Case and power supply combos always look like a bargain, but bargain-basement parts have always seemed to chase experienced builders away. Today, we consider three budget-enthusiast models to determine if any of them can meet our basic gaming needs.
Though the above phrase is typically used in reference to politicians and corporations, the true power brokers in our PC purchasing decisions tend to be people we trust. These are usually people with a great deal of experience, or at least those whose advice appears to come from a place of experience.
They tell us to spend in places that don’t make sense, to save in places where we don’t want to skimp, and to basically build their idea of what our PC should be. And while many of the people we trust diverge on the finer details, the one place they almost always meet is on the subject of cases with power supplies. They tell us that, as a rule, any power supply that’s cheap enough to be included with a case is worthless.
We know better. Deep down inside, they know better. Everyone knows that there are exceptions to nearly any rule, and now is the time to make our own rules. As with any revolution, we must first determine our true needs, then find the means to meet them.

Though most performance enthusiasts want a PC worth thousands of dollars, the truth is that many would rather not stretch their budgets that far. The majority of builds start out well below $800. And what most experienced builders won’t tell you (or forget to tell you) is that the lion's share of sub-$800 builds use less than 600W of power. If we push a little harder, we can even build a $550 performance system that draws less than 300 peak watts. That's why, today, we're examining a few money-saving combos able to output far more than 300W for far less than $100.
| Cooler Master USP 100 | In-Win Griffin | Thermaltake VI1450BWS | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | |||
| Height | 19.0" | 16.30" | 17.3" |
| Width | 8.6" | 7.5" | 8.9" |
| Depth | 19.4" | 19.6" | 19.7" |
| Space Above Motherboard | 1.31" | 0.38" | 0.15" to brace 0.75" total |
| Card Length | 11.42" | 11.60" | 16.75" |
| Weight | 21.0 pounds | 14.0 pounds | 19.7 pounds |
| Cooling | |||
| Front Fans (alternatives) | 1 x 120 mm (92, 80 mm) | 1 x 120 mm (92, 80 mm) | 1 x 120 mm (stock only) |
| Rear Fans (alternatives) | 1 x Empty (120, 92, 80 mm) | 1 x 92 mm (80 mm) | 1 x 120 mm (92, 80 mm) |
| Top Fans (alternatives) | Not Available | Not Available | Not Available |
| Side Fans (alternatives) | 1 x Empty (120, 92, 80 mm) | 1 x 220 mm (2x 120 mm) | 2 x Empty (120, 92, 80 mm) |
| Drive Bays | |||
| 5.25" External | Four | Four | Nine |
| 3.5" External | One | One | 1x Adapter |
| 3.5" Internal | Six | Five | 3 x 5.25" bay to 3-HDD Cage |
| 2.5" Internal | None | None | None |
| Power Supply | |||
| Model | RS550-PCARE3 | IP-S400DQ3-2 | TR2 RX-450PP |
| ATX Version | 2.3 | 2.1 | 2.2 |
| PFC Type | None | None | Passive |
| 80 PLUS | None | Standard | None |
| UL Cert. | E320127 | E193791 | E303666 |
| Rated Output | 550W | 400W | 400W |
| 12V Rails | 16A +16A | 18A +16A | 14A +15A |
| 12V Combined | 32A | 25A | 20A |
| ATX Lead | 20+4 Pin | 20+4 Pin | 20+4 Pin |
| ATX12V | 4+4 Pin | 4-Pin | 4-Pin |
| PCIe Power | 2 x 6+2 Pin | 1 x 6-Pin | 1 x 6-Pin |
| SATA Power | 6 (2-leads) | 4 (3-leads) | 2 (1-lead) |
| ATA Power | 1x 3-drive | 2 (2-leads) | 6 (2-leads) |
| Floppy Power | 1-drive | 1-drive | 2-drives |
| Price | $88 | $82 | $83 |
- Sticking It To “The Man”
- Antec
- Cooler Master USP 100 (RC-P100-RKR1)
- Inside The USP 100
- Building With The USP 100
- In Win Griffin (With Power Man PSU)
- Inside The Griffin
- Building With The Griffin
- Thermaltake M9 VI1450BWS
- Inside The M9
- Building With The M9
- Test Settings
- Measured Test Results
- Energy And Acoustic Efficiency
- Conclusion
I would not only prefer not to have one if not necessary due to noise, but I would also prefer to purchase one of my choosing so this is not necessarily a bad thing.
I suspect with a bit higher power draw Cooler Master's PSU may perform a bit more admirably on efficiency. The only way to really know is to test the PSUs against each other and measure power draw of the PSUs themselves (until they power off preferably!) under load/idle. If you're going to make a statement about energy efficiency at all then it is my belief that you should test them.
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-computer-case,2579-5.html
That is to say, two of these $40 cases are vastly superior to that $100 case. So you can say what you like, but words alone will not convince me.
... ummm sorry didn't get the WITH POWER part hehe... well i can just add that this is a great case and it is worth saving up the extra bucks for the added money you'll have to pay for the PSU
"Three Gaming Cases, With Power, Under $100"
Not to mention that hot air will rise right into the psu causing an increase in psu temps and a decrease in efficiency. I don't think using the psu to exhaust air from the case is a good idea when fans can do a much better job