PC Need advice on a computer issue

[hiemfire]

My gpu seems to be hitting its last legs, red or black screening if not flat freezing with increasing regularity while playing games starting a couple weeks ago, so I'm going to need to replace it.  I do not have the luxury of being able to flat out replace the entire system thanks to budget and other matters.

Current, and I suspect dying gpu: AMD Radeon R7 360

Motherboard: H110M PRO-D

500 Watt ATX power supply

Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-6600K CPU @ 3.50GHz   3.50 GHz

 

[Fox]

You didn't leave a question, but I assume you're looking to replace your GPU with something that makes sense with your build. You also didn't mention which Intel CPU you have.

With a 500 watt PSU (and again no mention of what brand model which would describe it's quality), you won't be seeing a high end GPU in that rig as they require a lot of power. Maybe a GTX 1660 or GTX 1660 Super if you can find one that isn't being scalped for twice the price it's worth. A 1660 will keep you going strong even in your next build as even that GPU might be a bit overkill for your current setup depending what you have. It won't handle VR or Ray Tracing, but it'll run most games on highest settings at 1080p just fine (if you have a capable CPU to keep up with it). If you need something cheaper, then maybe look at an older GTX 1060 6GB (which is what I'm currently stuck with), it's at least 2x better than what you have now. A GTX 1650 Super is roughly the same performance and price as the 1060. A GTX 1650 non-super is slightly better than what you have now (less than 1.5x) and could also be considered if money is really tight or GPUs are really unavailable. I don't recommend buying a used GPU due to how much demand there is for them (you'll likely only find overpriced or absolute garbage). Whatever you chose, just keep in mind that this game recommends 4GB of video memory, and it does actually use all of it when on higher settings. You'll also notice that I didn't recommend any AMD based GPUs. Their drivers / software kind of suck when it comes to gaming support, so I never bother with them. I do recommend their CPUs though as Ryzen is awesome!

Performance comparison

GTX 1660 vs R7 360:  https://gpu.userbenchmark.com/Compare/Nvidia-GTX-1660S-Super-vs-AMD-R7-360/4056vs3572

GTX 1060 vs R7 360:  https://gpu.userbenchmark.com/Compare/Nvidia-GTX-1060-6GB-vs-AMD-R7-360/3639vs3572

 

[hiemfire]

You didn't leave a question, but I assume you're looking to replace your GPU with something that makes sense with your build. You also didn't mention which Intel CPU you have.

With a 500 watt PSU (and again no mention of what brand model which would describe it's quality), you won't be seeing a high end GPU in that rig as they require a lot of power. Maybe a GTX 1660 or GTX 1660 Super if you can find one that isn't being scalped for twice the price it's worth. A 1660 will keep you going strong even in your next build as even that GPU might be a bit overkill for your current setup depending what you have. If you need something cheaper, then maybe look at an old GTX 1060 6GB (which is what I'm currently stuck with), it's at least 2x better than what you have now. A GTX 1650 Super is roughly the same performance as the 1060. A GTX 1650 non-super is slightly better than what you have now (less than 1.5x) and could also be considered if money is really tight or GPUs are really unavailable. I don't recommend buying a used GPU due to how much demand there is for them (you'll likely only find overpriced or absolute garbage). Whatever you chose, just keep in mind that this game recommends 4GB of video memory, and it does actually use all of it when on higher settings.

Performance comparison

GTX 1660 vs R7 360:  https://gpu.userbenchmark.com/Compare/Nvidia-GTX-1660S-Super-vs-AMD-R7-360/4056vs3572

GTX 1060 vs R7 360:  https://gpu.userbenchmark.com/Compare/Nvidia-GTX-1060-6GB-vs-AMD-R7-360/3639vs3572

Added the Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-6600K CPU @ 3.50GHz   3.50 GHz

Side of power supply housing, flash blurred part says "+5V" 

Spoiler

It's lasted more than 5 years so has been pretty reliable.

I also tend to avoid playing above medium settings since I know my Corsair is older.

