Strange PSU Problem
Strange PSU Problem
Hi, everyone.
This is my current PC setup: MSI B450M PRO VDH, Ryzen 3 1200, XFX Radeon RX 550 (4GB), 2 x 4 GB Patriot Signature DDR4 RAM at 2400 MHz, XFX TS 550 (Bronze), Crucial MX500 2.5" SSD.
About a year ago I shared a post about an issue where the keyboard would glitch and stutter in certain games. At that time I didn’t have a solution, so I’ve been experimenting with different configurations over the past few months. Some keyboards, particularly those with extra keys like play, pause, volume, etc., kept malfunctioning, while others only showed problems during gaming or when stress-testing the GPU or CPU. These keyboards worked fine in other systems I tested.
Eventually I suspected my XFX TS 550 (Bronze) PSU might be the culprit. I found out it was still functional with an EZ Cool (JSP-700P12A) 700W unit, so I installed that one and everything ran smoothly.
I remained puzzled about the issue, so I tried pairing the XFX PSU with the graphics card in an older system: HP Pro 3500, Intel Pentium G2030, 2 x 4 GB Adata XPG DDR3 RAM at 1600 MHz, and a 500 GB HDD.
So far, I haven’t managed to reproduce the problem, even when playing the same games that caused it on my previous machine. Both systems are running Windows 10.
I’m still trying to figure out what’s causing the issue and what steps I should take next. I know EZ Cool isn’t a top recommendation, so I might consider switching PSUs, but why would the XFX model struggle while the EZ Cool works? I find it hard to believe that a 550-watt power supply is enough for a build where the GPU draws all its power from the motherboard.
Why would the XFX PSU have trouble with the newer Ryzen-based setup but not the older Intel one?
I just want to be sure that if I replace the PSU, it will function properly. Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Good PSUs can fail or start acting up. My PC has a Seasonic Focus 550W and also ran a lower GPU, a 570, which I never changed. It wasn’t under stress, but after about three years it stopped working. The warranty was replaced without issues, and everything is back to normal. I wouldn’t expect a bad PSU to cause a keyboard error. If someone else has tested it and it works, it’s likely the PSU. You can use the warranty on the XFX? If not, look for another good one in your budget and try again.
The TDP values for both processors differ, with the 10W model showing a higher value for the Ryzen. It might be this small difference that's leading to the problem. I believe you're not evaluating two comparable systems, as the Ryzen setup favors quicker RAM compared to the platform mentioned later in your post. Additionally, it could help to check if your BIOS is up to date and ensure your drivers are current.
Yeah. I can't think of anything else that could be the problem. Unfortunately, it's no longer under warranty. So I'm probably looking at buying a new one.
BIOS and drivers up to date.
From what I understand, 550 watts should be more than enough to power the Ryzen system, so it must be that the PSU actually has a problem of some sort.
If I'm buying a new one, do you think I need to look for a higher watt one?
I can get a PSU through a friend in Germany, but I'm just wondering what you would recommend? I don't know much about PSUs and what makes them good or not. I know when I was looking at the XFX TS 550 Bronze, I asked here and everyone raved about it. When I was looking at the tier list now, however, I discovered that it was in Tier D under "Low Priority Unit".
I was looking at the ThermalTake Smart BM2 650 Watts, which was going at 62+ euro, but I'm a bit confused about something.
On the tier list, it's ranked as Tier C, which would make it a fair bit better than the XFX. However, in the PSU recommendation thread, he suggests that Thermaltake should be completely avoided.
Do you have any good recommendations from PC Part Picker?
Here's the link
to the German one already sorted by lowest to highest price.
Thanks again. Your help is much appreciated.
The Seasonic B12 BC 550w costs around €60 and offers great value.
A slightly pricier yet superior option can be found here:
https://de.pcpartpicker.com/product...-b...b12-bc-550
For a more affordable choice, but with better performance, check this link:
https://de.pcpartpicker.com/product...ed...a-6g1bb-us
An €80 model provides excellent quality.
Thanks, SID. I've reviewed the details and everything seems reasonable. The review for the NZXT looks solid, though I'm still not very experienced with PSUs. Regarding the keyboard problem with the graphics card in the HP computer, I managed to somewhat mimic it, but it's less severe than on the other machine. I'm curious about your thoughts—should I continue using the XFX PSU without stressing it, or would you advise against it entirely?