In this article, I'll go over the things you should consider when choosing a power supply for your computer with an AMD Ryzen 7 7700X processor.
Check out my Recommended PSUs
below.
EVGA SuperNOVA G5 Series Fully Modular Power Supply (220-G5-0650-X1)
Check Price on Amazon
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How to Choose a Power Supply for the 7700X CPU
The main job of a power supply is to convert the alternating current (AC) from your wall outlet into the direct current (DC) needed by the components inside your computer.
By adding up the power draw of each PC component, we can estimate our power supply needs.
Power Output
An important factor when buying a PSU is the supported wattage.
You will need to add up the power consumption of each computer component to determine the total output power requirements for your power supply.
The peak power consumption of AMD's Ryzen 7 7700X CPU is 105 W.
You can estimate your power requirements by using the following chart.
| Component | Peak Power Usage |
|---|---|
| 7700X CPU | 105 W |
| Top-Tier Graphics Card (e.g., Nvidia RTX 4090) | 450 W |
| Mid-Tier Graphics Card (e.g., Nvidia RTX 3060) | 170 W |
| Motherboard | 80 W |
| Optical Drive | 30 W |
| 3.5" Hard Drive | 9 W |
| M.2 or 2.5" SSD | 9 W |
| 140 mm Case/CPU Fan | 6 W |
| 120 mm Case/CPU Fan | 6 W |
| 80 mm Case/CPU Fan | 3 W |
By adding up these numbers, you can estimate peak power usage. Check out the top-tier, mid-tier, and value-tier example builds below.
It's generally a good idea to add a 100–150 W buffer to your expected usage. This buffer will give you some flexibility in case of miscalculations and will allow you to add more drives, fans, or add-in cards in the future.
In most cases, buying a little more wattage than you need is a safer choice for ensuring system stability.
Don't forget to account for the additional power required for overclocking if you intend to overclock your CPU or GPU. Overclocking could require roughly an extra 50–100 W, depending on how much you overclock these devices.
Top-Tier Estimate:
| Top-Tier Components | Peak Power Consumption |
|---|---|
| 7700X CPU | 105 watts |
| Top-Tier Graphics Card (e.g., Nvidia RTX 4090) | 450 watts |
| Motherboard | 80 watts |
| 4 M.2 or 2.5" SSDs | 36 watts |
| 3 Case Fans (120 mm) | 18 watts |
| 2 CPU Fans (120 mm) | 12 watts |
| Total Estimate: | 701 watts |
| Recommended Power Supply Wattage: | 850 watts |
Check the latest price of the 750–1650 watt Thermaltake Toughpower GF3 ATX 3.0 Power Supply on Amazon (affiliate link).
Mid-Tier Estimate:
| Mid-Tier Components | Peak Power Consumption |
|---|---|
| 7700X CPU | 105 watts |
| Mid-Tier Graphics Card (e.g., Nvidia RTX 3060) | 170 watts |
| Motherboard | 80 watts |
| 2 M.2 or 2.5" SSDs | 18 watts |
| 2 Case Fans (120 mm) | 12 watts |
| 2 CPU Fans (120 mm) | 12 watts |
| Total Estimate: | 397 watts |
| Recommended Power Supply Wattage: | 550 watts |
Check the latest price of the 450–750 watt Corsair SF Power Supplies on Amazon (affiliate link).
Value-Tier Estimate:
| Value-Tier Components | Peak Power Consumption |
|---|---|
| 7700X CPU | 105 watts |
| Integrated Graphics (No Graphics Card) | 0 watts |
| Motherboard | 80 watts |
| 1 M.2 or 2.5" SSD | 9 watts |
| 1 Case Fan (120 mm) | 6 watts |
| 1 CPU Fan (120 mm) | 6 watts |
| Total Estimate: | 206 watts |
| Recommended Power Supply Wattage: | 350 watts |
Check the latest price of the 450–750 watt Corsair SF Power Supplies on Amazon (affiliate link).
Power Efficiency
PSUs with higher efficiency ratings use less energy and produce less heat, improving their reliability and reducing noise.
The 80 PLUS certification program for power supplies helps to promote energy efficiency by indicating its efficiency rating.
Higher efficiency power supplies may have a higher upfront cost. However, they could potentially save you money on electricity in the long run.
Lower wattage PSUs will be more power-efficient even when idle. For this reason, you may be able to save more on electricity by getting the correct wattage of PSU than by getting the one with the best 80 PLUS rating.
| Certification Level | 10% Load | 20% Load | 50% Load | 100% Load |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 80 Plus | 80% | 80% | 80% | |
| 80 Plus Bronze | 82% | 85% | 82% | |
| 80 Plus Silver | 85% | 88% | 85% | |
| 80 Plus Gold | 87% | 90% | 87% | |
| 80 Plus Platinum | 90% | 92% | 89% | |
| 80 Plus Titanium | 90% | 92% | 94% | 90% |
Cables
Connectors
Make sure your PSU has the correct connectors to support the hardware in your system. Cheaper PSUs may cut costs on connectors and cables by offering fewer options and shorter lengths.