 

[Fox]

Ok, so your PSU is not even 80+ anything rated, so it isn't remotely efficient and it's likely about due for replacement as capacitors inside a cheap PSU degrade a lot faster than good quality ones. Also, it might not handle a GTX 1660 very well.

Your CPU is fine to handle the above mentioned GPUs.

Are you absolutely sure your GPU is failing and not your PSU? Over time, the max wattage on a cheap PSU decreases which in turn will cause issues with a computer.

My advice, replace the PSU first, then worry about the GPU later. It may seem reliable now, but you currently have problems with the system, it's not easy to identify if it's a GPU problem or PSU as GPUs require a lot of power which means the GPU can demand too much from the PSU causing it to fail usually while gaming. The PSU needs replacing anyway, might as well do it first to see if the GPU needs replacing at all.

 

[hiemfire]

Are you absolutely sure your GPU is failing and not your PSU? Over time, the max wattage on a cheap PSU decreases which in turn will cause issues with a computer.

How do you check the power supply without breaking it?

 

[Fox]

Best way would be with expensive equipment. Consumer way would be to stress it out with hardware you know works really well. Problem with that way though is that if it is failing, then it could take out the entire computer with it (given that it's not 80+ rated and 5 years old, I wouldn't recommend it).

I think "Gamers Nexus" on Youtube best shows how random / unreliable / dangerous a poor quality PSU can be as he started testing brand new PSUs with expensive testing equipment and has had several cheap PSUs explode on him when reaching the limits of the PSU which, by PSU standards, isn't ever supposed to happen. All PSUs are supposed to just shut down safely to protect itself and the hardware attached to it, but cheap PSUs tend to cut corners a lot and break those rules.

If / when you do replace the PSU, I personally recommend Seasonic or EVGA (majority of their circuit boards are made by Seasonic) and 80+ bronze or better. Just make sure that in the details, it says 100% Japanese capacitors.

 

[hiemfire]

Best way would be with expensive equipment. Consumer way would be to stress it out with hardware you know works really well. Problem with that way though is that if it is failing, then it could take out the entire computer with it (given that it's not 80+ rated and 5 years old, I wouldn't recommend it).

I think "Gamers Nexus" on Youtube best shows how random / unreliable / dangerous a poor quality PSU can be as he started testing brand new PSUs with expensive testing equipment and has had several cheap PSUs explode on him when reaching the limits of the PSU which, by PSU standards, isn't ever supposed to happen. All PSUs are supposed to just shut down safely to protect itself and the hardware attached to it, but cheap PSUs tend to cut corners a lot and break those rules.

If / when you do replace the PSU, I personally recommend Seasonic or EVGA (majority of their circuit boards are made by Seasonic) and 80+ bronze or better. Just make sure that in the details, it says 100% Japanese capacitors.

Power supplies are cheaper than gpu's right now from what I saw from some quick searching. Either way it would probably be a better place to start if the psu going out can cause the system to lock up/freeze.

 

[Fox]

Ya, PSUs are way cheaper. Also, if you don't ever plan on getting a high end gaming pc and just stick with mid-tier setups, then 600 watts to 750 watts is about where I would recommend for you. It's always good to have a little extra max wattage as it's less stressful on the PSU which allows it to live a longer life and doesn't cost too much more. Not to mention it's easier on hydro as the peak efficiency on any PSU is between 40% - 60% load.

Side note: I'm really surprised others haven't chimed in on this topic yet as I know there's a few that usually jump at these kinds of topics right away.

 

[BFT2020]

I been busy today at work so not as responsive on topics today.

I have built computers in the past and recently built one this last year around Oct / Nov.

I would second Fox's recommendation on power supplies.  My build was a complete ground up build as I was replacing a 10 year old computer (so my CPU and GPU will be a few generations past your hardware) so I went with a 80+ 650 W power supply.  It cost around $130, but I was willing to spend the money for a good one.  Nice thing about PSU is if you decide to upgrade the rest of the hardware later, the PSU should still be fine as long as you have enough power available.  For reference, I am running a GeForce 2080 and a Ryzen 7 8 Core 3.9 GHz.

