Quick PSU Question (to verify my thoughts)

[PCTC2]

So I currently have the Zalman ZM850-HP. It's rated at 850W Continuous and then says 1050W Continuous Peak. How is continuous peak different than just peak or just continuous?

Also, my rig likes to run at 880W measured at the wall. If the PSU is 80% efficient, would that be ~710W delivered to the PC and that would be less than the rated voltage, right?

I'm not worried, Just checking on my logic here. Also, I'm going to be picking up a new PSU for a more-power-hungry rig soon so looks like 1kW (who said 1kW was overkill?)

 

[Lunyone]

If I understand it too, the 80% efficient would mean that your total power consumed by the system would be around 704 watts, so your guess was pretty close. What is your system that is pulling 704 watts total??

850w continuous is just that.. continuous!
1050w peak, just means that it can handle 1050w peak for a short period of time, so not for hours on end, maybe for quite a bit shorter of time.

What is the system specs for the 1kW PSU??

 

[PCTC2]

My i7 rig in sig draws the 704W. The next rig will be the dual Xeon in sig with 3x GTX275's for F@H.

But "continuous peak 1050W" still confuses me. Why not just call it "peak"? Why the "continuous"?

 

[OddJensen]

Yeah, peak is peak, I don't see what's "continous" about it either. It'll give you 1050W probably for less than a minute and then shut down. Frankly, IMO, peak wattage is as useful as a bucket of sand in the desert, but some manufacturers like to put that on anyways I guess...