OK, with my specs below, do I need a bigger PSU? I have 350W now...the only things that arent in my sig in my rig (haha) is a floppy drive and 3 fans (minus the cpu fan). My system runs ok now, no problems. But I will soon be adding a Artic cooling VGA cooler and a new Creative Soud Card. What do you think?
think I need a bigger PSU
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Nubius
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Don't look just at the wattage. You also want to know how much is being pumped through your +3.3v, +5v, and +12v lines. You can get a 400w power supply with a +12v line of 10a and that'll get you nothing but trouble and instability. Check out this website:
http://www.firingsquad.com/guides/power_supply/page2.asp
halfway down the page is a beige table thats labeled Current Consumption (estimates) . Just go under each column, starting with +3.3v on the left. Add up the numbers on under 3.3 that match with what peripherals you have. From your description of your specs for the +3.3v rail you have 6.9 total, so when looking at a PSU you want it to say somewhere +3.3 - 15a or generally anything pretty well above what you got. The thing could say +3.3 - 10a and it'd work since you have 6.9. Now that you know how to add up and more accuretly asess what you need. Good luck =)
http://www.firingsquad.com/guides/power_supply/page2.asp
halfway down the page is a beige table thats labeled Current Consumption (estimates) . Just go under each column, starting with +3.3v on the left. Add up the numbers on under 3.3 that match with what peripherals you have. From your description of your specs for the +3.3v rail you have 6.9 total, so when looking at a PSU you want it to say somewhere +3.3 - 15a or generally anything pretty well above what you got. The thing could say +3.3 - 10a and it'd work since you have 6.9. Now that you know how to add up and more accuretly asess what you need. Good luck =)
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