How to Find Out How Many Watts a Power Supply Is on an HP Computer

Power supplies have labels that list wattage

The power supply unit (PSU) of a computer is responsible for drawing electricity from an outlet and sending it to the various devices within a computer. The amount of energy that a power supply can process is governed by the maximum wattage of the power supply. Computers with many high-end devices will typically require power supplies with higher wattage. Some HP computers have power supply information listed on HP's support site, while others may require physical inspection.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Screwdrivers
• Computer Manual

Using HP Support

1. Go to HP's support site (See "Resources" section below).

2. Enter your HP product number into the text field provided and press "Enter." The product number should be printed on a label that is stuck to your desktop tower or laptop. If you cannot locate the number, click "How do I find my product name/number" on the web page to troubleshoot finding the number.

3. Select the product that best describes your computer.

4. Click on "Product Information."

5. Select " Product Specifications" "Technical information" or any similar option. The exact options available in HP support will depend on your computer model.

6. Search the technical information page for power supply wattage. Some, but not all, HP computers will have power supply information available.

Physical Inspection

1. Turn off the PC, unplug the cords and then open the computer's case. Consult your HP user manual as to how to open the case. Standard tower cases can be opened by removing several screws along the right side of the back of the PC.

2. Locate the power supply and search for the label. The power supply should be located in the back top corner of the case. Power supplies have large labels that list wattage, amperage and other important technical information. In most cases the label will be visible as soon as you open the case.

3. Take the power supply out for further inspection. If you can't see the label when the case is open you may have to take the power supply out of its mounted position to inspect it further. Consult your user manual as to how take out the power supply; for a standard PC towers you will have to remove three or four screws from the back of the PC to allow the power supply to come free.

4. Mount the power supply back in place if you had to take it out and then close the computer's case.

Tips & Warnings

• The HP support site can be used to find other resources for your computer such as driver updates and manuals.

References

• Foner Books: Replacing a Power Supply

Resources

• HP: Support & Drivers