How to Check Power Supply Wattage? In 2022

If you have a power supply that delivers lower wattage than the actual requirements of the powerful components, then it can cause system instability and may damage the internal components of your PC. When upgrading or adding a device to a computer system, it is important to know the amount of power that particular device will consume from the computer’s internal power supply. 

Before we begin, we want you to be generous about buying a power supply. It is a crucial part of your PC and it is not right to be stingy when buying a power supply. More importantly, you need to know the wattage of your power supply so that the other components get the exact power to operate.

4 easy and common ways to check power supply wattage

In this article, we will demonstrate 4 easy methods to find out the power supply wattage. All these methods have proven to be successful and they are kind of common. So, let’s jump into the first method.

Know PSU wattage from the manufacturer’s website

This method is applicable when you have purchased a prebuilt PC from a manufacturer. You can find the model of the computer you are using on the official website. The details of the power supply will be given under the product model page.

The following is an example of a product page showing all specifications, including the power supply – 

Just google your computer model and you should be able to check your PSU performance in the first few search results. This process saves time and effort in determining the power supply wattage. Because there is no label or mark on the power supply that comes with a prebuilt PC.

Find power supply wattage from the label on the PSU

Although there is a little hassle in this method, this is the easiest and most convenient way to check the power supply and its wattage. Every power supply includes a sticker or label with the model and specifications on it. To check this, you must open the PC case and find the level displayed on the power supply. 

If your power supply is covered by a PSU shroud, then you need to remove the power supply from the shroud to see the label or sticker. Before touching the computer, turn off the power supply and make sure you have unplugged your PC from the power source. You may need to remove 4 or 5 screws to remove the power supply. Once you have turned off the power, you can see the label on the power supply’s body.

Check the wattage from the power supply box 

I think the easiest way to find out the power supply model, its wattage, and other specifications is to check the power supply box. This method is the quickest way where you don’t have to remove the PSU from your computer. So, it’s less hassle. 

If you have a legit power supply box, you can check the model and specifications. This can be often found in the branded PSU and usually not from a power supply that comes with a prebuilt PC. This is a picture of the PSU box for your guidance –

Some power supplies come with international manuals. You can read the manual to learn how to install the power supply on your computer. 

Determine the exact power you need from a power supply calculator

A power supply calculator is an online program that can calculate how much power your computer actually needs depending on the components. Most of the time, it shows way more power than your computer actually needs. It’s kind of a marketing policy for advertising their products. 

Here are some of the best PC wattage calculators or PC power supply calculators

• CoolerMaster Power supply calculator
• Power supply calculator from Newegg
• Asus ROG PC power supply calculator
• Seasonic Wattage calculator

There are a large number of PSU calculators, but most of them are not effective in determining certification and wattage. But I suggest you check the latest power supply list and choose the correct power supply according to your computer’s needs. 

Therefore, it is more effective to buy a PSU based on the PSU tier list than what result you get from a PSU calculator.