What PSU for my config?

ouechTonton · Jan 12, 2015

my config, without the GPU and the PSU I think to change:

CPU
AMD Athlon X4 860K Quad Core Black Edition (95W stock)
It is overclocked:
CPU Northbridge 2000 MHz (default 1800 MHz)
CPU Clock Ratio 44 (Default 37)
Vcore = +,126V = 1.426V
Vnb = +,030V
So the CPU might consume 147W.

Ventirad
Enermax ETS-N30-HE 9CM Ventirad (5W ?)

MoBo
GIGABYTE F2A78M-DS2 rev3.0 (20W ?)

RAM
G.Skill Ares - 2 x 4 Go - 2133 MHz (20W ?)
It is "overclocked" in XMP profile 2 (VRam = 1.65V)

HDD and DVD
WD 1To S-ATA III 64Mo 7200 RPM (Caviar Blue - WD10EZEX) (15W ?)
DVD burner SAMSUNG SH224DB/BEBE NOIR (20W ?)

case
Advance Vortex Mid tower
3 fans (10W ?)

If we add my speculative numbers, it makes 237W.

Nevertheless I own an ANTEC VP Basiq series 500P and I bought this graphic card: Club-3D R9 290X Royal Ace 8Go (250W).

So it seems I need 487 W. Do you think my Antec PSU will do the job?
Here is its detailed spec: http://www.antec.com/pdf/flyers/VP500P_flyer_EN.pdf

PSU calculators gave me other numbers for this config.
Extreme Power Supply Calculator says: Minimum PSU Wattage: 495 W (Recommended 545W)
And BeQuiet calculator says: 550W max consumed power.
Also Club-3D site recommends 750W for this graphics card model... I can't believe it.

What do you think about? I thank you for your advice.

4745454b · Jan 12, 2015

290/290X is a 300W part. I don't believe that PSU would be a good choice. Basiq PSUs don't match up well with high end GPUs like that.

Edit: You also have a severally weak CPU for that GPU. It will get held back a lot.

badboyrog2 · Jan 12, 2015

replace your psu for a 600W and up ...as soon as possible

geofelt · Jan 12, 2015

The graphics card is the driving item for psu needs.
Here is a chart which indicates 600w:
http://www.realhardtechx.com/index_archivos/Page362.htm
Your psu is a good one though, and it has both a 6 and a 8 pin connector.
I would try it.
The card itself can draw up to 300w, and the rest of your rig should do with the 200w remaining.
If you have a problem, it should show up as artifacts or a reduced graphics clock rate.

ouechTonton · Jan 12, 2015

geofelt, you advice me to try? But I read several times that a low power PSU for a rig can be destructive for the CPU, the MoBo or the GC, doesn't it?

geofelt · Jan 12, 2015

ouechTonton :

A cheap psu will not have adequate protective circuitry.
And a cheap psu will not deliver advertised power.
But Antec is of good quality and delivers 500w continuously, not just as peak which is what a cheap psu will advertise.

Math Geek · Jan 12, 2015

ok so your looking at 450w min usage for your system. that is ~38 12v amps at a minimum needed and ~48 amps to be safe at 80% usage. that psu has 36 12v amps which does not even meet the minimum needs much less leave any headroom for "safe" usage.

you need a new psu for that gpu. as you look keep an eye on the 12v amps and get something with 50+ amps from a quality psu. a major oc of the cpu and ram would raise this requirement and put you closer to 55+ amps to run the system safely.

650w is the minimum i recommend for this power hungry gpu to ensure you can run it at safe loads in the long run but there are some good psus at lower wattage that can do what you need it to do such as this seasonic 620w with 48 amps PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Power Supply: SeaSonic 620W 80+ Bronze Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($54.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $54.99
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-01-12 11:21 EST-0500

this is as low as i would go for a psu. 650+ watts would be a batter pair. such as one of these which were picked based on price not wattage. some are more wattage but good price.
http://pcpartpicker.com/parts/compare/evga-power-supply-110b20750vr%2Csilverstone-power-supply-st70fes%2Cxfx-power-supply-p1650gts3x/

geofelt · Jan 12, 2015

Has there been an edit??
I can't seem to locate R9-290 as a prospective upgrade.
As I understand it, the OP has a 500w psu and is looking at upgrading the graphics card.
I might suggest that a similarly performing upgrade to a R9-290/X might be a GTX970 which will run more easily on the current psu obviating the need for a stronger psu upgrade.

