Which PSU should I buy?

And honestly, I'm questioning if even bothering with CF is worth it. You’re probably better off just grabbing one beefier graphics card instead of messing around with all that hassle.

I think they're already out there—if what people are saying is true, they might try to offload them soon. Personally, I’ve always been a fan of going for one powerful component rather than two weaker ones. 🙂

I think you could probably pull it off with an NVIDIA GTX 550, but just keep in mind—if you're gaming non-stop, that power supply is going to be under constant stress. It might not hold up for very long if you're pushing it that hard... it’s always better to have a little extra breathing room, don't you think?

Hey, could use some help here

So, I'm putting together a build and was wondering what kind of power supply I'd actually need

Motherboard: ASUS 990FX Killer AM3+
GPU: MSI Gaming R9 290 4GB DDR5
CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K
RAM: 12 GB DDR3
SSD: Samsung 870 EVO 250GB
HDD: Samsung EVO 1 TB
Case: Fractal Design Case
Cooler: Cooler Master Nemesis

Thanks in advance 🙂

Larry Murphy83 said:Hey, can anyone help?

I'm putting together a build and was wondering what kind of power supply I'd need for this setup.

Motherboard: ASrock 990FX Killer AM3+
GPU: MSI Gaming R9 290 4GB DDR5
CPU: AMD FX-Series 9370
RAM: 12 GB DDR3
SSD: SAMSUNG 840 EVO 250GB SSD
HDD: Samsung EVO 1 TB
Case: Akyga AKY008BK
Cooler: Cooler Master Nemesis

Thanks in advance 🙂

This build is a disaster.
First off, that motherboard isn't going to cut it for that processor; you really need a high-end ASUS board $500 if you want that CPU to actually function properly, and even then, you'll need some decent thermal paste.
That CPU itself is honestly garbage—it pulls 220W just to perform on par with an Intel Core i7-3770, which is way more stable, cheaper, and doesn't require a top-tier motherboard to stay alive.

Also, you don't need 12GB of RAM for gaming; 8GB is plenty, honestly overkill for most titles nowadays.

Skip the Samsung EVO too. It's overpriced, runs hot, and is loud, yet it's barely any faster than a cheap Western Digital Blue or Western Digital drive. Since you've already got an SSD, just use that for your OS and programs, and use a standard hard drive for bulk storage.

That case looks like cheap junk; you're going to run into massive thermal issues, and besides, that Cooler Master Nemesis won't even fit in there.

The GPU isn't a great move either. For a little more money, you could grab an awesome EVGA GTX 970, which is significantly more powerful and uses half the power.

For the parts you listed, you'd need at least an 850W PSU just to be safe, assuming everything is actually assembled correctly.

If you want a killer build within your budget, go with something like this:

1x EVGA GeForce GTX 970 FTW, 4GB GDDR5, DVI, DP

1x Intel Core i5-4690K

1x ASUS Z97 Gaming Motherboard, Z97 Chipset, D3, S3, USB 3.0, DVI, A

1x Cooler Master Nemesis CPU Cooler - 2x 140mm P/N: CPRT-005

1x Kingston Fury DDR3, 1866MHz, 8GB (2x4GB) Black
HX318C10FBK2/8

1x EVGA SuperFlower Gold PSU - 550 Watt / SF-550P14XE (HX) P/N: NESF-020

1x Intel® SSD 530 Series (120GB, 2.5in SATA 6Gb/s, 20nm, MLC) 7mm, SSDSC2BW120A401

1x Western Digital DT01ACA100 1TB 3.5''

1x Zalman Z3 PLUS mid tower case black, USB 3.0, no PSU included, ZAL-Z3 PLUS

Total:$3042 Free assembly available locally!
If you aren't set on Intel, you could look at an Intel Core i7-3770 paired with this motherboard
That would bring the price to $2737.

