Thanks for reviewing a low-end PSU. It's rare to find any reviews at this price-range. Seems €30 is too high a price though considering you can buy a Corsair VX430 for under €40.
Would be nice to see some more budget PSUs reviewed - maybe there's even one which can actually delivery its rated output.
Codegen products are normally sold in markets with poor and expensive oferings:
Here in Argentina a Codegen 500 PSU can be found by us$22. The cheapest brand name alternative would be a CoolerMaster 460W eXtreme Plus RS-460-PCAR, the lowest in Coolermaster portfolio, at us$75.
The minimum PSU recommended for the for a Gamer configuration would be the Antec Vp450 at us$89
Considering that other PC componentes are also a lot more expensive than in USA, and that average income is 5 times lower, what PSU would you use for running a basic configuration for Internet browsing, Outlook and Word?
The review itself says you could probably get away with this PSU if you used it in a lower power demand situation. A budget CPU w/ integrated or budget graphics probably would not stress this PSU. Though you can't trust that the Codgen 500W available in your market has the same components as the 460W in this review.
I found a decent cheap PSU that seems to work well. I used it for a month on my main gaming rig, with an unlocked and overclocked Phenom @ 3.6 Ghz, and an HD6850.
it's fairly quiet and seems to be able to supply decent power. I currently use a Corsair HX650, but this cheap one seems to due well for a basic gaming machine.
I still have it - and it really just a second spare now, as I have since picked up an Antec 400W Neo ECO for cheap to have as a backup. What I can say about the Inland is that it feels decently heavy, and has a 3 year warranty. I wouldn't mind sending it in...
I think it's an accident that it works. It's a Leadman PSU in all likelihood, which is very similar to Codegen. Within value differences of parts, you could have happened to have a stronger unit, however it probably doesn't have sufficient protection and isn't safe.
Almost none of the older PSU architectures have over 350W of power, except for some server units e.g. by Delta which weigh around 10 pounds and are way longer than ATX allows, no kidding. And none of the newer, powerful ones have a need for a voltage switch at the back, like yours does.
Also what if someone buys this PSU based on your suggestion, and it burns the rest of his hardware by accident - would you like to carry the responsibility for that? Good review sites only recommend PSUs where they have made absolutely sure that the unit is reasonably safe, based on analysis of engineering and not on a single case of PSU not burning up their computer, because it is a huge responsibility.
I dont find it suprising that it misses such basics as a CE mark and that it died@80% load. Codegen actually had a psu banned from sale by the swedish "elsäkerhetsverket"(government agency) here in sweden back in 2002 due to safety problems :) i did not find the orginal article since it was 10yrs ago but here is a link to the webarchives version :) http://web.archive.org/web/20040109161725/http://w...
I've seen so many PSU sales on slickdeals there is little reason to go cheap. You can score a nice bronze-rated PSU for as low as $25 depending on brand/wattage.
I'm totally with you; I only wish Martin would get a nice video showing him stress-testing the PSU and let us see what happens at 100% of the rated output. For all the people that think PSUs don't matter much, I can pretty much guarantee that every "500W" or higher PSU costing less than $50 (not on sale - MSRP) is going to be questionable at best.
Indeed; just seeing pictures of the thing brings back memories of replacing the first PSU I ever did in the only computer I bought pre-built, and PSUs in cheap computers my family bought over the years.
If you can't be bothered to do a little research and find a PSU with a decent review behind it, at least buy a well-respected brand on sale.
Each time when somebody ask me to put some parts together they always curious why I would go for in their eyes a ridiculs more expensive powersupply/case and ignore me until summer hits and their powersupply dies or overheats.People seams not understand that a 600watt powersupply can be rubbish and a 380watt one would have been enough for their needs. Anyway I am actuallly looking around again for a nice stable powersupply as cheap as possible for 2 builds. One that wants to play diablo3(UK build) and a other person(belgian-build) and i quote "it has to be able to play solitaire " :).
Anyway looking atm at some cheaper antec case models with 380 watts or corsair 430 V2. Have also some nice be quie!t(not avaible in america , i think) options to buy. If you know some other cheap but high quality build powersupplies , feel free to leave them behind :)
PS : I kinda love this from anandtech , article that warns you what defently not to buy. But then again most of your readers would already be very scepticle about these kind of cases.
