Wasted $200 on a bad PSU after ignoring the warning signs

Picked up a refurbished 850W unit off eBay last month because it was cheap, and it killed my motherboard within a week. Anyone else learn the hard way that saving $50 on a power supply is never worth it?

2 comments

2 Comments

taraw1610d ago

I get that you're upset but I don't think the issue is always about saving money. A refurbished unit off eBay is a gamble no matter what you pay, and bad luck can hit at any price point. You could have spent $200 on a new budget unit and still gotten a lemon if you didn't check the reviews first.

jackson.jenny10d ago

And you know what nobody's talking about? The cheap power supply market is a minefield of counterfeit components, especially on refurbished stuff. These units often have fake capacitors or undersized heatsinks that look legit from the outside but can't handle real load (ask me how I know). I've seen people spend $150 on a unit that was actually a $40 design with a sticker slapped on it, and by the time you realize, your motherboard is toast. Even with good reviews, a PSU from a shady refurbisher is basically a trust fall with your whole system.