Thinking of upgrading but not sure about PSU

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.videocards.ati (More info?)

I currently have the system listed at the bottom of this email
It has basically a 300W power supply, a prescott CPU, and a Radeon 9550SE

I want to upgrade to a 256Mb Abit 9600XT but I am concerned that maybe my
power supply is not up to it? It is a Fortron/FSP Group which I have read
are not too bad - but all the power calculators I use on the web seem to say
that you need around 300W and I am wondering if I should upgrade to an Antec
Trupower 380 just to be safe or whether the difference between the 9550SE
and the 9600XT power draw (they both do *not* need an extra power connector)
is small enough to not matter?

System spec:
128MB DDR Sapphire Radeon 9550SE graphics with TV-out & DVI (Catalyst 4.5)
Intel Pentium 4 3.0GHz (1MB cache, 800FSB) with HT (Prescott)
MSI 865PE NEO-2 P MS-6728 Ver 2 (No D-bracket) 3.50 AMI BIOS
Nanya 2 x 256MB dual channel DDR RAM (PC3200) 400MHz
FSP Group FSP300-60PN 300W +3.3@28A, +5V@30A, +12V@18A,
+5Vsb@2.0A, -5V@0.3A, -12V@0.8A
Western Digital 160GB 7200rpm hard drive with 8MB buffer
Sony DVD-ROM drive (16x)
Sony DW-D22A Dual-Layer IDE DVD+/-RW (black)
Windows XP Pro SP2
memtest86 1.27: 7.5 hour all tests no errors
speedfan 4.16: +5V@6.71V, +12V@16.10V, -12V@8.43V, -5V@2.89V

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.videocards.ati (More info?)

You realistically need at LEAST the Antec True Power 430 Watt for all those
components in your system.

--
DaveW



"ofn01" <ofn01@nospam.not.uk> wrote in message
news:V5qdnRKJku0bunPcRVnyjA@pipex.net...
>I currently have the system listed at the bottom of this email
> It has basically a 300W power supply, a prescott CPU, and a Radeon 9550SE
>
> I want to upgrade to a 256Mb Abit 9600XT but I am concerned that maybe my
> power supply is not up to it? It is a Fortron/FSP Group which I have read
> are not too bad - but all the power calculators I use on the web seem to
> say that you need around 300W and I am wondering if I should upgrade to an
> Antec Trupower 380 just to be safe or whether the difference between the
> 9550SE and the 9600XT power draw (they both do *not* need an extra power
> connector) is small enough to not matter?
>
> System spec:
> 128MB DDR Sapphire Radeon 9550SE graphics with TV-out & DVI (Catalyst 4.5)
> Intel Pentium 4 3.0GHz (1MB cache, 800FSB) with HT (Prescott)
> MSI 865PE NEO-2 P MS-6728 Ver 2 (No D-bracket) 3.50 AMI BIOS
> Nanya 2 x 256MB dual channel DDR RAM (PC3200) 400MHz
> FSP Group FSP300-60PN 300W +3.3@28A, +5V@30A, +12V@18A,
> +5Vsb@2.0A, -5V@0.3A, -12V@0.8A
> Western Digital 160GB 7200rpm hard drive with 8MB buffer
> Sony DVD-ROM drive (16x)
> Sony DW-D22A Dual-Layer IDE DVD+/-RW (black)
> Windows XP Pro SP2
> memtest86 1.27: 7.5 hour all tests no errors
> speedfan 4.16: +5V@6.71V, +12V@16.10V, -12V@8.43V, -5V@2.89V
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.videocards.ati (More info?)

"DaveW" <none@zero.org> wrote in message
news:fOGdnWasZanVZnPcRVn-pg@comcast.com...
> You realistically need at LEAST the Antec True Power 430 Watt for all
> those components in your system.
>

Cheers for the reply!

It all currently runs well with the 300W supply - ive memtested it and had
no problems playing games or leaving 3dMark running in a loop for an hour or
so.

