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Upgrade Power Supply

Forum CPU & Components : Power Supplies, PC Cases & Case Mods - Upgrade Power Supply

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jdelias   10-23-2009 at 06:28:43 PM

Hello! I've got an Acer ASE380-UD420A with an Athlon 64 X2 4200+ motherboard (MCP61PM-AM). I recently tried to upgrade to a POWERCOLOR AX4850 512MD3-PH video card so that I could connect via HDMI to an HDTV. I did not think to check my power supply though (stupid). It's 250W and can't handle the card I now find out (double stupid).

So I am thinking about upgrading the power supply but want to make sure I get one that will work and don't go further down the rabbit hole of upgrades. Can anyone help?

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Silver CPUs badge JohnnyLucky   10-23-2009 at 07:00:17 PM
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The general rule of thumb is a high quality 500 to 550 watt power supply with sufficient current (amps) on the 12 volt rail(s) can easily power a system with any single video card made. A high quality 700 to 750 watt power supply with sufficient current (amps) on the 12 volt rail(s) can power a system with two video cards operating in dual mode. There are a few exceptions like the new ATI Radeon HD 5XXX series cards which use less power due to their energy efficiency.

Before purchasing a new psu you will need to decide whether you will eventually have a pc with one or two video cards.

Corsair, PC Power & Cooling, and Seasonic are some of the brands that have a reputation for high quality power supplies that consistently earn high marks in technical reviews. They are reliable, stable, and come with a 5 year warranty. Lately we've been seeing a few other brands offering some high quality units.

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Bronze CPUs badge jsc   10-23-2009 at 07:16:44 PM
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A 4850 only pulls about 9 amps. Considering that the old 250 watt PSU powered your system quite adequately, a Corsair 400CX should work quite nicely.

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Silver CPUs badge JohnnyLucky   10-23-2009 at 08:10:43 PM
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jsc - You're right. I was just about to mention sales prices at newegg.com. They had a heck of a deal on the VX550. The final sale price was $59.00 and shipping was free. I went back to check prices and prices have changed. Free shipping disappeared too. Final sale price for for the CX400 is down to $29.99 plus shipping. It's bargain basement time.


Message edited by JohnnyLucky on 10-23-2009 at 08:11:15 PM
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jdelias   10-23-2009 at 11:13:46 PM
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Thanks JohnnyLucky and jsc!

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