PSU For i5-4690k @ 4.5GHz + GTX 1070

[Yaypop]

I'm pretty nervous about using an XFX TS Series 550W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified PSU for an MSI GTX 1070 Gaming X 8G, i5-4690k @ 4.5GHz, 16gb of RAM, a Hyper 212 Evo, and a Z97 Pro3. The 1070 will arrive in 2 days, I'm going to use it for heavy gaming and I'm not sure if I should get a new PSU. For reference, the PSU is ~2 years old. Thanks in advance.

 

[turkey3_scratch]

There's no reason to be nervous.

 

[The Original Ralph]

i'm electrically illiterate, but my neighbor is an electrical engineer

when i asked him to help me pick a psu, he gave me some simple guidelines
a) the average max usage should not exceed 50% of the PSU's max output
b) momentary spikes up to 75% were acceptable

on the system i'm building, my cpu's total draw (on paper) is 140W, my GPU (GTX 1070 is 150W) and the mobo with ram is in the neighborhood of 50W

For the hey of it, i've got a CyberPower UPS which has a wattage meter widget you can run on your desktop and displays wattage at any given moment. I disconnected my monitor from the UPS so that wouldn't affect wattage readings (the monitor isn't drawing power from the PSU but the UPS).

I do a lot of video rendering - Running videos my current draw was 145 watts max, rendering videos (program i use is a core hog and runs them at 98-100% load) came in at 212 watts. Watching or displaying videos, even at 3840 x 2160, is not very intensive, power wise, on the CPU. Rendering them is. But still, at 212 watts divided by 550W, which is what i went with, is still only 38% if the PSU's max output, which is a "sweet" spot for me, when i look at the PSU's specs.

Folks seem to overpower their rigs, and while i'm not a gamer, do the math - when gaming, your 1070's max draw is 150 watts, plus your CPU (google it's specs and check them at Intel Ark's web) + allow 50 watts for your mobo and ram - if in the 50 - 55% range of your PSU, you'll be fine

but do go with a quality PSU
hope that helps

 

[Yaypop]

i'm electrically illiterate, but my neighbor is an electrical engineer

when i asked him to help me pick a psu, he gave me some simple guidelines
a) the average max usage should not exceed 50% of the PSU's max output
b) momentary spikes up to 75% were acceptable

on the system i'm building, my cpu's total draw (on paper) is 140W, my GPU (GTX 1070 is 150W) and the mobo with ram is in the neighborhood of 50W

For the hey of it, i've got a CyberPower UPS which has a wattage meter widget you can run on your desktop and displays wattage at any given moment. I disconnected my monitor from the UPS so that wouldn't affect wattage readings (the monitor isn't drawing power from the PSU but the UPS).

I do a lot of video rendering - Running videos my current draw was 145 watts max, rendering videos (program i use is a core hog and runs them at 98-100% load) came in at 212 watts. Watching or displaying videos, even at 3840 x 2160, is not very intensive, power wise, on the CPU. Rendering them is. But still, at 212 watts divided by 550W, which is what i went with, is still only 38% if the PSU's max output, which is a "sweet" spot for me, when i look at the PSU's specs.

Folks seem to overpower their rigs, and while i'm not a gamer, do the math - when gaming, your 1070's max draw is 150 watts, plus your CPU (google it's specs and check them at Intel Ark's web) + allow 50 watts for your mobo and ram - if in the 50 - 55% range of your PSU, you'll be fine

but do go with a quality PSU
hope that helps

Wow, thank you for the in-depth answer. I'll definitely take all of this into consideration.

 

[aquielisunari]

I'm pretty nervous about using an XFX TS Series 550W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified PSU for an MSI GTX 1070 Gaming X 8G, i5-4690k @ 4.5GHz, 16gb of RAM, a Hyper 212 Evo, and a Z97 Pro3. The 1070 will arrive in 2 days, I'm going to use it for heavy gaming and I'm not sure if I should get a new PSU. For reference, the PSU is ~2 years old. Thanks in advance.