Sean Garcia3 said:Your build is a mess!
First off, that motherboard isn't up to the task for that CPU. You’ll need a higher-end ASUS board $500 just to get any decent performance out of it, plus some premium thermal paste.
That processor itself is junk—it pulls 220W but performs on par with an overclocked Intel Core i7-3770, which is way more stable, cheaper, and doesn't require a massive motherboard.

You don't need 12GB of RAM for gaming. 8GB is plenty, honestly overkill for most titles.

Skip the Samsung EVO; it's overpriced, runs hot, and is loud for no reason. It isn't significantly faster than a cheap Western Digital Blue or a Western Digital drive. Besides, since you already have an SSD for your OS and programs, you can just grab a Western Digital for bulk storage.

That case is total garbage. You're going to run into serious thermal issues, and besides, a Cooler Master Nemesis won't even fit in there.

The GPU isn't a good deal either. For a little more, you could get a killer EVGA GeForce GTX 970 that's actually stronger and uses half the power.

And for this specific setup, you'd realistically need at least an 850W power supply—maybe more—assuming everything is assembled correctly.

If you want a great build within your budget, try this instead:

1x EVGA GeForce GTX 970 FTW, 4GB GDDR5, DVI, DP

1x Intel Core i5-4690K

1x ASUS Z97 Gaming Motherboard, Intel Z97, D3, S3, USB 3.0, DVI, A

1x Cooler Master Nemesis CPU Cooler - 2x 140mm P/N: CPRT-005

1x Kingston Fury DDR3, 1866MHz, 8GB(2x4GB) Black
HX318C10FBK2/8

1x EVGA SuperFlower Gold PSU - 550 Watt / SF-550P14XE (HX) P/N: NESF-020

1x Intel® SSD 530 Series (120GB, 2.5in SATA 6Gb/s, 20nm, MLC) 7mm, SSDSC2BW120A401

1x Western Digital DT01ACA100 1TB 3.5''

1x Zalman Z3 PLUS mid tower case black, USB 3.0, no PSU, ZAL-Z3 PLUS

Total:$3042 Free assembly at the shop!
If you aren't set on Intel, you could look at the Intel Core i7-3770 http://www.example.com/details/amd-fx-series-box.aspx and this motherboard http://www.example.com/details/motherboard-u3-fw-a.aspx
The price would be $2737.

The only smart thing you said was that the motherboard is inadequate for the CPU, and that the R9 290 draws more juice than the 970...

a) That GPU (the R9 290 mentioned) is actually quite solid despite the power draw; in many games, it beats the 970 (and it's much cheaper, too, specifically $200)

b) I agree, if we're talking AMD, the Intel Core i7-3770 would be the better choice.

c) No, he doesn't need an 850W unit to run that CPU and GPU combo... a quality 650W PSU handles that easily.

d) He might have picked the Samsung EVO because of the warranty. Some people don't care about noise, and the drive isn't even that loud... anyway, a 5-year warranty is better than the 2 years you get from Western Digital or the 3 years from Western Digital Blue.

e) The only change I'd make to your list is maybe grabbing a cheaper motherboard or cheaper RAM to afford a larger SSD if the budget allows.
1 x ASUS Z97-K, 1150, Intel Z97, DDR3, DDR3, 4 slots
1 x Intel Core i5-4690K (3.50GHz, 1MB, 6MB, 88 W, 1150) Box
2 x DDR3 4GB (1x4GB) Kingston, 1600MHz, CL11, Value
1 x Samsung 870 EVO 240GB, 2.5", SATA 3
1 x Western Digital Blue 1TB HDD, 1000 GB, SATA3, 64 MB, 3.5", 24mj
1 x Fractal Design Case mid tower. 192(W)x465(H)x430(D)mm. Standard MB size
1 x Sapphire TRI-X R9 290 4GB GDDR5 512bit, 28nm, 2xDVI + HDMI + DP
1 x Fortron 650W Raider, RA650, 12cm fan, Active PFC
1 x Cooler Master Nemesis Hyper 412S, socket 1366 / 1156 / 1155 / 775 / FM1

