Everything looks to be going up in cost. RAM is way up in price, though the output is higher than ever before. Hard drives are up a bit, no doubt due to demand. Now the heart of the system is going to rise as well, as the recession is ending yet the changes of an end don’t all seem to be in place. Power supply units are getting pricier, but the good news is that there is likely a reason why- one that can be explained by forces other than greed, and should allow the extra price to be recouped in short time.
If the latest report from Taiwanese news site DigiTimes proves correct, you may want to consider upgrading that aging power supply sooner rather than later. The reason? Taiwan-based PSU companies have either already hiked prices, or are planning to do so, DigiTimes says.
It’s important to note here that most PSUs, regardless of branding, are manufactured overseas, so this could potentially affect PSUs in the U.S. According to DigiTimes, Taiwan produces about 80 percent of the worldwide power supplies used in notebooks, 50 percent of those used in PCs and LCD TVs, and nearly 50 percent of the PSUs in servers.
So is there reason to panic? Not likely. DigiTimes says prices are poised to rise by 10 percent, and this appears to be mostly related to system companies rather than the DIY community. Even still, it’s worth keeping an eye on, especially if you’re getting ready to upgrade your PSU or put together a new system.
What is not mentioned in the Max PC article, but in articles elsewhere, is that a surprising number of PSUs are being built to a higher efficiency specification. As for the builder crowd, it really is not worthwhile to replace, or specify for a new build, a PSU that is not at least an 80 Bronze, with the cost of a Silver unit only slightly more. Over the life of a quality PSU, that extra money will be recouped many times over – and only becomes more of a savings point should the cost of electricity go up… almost a sure bet.
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Quote of the day:
Admiration, n.: Our polite recognition of another’s resemblance to ourselves.
– Ambrose Bierce
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