When Building A PC, Never Go Cheap On These Parts – SlashGear

Many people think that the processor and the graphics card are the most important components in a PC, but that’s not exactly true. It’s true that your PC needs at least one of them to run; some CPUs have built-in graphics, so you can skip a graphics card, especially if your rig isn’t designed with heavy gaming in mind. However, all PCs require a power supply unit (PSU) and if your PSU isn’t good enough, your computer could be in serious trouble unless you do your research.

Each component in a PC comes with its own power consumption rating. Adding those up will reveal the kind of PSU you need to buy: the higher the wattage of a PSU, the more expensive it costs, so it might be tempting to save $50 or even $100 to get a cheaper model. Avoid doing that at all costs.

When you shop for a power supply, it’s better to buy a model that leaves you with plenty of wiggle room, especially if you have upgrade plans later on down the road. For example, if all of your components together consume roughly 700 watts of power, you’re probably better off getting an 850W PSU as opposed to 750W. Having a PSU that’s too weak could seriously damage your PC if something goes wrong, and even if not, it might simply turn itself off because the rig is drawing too much power from the PSU.

Picking the right brand is important, too. Some of the best power supply units are produced by brands like EVGA, Cooler Master, or Be Quiet.