PSU Max Power Usage

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Tristan123

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Oct 4, 2014
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Hey People!

Here's my Rig :

CPU :AMD A8-7600 Quad Core 3.1Ghz (3.8Ghz Turbo)
GPU :Sapphire Radeon R7 250 (2G DDR3)
HDD :Seagate 3.5" 500GB 7200RPM
RAM :Gskill DDR3 8Gb 1600Mhz (2x4 Dual Channel)
Motherboard :ASROCK FM2A78M-HD+

I have caluculated my power usage, including fans and everything and it should be at 220W at peak (when I calculated this I always took the highest possible watttage).

The thing is I really want to buy the new AMD Radeon R7 370. That GPU takes 150W of power which means if I replace my current GPU with that one, my PC will consume 310W of power at peak. My Power supply is Corsair Builder Series VS 350W. That gives me a margin of (at least) 40W.

My Question : Can I install this GPU safely without having to change my PSU?
 
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sadams04
No. The Builder series from Corsair is not a great PSU (cheap capacitors) and you should not expect its full rated output. Being that close to the limit for max power draw isn't recommended even for a high quality PSU... Replace that guy before / when you upgrade the GPU and look toward a 450w / 550w unit from XFX, Seasonic, EVGA G2 lineup, or the Antec High Current series when doing so. You get what you pay for in this space so don't cheap out...
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leo2kp

leo2kp

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Oct 9, 2006
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The big question is: how old is your current PSU? Capacitors lose the ability to store power as they age, so their effective wattage goes down over time. If your current PSU is also not 80plus certified, you can greatly decrease the efficiency of the PSU if you are loading it with more than 80% of the max wattage. My recommendation would be to get a 400watt PSU with a 80plus Gold certification if you decide to go with that GPU.
 
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sadams04

sadams04

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Nov 23, 2010
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No. The Builder series from Corsair is not a great PSU (cheap capacitors) and you should not expect its full rated output. Being that close to the limit for max power draw isn't recommended even for a high quality PSU... Replace that guy before / when you upgrade the GPU and look toward a 450w / 550w unit from XFX, Seasonic, EVGA G2 lineup, or the Antec High Current series when doing so. You get what you pay for in this space so don't cheap out...
 
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