Confused over power supply

Componentgirl90 · Jan 10, 2015

I just wanted to check that the following process is sufficient to select a power supply when building a new PC:

1. Choose a reliable manufacturer like corsair, seasonic.

2. Look at the ATX power supplies

3. Estimate power required on your new PC using a power calculator. Then select a power supply larger than that.

I assume i don't have to consider anything else like making sure it had the right voltage or what not

barto · Jan 10, 2015

I'm confused over your statement. Why don't you elaborate? What's confusing? Power requirements? What's it used for? What does it look like?

geofelt · Jan 10, 2015

A simpler process:
1. Find out your needs, which are determined almost entirely by your graphics configuration and possible graphics upgrades.
Here is a chart:
http://www.realhardtechx.com/index_archivos/Page362.htm
2. Buy only a quality psu, tier 1 or 2 from this list:
https://community.newegg.com/eggxpert/computer_hardware/f/135081/t/45344.aspx?Redirected=true

Only if you have a small form factor case should you worry about anything else but a standard ATX PSU.

barto · Jan 10, 2015

Thank you for elaborating.

Yes a quality manufacturer (or reseller) is important. But there are lower quality series within brands. For example, Corsair CX series or EVGA B1/G1 series. You should avoid them. They use cheaper internal components. Quality brands and series: Antec, XFX, Seasonic, EVGA (B2 and G2), Corsair (TX, HX, AX), Rosewill Capstone, and Superflower.

For the majority of builds with a single GPU, you're only going to need about 550 watts even if you plan to overclock. For SLI, depending on the GPU series, you're going to need about 700 watts or greater.

Darkbreeze · Jan 10, 2015

That list is incorrect AND misleading to finding a suitable unit. You need to determine the capacity of PSU required as determined by what GPU, if any, is installed (IF no GPU and using onboard graphics, a 450w unit is fine and can be a Tier 3 unit. Higher tiering is always better though.) and then find a Tier 2B or higher unit from the tier list.

PSU capacity requirements: http://www.realhardtechx.com/index_archivos/Page362.htm

PSU Tier list: http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-1804779/power-supply-unit-tier-list.html

Don't make the mistake of thinking name brands with good reputations always make and offer good products, especially when it comes to power supplies. Corsair, Cooler Master and Thermaltake, among others, are well known for having crappy power supplies when it comes to their budget models. Typically, most units from Antec, Seasonic, XFX, EVGA and Superflower are good but you should verify any potential model purchase is verified by either matching it's model number to a ranked unit on the tier list or finding and reading a positive review of the EXACT model on a reputable review site like HardtechX or JonnyGuru, to name a couple.

Componentgirl90 · Jan 10, 2015

Thank you all for your help, it is very much appreciated. The tiered list is just what I was looking for. I assuming now that I simply have to choose a PSU from a good tier that meets the wattage requirement.

My confusion came from the fact that other electrical components require not only wattage but perhaps the right voltage/current but there doesn't seem to be anything other than wattage when it comes to PSUs (as well as the form factor of the case e.g. ATX).

I am going to use http://powersupplycalculator.net/ as a more detailed calculator of wattage requirement as I think it takes into account overclocking, might as well even though I realise the GPU is one of the top two factors in power consumption.

Darkbreeze · Jan 10, 2015

Don't use any calculators. They are not accurate. Use the GPU recommendations on the page I listed above. It includes overhead for the CPU and other components, so long as no overclocking is involved. If you're overclocking the CPU or GPU, add another 50-100w depending on if you're overclocking one or both, and how much. Clearly a mild or medium overclock isn't going to increase the demand and load like a high or extreme overclock is so just use good judgement. In most cases, if you're overclocking one component I recommend an additional 50-100w. If you're overclocking two components, increase the capacity by 100-200w. If the overclocking will be extreme, an extra 200w minimum is probably a good idea. These are basically guesswork as every overclock and the derived load will be different for every system, but it's fairly close.

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Confused over power supply

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