Hey everyone! I'm building a new PC and I could really use your help figuring out the right wattage for the power supply unit (PSU). Here are my specs:
- **Motherboard:** Asus ROG Strix B650-A
- **CPU:** AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
- **GPU:** NVIDIA RTX 5070Ti 16Gb Asus
- **RAM:** Kingston Fury Beast RGB, 64GB, 6000Mhz
- **SSD:** 2x SSD Kingston Fury Renegade, 4TB, NVME 7300 Mb/s
- **Watercooler:** NZXT Kraken Elite 360 RGB
Some friends suggest that 850W would be sufficient, while the technician assembling the PC thinks I should go for over 1000W. I've tried researching wattage calculators, but I'm getting all sorts of different opinions and I'm a bit confused on whose advice to trust. Any guidance would be really appreciated!
1 Answer
It really depends on what you're using the build for. If it's just for gaming, the 9800X3D could be cheaper and just as effective. But if you're doing work that benefits from multithreading, then the 9950X3D makes sense.
For wattage, 850W could work, but getting a 1000W PSU isn’t a huge leap in price, and it’s safer to have a bit more power than not enough. Just make sure to choose a PSU from a reputable tier, and consider an ATX 3.1 PCIe 5.1 if you can afford it. Also, if aesthetics matter, look into the Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360; it might cool just as well or even better than your NZXT.
Thanks for your thoughts! I plan to use it for both work and gaming, and aesthetics are definitely important since I'm going for a particular look. I guess having a little extra power won't hurt—are there any downsides to getting a more powerful PSU?