How much power do i need ?

[pyronox]

ill be getting one of the these 3 cpu's- Q8200,Q9400,Q9550. I already have a 4870 ati series graphic card. I was wondering how many watts of power should i purchase inorder to keep my rig running smooth.

 

[archie123]

How long is a piece of string

Now many people try to save on the PSU , DONT < remember its the heart of your system , if it goes so will your mobo , plus if its not up to the job you'll get all sorts of random errors and you'll be scratching your head for weeks , im gonna give you a few links to give you some idea , now these wont be cheap but neither is that rig your building

Corsair HX 1000W ATX2.2 Modular SLI Compliant PSU (CMPSU-1000HXUK)

Akasa AK-P010FG-BK 1000W PowerMax PSU

Akasa AK-P085FG-BK 850W PowerMax PSU

now ive gone for a high wattage incase you wanna go SLI/Crossfir in the future , you wont need to upgrade your PSU

these are JUST to give you an idea , look at the specs , specifically the amp rating on the 12v rails , dont go below 35A on a dual rail psu (thats 35A per rail) and go for a "modular" psu , that way you can only use the connections you need , it makes for a much tidier rig , and the tidier it is the better the airflow

 

[sygnus21]

You don't need a 1000 watt power supply for that system! It's over kill. A good 750 should do just fine, maybe even a 650. I do agree on getting a good quality one though. Corsair has some really good lower wattage ones to look at in the HX series.

If you look at my system specs, you'll see I have an Antec 550 watt that works just fine for my system. My next build will include one of these Antec - Signature Series

Which ever brand you decide to get, I don't think it needs to be 1000 watts. Just make sure it's not one of those "generic no one ever heard of dollar 99 brands"

Good luck.

 

[archie123]

as i said , i picked a bigger psu so he can go crossfire in the future

 

[bruce2]

Hi pyronox, looks like it is going to be a nice built.

Great tips from the posts above.
The few below is sufficient with great quality and value to meet your need:

Newegg.com - PC Power & Cooling S75CF 750W EPS12V SLI NVIDIA SLI Certified (Dual 8800 GTX and below) CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply - Power Supplies

Newegg.com - PC Power & Cooling S75QB 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI NVIDIA SLI Certified (Dual 8800 GTX and below) CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply - Power Supplies

Newegg.com - CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply - Power Supplies

PROVANTAGE: BFG Technologies BFGR800WESPSU 800W ES-800 ATX12V Power Supply

Here is a tool for calculate what size you need. Try it if you are uncertain: www.Zippy.com.tw -

Good luck and let us know how things turn out.

 

[sygnus21]

as i said , i picked a bigger psu so he can go crossfire in the future

There are quite a few crossfire users who get along just fine without a 1000 watt power supply, but to each his own.