psu wattage question

RobTi

RobTi

RobTi

Associate
Joined
23 Jan 2005
Posts
1,454
Hi all
Looking for a new psu and i am after a bit of advice,,,, if i spec my system and need a 600w psu do i go for one or do i go for something bigger and will that run better(e,g a 500w running 100% or a 1000w running 50%) what's best in terms of price v efficiency?
Thanks
Robert
 
Efficiency is how much it takes from the mains to make that 500W. The efficiency has nothign to do with the power the psu can give.

If my system actually drew 500w, I would want a 650w PSU in order to easily cope with adding new hard drives, changing graphics card and the like. Also the capacitors do age, but whether this really makes a difference I am not sure.

Buying a 1000W psu when you only need a 500w psu is an expensive mistake:p
Due to how crap the £ is power supplies are more expensive than ever.

Hope this helps:)

EDIT: Forum members could give some recommendations of psu's if you post the specs of the system it is to run on.
EDIT2: I only got a 750W psu as 2 friends had had the same 450w psu which died on them. I was going to get the corsair 650w but the 750w was the same price in this week only.
 
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just go for a PSU aprox 50-100W more then what your system needs, this will give some room for upgrades and possible spikes in power draw.

very few pcs will need 600W
 
What about the noise/lifetime argument?

If your system needs 600w and you buy a 600w supply the cooling system on it is guaranteed to be going at full tilit i.e. noisiest, 100% of the time and should hit the rated lifetime. If you go for an 800W supply (assuming linear cooling) it will be at 75% instead i.e. quieter and should last longer.
It may cost more up front but should last longer and be quieter...
 
JeremyW said:
What about the noise/lifetime argument?

If your system needs 600w and you buy a 600w supply the cooling system on it is guaranteed to be going at full tilit i.e. noisiest, 100% of the time and should hit the rated lifetime. If you go for an 800W supply (assuming linear cooling) it will be at 75% instead i.e. quieter and should last longer.
It may cost more up front but should last longer and be quieter...
Click to expand...

Good point, from what I remember the fan in the 750w corsair is 14cm and the 650w is 12cm.
 
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