Are you saying though that upgrading from the 9550SE (which has no fan) to a
9600 Pro or 9600 XT (which has a fan and presumably draws more power anyway)
would require upgrading the PSU from 300W to 430W or would you think the
300W is underpowered for the components in there already?

> --
> DaveW
>
>
>
> "ofn01" <ofn01@nospam.not.uk> wrote in message
> news:V5qdnRKJku0bunPcRVnyjA@pipex.net...
>>I currently have the system listed at the bottom of this email
>> It has basically a 300W power supply, a prescott CPU, and a Radeon 9550SE
>>
>> I want to upgrade to a 256Mb Abit 9600XT but I am concerned that maybe my
>> power supply is not up to it? It is a Fortron/FSP Group which I have read
>> are not too bad - but all the power calculators I use on the web seem to
>> say that you need around 300W and I am wondering if I should upgrade to
>> an Antec Trupower 380 just to be safe or whether the difference between
>> the 9550SE and the 9600XT power draw (they both do *not* need an extra
>> power connector) is small enough to not matter?
>>
>> System spec:
>> 128MB DDR Sapphire Radeon 9550SE graphics with TV-out & DVI (Catalyst
>> 4.5)
>> Intel Pentium 4 3.0GHz (1MB cache, 800FSB) with HT (Prescott)
>> MSI 865PE NEO-2 P MS-6728 Ver 2 (No D-bracket) 3.50 AMI BIOS
>> Nanya 2 x 256MB dual channel DDR RAM (PC3200) 400MHz
>> FSP Group FSP300-60PN 300W +3.3@28A, +5V@30A, +12V@18A,
>> +5Vsb@2.0A, -5V@0.3A, -12V@0.8A
>> Western Digital 160GB 7200rpm hard drive with 8MB buffer
>> Sony DVD-ROM drive (16x)
>> Sony DW-D22A Dual-Layer IDE DVD+/-RW (black)
>> Windows XP Pro SP2
>> memtest86 1.27: 7.5 hour all tests no errors
>> speedfan 4.16: +5V@6.71V, +12V@16.10V, -12V@8.43V, -5V@2.89V
>>
>>
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.videocards.ati (More info?)

Its "alot" of hassle just for a gfx card, i would say try the new xt see how
goes, and if the voltages look strange get the psu. But if budget isn't a
prob, then just get both to take that worry off your hands.

Although, you didn't ask for it, have you thought about getting a 9800,
shouldn't be much more expensive than the one you want, and the 256bit
memory will be more than worth it.

"ofn01" <ofn01@nospam.not.uk> wrote in message
news:V5qdnRKJku0bunPcRVnyjA@pipex.net...
>I currently have the system listed at the bottom of this email
> It has basically a 300W power supply, a prescott CPU, and a Radeon 9550SE
>
> I want to upgrade to a 256Mb Abit 9600XT but I am concerned that maybe my
> power supply is not up to it? It is a Fortron/FSP Group which I have read
> are not too bad - but all the power calculators I use on the web seem to
> say that you need around 300W and I am wondering if I should upgrade to an
> Antec Trupower 380 just to be safe or whether the difference between the
> 9550SE and the 9600XT power draw (they both do *not* need an extra power
> connector) is small enough to not matter?
>
> System spec:
> 128MB DDR Sapphire Radeon 9550SE graphics with TV-out & DVI (Catalyst 4.5)
> Intel Pentium 4 3.0GHz (1MB cache, 800FSB) with HT (Prescott)
> MSI 865PE NEO-2 P MS-6728 Ver 2 (No D-bracket) 3.50 AMI BIOS
> Nanya 2 x 256MB dual channel DDR RAM (PC3200) 400MHz
> FSP Group FSP300-60PN 300W +3.3@28A, +5V@30A, +12V@18A,
> +5Vsb@2.0A, -5V@0.3A, -12V@0.8A
> Western Digital 160GB 7200rpm hard drive with 8MB buffer
> Sony DVD-ROM drive (16x)
> Sony DW-D22A Dual-Layer IDE DVD+/-RW (black)
> Windows XP Pro SP2
> memtest86 1.27: 7.5 hour all tests no errors
> speedfan 4.16: +5V@6.71V, +12V@16.10V, -12V@8.43V, -5V@2.89V
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.videocards.ati (More info?)

