PSU Sizing Made Easy: How Many Watts Do You Really Need?

Choosing a power supply feels like trying to pick the right size coffee at a café where all the names are in Italian. “Do I need 650W? 750W? 1000W? What even is an 80+ badge?”

Let’s make this stupid‑simple.

Step 1: Look at Your GPU

Your graphics card is the hungriest part of your PC.
Start with whatever wattage the GPU manufacturer recommends — it’s usually accurate enough.

If your GPU needs:

• Low‑tier → 450–550W PSU
• Mid‑range → 650–750W PSU
• High‑end → 850–1000W PSU or more

Easy.

Step 2: Add Headroom

Even if your PC peaks at 400W, you don’t want a 400W PSU.

You want:

• More efficiency
• Lower noise
• Less heat
• Room for future upgrades

A good rule of thumb: add 30–40% headroom.

Step 3: Don’t Cheap Out

A bad PSU can take your entire system with it.
A good PSU will last through multiple builds.

Look for:

• 80+ Gold or better
• Fully modular cables
• A brand with a good reliability track record

It’s not the flashy part of the build, but it’s the one part that literally powers everything else. Treat it with respect.

Step 4: Think About the Future

If you plan to upgrade to a more powerful GPU later, size up now.
If not, stick to the recommended wattage zone.

Final Thoughts

Power supplies are simple when you ignore the noise:

• Check GPU requirements
• Add headroom
• Don’t cheap out
• Future‑proof a little

And that’s it! No math degree required.