Want to cut down on the cost of upgrading your computer? Why not get started replace your power supply ? You might have guessed it: one of the best ways to save money is to reuse your old computer parts. Most of these are generally recoverable (apart from the motherboard, processor and RAM if the generation jump is a big deal), this will prevent you from wasting a fortune for nothing!

However, it is generally accepted that the power supply is the component that presents the most risks, given the electrical problems it often faces, such as power surges. That said, it would be wise to question the reliability of an old power supply before reusing it: will it have the required power? Would we be right to trust him in the long run?

Is an old PSU still reliable?

It’s very easy to get a detailed breakdown of your computer’s specs and performance, but that’s not the case for its power supply. This remains a mystery. All you will have available is the power table, the values ​​of which are only theoretical.

So before you reuse your old power supply in a new computer, the first thing to do, besides knowing its total power, is to know what current it can produce on the +12V rail. this value is of particular importance.

Remember: a mid-range graphics card will need at least 30A on the +12V rail, while a high-end one will need more than 50A.

Considering the wear of components over the years, it is recommended to subtract at least 5% per year of life from the theoretical values ​​of the source. In other words, let’s imagine you have a 600W source that delivers 48A on the +12V rail, but which is 5 years old. This means you have to subtract 25% of the values ​​and you will therefore have the equivalent of a 450W source, capable of delivering 36A to the +12V rail.

Obviously, these values ​​are not empirical, but they still allow us to have a general idea of ​​the new capacity of the power supply and thus help us decide whether it is worth reusing or not. .

Next, make sure the old power supply has enough connectors to connect to the new computer. Take advantage of the platform change to thoroughly clean and dust the power supply!

So is it not recommended to reuse a power supply for your computer?

We still couldn’t make up our minds about it, but we’d rather say: not necessarily.

Indeed, if the power supply is of good quality, the manufacturer is known for its reliability, and you have never kept it at high temperatures, you should not normally have any problems.

However, if your power supply is of a questionable brand or more than 5 years old, to avoid any complications, it’s time to invest in buying a new one!