Tom's Hardware > Forum > Graphic & Displays > ATI > HD 4870 PSU

HD 4870 PSU

Forum Graphic & Displays : ATI - HD 4870 PSU

Tom's Hardware: Over 1.4 million members in 6 different countries available to answer all your high-tech questions. Sign up now! Its free!

Ask the community Add a reply

Bottom Search this thread

hey guys, i have a cooler master extreme power 500w PSU
http://www.coolermaster.com/produc [...] e=22&id=57

was wondering whether it could run the new hd 4870
my other specs are:

e6550
ga-p35-s3l
1 x 160 gb HD
2gb ddr2 667mhx ram
and the usual dvd-rw drive

thx for the help

Add a reply

That would be the case if you could anticipate that a CoolerMaster PSU would be good for its rated output. I'm not sure I would.

------------------------------ There is ALWAYS a drone. Exactly where, or how many drones you will encounter may vary, but that there will be at least one will not.
Reply to jtt283

Your PSU has 1 6-pin PCI-E connector and the 4870 requires 2, I would get a new PSU.

Message quoted 1 times
Message edited by ausch30 on 06-27-2008 at 04:12:45 PM

------------------------------
It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.
-Aristotle
Reply to ausch30

1) That's a good suggestion but I've yet to see the specs from ATI or Sapphire, HIS, or Visiontek where they give more info than:

Quote :

500 Watt or greater power supply with two 75W 6-pin PCI Express® power connectors recommended (600 Watt and four 6-pin connectors for ATI CrossFireX™ technology in dual mode)

Message edited by uguv on 06-27-2008 at 04:15:40 PM

Reply to uguv

is it possible to use an adapter?

Reply to qwen234

And keep in mind if you ever want to crossfire 2 4870's later on you'll need a 650W power supply with 4 6-pin PCI-E connectors.

Reply to copasetic

When you hook up the adapter are you connecting it to the rail that supplies your CPU? or your motherboard? would you end up connecting it to the rail that supplies your hard drives and if so would it overload that rail leading to possible drive failure and data loss? which molex is connected to which rail? and how do you determine which rail has enough current left over to run the adapter?

Your always better off having enough connectors rather than using adapters. There is a reason the PSU was only built with one.

Message quoted 1 times
Message edited by ausch30 on 06-27-2008 at 04:27:59 PM

------------------------------
It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.
-Aristotle
Reply to ausch30

the convertors are hook to the rails for the peripherals which are currently not in use.. i think

Reply to qwen234

ausch30 wrote :

When you hook up the adapter are you connecting it to the rail that supplies your CPU? or your motherboard? which molex is connected to which rail? and how do you determine which rail has enough current left over to run the adapter?

Your always better off having enough connectors rather than using adapters. There is a reason the PSU was only built with one.

I would totally agree with this if the card really drew the full amount of power from both PEG connectors, but the TDP is only 160W. 75W from the PCIe slot + 150W from the two PEG connectors = 225W, so there's plenty of room to spare. I bet an adapter would work.

But if you're overclocking and you want to be absolutely sure your PSU is strong enough a Corsair VX550 would be a good choice.

Message edited by homerdog on 06-27-2008 at 04:41:48 PM

Reply to homerdog

thx.. what i am now worried about is would i have enuff amps on the 12v rails to run it.. any idea?

Reply to qwen234

I doubt it. Cooler master hides the importan info, but that PSU has 2 16 amp 12v rails. From what I have heard it's short on 12v power and in this PSU's case don't expect that to equal 32 amps. It may be a total of 22 amps, or somewhere in between.

If it had been the Antec Earthwatts 500W (on sale $50), with a max combined 12v of 34 amps, and dual PCI-e power connectors, I'd say you would be fine. Your's I guess is probably not. (but that's just my opinion). http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6817371007

That sucker consumes as much as 8800GT SLI. I'd probably buy one with 40+ amps if it were me.

