power supply question(s)

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Howard

Lifer
Oct 14, 1999
47,986
11
81
Your fuse or breaker would blow before anything blew up due to excessive current through house wiring. The outlet your PC is on is probably hooked up to a 15A breaker.

That calculator isn't the best one to use, because it doesn't take into account the voltage distribution.

Remember, even if the calculator is accurate, the number it gives is a worst-case scenario, so the PSU sized for that power output with no safety factor would not be running at 100% all the time anyway.
 

imported_RedStar

Senior member
Mar 6, 2005
526
0
0
ya i realise ...there is a whole lotta wiggle room :)

edit: I also realise house will not blow up ...but tripping a circuit breaker is the same thing for a gamer... a death sentence.

I know there are 1 gig PSU's already ...but i also know my microwave is 1200 watts.


 

adomas32

Junior Member
Aug 29, 2006
4
0
0
thank you for all of this information. but essentially my question remains.

1. if the extreme psu calculator says i need 415 watts (cpu overclock, capacitor aging, surge compensation included), is a 450 watt psu enough.

2. are any of these good power supplies that will satisfy the 7900 gt ko requirement? keep in mind that i dont want to get an uneccesarily powerful psu so something 450-500w.

http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?name=PS-EN0246B

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817103457

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817103495

Antec SmartPower 2.0 SP-500 500W. even though you guys claim that antec produces ****** psu, out of the 250 some reviews, few had problems.
 

SparkyJJO

Lifer
May 16, 2002
13,357
7
81
I've heard that Enhance is generally good and certain models that Enermax makes are good but I'm not sure about those 2.
 

imported_RedStar

Senior member
Mar 6, 2005
526
0
0
definately if you have more than the calculator says..it is enough. It depends also on any future upgrades that might require more power...ie video.

that and depending on your video solution ..you have have to watch out for how the rails are balanced.

if you are not gonna do sli/crossfire ..then even less worries i should think :)