I think it makes sense to buy the case and power supply separately, because you really don't need an expensive metal box for a low power system, but you do need a good power supply. Though you do need to wear gloves with some of those metal boxes -.-
XFX brought out an inexpensive, gamer oriented series based on well respected Seasonic S12-II Bronze, with moderate and powerful units. Rasurbo has its "Real&Power" series made by HEC, though other series by Rasurbo are probably garbage. Cougar (a brand of HEC-Compucase) offers an inexpensive "300W" unit which is specced to 220W on 12V - you could say it's effectively a 250W unit by today's measure, though it does deliver what it says on the tin, safely.
If computer is to be used infrequently, refurbished PSUs from brand name computers can be an option. A 10 year old 350W OEM by FSP of course has heavy 5V rail and is a bit light on 12V, but it still can power a computer with 65W CPU and 50W GPU. And yet, Bronze efficiency of newer PSUs is likely to make sense, since once people get Internet, they tend to use their computer quite a bit, also they do contain components which deteriorate with time, so i wouldn't say it's a GOOD option, but at least they contain some safety which Codegen and Leadman don't.
I have to deal with this kind of PSU daily because average Joe in South America doesnt need much more than this. Since eons this kind of PSUs anounced wattages are a joke, no Codegen PSU can pull more than 250W at usable values, but at that price (here 15 USD, in USA probably no more than 10 USD) those 250W are just fine. I can say also that Codegen is among the "best" (haha) PSUs from this price point, everything else is worse! Fans failing, voltages failing, ridiculously low eficiency, burned mobos and ram...
There is junk like this all over the world, *cough* raidmax. Or even worse no name brands. Its bad enough they low quality, but the fake labels don't do anyone favors. If they slap on a 200 Watt label, a customer will be less likely to blow something up. 200w is okay for a bottom end system.
They also fake rating tests by running the psu in a frig room. Geez... spend the extra $10 bucks. Cheapest good psu I buy sometimes is the 430w thermaltake. None have failed. Usually $35 before rebate.
If your budget is that tight it's fine to go for a cheap psu, just try your best to research before you buy...find out who builds the low end units for brands like Corsair, Antec, Ocz etc and try to locate a no-name version. I agree with an earlier post...anything much under $50 is probably gonna be questionable.
In Poland, people usually call it not Codegen, but Coedsh***.
Right now it's pretty hard to find their PSUs in stores, but few years ago they were used in some low end builds in which customer wanted "something to browse internet and really cheap case + PSU". I have helped many customers that had real problems because of those cheap PSUs - not only computer not turning on, but also damaged motherboard or hard drive due to PSU supplying 7V on 5V lane, or even 14V on 12V lane.
Yeah, somehow I'm not surprised that Codegen is still pushing out shitty products. They were terrible a decade ago, and it's a real shame that we don't have some form of international governing body to stop these fire hazards from making it to market.
At 30 EUR, it seems like you do get what you pay for, but a hot deal does help every now and then. Currently, Best Buy is selling an Antec 450w PSU for $30 + FS, making this a very attractive PSU for a mid range system build. Check out the thread in the Hot Deals forum for a link and more info.
Martin while you are at it are you going to review a Hantol PSU with fake 80-plus certification and with a fake pfc made of cement? Just for laugh i mean : )
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27 Comments
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gamoniac - Friday, April 27, 2012 - link
Not too often we see a review on a low-end PSU. Thanks for reviewing this one; it's an eye opener.damianrobertjones - Friday, April 27, 2012 - link
I love this review :)Now all we need is honest, down to earth reviews of:
- Apple kit
- Netgear products
- Android operating system
martinw89 - Saturday, April 28, 2012 - link
http://www.anandtech.com/show/5310/samsung-galaxy-...and especially
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nfgs4EUeTlk
KompuKare - Friday, April 27, 2012 - link
Thanks for reviewing a low-end PSU. It's rare to find any reviews at this price-range. Seems €30 is too high a price though considering you can buy a Corsair VX430 for under €40.Would be nice to see some more budget PSUs reviewed - maybe there's even one which can actually delivery its rated output.
Iger - Friday, April 27, 2012 - link
To be fair - it's €30 with the case!Sabresiberian - Friday, April 27, 2012 - link
How is there anything fair about selling junk, at any price?pgari - Saturday, April 28, 2012 - link
Codegen products are normally sold in markets with poor and expensive oferings:Here in Argentina a Codegen 500 PSU can be found by us$22.
