Gaming is a competitive and exciting activity, and one of its most important components is having the right hardware to perform well.Building a gaming PC is an exciting journey, and if you’re planning to build one for yourself, you must choose the right CPU, GPU, RAM, and other components. One of the most crucial elements of any gaming PC is the power supply. The power supply is what provides the juice to power all the components in the system. To ensure best performance, it’s important to choose the right wattage for your PC, and that’s what this guide is all about.
Understanding Power Requirements for a Gaming PC
To determine the ideal wattage for your gaming PC, you need to know the total power draw of all your components. Most modern components have their power draw listed in their specs, so you can get an accurate estimate of the total power consumption. However, some components may not list their power draw, so you may have to guess. For example, if you have an older graphics card that does not list its power draw, you can usually use the wattage of a similar graphics card.
Once you have a total power draw, you can start looking at power supplies that are capable of delivering the required wattage. Generally speaking, it’s best to opt for a power supply that is rated to deliver slightly more wattage than the total power draw.This is done to ensure that your system is not bottlenecked due to under-provisioned power supply. With that in mind, it’s typically a good idea to get a power supply rated at least 20-30% higher than the total wattage draw of your system.
It’s also important to ensure that the power supply is reliable and doesn’t experience drastic voltage fluctuations. Many power supplies are rated for their efficiency (Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Titanium certification is different from power capacity). If you’re building a system with higher power draw, it’s recommended to opt for a higher efficiency certified power supply. The watts for gaming PC can vary a lot depending on the system configuration and components being used. As an example, for a gaming PC with a i7-7700K CPU, a RTX 2070 Super graphics card, and 16GB RAM, a 650-750 watt power supply would be more than enough to power the entire system.
Comparison of Different Wattages
To provide a bit more clarity, here is a comparison of different wattage ranges and the kind of systems they can power. Systems with lower power draw can typically get away with using a lower wattage power supply, however, it’s usually best to choose a higher wattage anyway for peace of mind.
400-500 watt power supply: Systems with an Intel Core-i5 processor, an AMD Ryzen 5 processor, an NVIDIA GTX 1050 Ti GPU and 8GB RAM can get away with using a 400-500 watt power supply.
500-600 watt power supply: Systems with an Intel Core-i7 processor, an NVIDIA GTX 1060/RTX 2060 GPU, and 16GB RAM should opt for a 500-600 watt power supply.
600-750 watt power supply: Systems with an Intel Core-i9 processor, an NVIDIA RTX 2080/2080 Ti GPU and 32GB RAM should opt for a 600-750 watt power supply.
750-1000 watt power supply: Systems with two GPUs in SLI/Crossfire, multi-GPU configurations, and CPUs higher than an Intel Core-i9 should opt for a 750-1000 watt power supply.
Tips for Choosing a Power Supply for Your Gaming PC
When it comes to choosing a power supply for your gaming PC, there are a few key considerations to make:
Ensure that the wattage is enough for your system: If you’re building a powerful gaming PC with a high-end processor and multiple GPUs, you’ll want to opt for a power supply that is at least 750 watts.
Choose a power supply with good reviews: Make sure to check reviews on the power supply to ensure that it is reliable and doesn’t experience sudden voltage drops.
Choose a higher efficiency certified power supply: Higher efficiency certified power supplies are more efficient and are better at regulating voltage.
Choose a modular power supply: Modular power supplies are easier to manage as they come with detachable cables, which you can use to your advantage.
How Much Wattage is Too Much for Your Gaming PC?
In general, it’s never a good idea to opt for more wattage than needed. Having excess wattage can cause inefficiencies in the power supply, and can actually result in higher power draw from the wall socket. Additionally, power supplies that run at high wattage tend to be larger, noisier, and more expensive.
If you are unsure about the wattage for your gaming PC, it’s usually best to contact an expert or visit a forum to get more information. Alternatively, you can also look at online power supply calculators that can give you a rough estimate of the power draw of your system.
Alternatives to Traditional Power Supplies
In addition to the traditional ATX style power supplies, there are other alternatives such as SFX power supplies, TFX power supplies, and the newer SFX-L power supplies. It should be noted that these power supplies use smaller form factors and are generally more expensive than standard ATX power supplies.
SFX power supplies are typically used in small form factor PCs, such as Mini-ITX builds. They are usually not as powerful as ATX power supplies. However, if you’re building a powerful system that requires a lot of wattage, you should opt for an SFX-L power supply which has more wattage than a standard SFX power supply.
TFX power supplies are designed for larger form-factor PCs, and are typically used in HTPCs, media centers, and enterprise-level PCs. These power supplies are usually quite powerful, and they can easily handle high-end gaming PCs.
The Put it All Together
Choosing the right wattage for your gaming PC is an important decision, and one that should not be taken lightly. As a general guideline, it’s best to choose a power supply that is rated to deliver at least 20-30 percent more wattage than the total power draw of your system. Additionally, it is important to ensure that the power supply is reliable, and has good reviews. For smaller form factor PCs, SFX power supplies are a good option, however, for larger form factor PCs, TFX power supplies are more powerful and efficient.
Before making a final decision, it is also a good idea to do some research and look for online power supply calculators that can give you an estimate of the power draw of your system. Keep in mind that your wattage needs will vary depending on the components you’re using, so it’s best to double check before making a final decision.
