550w or 650w?

[IMPNick]

i want to upgrade my pc to a gtx 970 and everbody says to get a 550w. but later if i want to add another one or change to a better gpu is it worth it to just buy a 650w so for later upgrades?

 

[Mr5oh]

A GTX970 will run on a 500 watt no problems. It's max draw is 145 watts. Nvidia's card have been getting more efficient and drawing less power, so your next card may draw even less. (GTX770 for example was a 230 watt card)

So lets say you have the GTX 970, and an 4790k - I7, that totals 233 watts at full load. Even with everything else in the PC you are probably still going to be under half load on a 550 PSU.

If there's no real price difference sure get the 650, but don't go larger just because you think you might be on the edge of what a 550 watt PSU can handle. Now if you go to an AMD build, then everything is different, as they are much less efficient, and use a lot more power.

 

[IMPNick]

A GTX970 will run on a 500 watt no problems. It's max draw is 145 watts. Nvidia's card have been getting more efficient and drawing less power, so your next card may draw even less. (GTX770 for example was a 230 watt card)

So lets say you have the GTX 970, and an 4790k - I7, that totals 233 watts at full load. Even with everything else in the PC you are probably still going to be under half load on a 550 PSU.

If there's no real price difference sure get the 650, but don't go larger just because you think you might be on the edge of what a 550 watt PSU can handle. Now if you go to an AMD build, then everything is different, as they are much less efficient, and use a lot more power.

https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/part/evga-power-supply-220gs0650v1
https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/part/evga-power-supply-220gs0550v1
these are the 2 power supplies i want and i have a 4770k i7. If later i want to upgrade to dual sli 970 or a 980ti or better will it/should it be enough a 550w?

 

[Mr5oh]

these are the 2 power supplies i want and i have a 4770k i7. If later i want to upgrade to dual sli 970 or a 980ti or better will it/should it be enough a 550w?

The 980TI will draw 250 watts alone, so it is quite an increase from the 970. If you plan on going 970 SLI , or 980 TI (single) then I would go with the 650 watt version. Even though many nice PSU are rated for continuous draw, most PSU are most efficent (which means least amount of heat created, and least amount of energy wasted) at 50% load. So a 4770k with 980TI, complete system would most likely draw 364 watts at full load, putting you close to 50% load on a 650w PSU. SLI GTX970s, with a 4770k places, complete system at full load is 404 watts, so a little over 50% load on a 650, but still plenty of cushion.

With those things being a possibility, I would go the 650 route.

 

[IMPNick]

these are the 2 power supplies i want and i have a 4770k i7. If later i want to upgrade to dual sli 970 or a 980ti or better will it/should it be enough a 550w?

The 980TI will draw 250 watts alone, so it is quite an increase from the 970. If you plan on going 970 SLI , or 980 TI (single) then I would go with the 650 watt version. Even though many nice PSU are rated for continuous draw, most PSU are most efficent (which means least amount of heat created, and least amount of energy wasted) at 50% load. So a 4770k with 980TI, complete system would most likely draw 364 watts at full load, putting you close to 50% load on a 650w PSU. SLI GTX970s, with a 4770k places, complete system at full load is 404 watts, so a little over 50% load on a 650, but still plenty of cushion.

With those things being a possibility, I would go the 650 route.

THANK YOU