How much power does the gtx 970 need?

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Collda

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I am planning to buy a gtx 970 (MSI gaming) But i was wondering if my corsair cx 500m is good enough.
 
The card itself needs 145W, but with the system, the total would go around 270W. This rises if you OC the CPU, and can significantly rise if you have 6 core OCed CPU, to around 350W mark. But with a normal gaming machine with i5 or i7 quad, it normally stays under 300W or 25A, your PSU can supply 38A, and even when OCed, the PSU technically can power the system.
But, CXM is average quality and delivers 85% efficiency, which I take as 85%*38A=~32A, so the system shall still be good. The capacitors are Japanese high quality so it's much more stable than CX on high loads, fine enough for the system.
 

maxtex

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I only have a 450W supply, I ordered me the Asus GTX 970, and I don't really wanna change PSU's and I think it should run fine on this one. It's the CS450M, which is a gold-efficiency PSU.
What do you guys think, should it run stable? I have a i7-4790 (non-k) for CPU on a Z97M-G43 mobo, with one 120gb ssd and a WD red. I don't plan on overclocking the GPU much, I have only a 1080p monitor anyway.
 
The tiers are based on test reports and reviews. Originally compiled by newegg but now coordinated by Dotorrent who has also added results from Jonny Lucky and RealHardTech etc.

Each tier is recommended for various levels of PC build. If you want a top end build (eg X99), go for tier 1. For high end (i7 lga1150) use tier 2a. For i5 and fx8350 tier 2b. For less than $1000 build use tier 3. Get better PSUs when there's more at risk. Down to tier 5 where they start house fires.
 


+1

Though there's no compulsion to stay with T-2B with i5 builds (ie, you can get tier 1 or T2A also), its always better to stay above Tier 3 (3 being NOT included) to have high quality PSUs which'll ensure a stable system.

But there's a catch here, Dotorrent appears to have ignored the fact that CXM capacitors are Japanese and much higher quality than CX. Also, doesn't mean its the best for the price asked, only means its not that poor, just average.

 


That is wrong logic.
You can't just slash current on efficiency. If a 500W PSU is 85% efficiency, then it does not supply 425 W under full load, but draws more watts from the wall, so it'll supply full 500W, but draw 588W from the wall. Same logic for current. The PSU will supply full 38A of current.
 


That, if it doesn't set the house alight.
 

SvenTobold

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Did you end up getting the 970? Does it work with the CS450M? I too have this power supply and was wondering if it would work.
 

Michael Tseng

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Not if his CPU is power hungry, for example, the fx 8350. That thing can pull close 200watts (stock) so paired with a 970 that theoretically pulls up to 145 watts (stock), you would literally be maxing out a 500 watt psu with lets say 32 amps on the +12v. That would be risky. However, anything intel you should be in the clear.
 
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Well, he will need to make certain his power supply provides 30 amps on the 12 volt rail for the card, too. Some don't. Most lower end cards - GTX 750 and below - one need not worry about the amps, but when going to higher end cards that must be considered as well.

 
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I ordered a 750 SuperNova G2 one rather than the Coolermaster V700. Have little interest in SLI but maybe it could happen and power demands had always gone up.

But the way forward is down and the question is whatever people will even want huge PCs anyway.

And then the power demand / performance level dropped in half with Maxwell. The power demand didn't dropped as much because performance went up but still.

I can't imagine 450 watt wouldn't be enough with an Intel system and GTX 970.

Even the old 360 watt one I had in this 10+ year old Cheiftec Dragon might had been enough. Then again I think the 12 volt was pretty weak on it so maybe not (12 volt is what's mostly used from the PSU nowadays right? On the SuperNova G2 "all" of it (748.8 of 750 watt) can be 12 volt.)
 
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