Lga775 is classed as retro now? Ooft, I'm getting old. The E6700 rig I build as my first computer is still happily chugging away.

Just use a modern psu for it. Old PSUs are a risk and only really worth it if you both need the strong +5V that old CPUs needed and are decent at soldering to keep them running.

My goto these days are SeaSonic. A gold efficiency one is cheap and decent.

Yeah not that retro config as others I already have enough PSU for, but for all the "after Pentium 4" +12 volts centric configs I want to have one new that would fit in any computer while still cheap enough.. the above PSU are the one are selling directly in a store, they suggested me the FSP even if the Corsair is certified 80Plus Bronze (even if the VS model I had in the past was really weak..).

My vote goes to Seasonic too, not in the least because of the 10 yr warranty.

You do not see the PSU qualities, you only can measure it.
I did quite a lot of tests and I agree with @Vaudane and @PARKE, Seasonic is the most preferrable brand.
Because, I never ever have seen a bad/mediocre Seasonic-branded PSU.

I don't like FSP much because of the imho brain-damaged design.
Coolermaster and Corsair are no PSU manufacturers, others make their PSUs after their specs.
But brands are brands, actual quality can differ very much.

I use a Supermicro PSU made by AcBel because it is best, it is the only one that didn´t fail the crossloading tests.
Crossloading is very underestimated for retro purposes. So I got three pieces of these.

The AcBel branded PSUs I have tested are utter crap, so I cannot recommend them.
I guess they made that particular Supermicro PSU that I use after the Supermicro specs.

See my tests and writeups (in German) there:
https://forum.classic-computing.de/forum/inde … n-und/&pageNo=1

I support Seasonic as well.

They make great PSUs and they have great customer support as well.

Even if a bit above the price I thought what do you think about the Seasonic CORE GC-500? Beside a very unusual PCB component layout they seems to talk very good about it. Capacitor quality, cables with a plastic socket, DC-DC converter for the secondary lines, full protection and Gold certification.

Well, every SPS is a DC-DC converter. So this does not tell anything, it could just be marketing blah.

What matters is that +3.3V and +5V are not driven from the high voltage DC but from +12V, to ensure that there are no crossloading problems.
So imho they should call it DC-DC-DC design.

And yes, the PCB pictures of the PSU you suggested look like it might be a DC-DC-DC design. But I am not sure, because there are not two almost identical converters (for 12->3.3 and -> 5V), which would hint at actual DC-DC-DC conversion.

386SX wrote on 2021-09-05, 21:17:

Even if a bit above the price I thought what do you think about the Seasonic CORE GC-500? Beside a very unusual PCB component layout they seems to talk very good about it. Capacitor quality, cables with a plastic socket, DC-DC converter for the secondary lines, full protection and Gold certification.

What the hell does gold certification mean prey tell?

Caluser2000 wrote on 2021-09-06, 06:23:

386SX wrote on 2021-09-05, 21:17:

Even if a bit above the price I thought what do you think about the Seasonic CORE GC-500? Beside a very unusual PCB component layout they seems to talk very good about it. Capacitor quality, cables with a plastic socket, DC-DC converter for the secondary lines, full protection and Gold certification.

What the hell does gold certification mean prey tell?

80 Plus Gold is an efficiency rating https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/80_Plus

Caluser2000 wrote on 2021-09-06, 06:23:

What the hell does gold certification mean prey tell?

From the link above the supposed/declared target efficiency depending on the load and from that basic model review they seems quite realistic even if I suppose not the only thing to look for an overall quality product. But looking at the +12v and +5v load graphs while increasing the wattage load, it's impressive how much stable those voltages remains on a basic model and I understand why many suggests this brand. The only thing that seems criticized on that design is the fan choice but still covered by the warranty if I read correctly. I was reading about their 750W high end model, impressive. I'm maybe too much used to low end basic PSU.. 😉

retardware wrote on 2021-09-06, 05:29:

Well, every SPS is a DC-DC converter. So this does not tell anything, it could just be marketing blah. […]
Show full quote

Well, every SPS is a DC-DC converter. So this does not tell anything, it could just be marketing blah.

What matters is that +3.3V and +5V are not driven from the high voltage DC but from +12V, to ensure that there are no crossloading problems.
So imho they should call it DC-DC-DC design.

And yes, the PCB pictures of the PSU you suggested look like it might be a DC-DC-DC design. But I am not sure, because there are not two almost identical converters (for 12->3.3 and -> 5V), which would hint at actual DC-DC-DC conversion.

Thanks for that point, interesting. 😉

I'd also go Seasonic. I've used FSP PSUs extensively throughout the years and the old ones were pretty much very solid for what they were back then and even though usually FSP still makes relatively good quality PSUs (or at least they don't belong to the worst PSU bracket), I've felt like they tried to skimp here and there just a little bit too much (like one of the FSP PSUs I got ended up having very thin wires. I mean it worked but selling a PSU with thinner wires is done solely to make production cheaper).

Fwiw FSP seems to know where it can save money without making their PSUs unreliable.
I still think FSP is one of the better ones out there and wouldn't mind running any PCs of mine with one (especially since I don't have the money to use brand new A++ rated PSUs in literally all of my rigs), but Seasonic does make the better ones.

I don't have much experience with Corsair branded PSUs. And Coolermaster branded PSUs seem to be all over the place when it comes to build quality.

Tetrium wrote on 2021-09-07, 15:16:

I'd also go Seasonic. I've used FSP PSUs extensively throughout the years and the old ones were pretty much very solid for what […]
Show full quote

I'd also go Seasonic. I've used FSP PSUs extensively throughout the years and the old ones were pretty much very solid for what they were back then and even though usually FSP still makes relatively good quality PSUs (or at least they don't belong to the worst PSU bracket), I've felt like they tried to skimp here and there just a little bit too much (like one of the FSP PSUs I got ended up having very thin wires. I mean it worked but selling a PSU with thinner wires is done solely to make production cheaper).

Fwiw FSP seems to know where it can save money without making their PSUs unreliable.
I still think FSP is one of the better ones out there and wouldn't mind running any PCs of mine with one (especially since I don't have the money to use brand new A++ rated PSUs in literally all of my rigs), but Seasonic does make the better ones.

I don't have much experience with Corsair branded PSUs. And Coolermaster branded PSUs seem to be all over the place when it comes to build quality.

Agree with Seasonic being top of the line. Recently seen good sales on them at Newegg, too.

As far as Corsair - they had issues a few years ago with faulty capxon caps. I think they addressed those QC issues since then, however.

Ive heard good things about newer EVGA PSUs.

FWIW sometimes these manufactures sell refurbs on eBay for a steep discount + warranty. IDK if I would risk it, but at least its from the manufacturer...

Tetrium wrote on 2021-09-07, 15:16:

... got ended up having very thin wires. I mean it worked but selling a PSU with thinner wires is done solely to make production cheaper).

I have even seen one Seasonic PSU (150W) that used substandard 20AWG wires (an early 20+6 ATX one).
Standard is 18AWG. Good ones use 16AWG, at least for + and GND.

Tetrium wrote on 2021-09-07, 15:16:

Fwiw FSP seems to know where it can save money without making their PSUs unreliable.

What I do not like with the FSP ones I saw are two things:
- Bad placement of electrolytics and heat-sensitive parts. They are often placed in areas that get ventilated sparsely. And they tend to place hot parts beneath electrolytics, and then "protect" the latter by putting shrink tubes over them.
- Some of these PSUs have the cooler on live voltage, and it is directly at the cooling openings. Touch protection against live voltage is only provided by a thin pad of soft plastics that can be pierced by a fingernail. I don't feel well with this.