Power supply: how many watts for which PC?
A power supply with how much watt you need for which PC, we explain to you in this guide.
Buy PC power supply: You have to be aware of this
It is often neglected, but the power supply is one of the most important components of your computer. A power supply that is too weak cannot supply the PC with the necessary voltage, which leads to unpleasant crashes. In addition, the power supply should be matched as perfectly as possible to your computer, because not only the wattage is crucial.
- Check how many power plugs are available for the various PC components such as graphics card, hard drives, drives, etc. You should keep in mind that particularly high-quality graphics cards usually have two connections.
- Also make sure that the existing cables are long enough for your PC configuration.
- You also get power supplies with a so-called "cable management" in the trade. This means that the power supply has only the most basic cables and you can connect more as needed.
- Basically, the power supply provides the PC with three main lines, each with 3.3 volts, 5 volts and 12 volts. How many watts are available to the respective main lines varies with the different power supplies. The 12 volt cable is crucial for the graphics card. If you have a high-performance graphics card, you should definitely pay attention to how many watts the line can deliver.
- One factor that you shouldn't underestimate is the volume of the fan. Fans with temperature sensors that regulate the speed and thus the volume depending on the temperature are well suited.
- Since the power supply unit still consumes power when you have switched off the PC, you should also make sure that the power supply unit has a separate on / off switch.
Which power supply for which computer?
The following information is only to be understood as a rough guideline, because in addition to the pure number of watts - as already mentioned above - a number of other details also play a role. You should also pay particular attention to the wattage distribution of the three main lines, especially if it is a gamer PC.
- Office PC: A 300-watt power supply is usually sufficient here.
- Multimedia computer: If the computer is not used for complex games, a 400 or 500 watt power supply is usually sufficient.
- Gamer PC: A gamer PC with performance-hungry hardware also requires electricity. Depending on the computer configuration, there are no upper limits from 600 watts.
If the gamer PC is running day and night, a particularly inexpensive electricity provider can be useful. In the next practical tip, we will give you the best tips for changing electricity providers.