Message edited by pauldh on 06-27-2008 at 05:05:39 PM

Reply to pauldh

I just went through and looked at the detailed specs of the 4870 from every manufacturer and not one of them gave a amp rating for the card. In fact a couple actually had the specs for the 4850 under the 4870 like a 450w PSU with 1 6-pin PCI-E connector. As pauldh wrote you would be much better off with a new PSU, don't take a chance on not having enough power.

------------------------------
It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.
-Aristotle
Reply to ausch30

Hmm that specific Cooler Master model does appear to be a bit on the shady side. That earthwatts EA500 for $50 looks like a sweet deal.

@ausch30: 160W / 12V = 13.3333333...3333333andsoonandsoforth Amps
But you probably already knew this...were you looking for the 12V amp recommendation for the entire system? Because that will vary greatly depending on the system.

Message quoted 1 times
Message edited by homerdog on 06-27-2008 at 05:32:28 PM

Reply to homerdog

oh god.. this is so confusing

Reply to qwen234

MrsBytch wrote :

Wow this is so simple you actually have to ask someone??

1)Go to ATI website, see what the 4870 requires in amps.
2)check to see if you psu has that much amps
3)If it doesnt, buy new power supply.

HAHAHAHA, you never fail to deliver.

Reply to SpinachEater

homerdog wrote :

Hmm that specific Cooler Master model does appear to be a bit on the shady side. That earthwatts EA500 for $50 looks like a sweet deal.

@ausch30: 160W / 12V = 13.3333333...3333333andsoonandsoforth Amps
But you probably already knew this...were you looking for the 12V amp recommendation for the entire system? Because that will vary greatly depending on the system.

Usually they post a minimum total amp rating for the system using a particular card and yes I agree that it varies greatly depending on the system. You could be running a E2180 at stock or an overclocked QX9770 and a 4870 and the total amp ratings don't tell you how much you will actually need for the card but I was just surprised at the lack of information and the wrong information on the manufacturers sites. They spend so much time, effort and money trying to sell the card they forget to tell you what can actually run the card.

Message edited by ausch30 on 06-27-2008 at 05:51:03 PM

------------------------------
It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.
-Aristotle
Reply to ausch30

u would probably be fine with ur current psu + n adapter bcoz 160W is da max draw.......but jus 2 b on the safe side i think u should get a new psu with 2 connector......u don wanna burn ur system coz it is risky using a adaptor. better to take precaution rather than risk toasting everything

------------------------------ x2 5600+@2.8; 2GB RAM 800Mhz; xfx 9600GT xt; 320GB HDD; 420W thermaltake PSU
Reply to sarwar_r87

I have also been looking at the 4870. At one review site(don't remember where), they recommended 32a on the 12v rails.

On the side of your psu should be a spec diagram. Look for the amps on the 12v rails, and sum them up. If that is not there, see if you can deduce the total watts on the 12v rails, and divide by 12. Can you post a pic of the unit?

The cards will come with an adapter which should be ok, assuming that the psu is strong enough.

If in doubt, it's time to get a quality psu.

Message quoted 1 times

Reply to geofelt

ausch30 wrote :

Your PSU has 1 6-pin PCI-E connector and the 4870 requires 2, I would get a new PSU.

That is not exactly the case. What I think is that you need 2 6pin ONLY if your MB is PCI-E 1.0

If you have PCI-E 2.0 I think 1 6pin will do you ok

Here are the calculations behind these thoughts. 4870 stated power draw is 180W

PCI-E 1.0 = 75W + 6pin 75W + 6pin 75W = 225 W (enough) (only 1 6pin = 150 - not enough)
PCI-E 2.0 = 150 + 6pin 75W = 225W (enough)

I think even if you OC you wont get over 225W. But if you are extreme OC you better get PCI-E 2.0 MB as you would be able to feed that baby with 300W.