The cheapest brand name alternative would be a CoolerMaster 460W eXtreme Plus RS-460-PCAR, the lowest in Coolermaster portfolio, at us$75.
The minimum PSU recommended for the for a Gamer configuration would be the Antec Vp450 at us$89
Considering that other PC componentes are also a lot more expensive than in USA, and that average income is 5 times lower, what PSU would you use for running a basic configuration for Internet browsing, Outlook and Word?
Klinky1984 - Sunday, April 29, 2012 - link
The review itself says you could probably get away with this PSU if you used it in a lower power demand situation. A budget CPU w/ integrated or budget graphics probably would not stress this PSU. Though you can't trust that the Codgen 500W available in your market has the same components as the 460W in this review.kmmatney - Friday, April 27, 2012 - link
I found a decent cheap PSU that seems to work well. I used it for a month on my main gaming rig, with an unlocked and overclocked Phenom @ 3.6 Ghz, and an HD6850.http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results....
it's fairly quiet and seems to be able to supply decent power. I currently use a Corsair HX650, but this cheap one seems to due well for a basic gaming machine.
SilthDraeth - Friday, April 27, 2012 - link
If you aren't using it anymore, you might think about contacting Anandtech to see if they will do a review on it.Maybe you dodged a bullet, maybe not.
kmmatney - Friday, April 27, 2012 - link
I still have it - and it really just a second spare now, as I have since picked up an Antec 400W Neo ECO for cheap to have as a backup. What I can say about the Inland is that it feels decently heavy, and has a 3 year warranty. I wouldn't mind sending it in...Siana - Saturday, June 16, 2012 - link
I think it's an accident that it works. It's a Leadman PSU in all likelihood, which is very similar to Codegen. Within value differences of parts, you could have happened to have a stronger unit, however it probably doesn't have sufficient protection and isn't safe.Almost none of the older PSU architectures have over 350W of power, except for some server units e.g. by Delta which weigh around 10 pounds and are way longer than ATX allows, no kidding. And none of the newer, powerful ones have a need for a voltage switch at the back, like yours does.
Also what if someone buys this PSU based on your suggestion, and it burns the rest of his hardware by accident - would you like to carry the responsibility for that? Good review sites only recommend PSUs where they have made absolutely sure that the unit is reasonably safe, based on analysis of engineering and not on a single case of PSU not burning up their computer, because it is a huge responsibility.
gustavg - Friday, April 27, 2012 - link
I dont find it suprising that it misses such basics as a CE mark and that it died@80% load.Codegen actually had a psu banned from sale
by the swedish "elsäkerhetsverket"(government agency)
here in sweden back in 2002 due to safety problems :)
i did not find the orginal article since it was 10yrs ago but here is a link to the webarchives version :)
http://web.archive.org/web/20040109161725/http://w...
zlandar - Friday, April 27, 2012 - link
Always good for a laugh.I've seen so many PSU sales on slickdeals there is little reason to go cheap. You can score a nice bronze-rated PSU for as low as $25 depending on brand/wattage.
JarredWalton - Friday, April 27, 2012 - link
I'm totally with you; I only wish Martin would get a nice video showing him stress-testing the PSU and let us see what happens at 100% of the rated output. For all the people that think PSUs don't matter much, I can pretty much guarantee that every "500W" or higher PSU costing less than $50 (not on sale - MSRP) is going to be questionable at best.Sabresiberian - Saturday, April 28, 2012 - link
Indeed; just seeing pictures of the thing brings back memories of replacing the first PSU I ever did in the only computer I bought pre-built, and PSUs in cheap computers my family bought over the years.If you can't be bothered to do a little research and find a PSU with a decent review behind it, at least buy a well-respected brand on sale.
;)
plopke - Friday, April 27, 2012 - link
Each time when somebody ask me to put some parts together they always curious why I would go for in their eyes a ridiculs more expensive powersupply/case and ignore me until summer hits and their powersupply dies or overheats.People seams not understand that a 600watt powersupply can be rubbish and a 380watt one would have been enough for their needs. Anyway I am actuallly looking around again for a nice stable powersupply as cheap as possible for 2 builds. One that wants to play diablo3(UK build) and a other person(belgian-build) and i quote "it has to be able to play solitaire " :).Anyway looking atm at some cheaper antec case models with 380 watts or corsair 430 V2. Have also some nice be quie!t(not avaible in america , i think) options to buy. If you know some other cheap but high quality build powersupplies , feel free to leave them behind :)
PS : I kinda love this from anandtech , article that warns you what defently not to buy. But then again most of your readers would already be very scepticle about these kind of cases.
