PSU that is LEAST likely to "pop"

[A10_go_brrrtttttt]

I'm looking for a quiet, but also extremely reliable power supply, that is THE least likely to go bang. I understand that PSU failures can create quite a loud "pop". To give some context, I have tinnitus (ringing in the ears), so any loud noise (even while brief) could have a detrimental long term affect on my health. This is especially true if my PC is going to be anywhere near my head. I understand that ALL power supplies have the potential to fail, but even if spending an additional $100, $200, or $300 could reduce that chance, it would surely give me a better peace of mind at the very least. It's not so much the failure that I'm worried about, but really the noise itself. Anyways, kind of a strange post, but any help would be appreciated.

 

EDIT: No real budget here, looking for a 1000 - 1200w+ for future proofing, and obviously running a high wattage PSU will generate less heat/stress on the unit i.e. less noise/less chance for failure...

 

 

Location: USA

 

 

[Prodigy_Smit]

Here are a few:

be quiet! Dark Power  Pro 12

Cooler Master V Platinum 2019

be quiet! Straight Power 11 Platinum

Basically anything A teir in this list that is highlighted blue.

 

[AnonymousGuy]

A PSU failing isn't going to be a gunshot or grenade going off...

 

I had a first gen AX1500i (platinum...second gen was titanium rated) fail on me after several years.  The failure was "I shut my desktop down...and then it never came back". No noise or drama.

 

Also, it's highly unlikely you'll ever want more than 1000W.  My desktop (10850K and shunted 3090) tops at 850W from the wall.  You just don't get any higher without doing multi-cpu multi-gpu setups and both are pretty much dead ends nowadays.

[A10_go_brrrtttttt]

1 hour ago, AnonymousGuy said:

A PSU failing isn't going to be a gunshot or grenade going off...

 

I had a first gen AX1500i (platinum...second gen was titanium rated) fail on me after several years.  The failure was "I shut my desktop down...and then it never came back". No noise or drama.

 

Also, it's highly unlikely you'll ever want more than 1000W.  My desktop (10850K and shunted 3090) tops at 850W from the wall.  You just don't get any higher without doing multi-cpu multi-gpu setups and both are pretty much dead ends nowadays.

 

 

If you skip to about 3:20, John explains that if a PSU goes off, you will jump, and that you never get used to it;

 

 

Problem is, even a sound that might not be perceivably loud to a normal person could trigger a permanent spike in someone with tinnitus/sensitive ears.

 

Though I suppose replacing my PSU every couple years rather than buying one super high end one every X years would be a safer bet anyways. Only reason I'd go over 1kw is for lower noise and lower stress on the unit

 

[akio123008]

3 hours ago, A10_go_brrrtttttt said:

If you skip to about 3:20, John explains that if a PSU goes off, you will jump, and that you never get used to it

It's not nearly as bad as you think it is. 

 

I've heard quite a few PSUs and other electronics blow up, and compared to other sounds you may hear in everyday life, it's not even the loudest of things.

 

Not only is the sound not as bad as you think, it's also extremely unlikely to happen, even on crap power supplies. That's because there are many ways in which a power supply can fail, and the "spectacular bang" is only one of them. By the time you hear the bang of a PSU (assuming you're just a normal user) you'll have heard countless others that are far worse, so by that logic your hearing would already be destroyed anyway.

 

This is really the last thing you should be worried about. Instead, buy a good power supply because it's reliable, lasts long and operates efficiently, while producing minimal noise under operation.

[Mark Kaine]

I just did a lot of research, reading reviews etc... it seems especially the big 1000w+ "high end" platinum ones like to "pop"... so don't get those... less efficiency = more reliability it would seem. 

 

ps: you want a a suggestion? I'd say Bequiet Pure power, maybe straight power... do *not* get the "dark power"... as I said the more "high end" they are the more likely they're to go poof, because it's not a priority with them, only "moar powa" is, and reviews don't test long term reliability anyway. 

 

 

Also make sure it's a multi rail, hence I recommend Bequiet... there aren't many who make them, most PSUs seem to be single rail because it goes brrrrr and is cheaper (why manufacturers like them so much) 

 

 

pss: also I'm using a Bequiet 500w with my 3070 currently and I don't hear it at all still... even though it's blowing out quite a lot of hot air... 

 

(something it never did with a 1070/1060) also something to consider (personally noise is of utmost priority besides reliability) 

[A10_go_brrrtttttt]

On 1/7/2021 at 5:16 AM, Mark Kaine said:

I just did a lot of research, reading reviews etc... it seems especially the big 1000w+ "high end" platinum ones like to "pop"... so don't get those... less efficiency = more reliability it would seem. 

 

ps: you want a a suggestion? I'd say Bequiet Pure power, maybe straight power... do *not* get the "dark power"... as I said the more "high end" they are the more likely they're to go poof, because it's not a priority with them, only "moar powa" is, and reviews don't test long term reliability anyway. 

