So I have a PSU and I don’t understand this computer stuff. I can’t find a link for the specification page on this thing. Here’s a picture of it http://imgur.com/Ul9bK,3AcPj I’m just wondering if it can do more than 480W.
Depends on how much power your drawing already. If you have a newer computer with a newer gpu you might want to bump it up to something higher. You need to figure out every hardware component on your computer as well as any external device to your computer then find out how watch power those units take. That will give you an idea what type of psu you need. You will need to figure those things out before you look into getting a psu.
Your PSU will give you what it says it will give you
do I have to go into the BIOS to select how much power it uses and stuff? I don’t have GPU, but I know that I can’t get one to work with only 480W.
You don’t have to do anything in the bios when it comes to psu’s though you can check as I have heard some bio’s do measure power but not all. Looking for a psu, look into what you use the computer for and how much your drawing currently with your psu. If you do not plan on updating the hardware on the computer then 480w or the cheap route maybe the best bet. If you plan on getting a GPU in the future, then you better look into how much your current hardware (including external components) is using. Look into your motherboard to see what type of GPU’s it can support, also if you get a a GPU make sure you know how much power it will take to run a GPU, which will give you a good perspective on what type of PSU you may want to look around for. Most PSU’s are compatible with motherboards as they always have extra connect lefts over however it’s best to look over your computers connector specs of your computer to see what type of PSU connectors you will need when looking for a PSU. Although unlikely unless you are using older hardware components you could be buying a PSU that lacks certain connectors.
Right now I’d figure out how much power your using. I asked a few people in IRC and they say there are programs that can estimate how much power you use. Not testing any of the software outmyself I’m unable to tell if it measure on high power mode how much power each device needs or if it does real time measurement, either way it gives you an idea on a psu. Try the one from microsoft below.
Joulemeter
http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/downloads/fe9e10c5-5c5b-450c-a674-daf55565f794/default.aspx
Your PSU will give 480 watts. It will probably give less while under load. It doesn’t look like a very good PSU, and bargain PSU’s usually can get dangerously out of spec and deliver less wattage while under heavy loads. If you want a good graphics card, I would purchase a >500 watt PSU (mine is 550 watt). This assumes you are only getting a single GPU. If you are going to do any multi-GPU solutions, you will want something like a 700 watt PSU. But with a single video card, 550 watt is perfect. Get something that is 80 PLUS certified. At least silver, although gold is better, and platinum is the best. If the PSU is 80 PLUS certified, you can be assured that it at least has some quality to it. Keep in mind that you will be looking at $100 for a good PSU. And you want a good PSU. Bad PSU’s can damage components and cause things to fail while under load.
If you have a power hungry graphics card, I suggest a PSU with multiple rails.