Just my 2 c

Message quoted 1 times

Reply to rawsteel

i posted the link to the website in the 1st post.. it has all the details

Reply to qwen234

rawsteel wrote :

That is not exactly the case. What I think is that you need 2 6pin ONLY if your MB is PCI-E 1.0

If you have PCI-E 2.0 I think 1 6pin will do you ok

Might be, but I think it depends on how the architecture is designed. If the card is designed to draw power from the second connecter and it's not there, then you'll run into problems even if there's more power available from the PCI slot.

Reply to copasetic

geofelt wrote :

I have also been looking at the 4870. At one review site(don't remember where), they recommended 32a on the 12v rails.

On the side of your psu should be a spec diagram. Look for the amps on the 12v rails, and sum them up. If that is not there, see if you can deduce the total watts on the 12v rails, and divide by 12. Can you post a pic of the unit?

The cards will come with an adapter which should be ok, assuming that the psu is strong enough.

If in doubt, it's time to get a quality psu.

As pauldh mentioned, most of the time the maximum combined +12V output is considerably less than the sum of the individual +12V rails. That's because most PSUs don't really have multiple +12V rails, but one big one split up into a few smaller ones by OCP.

Edit: qwen, that PSU really looks like it might not cut it. I really recommend you invest in something along the lines of the Antec earthwatts EA500.

Message edited by homerdog on 06-27-2008 at 07:14:58 PM

Reply to homerdog

OOPS! the link to the specs did not have the info, but I found it under the features tab. Go figure.

The psu is marginal. It will likely work, but over time a poor quality unit could deteriorate.
The unit is likely a tier 5(not recommended) unit on this list:
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forum [...] p?t=108088

You do not have any other unusual power hungry parts.
You could try it, and just keep a lookout for flaky performance.

For the investment you will be making in a fine vga card, I think it would be prudent to pick a tier3 or better unit from the list.

Reply to geofelt

Recommendations in no particular order:

Antec earthwatts EA500 <- Good deal
XCLIO STABLEPOWER 500W
SeaSonic SS-500ES
Corsair VX550 <- Cream of the crop

Can't beat that EA500 for $50. Thank pauldh for that find

Reply to homerdog

no problem. It's a good price without rebates; I ordered a spare myself.

Reply to pauldh

thanks guys
thanks for all ur time and effort

Reply to qwen234

Need Help! I'm in a similar position but with just 50 more watts. I'm pretty sure I will be ok, but wanted to see what everyone else here thought. I just bought a Sapphire 4870 and need to know if I have enough juice for it. Here are my specs:

MOBO : Asus p45 pro
CPU: 8200 Quad Core OC to 3.1 right now
Ram: 2x2 = 4 gig 1066Mhz
Video Card: on its way, ati 4870
Arctic Cooling for my processor
POWER SUPPLY: ATX 550 Watt Ultra X2

stats of PS:
+5V=30A =
+3.3V=25A =160W

+12V=17A =
+12V=18A =408W

-12V=.8A =
+5 VSB=2.5 A =22W =550 Watts

What do you think? Can I run a 4870? I hope so because it will be arrving sooN! If so, any room to OC? All help is appreciated.

Reply to serged999

from the ati forums, ive read that some 4800s are getting messed up on a multi-12v rail PSU.

and for those who only have 1 pci-e cable from his PSU, a molex-to-pcie converter should be included in a 4870 bundle (i got one)

Reply to wh3resmycar

ohhh, really? hmmmm, well thats not that good of news...

Reply to serged999

I was wondering if my psu can handle a 4870 also. I will be upgrading from a 8600gts.

