Do they still make PSUs without the gamer / "stylistic" aesthetic?

[heatsync]

Hi, I am new to this place so I have no idea if this question was asked and answered before, but I have a rather... "unconventional" question to ask. I hope someone out there can help me out. I tried posting on the subreddit "r/buildapc," but all t got was a worthless reply that's shouldn't even be considered help.

 

I'm looking to get a PSU in order to replace my near decade old EVGA 600 B (It is incredible that it's still working! But I'm worried it'll blow someday soon or something bad will happen, plus it's way past warranty, anyway). But, I am not intrigued by the "cool" look they have. Basically, I'm looking for a power supply that has the product information on the side, and color-coded (I really would prefer sleeved) wires. The "theme" of my computer is a more modest sort of 2000s-esque computer, but I just think the way the use to be was more visually functional (mainly with power supplies). I think that the color-coded wires are good indicators if something happens (You can get a more accurate idea of what's happening based on what colored wire is messed up). Plus, I like thost thee look of the colors running alone the case. I looked for extensions, but I have yet to find any extensions that resemble what I'm looking for. The guy one reddit didn't even know what I meant by "color-coded" even though I posted a picture clearly showing what I mean. I'll picture here too for convenience sake. Gonna have to excuse my poor MS paint skills, haha.

 

I was considered Seasonic's S12III, but people cannot seem to conclude whether it's "truly" a bad PSU or not. I think it's a perfectly reasonable PSU, and I'm not looking for "the best of the best" but something that's stable and that can power my computer effectively. Corsair PSUs seem great, but they don't have the stuff I'm looking for. Super Flower ones are great, but they seem to be more expensive than Seasonic PSUs (at least where I live in the US and on Amazon and Newegg). Can anyone narrow down if it's objectively good or not, not "it's not good enough" for gaming reasons, but objective reasons of its good and bad aspects? Again, some people think it's perfectly alright, but then some people say it's either horrible, it's outdated and "not useful," or even that it is "just not good enough." Okay, but why? Forgive me if this is a noob question, but I have only been seriously researching PSUs for like a couple days.

 

My computer is a workstation, but it's more of a programming and software-development type of machine where I use virtual machines and such. It's not designed to get the most FPS in games.

 

I have the following parts which are the most power-hungry:

• Intel Core i7 10700F
• Noctua NH-D9L CPU cooler
• (XFX) AMD Radeon R9 390 (I plan to upgrade to something like an NVIDIA 2070 super when they are reasonably priced again, Again, not designed to play games, and I might not even get a 2070)
• timetec hynix 2x16 (32 GB) kit of DDR4 3200 MHz RAM dual rank

and besides a couple drives and fans and very, very minor expansion cards, that's really all the power hungry stuff I have. I plan to support a DAS in the future, though.

 

My computer draws maybe roughly 300-350 watts, maybe even 400-ish when under full load (which is hardly ever). So, ultimately, I'm looking for a maximum of 550 watts. 450 would be perfect, and 500 is pushing it. Nothing above 550 or even 600 watts. I really do not need any of that wattage. My computer currently could even work perfectly fine at 450 watts.

 

Thank you for any help! I really appreciate it! This is an awesome forum, and I am going to be using it for many things in future when building new computers!

Thanks, and take care.

Edited March 20, 2021 by heatsync

[8tg]

Here you go

https://www.newegg.com/super-flower-leadex-iii-sf-550f14hg-550w/p/1HU-024C-00008

Superflower leadex III, one of the best power supplies in that wattage range, and superflower is a bit old school with still marking their units as if they were designed for top mounting.

 

Thats why you don’t see that anymore btw, the spec label was supposed to go on a specific face of the power supply but with bottom mounted units becoming normal instead of top mounted, it became commonplace for the psu spec label to face the other side.

[8tg]

7 minutes ago, heatsync said:

modest sort of 2000s-esque computer, but I just think the way the use to be was more visually functional

By the way this is also not a thing. Computer ricing has been a thing since nerds discovered you could run cold cathodes in IBM PC’s for a neon glow effect in the 80’s.

