Does a UPS have to match the power of my PSU?

[andrewlee1206]

I'm in need of an uninterruptible power supply because I'm facing dips in power that are turning my pc and monitor off.

If I have a 520w power supply, would I need a 520w ups? During a dip, does the ups have to provide full power to all components or can it be at a lower wattage?

 

[volkgren]

No, not necessarily. You have a 520W power supply but your system is using less than that, or at least it should be. You'd have to figure up your specs and calculate your power consumption, or use an energy meter.

But, you would typically want an UPS that is larger than the consuming power of your PC so that is will sustain the power for longer. You will typically only get 5 minutes or so out of an UPS unless you give yourself more room with a larger UPS.

Here's a selection from the popular brand APC for a PC that consumes 250W (quite typical for a moderate gaming system). - http://www.apc.com/us/en/tools/ups_selector/results.cfm

 

[wonderin]

my gpu by itself consuming more than 250 W