 

 

Also make sure it's a multi rail, hence I recommend Bequiet... there aren't many who make them, most PSUs seem to be single rail because it goes brrrrr and is cheaper (why manufacturers like them so much) 

 

 

pss: also I'm using a Bequiet 500w with my 3070 currently and I don't hear it at all still... even though it's blowing out quite a lot of hot air... 

 

(something it never did with a 1070/1060) also something to consider (personally noise is of utmost priority besides reliability) 

I would think that high wattage PSUs are only more likely to fail when running at the same load percentage (i.e. outputting more power). However I do not believe that running the same system (same total power draw) on a higher wattage power supply would be "less reliable". Higher wattage PSUs are beefed up to output higher wattage, and to deal with more heat. Also, a higher efficiency will create less heat.

 

I do agree that a multi rail would be a good idea. Think I'll just go with the ax1600i. It's such a high wattage that I'll practically be babying the thing, and less noise anyways...

[Ankerson]

7 minutes ago, A10_go_brrrtttttt said:

Think I'll just go with the ax1600i.

 

 

Well, that is the best PSU made that you can buy currently.

 

Overbuilt is an understatement, they went all out, top of the line everything when they put those together. 

[-rascal-]

On 1/6/2021 at 10:01 PM, A10_go_brrrtttttt said:

 

 

If you skip to about 3:20, John explains that if a PSU goes off, you will jump, and that you never get used to it;

 

 

Problem is, even a sound that might not be perceivably loud to a normal person could trigger a permanent spike in someone with tinnitus/sensitive ears.

 

Though I suppose replacing my PSU every couple years rather than buying one super high end one every X years would be a safer bet anyways. Only reason I'd go over 1kw is for lower noise and lower stress on the unit

 

 

Did you look up  that SmartTeck ST-P480 "480W" unit they showed a 3:20 mark?

It's not even a real 480W .... like 300W at best.

Like made in Philippines / Vietnam / Bangladesh.... and goes for like $15 USD on Amazon.

 

If you get a decent QUALITY PSU, it won't do that.

[A10_go_brrrtttttt]

25 minutes ago, -rascal- said:

 

Did you look up  that SmartTeck ST-P480 "480W" unit they showed a 3:20 mark?

It's not even a real 480W .... like 300W at best.

Like made in Philippines / Vietnam / Bangladesh.... and goes for like $15 USD on Amazon.

 

If you get a decent QUALITY PSU, it won't do that.

I understand that name brand PSU's have a very very low chance of exploding, but even in the rare chance that it would (say 0.1% chance), any amount of money is worth reducing that chance even further to me. It really just comes down to the risk vs cost. To me, it's worth spending more on the absolute best

[-rascal-]

18 minutes ago, A10_go_brrrtttttt said:

I understand that name brand PSU's have a very very low chance of exploding, but even in the rare chance that it would (say 0.1% chance), any amount of money is worth reducing that chance even further to me. It really just comes down to the risk vs cost. To me, it's worth spending more on the absolute best

 

Fair enough, I can agree on that.

That's the reason why I went with an EVGA 850W P2 over an EVGA 850W G2 ... and paid an extra ~$50 at the time.

[Mark Kaine]

1 hour ago, A10_go_brrrtttttt said:

I would think that high wattage PSUs are only more likely to fail when running at the same load percentage (i.e. outputting more power). However I do not believe that running the same system (same total power draw) on a higher wattage power supply would be "less reliable". Higher wattage PSUs are beefed up to output higher wattage, and to deal with more heat. Also, a higher efficiency will create less heat.

 

I do agree that a multi rail would be a good idea. Think I'll just go with the ax1600i. It's such a high wattage that I'll practically be babying the thing, and less noise anyways...

I agree, you'd think that, on the other hand I wonder how 1000+ w PSUs even got that kind of load from the average Joe customers who bought them... but my main line of thinking was more like to get that kind of power at usually high efficiency corners must be cut, most likely. 

 

Basically you can't get both, reliability and high power / efficiency, it's like a racing car, it'll go fast, but it won't last long, two races maybe then it needs a complete overhaul... 

 

 

[artuc]

29 minutes ago, Mark Kaine said:

but my main line of thinking was more like to get that kind of power at usually high efficiency corners must be cut, most likely. 

The problem with your theory is that the PSUs at the highest rated power are usually flagship or top of the line. Halo models to use your car analogy.

 

Also they are typically not aimed at run of the mill entry level builds, it's the cheap and cheerful PSUs aimed for the low end that have the most compromises.

 

The builds that actually need that power would be the absolute upper crust high end and so they are built to that spec and priced accordingly.

 

There would be no money in shifting a small handful of top end PSUs that have had some corners cut, you do that with your absolute budget line.