Is Cougar VTE 600W Enough for i5-13400F and RTX 5070?

The Cougar VTE 600W power supply is sufficient for a system with an Intel Core i5-13400F processor and NVIDIA RTX 5070 graphics card, but with some important caveats. With proper system configuration and moderate overclocking, this power supply will handle the load, however, it is recommended to provide some power headroom for stable operation and component longevity.

---

Table of Contents

• Technical Specifications of Components
• Power Consumption Calculation
• Evaluation of Cougar VTE 600W
• Optimization Recommendations
• Important Considerations

---

Technical Specifications of Components

Intel Core i5-13400F has the following power consumption parameters:

• Base TDP (PL1): 65W - this is the power consumption indicator during typical operations at base frequency
• Turbo Boost TDP (PL2): 148W - peak power consumption when operating at maximum frequencies
• Actual consumption under load: in Cinebench R23 tests, the multi-threaded mode showed an average consumption of about 218.9W

NVIDIA RTX 5070 has the following parameters:

• Maximum power consumption: 250W
• Typical consumption under load: varies depending on applications and settings
• Idle: around 16-30W depending on power management settings

---

Power Consumption Calculation

Let’s calculate the total power consumption of the system:

As seen in the calculations, the system’s total peak power consumption reaches approximately 544W. However, this is an extreme load that does not occur simultaneously in all components.

---

Evaluation of Cougar VTE 600W

Cougar VTE 600W is a mid-range power supply with the following characteristics:

• Power: 600W
• Efficiency: 80 Plus Bronze certification (minimum 82% efficiency at 50% load)
• Number of connectors: Typically includes enough for i5-13400F and RTX 5070
• Component quality: Mid-level for the budget segment

Advantages:

• Theoretical power headroom: 600W ÷ 544W = ~110% of peak consumption
• Sufficient power for most gaming and work scenarios
• Support for modern connectors for RTX 5070

Potential disadvantages:

• Lack of 80 Plus Gold or Platinum certification
• Less power headroom for future upgrades
• Possible component quality issues during prolonged maximum loads

---

Optimization Recommendations

To ensure stable system operation with this power supply:

1. Power management settings:

   • In BIOS processor settings, set PL2 (turbo boost) limit to ~120-130W instead of 148W
   • Configure NVIDIA Control Panel for balanced power management mode

2. System cooling optimization:

   • Ensure adequate processor cooling to avoid overheating and related power consumption spikes
   • Use a case with good ventilation

3. Power consumption monitoring:

   • Install programs for monitoring temperature and power consumption (e.g., HWiNFO64)
   • Track actual metrics during gaming sessions

---

Important Considerations

When the power supply may be insufficient:

1. Aggressive overclocking: If you plan to overclock the processor or graphics card, power consumption can significantly exceed calculated values

2. System expansion:

   • Adding a second graphics card
   • Installation of high-performance NVMe SSDs
   • RGB lighting components

3. Power grid quality: In regions with unstable voltage, it is recommended to use a voltage stabilizer or UPS

Alternative options:

• If future upgrades are planned, consider a 700-750W power supply with 80 Plus Gold certification
• For maximum reliability and quiet operation, choose models from trusted brands (Corsair, Seasonic, be quiet!)

---

In conclusion, the Cougar VTE 600W power supply is sufficient for the current configuration with i5-13400F and RTX 5070 under moderate loads, but for long-term stability and the possibility of future upgrades, it is recommended to consider a model with more power headroom and higher efficiency.

Sources

1. Intel Core i5-13400F Review - Power Consumption & Efficiency | TechPowerUp
2. Intel Core i5-13400F Review - Value & Conclusion | TechPowerUp
3. Choosing the Best Power Supply for Intel’s Core i5-13400F CPU | TechReviewer
4. Intel Core i5-13400F Processor Specs | TechPowerUp CPU Database
5. Review: Intel Core i5-13400F, the king of the entry level? | Overclocking.com
6. NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Specs | TechPowerUp GPU Database
7. RTX 5070 Ti Wattage & PSU Guide: Do You Need an Upgrade? | A1 Electronics
8. Leaker says RTX 50-series GPUs will require substantially more power | Tom’s Hardware