UniQue ATX Chassis with 450W PSU

[Dade Murphy]

I'm building a budget gaming system and I'm looking to buy the cheapest PC case and PSU I can find. While browsing Esquire I came across the UniQue Chassis with 450W PSU which is currently going for R259 (excl. VAT)

450W is fairly low, but I'm going to be using on board graphics for now and buying a graphics card within a year, so I don't mind replacing the PSU for a higher wattage one when I do get it, if I can buy the current PSU for this price. However, I'm a bit skeptic about the quality of the PSU and if it will actually produce 450W. I can't seem to find any reviews about this product anywhere. Please bear in mind that I am far from a professional when it comes to PC hardware.

Has anyone has experience with it? Will this PSU last me a year?

 

[MickeyD]

Based on your requirements it will last more than a year - I am using one as a media PC and it is over 18 months old and still going strong.

 

[Dade Murphy]

Thanks, that's a great help.

Why exactly are they going for so cheap? And what is the difference between this PSU with the chassis and the "high-quality" PSUs that are sold separately?

 

[NomNom]

PSU's that come with cases are generally low quality, underpowered and don't tend to have any protection against surges ect. Your system should be ok with it but I HIGHLY recommend you get a decent PSU before you put in a graphics card.

Have you considered getting a cheap branded PSU?

Thermaltake LitePower, 350w - R199

Thermaltake LitePower, 450w - R272

Thanks, that's a great help.

Why exactly are they going for so cheap? And what is the difference between this PSU with the chassis and the "high-quality" PSUs that are sold separately?

Mostly quality and brand name.

 

[MickeyD]

Thanks, that's a great help.

Why exactly are they going for so cheap? And what is the difference between this PSU with the chassis and the "high-quality" PSUs that are sold separately?

As per NomNom - you get what you pay for. As soon as you plug in a GFX card, get another PSU.

 

[Dade Murphy]

Maybe the first post was a bit confusing, but as I said, I'm going to be replacing the PSU for a better quality and higher wattage one when I do put in a graphics card, which will only be within a years time.

Will take a look at those PSUs you have suggested for now, though.

 

[NomNom]

Maybe the first post was a bit confusing, but as I said, I'm going to be replacing the PSU for a better quality and higher wattage one when I do put in a graphics card, which will only be within a years time.

Will take a look at those PSUs you have suggested for now, though.

Those PSU's I listed have various protections on them, the last thing you want is to have a surge on your new Pc and have it destroyed because the PSU didn't have surge protection.

I have built an office Pc with the 350w one before and was pleasantly surprised by it's quality.

Here are the product pages:

http://thermaltakeusa.com/products-model.aspx?id=C_00001295 - 350w

http://thermaltakeusa.com/products-model.aspx?id=C_00001298 - 450w

You can always use it as a backup PSU when you get a better one.

 

[Chevron]

Yeah. Never use the power supply that comes with a case.

The difference between them and proper power supplies is surge protection and voltage regulation. Everything in your pc is built to a certain spec. If the voltage goes out of spec you will damage your components.

 

[sajunky]

Cheap PSU's usually sacrifice MOVS (a key elements for surge protection) and input filters (which also contribute to surge protection). They usually do not have active PFC, the main factor for efficiency (your electricity bills) and also protecting equipment from power surges.

These PSU's presented by NomNom both have PFC, I didn't know you can get active PFC PSU for that price. I would chose 450W model due to the bigger output and 80+ compliance. For a small price difference 450W is an obvious choice.

I'd like to hear how these PSU's work on cheap UPS.