On a new build, I would certainly endorse the 620w Seasonic.

Math Geek · Jan 12, 2015

don't know about an edit but when i read the op it says "Nevertheless I own an ANTEC VP Basiq series 500P and I bought this graphic card: Club-3D R9 290X Royal Ace 8Go (250W)"

so that is what i went on with my post

geofelt · Jan 12, 2015

Math Geek :

You are absolutely correct.
Old eyes missed that.

Math Geek · Jan 12, 2015

lol, as we have seen, i am guilty of such as well. few weeks ago i got into a psu need argument that went on for a page before someone pointed out they were talking about sli and i was talking about single card

kind of changed the situation a bit

Simon Ayres · Jan 12, 2015

3d club will always over estimate power recommendation so as to be sure that all systems can push the video card no matter what the systems power draw is with out the video card.

geofelt · Jan 12, 2015

Since the OP has both a stronger card and a 500w psu, the question is what risk does he take by trying and seeing how things work?
I dislike fixing something that may not be a problem.
I could be wrong, but the protective qualities of Antec power supplies should be fine.
It is only the cheap units that fail under load that one needs to be worried about.

Simon Ayres · Jan 12, 2015

geofelt :

The issue with his current one is that there is very little overhead, if he kills the PSU it could take other components with it, that is why it is always good to have a 100w buffer.

Math Geek · Jan 12, 2015

he can try but as the math showed i don't think the psu can even provide the minimum power. nothing to do with quality of the unit but simply available vs needed power. it may boot up and idle but under any load it won't get enough power. is that really worth trying? don't think it would hurt anything to do it but i also don't see this as even a short term option since it is just not a strong enough psu to run the system day to day. i assumed 300w for the gpu and 150 for the rest of the system. not an overestimate by any means and showed that the psu does not have the minimum amps to provide this amount much less any "safe" overhead.

450w/12v = 37.5 amps the psu has 36 amps available. so even at 100% usage of the psu it won't have enough power.

ouechTonton · Jan 12, 2015

Thank you for your advice. For the story, I built this config in December, for my nephew. It embeded a SAPPHIRE ATI Radeon HD7870 (Refurbished version). So the PSU was OK for this.
But unfortunately, this Saphire HD7870 came from a bad lot with the "famous" black screen problem that appeared in 2012 in HD7870. I knewed the problem but I thought it was OK now in 2014! :pfff:

So I will give back the card to the re-seller for fixing. Meanwhile I searched for a very cheap card to make my nephew able to use the rig (Excuse my poor English :pfff:

). And I found this R9 290X for an unbelievable price (25$ and new). I ordered it! But sure, it was not the original idea of this build with its middle level CPU and PSU.
I don't believe I will recieve the graphics card (ordered on Saturday). It is not possible at this price (Neverthelesse the seller is high rated and the product is out-of-stock now: there were few cards to sell)...

badboyrog2 · Jan 12, 2015

thats impossible to have a r9 290X at 25$

keep searching a gpu

Math Geek · Jan 12, 2015

for $25 i would have taken the chance too

if it turns out to be false your not out much money. but if it is true, then this is indeed unbelievable and anything you spend on a new psu will easily be justified for saving a few hundred bucks on the card!! think about it that way. dropping $60 or so on a psu is still WAY under what the combo should cost.

ouechTonton · Jan 15, 2015

Finally I didn't recieve the GC, it was an error on the seller site. I've been refounded.
So I found a used and cheap HD 4850 that will permit to make the computer work during I send the current card for fixing. And I don't need new PSU anymore.
However, I learnt new things about watterage. Thank you.

What PSU for my config?

Honorable

Titan

Distinguished

Titan

Honorable

Titan

Titan

Titan

Titan

Titan

Titan

Honorable

Titan

Honorable

Titan

Honorable

Distinguished

Titan

Honorable

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