Maximum wattage needed

[Assclown]

I'm building a computer for the first time, and according to pcpartpicker.com it only needs around 380w, however, the components seem to be more power hungry than that,

Specs-

CPU: i5 3570K (going to overclock to about 4.6gHz

Mobo: Asrock z77 pro4

RAM: Corsair Vengeance 8GB

Heatsink: Cooler master 212 evo

HDD: WD blue 1TB

GPU: 7950 Twin Frozr (going to overclock to as much as I can)

I'm not sure about the total power consumption but will a 520W power supply be ok?

On an unrelated note, will 4.6gHz be stable with the heatsink?

[iSuzak]

yes it's enough as long as you're going for the single gpu way

[Guest]

380 seems about right. I'd be leaning more toward about 400 but that PSU is certainly capable. :)

[Mattg123]

That's more than enough. I have a 500W powering my 1055T at 3.8GHz and 7870. Just make sure it's a good name brand, and try to get 80 Plus Bronze.

edit: that cooler should be ok, my 1055T never exceeds 50 degC at 1250rpm with that cooler. A quick google search shows people getting mid 70's with the 3570k around that speed.

[dramabeats]

I have a 430w on my overclocked 3570k and 660ti

[Assclown]

Thanks guys, I think I'm going to go with the Seasonic M12II 520W, mainly because it's modular and will keep my case nice and tidy. Thanks again.

[Omnificent]

At intial glance, the power supply you are looking at looks fairly overpriced. I am not a fan of two 12V rails. A single 12V rail provides me a peace of mind that all my power hungry components will work no matter where they are plugged in. It's also only bronze certified.

I obtained seasonics x-650 gold for $90 us dollars on sale (40 dollar promo code) [url=http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151088]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151088[/url=http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151088]

So it might be worth waiting for a sale on a gold rated single 12V rail around your 500W mark.

What's wrong with this one ?

37A on the 12V rail. Solid Caps. DC to DC converter design. Modular. Same price. Gold certified.

[url=http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151124]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151124[/url=http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151124]

[christoi]

On the note of wattage calculation, I wrote a guide on that a while back:

http://linustechtips.com/main/forum/computer-hardware/cases-and-power-supplies/36916-guide-calculating-how-much-power-a-system-needs?

While the rig will only pull ~400w at max load (when overclocked), that doesn't mean you should get a 400w power supply. Running it at higher loads creates additional strain to the unit, which can reduce the longevity of it as a whole. It's generally recommended to have the power supply running at 50% of the time during regular load. As a result, I personally would recommend a 600w unit, though you could run it with a 500w too.

[TheCanadianGamer16]

the 520W should be enough, just make sure you got a good brand, if you can, get 80 plus bronze, here is what i use to gauge my system wattage so i don't over do my PSU when OC'ing

[TheCanadianGamer16]

the 520W should be enough, just make sure you got a good brand, if you can, get 80 plus bronze, here is what i use to gauge my system wattage so i don't over do my PSU when OC'ing

woops, link didn't work, here it is http://extreme.outervision.com/psucalculatorlite.jsp

[Art Vandelay]

You probably can get away with a 450 watt PSU or something like that, but I'd go for a 500 watt one.