"Veritech" <avis.dalrymple@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
newseTHd.178$f4.101@newsfe4-win.ntli.net...
> Its "alot" of hassle just for a gfx card, i would say try the new xt see
> how goes, and if the voltages look strange get the psu. But if budget
> isn't a prob, then just get both to take that worry off your hands.
>
> Although, you didn't ask for it, have you thought about getting a 9800,
> shouldn't be much more expensive than the one you want, and the 256bit
> memory will be more than worth it.

Budget isn't a huge constraint - though I won't want to go nuts.
I guess while I have built computers in the past and I am quite happy with
taking bits in and out - I just always *Worry* that something is going to
happen if I change something.

While a PSU change is pretty benign - I am slightly concerned that some
sites reckon your motherboard might need a BIOS upgrade to handle a new PSU
(not sure why), and at the moment this computer is actually running pretty
stable.

But I do want to upgrade the GFX card and if this computer had a PSU capable
of it I probably would consider the 9800. But I am probably happier to get
9600XT if the chances are that the 300W FSP Group PSU I have (which has 18
amps on the 12v rail) would be fine with it.

The problem is I can't find how much my Sapphire 9550SE draws and how much
an Abit 9600XT draws!

>
> "ofn01" <ofn01@nospam.not.uk> wrote in message
> news:V5qdnRKJku0bunPcRVnyjA@pipex.net...
>>I currently have the system listed at the bottom of this email
>> It has basically a 300W power supply, a prescott CPU, and a Radeon 9550SE
>>
>> I want to upgrade to a 256Mb Abit 9600XT but I am concerned that maybe my
>> power supply is not up to it? It is a Fortron/FSP Group which I have read
>> are not too bad - but all the power calculators I use on the web seem to
>> say that you need around 300W and I am wondering if I should upgrade to
>> an Antec Trupower 380 just to be safe or whether the difference between
>> the 9550SE and the 9600XT power draw (they both do *not* need an extra
>> power connector) is small enough to not matter?
>>
>> System spec:
>> 128MB DDR Sapphire Radeon 9550SE graphics with TV-out & DVI (Catalyst
>> 4.5)
>> Intel Pentium 4 3.0GHz (1MB cache, 800FSB) with HT (Prescott)
>> MSI 865PE NEO-2 P MS-6728 Ver 2 (No D-bracket) 3.50 AMI BIOS
>> Nanya 2 x 256MB dual channel DDR RAM (PC3200) 400MHz
>> FSP Group FSP300-60PN 300W +3.3@28A, +5V@30A, +12V@18A,
>> +5Vsb@2.0A, -5V@0.3A, -12V@0.8A
>> Western Digital 160GB 7200rpm hard drive with 8MB buffer
>> Sony DVD-ROM drive (16x)
>> Sony DW-D22A Dual-Layer IDE DVD+/-RW (black)
>> Windows XP Pro SP2
>> memtest86 1.27: 7.5 hour all tests no errors
>> speedfan 4.16: +5V@6.71V, +12V@16.10V, -12V@8.43V, -5V@2.89V
>>
>>
>
>

 

[Thomas]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.videocards.ati (More info?)

DaveW wrote:
> You realistically need at LEAST the Antec True Power 430 Watt for all
> those components in your system.

Oh come on... I'm all for being sure of yr PSU, but that is pure overkill
vor a system without SLI videocards... I am OC'ing a northwood quite far,
together with SCSI drives and an OC'd 9700. I am not even coming near the
limits of my Enermax 365....

Thomas