this post was submitted on 04 Jan 2024
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For most things in life I generally follow Adam Savage's advice: "Buy cheap tools until you know what you really need from that tool, then buy the best version you can afford."
However, when it comes to things that are related to safety or protect you from harm the more expensive/high quality they get, that advice goes out the window. Case in point, PC PSUs. You probably don't want your newly built PC to burst in flames because you skimped on it to buy a poorly rated PSU.
I sometimes buy pretty new (1-2yr old) premade computers from foreign exchange students at the end of a school year. They often sell them for the cost of just the GPU, sometimes lower. The number of garbage PSUs I've had to swap out is ridiculous. People buy like $3k+ computers and are content with $80 PSUs it's amazing. I've had them pop on me after only a couple months use. Meanwhile the PSU in my current machine was a major purchase for me back in 2010 and thing still runs every upgrade I throw at it.
Also a decent brand PSU will last and/or have warranty. My kids PC has a Startech PSU from like 2001 in it. I've used the same EVGA PSU in like 5 computers. Cheap ones die after a few years.
A PSU isn't a tool, so I think his advice actually holds even here. /pedantry
A low-quality one is a tool for setting houses on fire..
nice catch, haha!
Can't agree more, especially because I have a mom that likes to spend big for "the best". First of all you can often find excellent performers for cheap. Second of all, expensive tools can suck too. Third of all you can often improve the performance of tools if you know how to tune and use them properly. Forth of all, buying an expensive product you know nothing about is begging to be scammed. Fifth, avoid sets, as an expert in a lot of hobbies, the big sets always include a ton of shit you will never need, but are paying big for.
My mom has bought this expensive shitty "japanese" knife, made in China and it sucks. 20 years ago my father bought a massive Cutco set, the knives suck, most of them are never used and it was 2000$. My mom bought a eye wateringly expensive set of pots and pans. She bought them all because she didn't know better and we hardly use most of them. Not to mention their Teflon so once they are worn out, are garbage.
I do a lot of cooking and every day I use this vintage 20$ Japanese rust bucket of a knife. After thinning, lots of polishing, sharpening and rehandling, it's a beautiful and excellent performer.