Power Supply Question

headbanger1186

headbanger1186

CAGiversary!
Alright I'm getting a barebones kit from Tigerdirect and had a question...included is a 600w power supply and it seems pretty beastly, the motherboard included doesnt have integrated graphics and the video card I was going to buy only required a minimum of 400w. I chatted with a rep and they recommended I go for a 750w. I know their goal is sell sell sell but I wanted to check with you guys to see if I would be alright..I want to be on the safe side but am on a semi budget and dont want to spend way more than I need...
here is the kit...
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2313376&sku=B69-0548

and here are the graphics cards I was eyeballing..

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=41125&Sku=E145-0550

and...

http://www.amazon.com/SAPPHIRE-Radeon-6870-GDDR5-Graphics/dp/B005C8RTTU/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1342462993&sr=8-14&keywords=video+card

I appreciate any input I'm just always skeptical of sales people, looking for second opinions.
 
You should be fine with that power supply it comes with, I am using a 500W and have probably 3x the amount of power consumption that you are going to be seeing from those parts. Trust me I have been building computers for about 5 years now. That power supply is plenty enough for that setup, you will be fine.
 
Ya no problem, I love helping people out with computer problems. If you have anymore questions about anything, just let me know. I will gladly answer any of your questions for you.
 
Thanks, I work in the IT field and looked at this barebones kit and it seemed pretty nice, I have Windows 7 ultimate to drop in it and I'm pretty savvy with the physical aspect of the parts of a computer just dealing with enterprise and corporate systems I don't run into graphics cards etc... this is my first time building one and wanted to know also with the graphics card, 8 core processor and 8 gigs of ram I should be good to go running games on med settings I think, would you recommend any extra cooling or since I'm not overclocking anything do you think the stock fans would be fine?
 
Oh, well that's cool that you work in the IT field, I have been around a few Microsoft Bing servers myself. But ya, as long as the case your using has decent airflow and fans that work well, you shouldn't encounter any heat issues. There's a chance that your processor might run a little hot on the stock heat sink and fan. But as long as your not overclocking it, you should be safe. Just remember to keep an eye on your temps, just so that you don't burn up anything. I would look into using a negative airflow inside your case, that should be more efficient and would help in sucking all of the hot air out of the case. You should be more than good to run games on high or ultra with that 550 ti and that setup.
 
Yes indeed I love the field but am focusing on obtaining my CCNA which puts me in managing networks as far as Routers and Switches goes, but I've been working help desk for a little while and have gotten some experience with the hands on aspect of PCs and end devices. I appreciate that and will look into what you are suggesting thanks!
 
The issue is that a cheap PSU is usually vastly over-rated in its output capability and would usually fail if actually operated at its max rated spec, so there is this whole practice of buying mega power (but mega crap) PSUs for your PC. However, this concept is just a band-aid to cover up the real problem: a so-called 600W PSU that probably only should be rated 400W.

OTOH, what you should do is buy a good quality PSU that actually can operate at its max power output for extended periods without failing. Most PCs (even modern high end gaming rigs) only draw 300-400W at extreme maximum load, and often quite a bit less than that. I think a decent upper midrange PC nowadays probably only draws 250-300W at max load. Theoretically even a 450W PSU would be plenty as long as it is a quality unit. Corsair, Seasonic, Cooler Master, etc. are good quality PSUs. Ideally you should buy one rated with energy star gold (90+% efficiency). You can find reviews that actually stress PSUs at max load and high temps, and you can see which ones are good.

In some cases, a smaller PSU is actually better overall, since PSUs typically run at peak efficiency when outputting roughly half their max rated power. So if you bought a 600W PSU for a computer that draws 300W at load, the PSU will be running at its peak efficiency. If you used a 1000W PSU but only draw 200W from it, it will probably be less efficient than a 400W PSU drawing 200W, everything else being equal. Greater efficiency equals less heat which equals more reliability and longevity, as well as lower power consumption (electricity bills).

I run a Seasonic 650W 90+ Gold PSU in my computer and it is so efficient that the built-in PSU fan spins up about once every 20 minutes of gaming, and only spins for about 3 seconds each time. The rest of the time it is running with just passive cooling because the conversion efficiency is so high.

Frankly, that "Diablotech" PSU in your link is probably junk. What's the energy star rating on it? I'd skip that part if possible.
 
