Im deciding what PSU wattage I should go for, 600w or 750w?

draptak · 12 Jun 2014

Im on a 600w PC, I got a new GTX 770 and it requires 42A on the +12 rail. So I need a new PSU,
I currently have a IntelCore 2 Quad Q9400 2.66GHz and I think I might need to change my processor soon so would it take up much wattage? Im afraid if I go for the 600w it might not be enough for a new processor in the future. But nothing too expensive like 'intel i7'

PSU Corsair 600w has 46A on the +12 rail
PSU Corsair 750w has 62A on the +12 rail

So which should I go for ?

essenbe · 12 Jun 2014

You can use this calculator to see what you need eXtreme Power Supply Calculator also the 770 has a max power draw of 195W according Guru 3D what I can find. So, you'll have to determine what you need, as we don't know what you may upgrade to and what else you are running. From what you are showing in your post, if you need 42A, I'm sure it is for the whole system. A PSU is never a place to save money, it is the heart of your whole system and can take your system out with it. A quality brand is built with safeguards to keep it from doing that. I always recommend Seasonic, Corsair, Antec and XFX.

ignatzatsonic · 12 Jun 2014

draptak said:

Im afraid if I go for the 600w it might not be enough for a new processor in the future. But nothing too expensive like 'intel i7'

The trend in CPU power usage is down, not up. Even the power-hungry ones are usually under 100 watts.

Excluding the graphics card, it isn't easy to use over 200 watts under a full load with a recent processor. Many desktop machines would be under 150. My 4 year old i-5 idles at 65 watts, typically uses 110, and peaks out at about 145 under full load. Those figures read with a Killawatt meter.

I do not use a video card. That includes the 23 inch monitor.

I have a Seasonic 560 watt PSU. I would have been more than happy to buy a 350 to 400 watt high quality unit instead, but at the time Seasonic had no quiet fully modular units available in that watt range, so I went with the lowest wattage modular Seasonic available then.