That XFX PSU WELL EXCEEDS that 1070's needs. The 1070 will draw at the VERY most 150W. Be overly generous and say your system uses 250W(88W CPU is the next biggest consumer) apart from the GFX card. That means at full load you are looking at ABOUT 400W usage. That's with everything pegged at 100% full load all the time. That still leaves a 150W margin of safety. The +12V rail is perfect for your GFX card's needs. BUT It doesn't hur to be prepared. You can sell your current PSU and put that towards a new PSU or Keep the new PSU in reserve until it's necessary which will probably be years but...You never know.

If you will sleep better at night you are most certainly welcome to buy https://www.amazon.com/EVGA-SuperNOVA-Modular-Warranty-120-G1-0650-XR/dp/B00K85X2AW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1480050630&sr=8-1&keywords=650W+supernova . That PSU will allow you to go SLI or upgrade to the 1080 down the road. The 1080 only asks for a 500W PSUhttp://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814487245&cm_re=1080-_-14-487-245-_-Product

 

[Dark Lord of Tech]

I'm pretty nervous about using an XFX TS Series 550W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified PSU for an MSI GTX 1070 Gaming X 8G, i5-4690k @ 4.5GHz, 16gb of RAM, a Hyper 212 Evo, and a Z97 Pro3. The 1070 will arrive in 2 days, I'm going to use it for heavy gaming and I'm not sure if I should get a new PSU. For reference, the PSU is ~2 years old. Thanks in advance.

That XFX PSU WELL EXCEEDS that 1070's needs. The 1070 will draw at the VERY most 150W. Be overly generous and say your system uses 250W(88W CPU is the next biggest consumer) apart from the GFX card. That means at full load you are looking at ABOUT 400W usage. That's with everything pegged at 100% full load all the time. That still leaves a 150W margin of safety. The +12V rail is perfect for your GFX card's needs. BUT It doesn't hur to be prepared. You can sell your current PSU and put that towards a new PSU or Keep the new PSU in reserve until it's necessary which will probably be years but...You never know.

If you will sleep better at night you are most certainly welcome to buy https://www.amazon.com/EVGA-SuperNOVA-Modular-Warranty-120-G1-0650-XR/dp/B00K85X2AW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1480050630&sr=8-1&keywords=650W+supernova . That PSU will allow you to go SLI or upgrade to the 1080 down the road. The 1080 only asks for a 500W PSUhttp://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814487245&cm_re=1080-_-14-487-245-_-Product

The XFX 550W is more than enough power a perfect fit.

 

[aquielisunari]

I'm pretty nervous about using an XFX TS Series 550W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified PSU for an MSI GTX 1070 Gaming X 8G, i5-4690k @ 4.5GHz, 16gb of RAM, a Hyper 212 Evo, and a Z97 Pro3. The 1070 will arrive in 2 days, I'm going to use it for heavy gaming and I'm not sure if I should get a new PSU. For reference, the PSU is ~2 years old. Thanks in advance.

That XFX PSU WELL EXCEEDS that 1070's needs. The 1070 will draw at the VERY most 150W. Be overly generous and say your system uses 250W(88W CPU is the next biggest consumer) apart from the GFX card. That means at full load you are looking at ABOUT 400W usage. That's with everything pegged at 100% full load all the time. That still leaves a 150W margin of safety. The +12V rail is perfect for your GFX card's needs. BUT It doesn't hur to be prepared. You can sell your current PSU and put that towards a new PSU or Keep the new PSU in reserve until it's necessary which will probably be years but...You never know.

If you will sleep better at night you are most certainly welcome to buy https://www.amazon.com/EVGA-SuperNOVA-Modular-Warranty-120-G1-0650-XR/dp/B00K85X2AW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1480050630&sr=8-1&keywords=650W+supernova . That PSU will allow you to go SLI or upgrade to the 1080 down the road. The 1080 only asks for a 500W PSUhttp://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814487245&cm_re=1080-_-14-487-245-_-Product

The XFX 550W is more than enough power a perfect fit.

Amen!😀

 

[turkey3_scratch]

i'm electrically illiterate, but my neighbor is an electrical engineer

when i asked him to help me pick a psu, he gave me some simple guidelines
a) the average max usage should not exceed 50% of the PSU's max output
b) momentary spikes up to 75% were acceptable

He may be an EE, but his advise is nonsense to me. His field of expertise is not computer power supplies. Motherboard and RAM do not use 50W like you say. It's always better to have a lower wattage, higher quality PSU than a higher wattage, decent PSU.