I'm thinking about building a new PC and trying to decide on the right power supply. I plan to use an NVIDIA 4070 graphics card along with a 9600x processor. Some people online have mentioned that it's a good idea to have a PSU with 1.5x to 2x the estimated wattage for safety, but I've also seen posts saying that 850W is excessive for this setup. What do you think?
5 Answers
There’s really no such thing as overkill when it comes to PSUs. If you can spring for the 850W, I’d say go for it. Having extra headroom is always beneficial for stability and future upgrades.
It's a bit more than needed, but not a bad choice! It ensures you won't have to worry about power down the line, especially if you consider a high-end GPU upgrade in the future.
I wouldn't say 850W is overkill at all. The minimum recommended PSU for a 5070 is actually 650W, so 850W gives you a solid margin. Even 1000W might feel excessive, but if you’re not on a tight budget, it doesn’t hurt to have extra power.
You're right that 850W seems like a lot, but it gives you flexibility for any future upgrades. The important thing is to invest in a quality unit rather than just focusing on wattage. Some brands are recommended over others, like the NZXT c850.
I went with an 850W PSU for my setup with a 7800XT and 7600X, and it's nice knowing I have plenty of headroom if I want to upgrade later.
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