Re: [gentoo-user] Somewhat OT. Building a rig. Want to get opinions before spending $$$

[Matthew Marlowe <matt@deploylinux.net>]

Volker,

> Even my rig - hotter, doesn't reach 300W when I artificially torture the
> system. Normal 'max' load is in 200W range. An normal desktop? Under 100.
> 

OK -- just to find out the truth I've attached a kill-a-watt to my current 
workstation which is ~4yrs old w/ slow cpu and ancient video card but 
has been upgraded w/ 7 SATA Drives:

Idle - ~285W
Light Use (emerge --sync) - ~310W
Kernel Compile w/ video app running and minor torture- ~340W

This is definitely much higher than 100-200W stated above.

Anyhow, given that the discussion was about a system lasting ~8yrs, which is 
twice the current age of my system, I don't think it's unfeasible that future 
upgrades (especially if video card related or if moving cpu from 2 core to 8 
core) could get normal power util 20% higher to ~372W eventually.  

If you conservatively state that PSU wattage should be 1.66 * normal util  (so 
that PSU is normally running at 60% of peak) then:

1.66 * 372 = 617

> So an 800W PSU is stupid in every regard. 650 is way to big. 450 is good
> enough. 400W might even be good enough.
> 

OK, I'll agree that 800W is not looking very convincing.  I must have bought 
into the marketing there.   Thanks for the correction.

However, 650W would seem to be optimal.  For less stressful systems, 450 seems 
OK short term, but I'm not sure whether it would be limiting for a chassis 
expected to last 8+ yrs w/ whatever upgrades come down the line.     

Matt
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