Power Supply Limits

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I just built my first computer here are the specs:
MSI 970A-G43
AMD FX-6100 3.3ghz
8gb Adata ram
500W Ultra ATX power supply Lifetime series
xfx ati radeon 5770 1gb single slot version

Now I want to get a 660 or 7850 in the near future, or just wait for the next gen cards to be released, but I'm not sure if my power supply will be able to run them smoothly. I stand by the Ultra PSU, it is not poor quality. Even though for those cards it says to have a minimum of 500w, I feel like I am definetly pushing it by going with the minimum wattage. What do you guys think? Here is a link to the PSU.
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3255392&SRCCODE=WEBGOOPA&cm_mmc_o=mH4CjC7BBTkwCjCV1-CjCE&gclid=COP1wrqx07YCFRRcnAodHFIAbw
 
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the 660 and 7850 are both modern 28nm GPUs and are pretty good on power compared to some older cards or higher end models.

Those minimum power supply recommendations have to take into account people with more power hungry CPUs and multi-rail power supplies that might not be able to provide enough amps to the GPU as it's split up to feed 1/2 its power to just the CPU.

As long as that power supply can get 2/3 of its rated capacity, you should be fine.

As for some of the Ultra haters, most of them have it wrong. Some of their past products sold under the Ultra brand are actually really good (and just rebranded products); Instead one should hate the company for all the patents they've filed in the power supply field forcing other...
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Ultra power supplies are some of the worst junk on the market. TigerDirect does a wonderful job of marketing them though ( yes they are a TigerDirect/Systemax brand ) so most people have no idea how bad they are. That so called 500w only produces 28 amps on the 12v rail for 338 watts. Since the 12v rail is the most important factor in a modern computer and where most of the power is drawn from all quality units produce most of their rated power there. Therefore a quality 500w power supply would be making over 450 watts on the 12v rail. You unit would be rated 350 watts if it was labeled honestly.

An HD 5770 is a pretty low power card but it requires a recommended 425w power supply. Thankfully that recommendation is based on the fact that some people have junk power supplies like yours. I would not stress it any harder than that card though.

So replace that thing as soon as you can. Corsair, Seasonic, PC Power and Cooling, XFX, Silverstone, Enermax, OCZ or Antec for quality.

Recommended power for any card.

http://www.realhardtechx.com/index_archivos/Page362.htm

Ultra on the tier list. Yes they made a single good model for less than a year. Yours is equivalent to the LSP.

http://www.eggxpert.com/forums/thread/323050.aspx
 
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ko888

ko888

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Feb 18, 2009
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For a system using a single GeForce GTX 660 (non-Ti) graphics card NVIDIA specifies a minimum of a 450 Watt or greater system power supply that has a maximum combined +12 Volt continuous current rating of 24 Amps or greater and that has at least one 6-pin PCI Express supplementary power connector. MSI GeForce GTX 660 HAWK 2 GB requires two 6-pin PCI Express supplementary power connectors.

For a system using a single AMD reference design Radeon HD 7850 graphics card AMD specifies a minimum of a 500 Watt or greater system power supply. The power supply should also have a maximum combined +12 Volt continuous current rating of 27 Amps or greater and have at least one 6-pin PCI Express supplementary power connector. Some of the non-reference design Radeon HD 7850 graphics cards require at least two 6-pin PCI Express supplementary power connectors.

Total Power Supply Wattage is NOT the crucial factor in power supply selection!!! Sufficient Total Combined Continuous Power/Current Available on the +12V Rail(s) rated at 45°C - 50°C ambient temperature, is the most critical factor.

Overclocking of the CPU and/or GPU(s) will require an additional increase to the maximum combined +12 Volt continuous current ratings, recommended above, to meet the increase in power required for the overclock. The additional amount required will depend on the magnitude of the overclock being attempted.

The Ultra LS500 Lifetime Series 500W (ULT-LS500), with its maximum combined +12 Volt continuous current rating of 28 Amps and with one 6-pin PCI Express supplementary power connector, is sufficient to power your system configuration with a single GeForce GTX 660 graphics card. It is barely sufficient to power your system configuration with a single AMD reference design Radeon HD 7850 graphics card.

Since there are no reputable reviews of the ULT-LS500 showing full load testing there is no proof that this PSU is able to deliver its labelled power.

The fact that it has Manual 130v & 220v Switching indicates an older power supply design that doesn't have active power factor correction. It has a 6 Amp weaker +12V rail than a reputable name brand PSU, like Seasonic, has.
 
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Personally as an expert, do you think I would be okay with a 660 and this model? I have heard of friends using psus that are not the best on powerful cards
 
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ko888

ko888

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Feb 18, 2009
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I would hazard a guess that your system power consumption should be under 270 Watts during a typical gaming load if your system were to be using a single GeForce GTX 660 (non-Ti) graphics card.

I would think you should be okay, but that is only based on theory (i.e. the numbers). I can't attest to the ability of your PSU to be able to deliver its full rated capacity if the system calls for it.
 
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Deleted member 217926

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Bad power supplies not only can't deliver rated power they also have bad voltage regulation and high ripple and noise that can contribute to system instability and in extreme cases even damage your motherboard and graphics card. I would not trust that Ultra very far if I was you. It's a low end Andyson make and that's not a good thing.
 
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ko888

ko888

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The OEM for the ULT-LS500 is actually Shenzhen Ruishengyuan Technology Co., Ltd. Not Andyson.

Shenzhen Ruishengyuan Technology Co., Ltd only has five PSUs in the 80 PLUS Certification database. It's a relatively unknown OEM. Not one I would place much trust in.
 
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zyky

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the 660 and 7850 are both modern 28nm GPUs and are pretty good on power compared to some older cards or higher end models.

Those minimum power supply recommendations have to take into account people with more power hungry CPUs and multi-rail power supplies that might not be able to provide enough amps to the GPU as it's split up to feed 1/2 its power to just the CPU.

As long as that power supply can get 2/3 of its rated capacity, you should be fine.

As for some of the Ultra haters, most of them have it wrong. Some of their past products sold under the Ultra brand are actually really good (and just rebranded products); Instead one should hate the company for all the patents they've filed in the power supply field forcing other companies to pay them royalties for stupid things like flat cables or modular connectors.
 
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Deleted member 217926

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Oops thought it was an LSP. You are right. Although I would actually trust Andyson more than Shenzhen Ruishengyuan Yuan!
 
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