Cooler Master RS-550-ACLY
+12V1@18A,+12V2@20A,+12V3@10A, Peak

+12V1@12A,+12V2@12A,+12V3@6A, Continuity

Current System Spec's

Motherboard Chipset: nVIDIA nForce 650i Ultra
CPU Type: DualCore Intel Core 2 Duo E6850, 3000 MHz (9 x 333) Stock
System Memory: 2048 MB (DDR2-800 DDR2 SDRAM) g.skill @1.85v
Video Adapter: NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GTS (256 MB)
Disk Drive : Seagate (320 GB, 7200 RPM, SATA-II) x2
Disk Drive : Seagate (500 GB, 7200 RPM, SATA-II)

Message edited by Nonpoint on 04-15-2009 at 01:35:31 AM

Reply to Nonpoint

Bump

Message quoted 1 times

Reply to Nonpoint

Nonpoint wrote :

Bump

A 4870 requires two pci-e connectors,
The simple rule is: If the psu has two pci-e connectors, it should have enough power to give them each the 75 watts that the spec requires.
If you need a pci-e adapter, or if the quality of the psu is suspect then be cautious.

Reply to geofelt

I think "CoolerMaster Silent Pro 600" would be best for you..

Reply to meodowla

Im sorry, what I was stating is the psu in my last post is my current psu, and I was wondering if it was up to the job of handling a 4870 with my system spec. Sorry for the misunderstanding.

Quote :

I wasn't worried about the wattage, but more so the amps of the 12v rails.

Message edited by Nonpoint on 04-16-2009 at 06:58:37 PM

------------------------------

http://www.l33tsig.net/sig/1/Nonpoint187.png

Reply to Nonpoint

Quote :

A 4870 requires two pci-e connectors,
The simple rule is: If the psu has two pci-e connectors, it should have enough power to give them each the 75 watts that the spec requires.

hey all, I have a related question...

Just bought a Corsair 750TX (750W) PSU

Trying to connect to two HD 4870's in Crossfire

As stated above the cards each have (two) 6 pin PCI-E connectors, my PSU has (four) PCI-E 6+2 cables.

What the heck is the "+2" for? Can I safely connect the four PCI-E 6 pin cables and leave all the +2's hanging?

Message quoted 1 times

Reply to fearofblackhat

Some cards use 8 pin connectors so that's what the other 2 pins are for. Yes it would be fine to just leave the 2 extra pins hanging there.

Message edited by ausch30 on 04-30-2009 at 09:13:14 PM

Reply to ausch30

fearofblackhat wrote :

Quote :

A 4870 requires two pci-e connectors,
The simple rule is: If the psu has two pci-e connectors, it should have enough power to give them each the 75 watts that the spec requires.

Not to worry. The +2 is an extra 2 pins to accomodate vga cards that require 8pin connectors. Just leave the two pins disconnected of you only need 6.

Reply to geofelt

I bought a HD 4870 512mb graphics card 2 days ago and when I plug it in my computer and turn it on it starts up for half a second and then shuts off! I cant get it to work.

My PSU is a 650w Win power ATX-650, I know it isnt a good PSU but it is 650w and has enough amps:

Output:
+12V1 23A Max
+12V2 23A Max
+5V 40A Max

+3.3V 30A Max
-12V 0.8A Max
+5V/SB 3.0A Max

if anyone can solve my problem or help me I will be very happy as I cannot run my brand new graphics card

here is my post on your forum: http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/foru [...] _15_0.html

I thought I would ask here as it must be related to my PSU as it is a low quality one?

Reply to unrealed99

My PSU is low quality and not delivering enough power.

I am going to buy an Antec earthwatts EA500 PSU which should power the HD 4870 graphics card np. :bounce:

Reply to unrealed99

cm extreme power plus 650w got x4 6pin cable for the ati hd4870 cf ?

Reply to twinflame

Ask the community Add a reply

Tom's Hardware > Forum > Graphic & Displays > ATI > HD 4870 PSU

Go to:

Help |
Forum rules

There are 921 identified and unidentified users. To see the list of identified users, Click here.

Page generated in 0.448 seconds

Focus On

HD 4870 PSU

Forum Graphic & Displays : ATI - HD 4870 PSU