable.) I wanted to make sure that I completely understand. Can use a pcie cable from one system on another system? Or are you stating that you can not swap the psu and cpu cables from one system to another? Thank you in advance for you answer.
never swap cables between power supplies
the mains input one is fine
any of the ones that connect computer parts inside to the psu can't be interchanged between power supplies
I just bought an RM750x and it's the 2nd time in a month I replaced it for "dying" on me so it's interesting you made this video
I also bought an RM550x in late 2020 and it was dead at arrival. I had to replace it with a Seasonic Focus GX-550 _(which isn't perfect - high frequency chirping at medium to high(er) load)_ , but I lost my trust in Corsair PSUs. Maybe the top-end lineup is less problematic, but it's still annoying to read all these stories about them. First-hand bad experience won't help either...
Mine's been humming along for about 4 years now. I bought it for the 7 year warranty, the one I had before (hx450x) had a 5 year and it died about a month after the warranty ended which was kinda annoying but it was time to up the wattage anyway. Over the years I think I've been through more PSU's than any other component, some cheap, some very expensive and it's pretty random when they die regardless of brand. The best thing you can do is just make sure it has a decent warranty, but 2 in a month is either really unlucky or you have a problem elsewhere that's killing them.
@@memitim171 I definitely made sure i used all included cables, unfortunately it may just be hardware lottery due to having an EVGA 500W $50 80+ White which has been reliable for 2 years.
I need a reliable 750W for 3000/6000 series GPUs
@@Mr.Genesis Are you running it through a surge protector? If the wiring in your house is old that won't help either but replacing PSUs is a lot cheaper than a rewire I suppose. Like you say a lot of it is just luck, I had a crappy chinese "gold plated" one that outlived most of the branded ones I've used.
Content like this is definitely your unique and most valuable area, absolutely great! Thanks!
I love it! :D Thank you for another amazing, fun and educational video Steve! It's always great to see people talking about what they know best. Blessings to you, your team and Jonny! :D
Will you be reviewing that 2000 watt Chinese 'SENLIFANG' psu?
I'm sure Linus would let him stress his to death if he asked nicely. 😂
I'd love to see that in a indepth scale testing etc. I saw Linus play with it with GPUs etc; but there's nothing statistically about it. Mostly just fooling around which is why I wanna see the numbers.
I am honestly surprised that Linus didnt do a crossover with Gamers Nexus for that power supply. It was such a painful video to watch them merely struggling to get the computer running right. I wish they just asked Steve to use the GN lab.
You know it's gonna be good when Jonnyguru is ranting.
This took me back over a decade, to the legend. Jonny guru... Loved this
fantastic content! I love the deep dives with Jonny Guru.
The fact that he’s working there makes me trust Corsair power supplies more.
SeaSonic is one of the OEMs that Corsair works with.... That is enough reason to trust most of their power supplies.
Seasonic and corsair hasnt been a pair for a while.
Corsair (almost?) exclusivly uses Channel Well Technology aka CWT which makes everything from decent to absolute garbage.
Dont get me wrong, Corsair makes some good PSUs, but they are overpriced and lives on rep they earned years ago.
Seasonic also lives on their reputation but they have, AFAIK, never had a bad psu platform for atleast the 20 years ive been building PCs.
Ive had too many failed CWT PSUs to trust them the way i trust a Seasonic(and ive had alot of them both)
@@Zesserie Seasonic every time. You're also not paying a third party margin.
@@Zesserie Actually Corsair PSU's of old were pretty well garbage all the way up to their high mid end stuff, only their very top tiers were good. The stuff they have been producing since 2019 is rock solid from entry level to the top. And I hate Corsair with a passion so I am the last person to give them a compliment, but this is one one area, along with some of their new case designs, where Corsair actually sells products for prices which reflect their quality and market position...unlike almost everything else which is ridiculously overpriced at best...and hot garbage at worst.
Also Seasonic have had quite a few very poor units over the years - nobody is perfect.. Remember that a lot of seasonic badged units are actually made for them by OEMs, so there have been quality issues. For example in the not too distant past one of the S12 ranges (i can't remember which generation it was) had some real problems due to a component swap out by the oem. If you buy a brand that is made by Seasonic (so Seasonic are the OEM), then they actually make those, but they don't have the capacity to make a lot of their own models - so just saying Seasonic good isn't quite a black and white as many think. If I remember rightly CWT is their main OEM, so still an OEM with the ability to make top quality stuff.
@@malphadour oh i know every one has had problems and no one is perfect, and you are absolutly right about it not being black and white. Research before buying is key after all!
Ok so the head PSU guy at Corsair is not obly Jon but he's also hilarious. Makes my purchase of a Corsair PSU feel even more justified lol.
This was very entertaining and educational, really looking forward to part 2!! 😁
One of my favorite videos you guys have done; speaking as both an electronics engineer and computer enthusiast who enjoyed his reviews back in the day. Keep up the great work.
same ❤️🔥
That whole "I've got enough 6 pin cables to build that... oh wait... this one's got a triangle where the square pin should be and 1 big ol' D pin right in the middle" is one of the most annoying things known to mankind.
To find out it's a product of no valid reason other than "nah, we do it better" is frustrating AF. If they all just sat down and shook hands, they'd find that those of them who came to a standard would sell more PSU's, simply because the cables are ubiquitous and those who refuse to come to the party would lose market share. Backward thinking.
Steve and Rants... please name a better duo that that, lol.
Louis and Ella
Linus Sebaatian and dropping expensive electronics
This was a very fun interview. Great chemistry between Johnny and Steve. 🤘
Damn, it is a pleasure to watch this video, he has such warmth and passion, a fountain of knowledge. It would be cool to see more content with JG! Great stuff as always, GN!
Why does Corsair have crap PSUs and good PSUs at the same time? Is Mr. J. Guru ok with TX series? I know I am not.
I miss Johnny's site.
And secretly hoped the person LTT was hiring for their labs was him.
Professionals generally stay away from unprofessional employers.
I had the same feeling, but apparently he's still at Corsair. Anyway logically LTT wants someone with a more versatile knowledge.
@@zector0 tell us where the bad Linus touched you in this psu schematic
@@zector0 You have worked for him?
It's true, though. Linus Tech Tips have some of the most hack-job projects and most of the people working there barely know how to identity power supply components as evidenced by the recent 2000w power supply video. That 3090 they keep mutiliating is just a meme at this point.
Man… I just thought about this like 2 weeks ago and then needed it like a week ago. Had no idea site got shut down and everything.
At work so will need to watch later but what a synchronicity!
My go to website for thorough, detailed and sometimes funny PSU reviews back in the day.
*it requires money to make money this is the best secret I have ever heard we don't make money we make multiple money*
@shuchang Wow I know Mr Salvador McConnell . I met him at a conference in carlifornia 2019 where he introduced us his business strategy, he helped me cover my student loans
His method surprises me. A Friend that I referred to him,just received €50,150 profit after 7days of investing...I became jealous...Lol