PSU Wattage

TheOnlyMeta

TheOnlyMeta

TheOnlyMeta

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Joined
13 Aug 2011
Posts
23
Now I understand that there's dozens of different PSU calculators out there, and I've tried using them all, but they're all telling me different things. The wattage I need spreads from about 575w to about 725w depending on the calculator I use. So I'd just like someone with first hand experience to suggest to me a comfortable wattage (and maybe a few PSU brands I can trust seeming as I've never built before).

My build is going to be:

CPU/Processor:
-Intel i5 2500k, stock 3.3GHz (3.7GHz turbo boost). I plan to overclock a fair amount in the future, but probably not right to the limits.

Motherboard:
Gigabyte GA-Z68X-UDH3-B3, Intel Z68, 1155, PCI-E 2.0 (x16), DDR3 1866/2133, SATA 6Gb/s, RAID, ATX

Graphics Card:
-EVGA NVidia GeForce GTX 570 HD (factory clocked to 797MHz)

Memory:
-8GB (2x4GB) Corsair DDR3 Vengeance Jet Black, PC3-14900 (1866), Non-ECC, CAS 9-10-9-27, XMP, 1.50V

Drives:
-Samsung SH-B123L/BSBP 12x Blu-ray BD-ROM & DVDRW Combo
-60GB OCZ Agility 3 SSD, 2.5" SATA 6Gb/s
-1TB Seagate ST31000524AS Barracuda 7200rpm, SATA 6Gb/s

Cooling:
-4 120mm case fans
-1 proper CPU air cooler when I begin to overclock (until then I'll just use stock)

Other Devices:
-About 4 USB devices plugged in at any 1 time

So, to reiterate, what wattage and brand of psu will be comfortable for this build?

~Also feel free to critique the rest of the build as so far I've bought the CPU, Mobo and GPU, but none else
 
Given those specs you could probably get away with a 650W PSU quite easily, but I would still suggest you go for a 750W so you have some headroom. Also you don't want your system topping out the PSU when at full load - as that is when the PSU gets rather loud and least efficient (in fact PSUs are most efficient at around 50-60% load).

Considering you can get this excellent quality, modular 750W PSU for £86 then I would jump on it.
 
Never skimp on the PSU.

You're quite happy to spend £800 (rough calculation) on other components so you should get a quality PSU to power them.
 
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I've heard that phrase thrown around a lot, but I have seen 700w Corsair PSUs for around £70, and if 650w should power me fine then why spend the extra money for another useless 50w? If I spent £16 more than I needed on every component I'd be in a lot of financial trouble!

That's why I'm asking rather than just dishing out for a high price, high wattage power supply! :)

I've also seen a Thermaltake 700w for £58 -I'm pretty sure they're a big brand in cases but not so much PSUs. Is Thermaltake a reliable brand or does it have to be Corsair/Antec when it comes to PSUs?
 
I wouldn't buy a thermaltake.

May I ask what model 700W Corsair PSU you have seen for ~£70?

As for spending extra money on a "useless extra PSU performance" you really shouldn't see it in that way. As I mentioned, to run a modern switch mode power supply at its most efficient level then you want to run it at around 50-60% load. Slightly over specifying the PSU therefore saves you a bit of money on power and a lot of annoyance in terms of noise and heat. Also, it gives you some nice headroom if you want to add future upgrades and running the PSU components at less than 100% means you are likely to get a longer life out of the unit. Also bear in mind that if you go for a higher-end PSU (like the Antec 750W I linked to) then you are getting a good quality unit (seasonic designed), which is modular (seriously, don't discount this feature - it makes PC building so much easier since you don't have to work around and hide all the unused cables) and comes with a long warranty (5 years on that unit).

Also, you mention you are going for the 1866MHz Vengeance RAM. If you went for this RAM instead then going for the better PSU wouldn't be such a stretch. This review shows how much faster RAM affects real-world performance when used in a sandy bridge system.
 
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Depending on what thermaltake it is, the toughpowers are high quality cwt units, (same as corsairs), the purepower range arent great from what ive read. I had a toughpower 750 non modular, great psu, the only reason i got rid of it was because i picked up a corsair hx 850w cheap, i needed this as it had more pcie connectors for multi gpu.
 
If the budget is key here I would suggest you take a look at the LEPA range of PSUs and the OCZ ZS range also.
 
@setter The Thermaltake one I saw is the Thermaltake TR-700P TR2 700W. It says neither tough nor pure power though? It has energy star ratings - and it's 50w over what I need. I really just don't understand why I should dish out any more. It's not exactly the cheapest one I can find, and I've heard of the company.

The Corsair one is a Corsair Gaming Series GS 700 (£70). Gamer Series, and one of the best brand names for still under what you're suggesting andi?
 
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TheOnlyMeta said:
I understand that, but I could find neither of the PSUs on Overclockers. I was asking whether it would be OK to link to the manufacturer's official page for the product rather than ** No mentioning of competitors **?
Click to expand...

Linking to manufacturers is ok.
 
The majority of the time you be fine linking to the manufacturers website belong it does not have links and price to other retailers.
 
Finally decided on:

OCZ-ZS750 OCZ ZS Series 750W 80PLUS+ Bronze Power Supply for £67.99 (not off OcUK)

That gives me a lot of headroom, it's from a reputable manufacturer and it has gotten great reviews.
 
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