Pic related are all parts from the early 2000’s.

 

On the topic of colored cables, you won’t find those on any modern psu at all. Maybe some OEM units from Dell or HP or whoever, but even the cheap Chinese crap power supplies use black cables for the most part.

[Elvara]

I was really curious of what was a gamery PSU, I really thought I was going to find an RGB PSU I've never seen before. The PSU have now that more finished looked for a while, you can still see the info you want, it's just when the PSU started to be at the bottom of the case it was on the side of the mother board now.

You usually don't need to look at those infos more than once. Some non modular or semi modular PSU still might have what you're looking for, like that

 

[heatsync]

32 minutes ago, Elvara said:

I was really curious of what was a gamery PSU, I really thought I was going to find an RGB PSU I've never seen before. The PSU have now that more finished looked for a while, you can still see the info you want, it's just when the PSU started to be at the bottom of the case it was on the side of the mother board now.

You usually don't need to look at those infos more than once. Some non modular or semi modular PSU still might have what you're looking for, like that

 

Hi there! thank for the reply! I don't know how to explain it other than "gamer aesthetic" -- but even then it's not really about "gaming" per se, it's more of I don't find the cool designs and such appealing for what I'm trying to do. I do think they look nice, very nice actually. It's just that I like to have information handy if I need to start working on stuff, I know information about the PSU right in front of me.

 

I have a tendency to forget, and I don't keep information sheets or books or whatever near me. they're usually in their box in my closet. So information immediately avaiable to me is invaluable to me. That's a nice PSU too, what brand name is it?

[heatsync]

59 minutes ago, 8tg said:

By the way this is also not a thing. Computer ricing has been a thing since nerds discovered you could run cold cathodes in IBM PC’s for a neon glow effect in the 80’s.

Pic related are all parts from the early 2000’s.

 

On the topic of colored cables, you won’t find those on any modern psu at all. Maybe some OEM units from Dell or HP or whoever, but even the cheap Chinese crap power supplies use black cables for the most part.

Thanks for replying! what I mean by '2000s-esque' is more so what you'd find in a prebuilt computer from Dell or HP or e-machines, for example. And I'm going for a Dell Precision sort of vibe, since I like the way the computers are designed.

 

A better way to explain it would probably be: colors are welcome, I don't like the cool "sleek" RPG style stuff, and my I'm trying to make me computer less flashy. I've attached an image of what I mean below. I'm going for a very "OEM-style" computer build, I guess you could say.

 

But that's cool that that stuff was all the way back then! I had no idea

[Guest]

8 hours ago, heatsync said:

 

You actually want a PSU with ketchup and mustard cables and a visible spec label???

Theme or no theme, you're setting yourself up for getting a cheap or old PSU.

 

 

 

[Elvara]

On 3/20/2021 at 9:55 PM, heatsync said:

Hi there! thank for the reply! I don't know how to explain it other than "gamer aesthetic" -- but even then it's not really about "gaming" per se, it's more of I don't find the cool designs and such appealing for what I'm trying to do. I do think they look nice, very nice actually. It's just that I like to have information handy if I need to start working on stuff, I know information about the PSU right in front of me.

 

I have a tendency to forget, and I don't keep information sheets or books or whatever near me. they're usually in their box in my closet. So information immediately available to me is invaluable to me. That's a nice PSU too, what brand name is it?

The one in the picture is an old Corsair ax450, my corsair PSU HX650 bronze, I bought in 2010 is semi modular and the cable for the motherboard power looked like what you see in the picture but all the sata or pci-e power cable are all black. I just checked Corsair Website they have a non modular PSU the VS series it's only 400, 500 or 600 watts and it looked like what you would like.
https://www.corsair.com/us/en/Categories/Products/Power-Supply-Units/vs-series-config-2016/p/CP-9020118-NA#tab-tech-specs

 

Just one thing well 2 things non modular so all the extra cable stay there and it's only White certified so that's below Bronze.