CPU cooler and power supply explanation

[gomnosano]

So i want to know do i need to buy a cpu cooler when i buy a cpu or does the cpu have its own cooler and how do i know which cooler is the best for my cpu if i need to buy one and how do i know how many watts does my power supply has to have. Thank you.

 

[Ezo Legendz]

http://www.extreme.outervision.com/psucalculatorlite.jsp choose the components that are going to be in your build and they will give you a reccomendation and say how many watts you need - you dont need to buy a aftermarket CPU cooler your CPU comes with one but an aftermarket cooler will cool your cpu way better than the cpu cooler that comes with your cpu . Also if youre overclocking you will get a better overclock if your using an aftermarket cooler

 

[captainmumoy]

well you did not mention what processor you have in mind of buying or if you plan to overclock, with that in Mind.....Most fx cpu coolers stock are junk so overclocking is bigger risk. all processors come with a stock cooler though

 

[thx1138v2]

Will you need a new cooler? Probably. It depends on if and how much you are upgrading.

If you are just replacing a bad CPU with another of the same make and model, then maybe not. But then you have to know why the original one went bad. If it went bad due to overheating then your cooler was insufficient to begin with.

If you are upgrading, say from a2 or 4 core to a 6 or 8 core, then yes you will need a better cooler. Or if you are upgrading to a higher clock rate or plan on overclocking the new one.

CPU's have a specification called TDP or Thermal Design Power which is an indication of how much cooling you'll need. Compare the TDP of your current CPU to that of the new CPU to determine if you'll need better cooling.

Some CPU's come with a cooler but the coolers are typically at the low range of the TDP so if you plan on overclocking or a heavy workload you'll need better cooling. These are usually called "boxed" CPU's. It never hurts to have more cooling than you need. You can also buy stand alone CPU's that don't come with a cooler for a little less if you are going to buy better cooling than is provided in the box..

Keep in mind that you have to also get that heat out of the case so you might also need more/larger/bigger case fans.

There are several good PSU calculator programs on the net that will estimate how much power you need. Here's one:
http://support.asus.com/PowerSupply.aspx?SLanguage=en

 

[smorizio]

cpu are sold in two ways..retail box (have cpu fan). and oem...just the cpu chip in a shipping pack with no cpu fan. cpu fans are rated is wattage for cooling. the intel cooler is fine for light work...the coolers that come from intel have one big downside..there all plastic and use push pins. most times these push pins dont go all the way through the mb or the legs breaks or locking pin snaps on new user and the cooler wont lock down. when i build a system for a friend i toss in air coolers that have back plates and metal screws,,,it take a lot of force for the cooler to fall off. power supply what you look for is a few thing. one is the tier listing of the unit..if it a tier 5 unit run away from it it a fire hazard. http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-1804779/power-supply-unit-tier-list.html
total wattage is not what you need to look at. you need to look at the 12v plus rail..is there one or more...what is it rating in watts and amp. you want take the cpu and gpu wattage and 100w. the 100w is for over head and cap aging. look online at power supply load testing info if there is some out there see how bad it ripples out under load and the temp and fan noise. in real would if you have two pc with the same parts and same wattage useage..
one with a 550w unit another with a 650w units. if the 550w is near it max output it going to run hotter and louder then the person that paid the same amount for a unit with larger output. the biggest killer on a power supply is heat and the caps they use. power supply vendors now taking the hint from buyers that want all Japanese caps in there power supply and not any cheap china ones.