Check with your motherboard and graphics card documentation to determine which connector types are needed. Buy a popular, recently-released PSU; it will likely have the necessary connectors for a new PC build. However, if you use old components or an old power supply, you may find some incompatibilities.
Here are some common connector types that power supplies support:
- 24-pin connector for the motherboard
- 4/8-pin connector for the CPU
- 6/8/16-pin connectors for graphics cards
- SATA Power connector for each SATA HDD or SDD storage device
The latest graphics cards and ATX 3.0 PSUs support a new 16-pin PCIe 5.0 connector that replaces multiple 8-pin connectors.
Modular Cables
Typical power supplies come with various cables to connect your components. However, extra unused power cables can work against you by interrupting airflow.
In comparison, modular and semi-modular power supplies allow for attaching only the cables you need. As the name implies, semi-modular power supplies have some wires soldered on, while you can optionally connect others.
Cable Lengths
Most power supplies will have cables long enough to support mid-sized towers comfortably. If you have a full-size tower, you may want to check reviews and documentation to ensure that the cables are long enough to allow good cable management.
Power Supply Form Factors
Various form factors are available for power supplies. However, a standard-size desktop PC build will use an ATX power supply.
Small form factor PSUs allow for usage in many computer case shapes, including mini-PCs.
Power Supply Features
Overvoltage protection and short circuit protection can help to save your components in the case of a surge or accident.
LED lighting is another feature you might consider, depending on your PC goals.
Choosing a Cost-Effective Power Supply for the 7700X
Perhaps you live in a dorm or a family member's house and don't pay the power bill. Or maybe you don't expect the computer to have heavy daily usage. In those cases, the lower upfront cost of a less efficient PSU may be the better choice.
On the other hand, if you care more about the electric bill or the environment and plan to maintain a higher CPU usage, then a more efficient PSU may be better.
Don't go too far over 150 W above your expected power needs. Rightsizing your power supply will keep electricity costs to a minimum, as higher wattage PSUs will consume some additional power, even when idle.
Recommended Power Supplies for Your PC With a 7700X CPU
Recommended 750-1650 Watt ATX 3.0 PSU
- The Thermaltake Toughpower GF3 ATX 3.0 Power Supply on Amazon (affiliate link) is our recommended 750-1650 watt ATX 3.0 PSU.
- GOLD 80 PLUS efficiency ratings.
- ATX 3.0 standard for supporting newer graphics cards.
- Fully modular cabling allows you to optimize airflow and minimize clutter.
- Ultra quiet design.
- 10-year warranty.
- This series of power supplies comes in power outputs including 750, 850, 1000, 1200, 1350 and 1650 watts.
Thermaltake Toughpower GF3 Series 80+ Gold Full Modular ATX 3.0 PCIe Gen 5 Power Supply Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link
Recommended 650–1000 Watt PSU
- The Corsair SF Series Power Supply on Amazon (affiliate link) is our recommended 650–1000 watt PSU.
- Gold 80 PLUS efficiency ratings.
- Fully modular cabling allows you to optimize airflow and minimize clutter.
- Near silent during low usage.
- 10-year warranty.
- This series of power supplies comes in power outputs including 650, 750, 850, and 1000 watts.
EVGA SuperNOVA G5 Series Fully Modular Power Supply (220-G5-0650-X1) Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link
Learn More About the AMD Ryzen 7 7700X
- Which Chipsets Work With AMD's Ryzen 7 7700X CPU?
- Choosing the Best Power Supply for AMD's Ryzen 7 7700X CPU
- Choosing the Best Motherboard for AMD's Ryzen 7 7700X
- Is the Ryzen 7 7700X CPU Good for Gaming?
- Best RAM for the AMD Ryzen 7 7700X CPU
- Choosing the Best CPU Cooler for AMD's Ryzen 7 7700X
- What Is the TDP of the Ryzen 7 7700X CPU?
- How Many Cores Do AMD Ryzen 7 7700X CPUs Have?
Other Considerations When Building a PC
Want to brush up on other new technologies to consider when building a computer? Check out these articles:
- Cases:
- CPUs:
- The Best CPUs for Gaming
- Which Intel and AMD CPUs Support PCIe 5.0?
- Which Intel and AMD CPUs Support PCIe 4.0?
- LGA 1700 CPU List
- LGA 1200 CPU List
- Look up an Intel or AMD CPU on TechReviewer for related recommendations:
- The Best CPUs for Gaming
- CPU Coolers:
- Storage:
- Memory:
- PCI-Express:
- Motherboards:
- Graphics Cards:
- Power Supplies:
- Keyboards:
- Monitors:
A Note From the Authors
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