01/03/2026 2:10 am
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Finally building my first rig and honestly Im so hyped to get away from my laggy laptop!! Ive got like a $600 budget and Im heading to Micro Center this weekend. I saw the Corsair CV550 is cheap but then I read some tier list saying its low end and now Im second guessing everything. Some people say the EVGA BR series is better but others say theyre loud so Im just confused.
My constraints:
- Budget is under $65
- Powering a Ryzen 5 and a 1660 Super
- At least 500w for peace of mind
- Reliable enough to not explode lol
What do you guys actually use in budget builds?
3 Answers
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01/03/2026 3:20 am
^ This. Also, proceed with caution. A cheap unit failing years ago fried my whole system, so dont risk it. Try MSI MAG A550BN 550W 80 Plus Bronze. TLDR: Safety first.
12
01/03/2026 3:45 am
Its honestly getting tougher to find solid power supplies that dont cut corners these days... unfortunately, many brands have lowered their standards on the entry-level stuff lately. I used to trust the basic units blindly, but had issues with a few recent builds where the fans started rattling within weeks. Not as good as I expected from big names. If youre at Micro Center, check these out:
- Thermaltake Smart BM2 550W 80+ Bronze
- Its semi-modular which is great for airflow in small cases, but the cables are kinda stiff.
- Cooler Master MWE Bronze 500 V2
- Usually reliable enough for a 1660 Super, tho the coil whine can be annoying if youre sensitive to noise. Just make sure you dont settle for anything without a decent warranty. Ive seen too many budget rigs die because someone saved ten bucks on a sketchy unit that lacked basic protections.
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01/03/2026 2:10 am
honestly ive been super satisfied with basic units in my budget builds. just definitely avoid those random off-brand ones from amazon or youre gonna have a bad time if it pops.