Siana - Saturday, June 16, 2012 - link
I think it makes sense to buy the case and power supply separately, because you really don't need an expensive metal box for a low power system, but you do need a good power supply. Though you do need to wear gloves with some of those metal boxes -.-XFX brought out an inexpensive, gamer oriented series based on well respected Seasonic S12-II Bronze, with moderate and powerful units. Rasurbo has its "Real&Power" series made by HEC, though other series by Rasurbo are probably garbage. Cougar (a brand of HEC-Compucase) offers an inexpensive "300W" unit which is specced to 220W on 12V - you could say it's effectively a 250W unit by today's measure, though it does deliver what it says on the tin, safely.
If computer is to be used infrequently, refurbished PSUs from brand name computers can be an option. A 10 year old 350W OEM by FSP of course has heavy 5V rail and is a bit light on 12V, but it still can power a computer with 65W CPU and 50W GPU. And yet, Bronze efficiency of newer PSUs is likely to make sense, since once people get Internet, they tend to use their computer quite a bit, also they do contain components which deteriorate with time, so i wouldn't say it's a GOOD option, but at least they contain some safety which Codegen and Leadman don't.
Ethaniel - Friday, April 27, 2012 - link
And more of these "technological horror stories". I have had my share of cheap PSUs and bulged caps, but there´s always room for more. :)juampavalverde - Saturday, April 28, 2012 - link
I have to deal with this kind of PSU daily because average Joe in South America doesnt need much more than this. Since eons this kind of PSUs anounced wattages are a joke, no Codegen PSU can pull more than 250W at usable values, but at that price (here 15 USD, in USA probably no more than 10 USD) those 250W are just fine. I can say also that Codegen is among the "best" (haha) PSUs from this price point, everything else is worse! Fans failing, voltages failing, ridiculously low eficiency, burned mobos and ram...Belard - Saturday, April 28, 2012 - link
There is junk like this all over the world, *cough* raidmax. Or even worse no name brands. Its bad enough they low quality, but the fake labels don't do anyone favors. If they slap on a 200 Watt label, a customer will be less likely to blow something up. 200w is okay for a bottom end system.They also fake rating tests by running the psu in a frig room.
Geez... spend the extra $10 bucks. Cheapest good psu I buy sometimes is the 430w thermaltake. None have failed. Usually $35 before rebate.
Movieman420 - Saturday, April 28, 2012 - link
If your budget is that tight it's fine to go for a cheap psu, just try your best to research before you buy...find out who builds the low end units for brands like Corsair, Antec, Ocz etc and try to locate a no-name version. I agree with an earlier post...anything much under $50 is probably gonna be questionable.knedle - Saturday, April 28, 2012 - link
In Poland, people usually call it not Codegen, but Coedsh***.Right now it's pretty hard to find their PSUs in stores, but few years ago they were used in some low end builds in which customer wanted "something to browse internet and really cheap case + PSU". I have helped many customers that had real problems because of those cheap PSUs - not only computer not turning on, but also damaged motherboard or hard drive due to PSU supplying 7V on 5V lane, or even 14V on 12V lane.
Buying that it's total waste of your money.
ZippityZoopBop - Saturday, April 28, 2012 - link
Yeah, somehow I'm not surprised that Codegen is still pushing out shitty products. They were terrible a decade ago, and it's a real shame that we don't have some form of international governing body to stop these fire hazards from making it to market.WT - Wednesday, May 2, 2012 - link
At 30 EUR, it seems like you do get what you pay for, but a hot deal does help every now and then.Currently, Best Buy is selling an Antec 450w PSU for $30 + FS, making this a very attractive PSU for a mid range system build. Check out the thread in the Hot Deals forum for a link and more info.
dj christian - Monday, May 7, 2012 - link
Martin while you are at it are you going to review a Hantol PSU with fake 80-plus certification and with a fake pfc made of cement? Just for laugh i mean : )http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/blog/Hantol-PSU-Fak...
frontwing - Thursday, December 26, 2013 - link
Used this PSU in a Codegen case icw a budget gaming system for almost 3 yearswithout any problems.