power consumption

[ezsteve]

If the power supply of a computer is say 300W, does it matter if the actual power consumption is lower? I am building a new PC and i know very little about the power supply type matters.

Basically would i need to find the power consumption for each device, add it all up etc, or could i just buy a nice big 700W power supply and use that?

 

[kaname]

You can usually ballpark the number depending on your setup, just make sure you get a better power supply then the one that comes with your case. Thermatake and Fortron I hear are good companies. But like I said, it depends on your setup, most non-SLI setups usually get a 400-450W and run with no problems and plenty of room for future parts without having to worry about PSU problems.

 

[magouster]

Is Fortron and FSP(Sparkle) the same company? Sorry to hijack this thread a bit!

 

[turtile]

Yes, Fortron, FSP, Sparkle are the same company.

You can use anything more powerful than you need. You should get a PSU with good 12V Ampage over watts. You should always have a more powerful PSU than needed - also helps with future upgrades.

 

[bigr5026]

just use a better psu, ebcuase they can actually save power in the long run