Effects within games of low power output

[xerg]

What could or should be expected from low amps in 3d gaming. I am trying to figure out why my setup is having such a hard time running CoD4 and I suspect that the PSU could be one of the main problems.

My video card: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102730
My PSU : http://www.dynexproducts.com/pc-172-28-dynex-500-watt-atx-cpu-power-supply.aspx

Other
CPU : Wolfdale e8400
MB : ASRock 4CoreDual-Sata2

I have two IDE HDD, a CDRW and sound card also hooked up.


My reason for asking for help is because I have been browsing various forums reading people having no problems at all with the same video card and a lesser system.

Thanks to anyone willing to throw me a bone. (=

 

[im_just_jokin]

hey i run 8400 with a power hog xfx 9800gtx+
on 560w psu, runs sweet no probs
i know theres some site out there that you can calculate psu wattage
said i only need 333w. so a good brand psu should be fine dont know much about dynex...
maybe upgrade gpu to a pci-e card might help

 

[mi1ez]

From Sapphire website: "450Watt or greater power supply with 30Amps on 12 volt "
PSU has 12A on each rail.

potentially this card may struggle. problems might include random crashes in games and unusual artefacts.

 

[xerg]

I don't believe I have been getting any crashes at all. No artifacts even. The game skips quite a few frames on succession quite often. It's fairly unplayable. Lot's of tearing. I thought the huge hickups may be because the PSU is being tapped under load, which it is. I'm going to unplug my sound card and extra drives and giver a go. You'd think by running the Orange Box on highest settings that it could do CoD4 on at least Medium. thanks again for the inputs.