$2799
Here’s a rough idea for an Intel build

2 x DDR3 4GB (1x4GB) Kingston, 1600MHz, CL11, Value
1 x Samsung 870 EVO 240GB, 2.5", SATA 3
1 x Western Digital Blue 1TB HDD, 1000 GB, SATA3, 64 MB, 3.5", 24mj
1 x Fractal Design Case mid tower. 192(W)x465(H)x430(D)mm. Standard MB size
1 x Sapphire TRI-X R9 290 4GB GDDR5 512bit, 28nm, 2xDVI + HDMI + DP
1 x Fortron 650W Raider, RA650, 12cm fan, Active PFC
1 x Cooler Master Nemesis Hyper 412S, socket 1366 / 1156 / 1155 / 775 / FM1
1 x AMD FX-Series X8 AMD FX-8370 3.5GHz, 16MB, 125W, AM3+, FD8320FRHK
1 x ASUS M5A97 EVO R2.0, AM3+, AMD 970/SB950, DDR3, 4 slots

$2517

An AMD build

You're always making stuff up about hot water!
If he really needed a Samsung 870 EVO, he would've just tossed one in. It looks like he’s settled for a decent enough 120GB SSD with a 5-year warranty, while beefing up the rest of the build with a solid power supply that also has a 5-year warranty, a beefier cooler, and a better motherboard. Honestly, you overreached on the GPU, but hey, that MSI model runs around $2500-$867 and this GTX 970 is $933. Besides, it isn't just about them being close in raw power; it's the lower power draw, better overclocking headroom, Vulkan, CUDA, and just the fact that it's a newer card overall.
A 650W unit would hold up, but if you want some actual breathing room for a setup like that, you'd be better off grabbing a PSU that isn't such a total piece of junk.

To put it simply, the Corsair RM series is top-tier. If you have the budget, just buy it. Fortron Aurum is also solid, along with EVGA or AMD—any 650w unit from those brands will be plenty for the build you've put together.

The AMD FX-9000 series is a complete waste of money. The AMD FX-8000 series is a much better move; they're significantly cheaper, which leaves you with extra cash to grab a high-quality motherboard. An ASRock Killer board is an excellent choice. Honestly, if someone insists on only buying MSI, they should just go ahead and pay the premium.

Akyga makes great cases. I've built several of them myself. They come with a 120mm front fan, so just add an exhaust fan and you're good to go.
Everyone keeps recommending Zalman because they offer a lot of fans, but the actual case quality is questionable. I've already written about this before and I don't feel like repeating myself.🙂, besides, in my opinion, Akyga is far superior aesthetically—though that’s a matter of taste.

The Samsung EVO is an excellent choice, especially since you aren't planning on an SSD. That hard drive is remarkably fast, it isn't nearly as loud as people claim, and that 5-year warranty is quite decent.

Regarding Intel, you can be certain that in the vast majority of games, they will outperform AMD due to their superior per-core architecture. AMD relies on that old Bulldozer architecture, so even with 8 cores, they can't touch Intel. Even in next-gen titles that demand multiple cores, Intel stays ahead because every single Intel core performs much better than an AMD one. They run much cooler, consume noticeably less power, and the overclocking potential for the series is massive.
Intel doesn't require such expensive motherboards, and because of the lower power consumption, you can save money on both the PSU and the cooler.

Anyway, I hope that helps. Try to relax a little.🙂

Someone’s clearly having some digestive issues, and it seems they're venting them through the wrong end—in this case, their mouth...

mellowtiger83 said:To put it simply, the Corsair RM series is top-tier—if you've got the budget, you won't regret it. Fortron Aurum is also solid, along with brands like EVGA or AMD; any 650W unit from those should be plenty for that build you're putting together.

