500$ Programming / Gaming PC

Vexzarium · March 30, 2015

Your using 600W due to a combination of a powerful but inefficient graphics card and an i5 4690K with an overclock.

I'm fully aware of this, and I would not call this graphics card "inefficient". It has an ASIC score, which may hold little water, of 80%. Regardless, it's still a hog.

But the real debate here was this: For the OP I created a build, it could of had a 500w PSU for $42 or a 600w PSU for $44. Both by the same company. Why in the hell would he not go with the 600w variant?

A little extra head room for $2 is just common sense.

Imakuni · April 1, 2015

That's absolutely incorrect. I can think of a few single GPU's that should have more than 500w. I happen to own one, the 290x Lightning. Even the GTX-980 should have around 550w in a fully built system. Some claim the 280x is in need of around 650w in a fully built system. And all of this is also dependent on the CPU you have selected. And let us not forget overclocking. Your philosophy is what leads to people having crashes and screens of death.

Spending $2 more to be on the safe side is what I'd consider the right way to go. Regardless of how much wattage you need.

With an i3-4130? On a gamer machine?

Yup, 500w would handle it. It would be close, I admit, and I wouldn't recommend getting a 500w PSU if your goal is to put a 290x. But as far as it not having problems, it wouldn't. For instance, here is one example of a a review with less than 500w power consumption. Yes, it didn't OC, but it still has 100w available. http://www.anandtech.com/show/7457/the-radeon-r9-290x-review/19

Also, you might want to check this video and re-do your phrase "even the gtx 980 should have around 550w in a fully built system". Because it's TOTALLY false. Remember that the video uses OCed CPU and GPUS, AND remember to factor in PSU efficiency.