[quote name='techedgamer89']You should be fine with that power supply it comes with, I am using a 500W and have probably 3x the amount of power consumption that you are going to be seeing from those parts. Trust me I have been building computers for about 5 years now. That power supply is plenty enough for that setup, you will be fine.[/QUOTE]

If you've been building computers for five years, you should know that that PSU that comes with that PC is a piece of junk. Just because it says its a 600w PSU doesn't mean it'll actually handle that. Read what Ruahrc said to gain a bit of insight before you go around saying that some junk PSU will be fine.

My advice: Look for a nice 450w-500w Antec/Corsair/PC Power & Cooling/etc... PSU. It'll last longer and be much safer than that "600w" Diablocrap PSU.
 
Yes it may not be the best PSU, buy it will get the job done. You don't want to go any lower than a 600W on that setup either. Mine is already overloading my 500w PSU as is, and he is going to be using a 550Ti (Power Hungry). I am running a quad core processor, 4 sticks of ram, and a GTX260. SEH, yes I understand that. But I was just trying to save him some money, that's all. The reviews on this PSU is also mixed, some people got more than a year off of it, and then some just haven't had that good of luck with it.
 
[quote name='SEH']Read what Ruahrc said to gain a bit of insight before you go around saying that some junk PSU will be fine.[/QUOTE]

In teched's defense, the listed PSU probably will be fine.

I was just trying to explain the (flawed) basis behind why everybody and their mother constantly recommends vastly overspecced PSUs. It all comes from a time in the not so distant past where PSUs were all crappy, and the 800W PSU you bought really only could output 500W reliably. And a time when (for reasons unknown to me) everybody blamed any PC problem on a shitty PSU and told people to go buy a bigger one.

Fortunately for us that time is coming to an end with a greater awareness of energy efficiency and, hence there there is a larger and better selection of high quality, properly rated PSUs out there now. And as such there is no need to buy a 750W monster for a PC that probably never breaks 300.
 
You usually want to aim for about 60% of the wattage you need, for efficiency reasons. Power supplies are most efficient around there. So drawing 350W from a 400W, or 350W from an 800W will use more power than drawing 350W from a 600W.

Just something to keep in mind as well.
 
[quote name='techedgamer89']Yes it may not be the best PSU, buy it will get the job done. You don't want to go any lower than a 600W on that setup either. Mine is already overloading my 500w PSU as is, and he is going to be using a 550Ti (Power Hungry). I am running a quad core processor, 4 sticks of ram, and a GTX260. SEH, yes I understand that. But I was just trying to save him some money, that's all. The reviews on this PSU is also mixed, some people got more than a year off of it, and then some just haven't had that good of luck with it.[/QUOTE]

Why even risk it though. A good power supply is one of the most key pieces to a new build, there is no way I'd risk all new parts on some Diablotek PSU. One thing goes wrong and it could take everything out with it. Never ever cheap out on a PSU.
 
[quote name='SEH']Why even risk it though. A good power supply is one of the most key pieces to a new build, there is no way I'd risk all new parts on some Diablotek PSU. One thing goes wrong and it could take everything out with it. Never ever cheap out on a PSU.[/QUOTE]

PSU failures rarely affect the rest of the computer. Usually, a cap will blow or something of that effect.

However, a cheap PSU will likely fail in a couple of years. Replacing one of them 2~3 times will end up costing as much as a quality one, with less headache when the time comes.

You're fine using a cheap one, but don't buy a cheap one just because it's cheap.
 
[quote name='elessar123']PSU failures rarely affect the rest of the computer. Usually, a cap will blow or something of that effect.

However, a cheap PSU will likely fail in a couple of years. Replacing one of them 2~3 times will end up costing as much as a quality one, with less headache when the time comes.

You're fine using a cheap one, but don't buy a cheap one just because it's cheap.[/QUOTE]

I agree. Better off getting one of the name brand ones that are (at least) 80% efficient. I know that is the 4th most expensive component. CPU, GPU, and MB, but the PSU is the most important.
 
[quote name='elessar123']PSU failures rarely affect the rest of the computer. Usually, a cap will blow or something of that effect.

However, a cheap PSU will likely fail in a couple of years. Replacing one of them 2~3 times will end up costing as much as a quality one, with less headache when the time comes.

You're fine using a cheap one, but don't buy a cheap one just because it's cheap.[/QUOTE]

I know plenty of people that have had PSU failures take out various other parts. It just doesn't make sense to go with a PSU that will just "get you by". Why risk your entire build because you decided to cheap out on one part. There are plenty of other areas where you can save money.
 
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