Last year i upgraded my card to the EVGA NVIDIA GTX 1070. After doing a lot of research i decided to buy a new PSU before i installed the card (my stock set up only had 300w). Everything i read said that 500w is more than enough, and i went with this PSU because my mid tower would get a bit cramped with anything much bigger... but this week my 8 month old EVGA 500W 80+ PSU stopped working.

The RMA process has been a breeze and i look forward to getting up and running again but my friends are thinking i should upgrade "just in case" my set up is too much even if i have to buy a new tower...

What do you think?


Processor: Intel core i7-4790 Quad core 64 bit
Mobo: H181-ME Mini-ATX
Card: EVGA Nvidia GTX 1070
Monitor: Using a 30" HDTV, Panasonic Viera 1080p
Accessories: Internal WIFI antenna,
Bluray read/write combo
System: Windows 10 64bit
Use: Ranges between 4-12hrs a day of heavy use gaming.
Position: Case is upright on a table on raised legs with adequate airflow through vents. I live in the north where it's relatively cool.
Care: Heatsink was a bit dusty and ill clean that before installing the new PSU, but all other fans including PSU were pristine.

Welcome to the forums..Use the Outervision PSU Calculator to estimate your system wattage requirement.
 
See also the PSU FAQs over at JonnyGURU for good info, especially "Is there such a thing as too much power?"..Getting an "oversisized" (wattage-wise) PSU may use less power and run cooler (less fan noise) because the unit is delivering a lower percentage of it's total capability.
 
A 500W unit should be fine though..See what the calculator estimate and recommended wattage is first.

Thank you for your help everyone, I appreciate the feedback.
 
@miscbyproduct Regarding cleaning PSU heatsinks, is there a way to do this that I am not aware of? My PSU is under warranty, I know EVGA will end my warranty if I open the PSU myself.... And being a not very tech savvy person, I pretty much avoid opening PSUs like the plague. I know that it can retain charge after being disconnected. I prefer to just dust off the fan every few months (yes I hold the blades from spinning) :) If there's something I'm not understanding or aware of that I can do to further take care of the PSU i'm happy to learn.
 
@bob16314 and @kanininja I appreciate your suggestions. I actually used that calculator when I first bought my PSU! But I was a bit of a noob back then (still am learning) so your points about what to aim for are invaluable to me. Thanks again. 

The card was a gift. Thanks for your helpful information. No thanks for your attempt at calling me a cheapskate.

Eirghan
The card was a gift. Thanks for your helpful information. No thanks for your attempt at calling me a cheapskate.

When you have time read over this topic on OCN forums. http://www.overclock.net/...-400-600-and-500b-600b
 
 

miscbyproduct

Eirghan
cleaning PSU heatsinks, is there a way to do this that I am not aware of?
 
I prefer to just dust off the fan every few months (yes I hold the blades from spinning

 
buy a couple cans of compressed air
walmart, online, wherever you can find it the cheapest
 
make sure kill the power and press the power button a couple times, but a few seconds apart, to help clear the power still held in parts
restrict blade free spinning, (thumb on fan hub)
 
works best with PSU removed...
but you can do it, installed
 
blow air into the psu from 1 side, then another, until nothing comes out
 
same as doing the CPU, fan and cooler.
 
 
don't fret the talk about PSU cost
 
right now I am running on a $36 500w LEPA PSU that has outperformed 4 750g and a corsair 860, @ multi times the cost.
for that very reason I, just last night, ordered 2 more those el cheapo PSU's, which I can just throw away rather than repeatedly go through RMA processes.
which btw, cost more in shipping efforts than that cheap PSU which hasn't failed even once.

I think you mean it outlast the other PSU's instead of outperformed. If i was going through that many power supplies, i would hire an electrician to come out to check the house wiring and the quality of power coming into the home.