Tom's Hardware > Forum > Graphic & Displays > Graphics Cards > Upgrading graphic card, need info on Psu.
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Eclipz0r   12-28-2008 at 01:06:37 AM

Hi there!

I'm going to upgrade my graphic card, but since my psu is abit old ( 1.5~ years 420W LCpower LC6420G ) i wonder if i'll be able to run any of the following graphics cards on my system:

Motherboard: Abit IP 35-E
CPU: Intel core 2 duo E4500 (2.2ghz) with retail fan.
PSU: LC6420G 420W
Memory: 3 Ghz Kingston ddr2 667 Ram ( 3 blocks of 1 Ghz each ).
1 DvD drive
1 DvD burner
HD: WD 250 GB
Monitor: Samsung syncmaster 2032sw 20 inch ( 1680-1050 native )
GPU: Sapphire ati radeon HD 2600 XT

None is overclocked.

Now for the question, does my psu handle any of this graphic cards in the above setup? And if it does, wich one would you guys recomend?

1st Sapphire Ati Radeon 4830 512 gddr3

http://www.sapphiretech.com/us/pro [...] =261&grp=3

2nd Msi Ati Radeon oc 4830 512 gddr3

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/17 [...] 830-t.html

3rd BFG Nvidia Geforce 9800 GT 512 ddr3

http://www.bfgtech.com/bfgr98512gtoce.aspx

Thx in advance!




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ohiou_grad_06   12-28-2008 at 06:15:05 AM
- 0 +

I doubt that PSU will run any of those cards.

You may be able to get it to run this card though, not guaranteeing it however.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814127383

That's the ATI Radeon 4670. To give you an idea, it should be about 1 step below a 9600gt. Still a decent card, but cheaper. If you want any of those cards, I would say you may need to upgrade your PSU.

What kind of amps does your PSU list in the specs so someone can double check?

Reply to ohiou_grad_06
marco324   12-28-2008 at 06:34:44 AM
- 0 +

I've got an older xclio 430 watt 2 12v rails about 30 amps running the sapphire 4830 nice card for the money mine o/c's well 690/1130
stays cool nice big gpu cooler on it. your power supply i googled came up with this info on your psu 29 amps should be good not sure about the quality of that psu never heard of them ? good luck
OUTPUTS :
+03.3 V : Max 30A
+05.0 V : Max 28A
+12.0 V1: Max 14A
+12.0 V2: Max 15A-12.0 V : Max 0.8A
-05.0 V : Max 0.5A
+5.0VSB : Max 2.0Aso you may be able to. psu upgrade eventually won't hurt

Reply to marco324
Claimintru   12-28-2008 at 06:42:22 AM
- 0 +

PSU = fine for those cards. Most people have no idea how little power their computers actually consume

Reply to Claimintru
ohiou_grad_06   12-28-2008 at 06:57:59 AM
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However, you have to look also at the efficiency of a power supply. Say for example you have a PSU rated for 500 watts, but it's only 65 percent efficient, that's only 325 watts or so. Then when you start adding everything back in, it may be closer to that figure than you think. Just because a power supply says a certain rating, don't always trust that.

The bad thing about cheap power supplies is that when they blow up, they may take other components with them.

Message quoted 1 times
Reply to ohiou_grad_06
Delluser1   12-28-2008 at 07:32:44 AM
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ohiou_grad_06 wrote :

However, you have to look also at the efficiency of a power supply. Say for example you have a PSU rated for 500 watts, but it's only 65 percent efficient, that's only 325 watts or so. Then when you start adding everything back in, it may be closer to that figure than you think. Just because a power supply says a certain rating, don't always trust that.

The bad thing about cheap power supplies is that when they blow up, they may take other components with them.


That's a bit confusing.
A 500 watt psu with a 65% efficiency rating will need to draw 770 watts from the wall in order to provide those 500 watts, the efficiency rating does not decrease the output rating, although garbage power supplies can rarely provide thier rated output.

Message quoted 1 times
------------------------------ q9650 @ 4.050 | Asus Rampage Formula | 2x2 & 2x1 Corsair Dominators | WD Black 640 x2
EVGA GTX260 Core216 @ 686/1479/1103 | Antec TPN 750

 

Reply to Delluser1

Outlander_04   12-28-2008 at 07:47:20 AM
- 0 +

Delluser1 wrote :

That's a bit confusing.
A 500 watt psu with a 65% efficiency rating will need to draw 770 watts from the wall in order to provide those 500 watts, the efficiency rating does not decrease the output rating, although garbage power supplies can rarely provide thier rated output.



