[SOLVED] Is 600w overkill for this pc?

[LaproCZ]

So, my friend is building a PC.
We've got some components
Cpu : amd FX 4130
Gpu : gtx 970
Hdd : 500gb
Ram: 2x4gb ddr3

None fans

The build is built on am3 motherboard

He doesn't know what power supply to buy and some guy told him that 600w is the best option. I think it's kinda overkill and that he can use some cheaper and with less W

What do you think is the best power supply for this build?

 

[jay32267]

I think 600 isn't unreasonable but I think you could probably get away with 500 or maybe a bit less.
The GPU is 145 watts and the CPU 125 watts.
Then you have the MB at maybe around 50 watts plus drives and memory uses some too.

 

[punkncat]

The recommended for the 970 is 500W. You could use a system calculator to narrow it down more. The closer you come to that actual output the better quality/more efficient your PSU should be. If going with a cheap-o PSU a good plan is to try and stay near 50% of it's rated output.

 

[ChumP]

It mostly depends on the quality of the PSU... you could easily get away with 550W or less.

 

[King_V]

Take a look at the first link in my sig.

That is what should be your friend's guide. Further, cutting corners on the PSU is the absolute WORST thing he can do.

 

[punkncat]

Take a look at the first link in my sig.

That is what should be your friend's guide. Further, cutting corners on the PSU is the absolute WORST thing he can do.

Where I agree with the principal of what you are recommending, and certainly would call it best practice in particular in view of a new or performance oriented system.

In cases like this it's important to take a look at the overall and consider whether spending much, if any, money is worthwhile?
In my own opinion, and not to belittle what's going on with this cool little build, but I would absolutely be looking to repurpose an old PSU, looking at refurbs/used, or super stupid cheap name brand new. I would be reluctant to suggest going and buying a $40 unit for this, much less straight faced recommending something "good" by those rules, for it.

 

[King_V]

Hmm, true. I had been running on the assumption that this was parts that OP's friend managed to gather together, and was planning on using this as their primary system, rather than, say a secondary PC to play around with.

If it's a primary system, even with older parts, a good PSU is still worthwhile because affording replacement parts could be an issue if a lower-quality PSU causes trouble.

In the case of a secondary system to play around with, that maybe doesn't get heavily used, I could see settling on a lower end PSU.