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28 Amps on 12v rails enough for X1950XT ?

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Last response: in Graphics & Displays
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January 3, 2007 5:54:51 PM

Hallo people!

Before I begin, here's my current system:

Hiper 530W Type R Modular PSU (28 amps on 12v rails)
Gigabyte GA-M57SLI-S4
AM2 Athlon 64 X2 4600+
Zalman CNPS9500 Heatsink
1GB Corsair 6400 DDR2
Seagate ST3250620AS 250GB SATAII/300 7200rpm
1xDVD-RW
1xCD-RW
2x120mm Fans

My question is: I know that the X1950XT requires 30 amps on a 12V rail. However, wouldn't 28 amps do just fine. It's stated that 30 amps is required for a fully loaded system but to be honest mine isn't that loaded, is it?

What I don't understand is how can one X1950XT require 30 amps and 2 in Crossfire need only 38 amps? Makes no sense. Surely, I can get away with 28 amps on the above system??? If anyone has the same PSU as me and a X1950XT, please let me know.

I appreciate any help that is provided.

Peace!

More about : amps 12v rails x1950xt

January 3, 2007 6:08:17 PM

If it's a quality PSU it'll do fine.

The requirement is more for low-end PSUs that advertise peak specs, not nominal specs.
January 4, 2007 9:03:36 AM

Quote:
If it's a quality PSU it'll do fine.

The requirement is more for low-end PSUs that advertise peak specs, not nominal specs.


Cheers Cleeve. I may just give it a go then.

Thank You.
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a b U Graphics card
January 4, 2007 10:23:04 AM

Your system needs 28 amps on the 12v rail. Your power supply is fine.
January 4, 2007 1:54:32 PM

Hey dude, I was befuddled by BFG when I bought my 7800gtx oc.

the website said i need 26 amps, and yet, in SLI, I only needed 34 amps..


Anyway, the card its self only needs 8 amps at peak.. A 15 amp, or 18 amp PSU (on the 12v rails) will be sufficient.

unless you are running alot of storage/dvd drivers, and high power draining equipment, you dont need anything more then 15 amps on the 12v rail. Unless you are planning to run SLI/Crossfire, dont overly concern your self with some isanely over powered/over priced PSU.

that system that you have will work fine with 18 amp on the 12v rail -like wise, 430 to 450 watt should be considerably enough power for that system.


they just inflate the numbers, because they dont want to have people calling in and saying it doesn't work. By making people think they need a bigger badder PSU, they elimante one factor in tech support.
January 4, 2007 2:08:27 PM

Quote:
the website said i need 26 amps, and yet, in SLI, I only needed 34 amps..


Remember your PSU is provifing power to everything, niot just the videocard.

Assuming your system requires 18 amps and each card takes 8 amps each, that makes perfect sense.
January 4, 2007 8:09:01 PM

Quote:
the website said i need 26 amps, and yet, in SLI, I only needed 34 amps..


Remember your PSU is provifing power to everything, niot just the videocard.

Assuming your system requires 18 amps and each card takes 8 amps each, that makes perfect sense.

Unfortunately, that assumption would be wrong as your system doesn't drain 18 amps through the 12V rail. Probably draws more like 1 to 4 depending on what year your optical drives/hard drives were made. Older ones tend to need more juice, but, nothing more then 1 to 2 amps peak.

Sure if youve got 4 hd's in raid, with 3 or 4 cd/dvd rom drives, then you might want to opt for a beefer psu.
January 4, 2007 8:17:44 PM

Of course that's not realistic, but there's really no other way to explain that calculation.

It would make sense that they would have specifications high above the actual requirements so that they wouldn't have to worry about poor, generic PSUs that advertise peak and not nominal output.

They specify for worst-case-scenario, which is why I'm sure the X1950 PRO will work with no problems on the OP's setup...
a b U Graphics card
January 4, 2007 8:28:45 PM

Quote:
the website said i need 26 amps, and yet, in SLI, I only needed 34 amps..


Remember your PSU is provifing power to everything, niot just the videocard.

Assuming your system requires 18 amps and each card takes 8 amps each, that makes perfect sense.

Unfortunately, that assumption would be wrong as your system doesn't drain 18 amps through the 12V rail. Probably draws more like 1 to 4 depending on what year your optical drives/hard drives were made. Older ones tend to need more juice, but, nothing more then 1 to 2 amps peak.

Sure if youve got 4 hd's in raid, with 3 or 4 cd/dvd rom drives, then you might want to opt for a beefer psu.
That may be the way systems worked many years ago, but P4's and A64 mobos use the 12v rail to run the processor voltage regulator module (processor is powered by the 12v rails). That's why they required the extra 4 pin 12v lead to be connected to the mobo.
January 4, 2007 8:49:06 PM

Cheers everyone for your most valued feedback. It has been ever so helpful. Remember that I am buying the X1950XT and that I have a PSU capable of 28 amps on a 12v rail...just to clear up the confusion.

Cheers.
!