 

[Fox]

My build was a complete ground up build as I was replacing a 10 year old computer (so my CPU and GPU will be a few generations past your hardware) so I went with a 80+ 650 W power supply.  It cost around $130, but I was willing to spend the money for a good one.  Nice thing about PSU is if you decide to upgrade the rest of the hardware later, the PSU should still be fine as long as you have enough power available.  For reference, I am running a GeForce 2080 and a Ryzen 7 8 Core 3.9 GHz.

That RTX 2080 and 650 watts PSU is pretty much living on the edge too. Sure, you meet the minimum recommended requirements, but that also means your PSU is running extra hot and inneficient at load. Next time you run a high demanding game, stick your hand on the PSU exhaust area and see how hot it gets, then imagine how much hotter it actually is inside the PSU.

 

[TWORDY]

GPU is being fried mainly due to budget PSU. "Blacklisted" PSUs provide "improper" voltage over time due to low-quality components. Faulty, "no-name PSU" is also damaging hard drives day 1. Stop gaming immediately and replace PSU first. Visit a friend's house and then test the GPU before making any purchase decision. Low-quality PSUs are fine for browsing the Internet... but gaming will ultimately lower the lifespan of your whole setup. I always build my PC and tweak it by myself to my preferences. Pre-made setups for most of the time are a travesty also. I`m learning from my own mistakes over the years.

The first thing that requires attention is the PSU quality. Simply put, any branded 550W 80+ bronze PSU is going to be better than 750W no name. You can`t compare PSUs by their theoretical performance, only components matter. There is no money saved or justice done to Your PC by wasting cash on budget PSUs. Make sure that the PC is well ventilated with proper airflow, in-take and out-take of air are truly important. PC case and cooling is another thing to consider. Make sure to clean the housing and also replace CPU thermal paste at least every 2 years. Don`t keep PC cases directly on the carpet. Cleaning the room and maintaining the PC is in my best interest. If You ever think of an upgrade some day, first make sure that the motherboard has got a proper/recommendable power section for 10+ core CPUs.

I use Seasonic Focus 650W, Noctua CPU cooler and fans - the best purchase You could ever make so far. Pricey but reliable, pure performance without LED lights/disco ball cringe. Only SSDs, PSU and Noctua Fans are actually new in my PC! I made a mistake on the PC case but the permanent removal of the front panel fixed the issue. Silence, low temperatures, and performance are of the essence.

 

[BFT2020]

That RTX 2080 and 650 watts PSU is pretty much living on the edge too. Sure, you meet the minimum recommended requirements, but that also means your PSU is running extra hot and inneficient at load. Next time you run a high demanding game, stick your hand on the PSU exhaust area and see how hot it gets, then imagine how much hotter it actually is inside the PSU.

I will check it, but so far I haven't seen any issues with it.  I checked recently while playing modified Battletech 2018 which does tax the game somewhat; but the air coming from the PSU exhaust was warm, but not much.  Will try some other games I have later to see if notice any differences.

 

[Fox]

I will check it, but so far I haven't seen any issues with it.  I checked recently while playing modified Battletech 2018 which does tax the game somewhat; but the air coming from the PSU exhaust was warm, but not much.  Will try some other games I have later to see if notice any differences.

I'm sure it runs just fine with anything you throw at it... but over time, as the capacitors wear down a bit, that might change. So if after a few years you start seeing random problems relating to crashing or weird GPU issues, the PSU is the first thing I'd blame.

 

[Guppycur]

Fox!  You're alive!

 

[Fox]

Fox!  You're alive!

This is an automated message. The person you are referring to no longer exists.  :classic_ninja:

I really only post in topics like these now.

 

[hiemfire]

New PSU (650W Gold) and a buddy kicked me their "old" (newer than my old one, much newer) GPU and I'm back up and going. Just want to say thanks for the help guys.