Mobo / PSU Question

[Joudoki]

I have a 250 watt power supply in my computer, and I want to upgrade to a 400-watt so that I can use a more recent video card. ( I'm using a 5200fx AGP - Looking to use a 7600gs agp ).

Now, my question is, can a motherboard support and power-level power supply, are are they limited by how much power they can handle? I have a pre-built stock computer from dell (model 4600i) and I want to upgrade it.

 

[lendude]

As long as the powersupply is the correct type and has the compatible connectors for the board, and is physically capable of fitting in the case , the output of the power supply is irrelevant to the board: the board and it's peripherals will draw only as much power as they need. Hence why you need to upgrade to a higher wattage psu when things like graphics cards, hard drives etc are added: a low watt psu won't be able to supply the correct power levels.

Just check what psu type you currently have and ensure you get the same.

 

[o1die]

I don't recommend upgrading the power supply unless your warranty is finished. Some Dell power supplies are proprietary, and swapping out the ps will void your warranty. If you can't find any info on Dell's website, I would contact them direct and see what they recommend. Dell has some newer power supplies up to about 400 watts for their high end Intel and Amd systems.