PC Build – How to Choose a Power Supply and Cooling – DIY in 5 PC Build Part 4

Опубликовано 22 декабря 2017, 18:00

We’ll be focusing on power and cooling options. Watch our other videos in this series here: youtube.com/watch?v=pQfTftCrPx...

More power is not always better. You’ll want to size your PSU appropriately for your system. Too high of a load into a basic system actually decreases your efficiency and costs you more money over time. When it comes to your power supply unit, or PSU, the wattage listed is the maximum amount of energy it could possibly supply. Use the OuterVision Power Supply Calculator determine wattage requirements: outervision.com/power-supply-c...

After determining the amount of power, then you need to determine if you want a modular or semi-modular PSU. A full modular PSU has no cables pre-attached whatsoever. This is the most expensive option but it allows you to only attach the cables you need for better airflow and less clutter. A semi-modular PSU has the essential cables pre-attached and is a bit less expensive. A non-modular PSU has all necessary cables pre-attached, including some you may not even use, and may lead to a cable management nightmare - or not - totally up to you.

Each power supply unit will have an efficiency rating - which is the amount of power provided to the components divided by the amount of power drawn at the wall. For example, a 50% efficiency gives 50W to the system but takes 100W from the grid. A better efficiency rating means less waste. Waste is bad for heat and can potentially damage other components. Remember back when we covered choosing the right case for your build here: youtube.com/watch?v=pQfTftCrPx... Some cases come with a PSU already mounted inside and while this definitely makes the overall build a little easier, it also can limit your options. Something to think about...

Heat must be eliminated at all costs. There must be a way to get rid heat and this is where cooling comes in. Different components will come with their own cooling means directly from their manufacturer, and these stock options will get the job done. But if you want fancy cooling options you could go with air or liquid cooling. Air cooling is the cheaper of the two options and you can choose the size, speed and look of the fan you want to install. Some fans are designed for high airflow while others are designed for static pressure. High airflow fans are great for cases, moving the air from front to back and bottom to top, while static pressure fans are great at pushing air in a stronger way toward a specific component, or for a case that has small vents or something blocking the airflow.

Liquid cooling provides funky aesthetics, less noise, and incredible cooling results achieved. Liquid cooling can be 2-10 times more effective than air cooling. It’s super quiet and it looks cool. Before liquid cooling solutions where on the market modders use to make them with parts from aquarium pumps but it is more standardized now. You can either purchase the parts needed individually - water blocks, pump, radiator and fan, water reservoir - or you can purchase a starter kit or even All in One system to make things a bit easier for your first time. If you are up for the challenge, liquid cooling can be a ton of fun.

Now we have covered all the major components required to build your very own PC. However, you might consider other options like optical drives, wireless cards, Bluetooth adapters, sound cards, and peripherals like a mouse and keyboard: youtube.com/watch?v=ikhN_DykvQ...

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