Understanding and Selecting a PSU
Last response: in Components
Hello. The fan on my current PSU has stopped working, and I have decided to buy a new one rather than take other's advice of opening it up and changing the fan. Thing is, I don't know a whole lot about PSUs. I've tried to learn about them this week, but my eyes start to glaze over when seeing all those numbers.
My current GPU is a ZOTAC GTX460, 768MB version. I have checked what it says and the page at this website regarding GPUs and PSUs. I understand I need a minimum of 450W, but what I don't know is how much I need given the rest of my components. The GTX460 has two cables coming out if it with 12V labels on them. Is that the rails I keep seeing on product specs?
Beyond just that, I could also use recommendations on what to get on my budget ($60 or less, could go an extra 10 if it's a very good deal) while meeting my needs. Besides the GTX460, I am using an Intel Duo Core E8500, 3.16 GHz, 2 2GB G-Skill RAM sticks, and two harddrives, one of which is SATA. Noise isn't much of a factor, for various reasons regarding where cables can reach, I have the side of my case open, and have a desk fan pointing at the top of the graphics card. It runs on low most of the time, high when playing games. Power usage also isn't a big factor right now as I'm on a fixed pay thing. I would prefer the card to be compatible with any upgrading, which would probably be in two years or so.
Thank you for taking the time to help.
My current GPU is a ZOTAC GTX460, 768MB version. I have checked what it says and the page at this website regarding GPUs and PSUs. I understand I need a minimum of 450W, but what I don't know is how much I need given the rest of my components. The GTX460 has two cables coming out if it with 12V labels on them. Is that the rails I keep seeing on product specs?
Beyond just that, I could also use recommendations on what to get on my budget ($60 or less, could go an extra 10 if it's a very good deal) while meeting my needs. Besides the GTX460, I am using an Intel Duo Core E8500, 3.16 GHz, 2 2GB G-Skill RAM sticks, and two harddrives, one of which is SATA. Noise isn't much of a factor, for various reasons regarding where cables can reach, I have the side of my case open, and have a desk fan pointing at the top of the graphics card. It runs on low most of the time, high when playing games. Power usage also isn't a big factor right now as I'm on a fixed pay thing. I would prefer the card to be compatible with any upgrading, which would probably be in two years or so.
Thank you for taking the time to help.
More about : understanding selecting psu
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
The seasonic S12II is a pretty good deal for a 520W unit, and has enough power to run any single GPU card on the market without a problem.
The Antec EA500D could handle a GTX 460 without issue, its not quite as nice as the S12II which is more powerful and has a 5 year warranty vs the EA500D's 3 but its cheaper and will still work.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
The seasonic S12II is a pretty good deal for a 520W unit, and has enough power to run any single GPU card on the market without a problem.
The Antec EA500D could handle a GTX 460 without issue, its not quite as nice as the S12II which is more powerful and has a 5 year warranty vs the EA500D's 3 but its cheaper and will still work.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
Something important to understand, rated wattage is meaningless.
On newegg, if you look at the pictures there will usually be a picture of the load table sticker. The S12II 520W has two 20A 12V rails that add up to 480W(40A), the EA500D has two 12V rails, each of which can provide 22A, but together they can only provide a max of 444W(37A) so technically the S12II 520W has 36W more power than the EA500D. The EA500D is a nice example that rails can rarely be added together since they both pull from the same 12V source.
Either one of those two would have enough for your system.
On newegg, if you look at the pictures there will usually be a picture of the load table sticker. The S12II 520W has two 20A 12V rails that add up to 480W(40A), the EA500D has two 12V rails, each of which can provide 22A, but together they can only provide a max of 444W(37A) so technically the S12II 520W has 36W more power than the EA500D. The EA500D is a nice example that rails can rarely be added together since they both pull from the same 12V source.
Either one of those two would have enough for your system.
Dadiggle, at least give credit to where you copy paste stuff from
http://hardwareaware.com/article/single-vs-multiple-rai...
And that giant list you post, isnt useful, its full of over inflated numbers from manufacturers not true statements. Those requirements are made using extreme large systems, they dont accurately represent the power needs of a normal system.
http://hardwareaware.com/article/single-vs-multiple-rai...
And that giant list you post, isnt useful, its full of over inflated numbers from manufacturers not true statements. Those requirements are made using extreme large systems, they dont accurately represent the power needs of a normal system.
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