| Power Supplies- How Important Are They? |
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We are asked quite often about power supplies. The popular question seems to be "why are there so many different sizes available", sizes being translated into wattage. Well the various wattage's available are really to compliment different pc builds. Smaller, less power hungry systems can get away with a lower wattage power supply. Larger systems, built for productivity and advanced software aps, and gaming, will require more power. So why is it important to have the right sized PS? A proper power supply, meaning one that can handle the power demands of the system, is important to the stability of the system for starters. Not supplying enough voltage to the pcu, board, video card, etc can be the beginning of bad things to come, mainly instability. Like the blue or black screen of death. All of the previously listed items have power requirements in which fluctuate up and down during the use of the system. For instance, just surfing the net will probably not use much more power than sitting idle. However, start playing a graphic intense, high frame rate PC game, and all of a sudden you power requirements go through the roof. The key is to have a power supply large enough to handle your current requirements and any upgrades you may make in the future. A particular spec you should be interested in when searching for a PS is the specifications of the amp delivery on the 12 volt rail. Look for a supply with a minimum of 18 amps on the 12v rail. This translates to about a 500 watt PS. Gamers and graphics intense software users will want at least 28 amps or a 600-700 watt supply. Also make note that you will need a 6 pin connector output if you run a graphics card needing direct power. Make sure your new PS has this. Beyond that, simply look for a brand you trust or a feature you want, such as Ultra's X-Finity power supplies which offer modular style cables, so you only use what you need. We hope this helps with the basics of power supplies. For more advanced questions, please call On-Site at 1-888-725-4509 or visit us online at http://www.pcrepairil.com/ , and thanks for tuning in! |