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Does PSU power consumption vary by system components

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carp3n0ct3m

Weaksauce
Joined
Apr 20, 2006
Messages
86
I'm in the market to build a new system, and have been thinking of buying a kilowatt psu seeing as that would provide me with enough power to add several drives and expand as time goes on.

My question is, if I buy a 1kw psu, will that psu consume 1kw of power regardless of what system components I have, or will the psu consume less under a smaller load. The reason I ask is because I don't want to buy an over the top psu that will cost me more on my electric bill over one that won't cost me more.

Thanks in advance,
carp3n0ct3m
 
No it will not, it will adjust to your needs, but the problem is how efficient it is. In the low end it might get 65% efficiency when its using only at 1/3 of potential exp if your rig generates 333watts it might draw around 500watts, 167watts wasted. 2/3 potential it gets to around 85% efficient, it depends a lot on the psu. 1 kw psu is too much in my oppinion 620-700watts should fit the bill. Heres an example. Unless you plan quadcore processor, quad sli, 6sata drives, 2 dvd burners, and o/c overything.
http://www.silentpcreview.com/article226-page4.html
http://www.silentpcreview.com/article276-page1.html
http://www.silentpcreview.com/article692-page1.html
http://www.silentpcreview.com/article692-page4.html
Here's a 1kw psu review to give you idea of power consumption
http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/365
http://www.pcper.com/article.php?aid=310&type=expert&pid=5
http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cach...cy&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=10&client=firefox-a
 
Sweet, thanks a lot ellover009.

I am planning on throwing several sata(2) drives in this system and running some sort of raid array.

carp3n0ct3m
 
Let's assume your system draws 300w, just for a second.

either:
a. You buy a 500w power supply with 75% efficiency. It draws 400w from the mains.

b. You buy a 500w power supply with 80% efficiency. It draws 375w from the mains.

c. You buy a 1000w power supply with 75% efficiency. It draws 400w from the mains.

Higher efficiency saves you money. You can buy a jiggawatt power supply if you want, but it'll only draw what it needs.

Can we get specs to the rest of the system?
 
Skip the extreme outervision. It doesn't show you that not all power supplies are made equal, and the amps you need on that power supply. There's one in the works, that is significantly more accurate, provides the amperage, recommendations, and the wattage for both a good name brand and a generic power supply.
 
I run 8 hdds, 6 in raid, 1 dvd burner, 4gbs of ram, a scsi card, a ide controller, a 7600gs, and fans what else on a 500w nicely. Just to give you an idea.
 
I'm going to be running
core2duo E6600
Asus P5N32-E SLI
8800GTX
2gb corsair dd2 800
corsair 620watt PSU (difference in efficiency from the 520 watt is less than 2% gives me space to grow if I ever get SLI).
Cambridge Soundworks S750
Out of the things above I got everything free exept the mobo. It's part of a raise bonus, I got a raise at work and this on the side as a bonus to keep me happy, insentive to stay there.
Things from my own that I will add to it.
Sony FW900 24inch crt
plextor dvd burner
samsung dvd burner
x-fi plat
G15keyboard
MX1000 laser mouse
550 ati tv turner.
300gb seagate sata hd
160gb seagate standar hd
Looks like this is going to be a good year, it's starting well for me.

As for power 620watts should be enough, 1kw seems monstrous unless you meet the criteria I told you. I would have gone more detail but it was late last night. Could you tell use what your going to power and what power supplies you have been looking at? With the setup I was getting I would have used the 520 but I wanted to leave space open for SLI. Good luck.
 
The 620 will be perfect.

Although, if you haven't purchased the mobo yet, I'd recommend the eVGA 680i. I also love your choice in monitor and mouse :)
 
Bbq said:
The 620 will be perfect.

Although, if you haven't purchased the mobo yet, I'd recommend the eVGA 680i. I also love your choice in monitor and mouse :)
Click to expand...

I already did, Asus P5N32-E SLI, the Evga is a kickass board, o/c nicely but it's one of those things where i'm a little attached to a brand for certain things, had an asus and it always fired up nicely, plays nice with other components expecially the x-fi cards. The MX1000 is aging a little bit, it's a little choosy when it comes to the charger, it must be laid out a certain way, but with a battery life of 1 1/2 week to 3 on gaming is not that bad (gel pads are wearing out a little, had it since launch, I fucked up at first using a standar trackball pad, then I used my keyboard thats made of some syntectic woodlike material and it works fine, but the wood is aging too theres some microscopical cracking, would love to get one of the new alluminum mousepads, I head the mouse really glides over it). I would love to try the newer models, I hear the G7 has short battery but it's a good mouse, I hear the G5 is nice, more reliable but it's corded, not a big fan of wireless but the way I have things laid out I had to get the mouse wireless, less wires. Only thing I noticed is case build has not improved much, I got a antec p1080amg and I looked at a few new cases and I noticed some are pretty but they pretty much suck, I could sit on them and crush them like a can, not this baby, steel frame.

Just wondering immagine getting a 1kw psu with less than 75% efficiency, when you turn it on it could dim the lights on your house.
 
Maybe he does need a 1kw power supply, one enough to power up a laser defence system to keep any unauthorized person from utilizing the unit and getting severely burned and you could probably power your pc and a electric chair at teh same time.
 
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