Thats a bit confusing since a 500 watt psu doesnt pour 500 watts of power into your computer . The computer draws what power it needs . If the current draw exceeds the psu's thermal limit the ATX psu will turn off the computer .

Current draw for a typical machine as described in this thread is probably under 200 watts max and close to 130 watts at idle . It will work .

As an example till recently I ran an amd 3200+ 939 , a gig of ram , a 7900gtx , two hard drives , 4 connected usb devices , two dvd drives and 4 120 fans off a 350 watt thermaltake . All those chips are power hogs compared to anything mentioned in this thread and the computer was completely stable for years

Message quoted 1 times
Reply to Outlander_04
Delluser1   12-28-2008 at 08:58:52 AM
- 0 +

Outlander_04 wrote :

Thats a bit confusing since a 500 watt psu doesnt pour 500 watts of power into your computer . The computer draws what power it needs . If the current draw exceeds the psu's thermal limit the ATX psu will turn off the computer .

Current draw for a typical machine as described in this thread is probably under 200 watts max and close to 130 watts at idle . It will work .



Really ?
You are correct, the psu doesn't pour power into your computer , the computer does draw what it needs.

If the computer needs 500 watts and you have a 500 watt psu that has an efficiency rating of 65% it will draw 770 watts from the wall in order to provide those 500 watts.

Does that work better for you ?

------------------------------ q9650 @ 4.050 | Asus Rampage Formula | 2x2 & 2x1 Corsair Dominators | WD Black 640 x2
EVGA GTX260 Core216 @ 686/1479/1103 | Antec TPN 750

 

Reply to Delluser1

Outlander_04   12-28-2008 at 09:58:16 AM
- 0 +

Really?

Here was i thinking that good power supplies were rated based on the load they could provide .

I think what made me think that was actually reading the labels on the back that specify the amperages and number of rails that the psu can supply
But you are bound to be right . The psu makers are obviously devious liars

Message quoted 1 times
Reply to Outlander_04
Delluser1   12-28-2008 at 03:36:53 PM
- 0 +

Outlander_04 wrote :

Really?

Here was i thinking that good power supplies were rated based on the load they could provide .

I think what made me think that was actually reading the labels on the back that specify the amperages and number of rails that the psu can supply
But you are bound to be right . The psu makers are obviously devious liars


A "good" power supply can provide more than it's labeled rating, that doesn't change the fact that the efficiency rating does not decrease it's output.
And yes, many psu providers are liars, even some of the good one's.
Case in point, the Corsair HX620 is labeled as a triple rail unit when in fact it is a single rail unit that in testing can provide almost 750 watts of power wihtout shutting down or overheating.
The wattage labeled on the unit is supposed to be what it can provide, as I said before garbage units can rarely provide that power and good ones can do better.
The OP's psu is garbage and most likely would never be able to provide it's labeled rating, I never said it wouldn't work for his system, but I wouldn't risk it because, as stated by ohiou_grad, when they go they have the capacity to take everything with them.

------------------------------ q9650 @ 4.050 | Asus Rampage Formula | 2x2 & 2x1 Corsair Dominators | WD Black 640 x2
EVGA GTX260 Core216 @ 686/1479/1103 | Antec TPN 750

 

Reply to Delluser1

ohiou_grad_06   12-28-2008 at 03:46:36 PM
- 0 +

And myself, I think I've had a mobo taken out by a bad power supply before. Not fun.

Reply to ohiou_grad_06
Eclipz0r   12-28-2008 at 06:48:27 PM
- 0 +

Thx a lot for your time guys!

Well i guess i'll play it safe and buy a new psu!

What do you guys think about this psu?

http://www.nox-xtreme.com/uranoseries600w.htm

Reply to Eclipz0r
ohiou_grad_06   12-28-2008 at 09:27:53 PM
- 0 +

The specs look ok, but I don't know that I've heard of that company. Look at Antec, Corsair, Silverstone, some of those are better brands.

Anyone have that PSU tier list still?

Reply to ohiou_grad_06
Chris007911   12-29-2008 at 08:50:48 AM
- 0 +

http://www.extreme.outervision.com/powercalc.jsp - Do the math, :)

85% TDP, 20% - 25% Capacitor aging for you

If you're already looking at new ones then I recommend Antec. Legendary quality control.


Message edited by Chris007911 on 12-29-2008 at 08:52:08 AM
Reply to Chris007911
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