Honestly, the AMD FX-9000 series isn't really worth it. The AMD FX-8000 series is a much better call since they're way cheaper, which leaves you more cash for a high-quality motherboard. An ASRock Killer board is great, though if someone insists on only buying MSI, then that's their choice, I guess.

Akyga makes some pretty great cases; I've built a few myself. They usually come with a 120mm front fan, so just add an exhaust fan and you're golden.
Everyone seems to recommend Zalman because they have tons of fans, but the case quality itself is questionable. I’ve already written about this before and I don't really feel like repeating myself🙂, but in my opinion, Akyga looks way better aesthetically (though that's just a matter of taste).

The Samsung EVO is a great pick, especially since you aren't going the SSD route yet. That drive is actually quite fast, it's not as noisy as people claim, and having a 5-year warranty is a nice perk.

Regarding Intel, you can pretty much count on them outperforming AMD in most games due to that superior per-core architecture. AMD is still stuck using that old Bulldozer architecture, so even with 8 cores, they can't really compete with Intel. Even in next-gen titles that crave multiple cores, Intel holds its own because each individual core performs so much better than AMD's. Plus, they run much cooler, use noticeably less power, and the overclocking potential for the series is massive.
With Intel, you don't necessarily need those ultra-expensive motherboards, and you can save some money on the power supply due to the lower power draw, not to mention the cooler.

Anyway, hope that helps a bit and cools things down.🙂

The parts in bold are the only things you got right... everything else is debatable or just plain wrong.

Sean Garcia3 said:🍿 😬

Pass me some of those🙂 popcorn too, I guess.

What on earth are you people doing up? Either you aren't sleeping or you're actually being productive, like playing Call of Duty or World of Tanks or something.

@ crimsonstag84 look, certain things are obviously up for debate; clearly, not everyone is going to have identical rigs.

crimsonstag84 said:The only part of your statement that actually holds water is the bolded text... everything else is either debatable or just plain wrong.

Spot on.

I’d suggest sticking strictly to the bolded portion.

it runs way cooler than the AMD chips, uses significantly less power, and the overclocking headroom for this series is massive.
With Intel, you don't need those ultra-expensive motherboards, and because of the lower power draw, you can actually save some cash on the PSU, not to mention the cooler.

Are you seriously trying to claim Intel runs cool and lets you skimp on the cooler? If someone actually wants to overclock, they're going to have to invest heavily into that. These things are basically space heaters if you're serious about OC. Even just looking at raw temperature comparisons—Intel tends to run much hotter.

You're spreading misinformation.

I’m not entirely sure how much heat an Intel chip generates under load, but using the stock cooler feels manageable enough. With AMD, however, the stock cooling situation is nothing short of a disaster.
Quick question for those running an AMD FX Series: do you disable Turbo Boost and manually tweak the voltage? I'm asking because I ran a benchmark for Metro LL today and things got ugly. My CPU hit 82°C while running at a stock 3.3 GHz (with a turbo boost up to 4.3 GHz), and my motherboard peaked at a staggering 91°C. I could actually smell burning plastic, so I have to wonder—is this level of heat even remotely normal?
Once I disabled the turbo mode, the CPU started behaving a bit more calmly, though my max FPS in the same test dropped by about 20. The average stayed roughly the same, as did the minimum.

It’s common knowledge that the stock cooler just won't cut it. Honestly, I don't think anyone would even bother running these kinds of stress tests at stock settings—it's a non-starter. You'd definitely need to disable Turbo Boost and likely undervolt just to maintain base clock speeds under load.

Keep in mind that 62°C is basically the target sweet spot. You shouldn't be jumping into expensive aftermarket coolers based on random forum advice without reason.

Otherwise, Intel Core i7-4790K stock performance 😬
For comparison, here is an Intel Core i7-4790K paired with a massive Noctua NH-D15 aftermarket cooler.

Now we finally get to the meat of the matter: overclocking. Is this chip actually any better than the previous 4770K model? Well, just like with the last generation, it really comes down to the silicon lottery—it all depends on the specific chip you happen to grab.

