Your desktop computer power consumption may be causing stability problems with your computer. Troubleshooting a PC Power Supply isn’t that difficult. Various PC parts will use either 3.3 volt, 5 volt, or 12 volt. The 3.3 and 5 volt leads usually power digital circuits, while the 12 volt leads provide power to fans and drives. The common form factor used in computers today is the ATX. This power supply has a single, twenty-pin connector. Some typical symptoms of a bad power supply include: Dead system, partially dead system, and random rebooting. If the PSU’s fan quits working, replace it immediately.
Desktop Computer Power Consumption Table
The diagram below indicates the approximate desktop computer power consumption per device. Use this chart to determine what size power supply you should purchase. Keep in mind it’s always best to buy a quality name brand power supply that exceeds the wattage you’ll need to power your computer. A budget computer supply will only cause you problems.
| Component | Requirement | Line(s) Used |
| AGP Video Card | 30 – 50W | +3.3V |
| Average PCI Card | 5 – 10W | +5V |
| 10/100 NIC | 4W | +3.3V |
| SCSI Controller PCI Card | 20W | +3.3V and +5V |
| Floppy Drive | 5W | +5V |
| CD-ROM | 10 – 25W | +5V and +12V |
| DVD-ROM | 10 – 25W | +5V and +12V |
| CD-RW | 10 – 25W | +5V and +12V |
| 7200rpm IDE Hard Drive | 5 – 20W | +5V and +12V |
| 10,000rpm SCSI Drive | 10 – 40W | +5V and +12V |
| Case/CPU Fans | 3W (ea.) | +12V |
| Motherboard (w/o CPU or RAM) | 25 – 40W | +3.3V and +5V |
| RAM | 8W per 128MB | +3.3V |
| Pentium III Processor | 38W | +5V |
| Pentium 4 Processor | 70W | +12V |
| AMD Athlon Processor | 70W | +12V |
Desktop Computer Power Consumption Conclusion
A gamer or high performance will have greater demands and are more sensitive to desktop computer consumption than a budget PC. A good rule of thumb is to buy a better power supply, such as a Corsair PSU.