To start things off, our specific unit hit 4.5 GHz at 1.3V quite easily, which was exactly what we were aiming for. It stayed perfectly stable during extended OCCT runs, though total system power draw climbed to about 180W. Pushing further, we bumped the voltage to 1.35V and the multiplier to 47. This landed us at 4.7 GHz, and while the CPU remained stable, temperatures did spike up to 88°C. During this, we kept the Vcore at 1.35V, the Ring voltage at 1.175V, and set the System Agent, I/O Analog, and I/O Digital voltages to +0.1V over nominal. We even managed to wake the processor up to 4.8 GHz; however, while it crushed every benchmark, it eventually crashed during stability testing after about 25 minutes of OCCT. Therefore, the absolute stable overclock for this chip is 4.7 GHz, making it objectively worse than our old 4770K, which could hit 4.9 GHz with ease.

That said, the lower-end chips don't run nearly as hot. A Pentium, for instance, can actually handle being pushed a little bit even on a basic stock cooler.

I don't even know where people find this kind of nonsense... honestly, sometimes I wonder where they get these ridiculous takes...

It seems like everyone thinks they’re a hardware expert these days...

Timothy Kim60 said:Stock settings are predictable—that’s common knowledge. Honestly, I don't think anyone bothers running these kinds of tests at stock; it just isn't productive. You'd definitely need to disable Turbo Boost and probably look into undervolting just to maintain the base clock.

I haven't actually tested it at stock; I've been using the v8gts. My idle temps sit between 17-23°C, but under load, they jump past 80°C at 4.3GHz. The issue is the voltage itself spikes above 1.4V... which makes me a bit nervous about my motherboard seeing temperatures climb north of 90°C.

Timothy Kim60 said:Look, 62°C is his recommended ceiling. It's generally not wise to go recommending aftermarket coolers on forums without a good reason.

I'll try playing around with some settings in OCCT tomorrow, but I'm struggling to wrap my head around the logic here: if he recommends a cooler rated for a 200W TDP CPU, how can it fail to handle a chip that drops down to a 95W TDP?

Timothy Kim60 said:Regarding the Intel Core i7-4790K stock 😬
Take an i7-4790K paired with a massive aftermarket cooler like the NH-D15, for example.

I have my doubts about what even those beefy air coolers can actually achieve... at this rate, we might as well start manufacturing oil-cooled units. 🤣
Because anything north of 70°C feels like a literal oven.

Larry Murphy83 said:just some obsessive jerk

🤣👏

David Sanders4 said:I haven't even tested this with the stock cooler—I'm using a v8gts. My idle temps sit between 17-23°C, but under load at 4.3GHz, it climbs past 80°C. Even then, the voltage itself is spiking above 1.4V... I'm honestly getting worried about my motherboard if temperatures are hitting north of 90°C.

I’m not following you. Give me some actual details. What specific motherboard are we talking about? Which exact CPU? You mentioned an AMD FX Series, but was it an 81xx—basically a Bulldozer chip? And how much are we talking when you say "over 1.4V"? There is a massive difference between 1.405V and 1.45V.

Generally speaking, running those CPUs above 1.4V is asking for trouble; you need a heavy-duty motherboard and serious high-end cooling to pull that off.
It's likely you either set the voltages too high or you're working with a low-end board that's overvolting significantly due to poor VRM cooling or regulation.

Hitting 4.3GHz on Vishera chips can be done staying under 1.4V—in some cases, way lower. I know a guy who gets an AMD FX-8370 up to 4.1GHz while only pulling 1.2V 🙏 which is pretty impressive considering he's running it on a basic 4+1 phase ASrock 990 extreme.

AMD FX-8370 + ASUS motherboard

What on earth? How does that even work? What voltage settings are you running in your BIOS, and which specific features have you toggled on or off there?

Try using a different monitoring program to check those temperatures.