Best graphics card for 22amp PSU

I want to get the best graphics card i can for this system without changing PSU which has a 12v rail of 22amps. Currently i have a ATI 3850 installed.

It is a e6300 @3GHz, 4gb ram, 500gb hardrive, ati 3850.

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I'd say an ATI HD 4850.

------------------------------ CPU: Intel Core i7 920 @3.2Ghz, MOBO: Asus P6T SE, RAM: 3x 2gb OCZ Platinum OCZ3P1600LV6GK, GPU: Sapphire HD 5870, PSU: Corsair HX520W, HDD: Seagate ST31000528AS 1Tb 32mb, COOLER: Scythe Mugen (S775 version), CASE: Coolermaster CM690
Reply to Gulli

Keep the current one.
With that CPU OCed and a better card you will be pushing your PSU too far.

Save for the PSU.

Reply to shubham1401

how much of the psu can i use safely

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Reply to shrex

shrex wrote :

how much of the psu can i use safely

Assuming that this is an older PSU, I'd be reluctant to push more than 212 watts total on that 12vdc rail.

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Reply to croc

What brand and model is it? Does it have a little red voltage switch? It may not actually be capable of outputing 22A on its +12V rail; any more than 75% of its label and it may blow chunks, like this one: http://www.corsair.com/cinema/movie.aspx?id=622747

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Reply to jtt283

jtt283 wrote :

What brand and model is it? Does it have a little red voltage switch? It may not actually be capable of outputing 22A on its +12V rail; any more than 75% of its label and it may blow chunks, like this one: http://www.corsair.com/cinema/movie.aspx?id=622747

...I ALWAYS believe marketing spin... :-)

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Reply to croc

Doesn't the 3850 "require" a 30A PSU?

Officially I think the best would be the 9800GT. You could also run the 4770, they don't take much at all. Who makes the PSU?

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Reply to 4745454b

jtt283 wrote :

What brand and model is it? Does it have a little red voltage switch? It may not actually be capable of outputing 22A on its +12V rail; any more than 75% of its label and it may blow chunks, like this one: http://www.corsair.com/cinema/movie.aspx?id=622747

Its a evo labs 450w psu, It doesnt have a red voltage switch. That video could be misleading, they never said they tested 75% of 12v rail, they tested 75% of 450w, they could be testing 100% or more of the 12v rail which would obviously result in failure.

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Reply to shrex

The safest option would be a 4770, but a 4830 or even a 4850 will probably work as well, as long as you don't overclock anything and stick to one hard drive and DVD-RW.

I'd get the 4770.

------------------------------ CPU: Intel Core i7 920 @3.2Ghz, MOBO: Asus P6T SE, RAM: 3x 2gb OCZ Platinum OCZ3P1600LV6GK, GPU: Sapphire HD 5870, PSU: Corsair HX520W, HDD: Seagate ST31000528AS 1Tb 32mb, COOLER: Scythe Mugen (S775 version), CASE: Coolermaster CM690
Reply to Gulli

shrex wrote :

Its a evo labs 450w psu

Seems to be a unit that only comes with the case, I could be wrong though.
The only thing I could find out about it is that it's rated for 50,000 hrs @ 25c. ( You're not going to get anywhere near 50k hrs at actual operating temperature's, will see quite a bit less than 450 watts from it )
That, combined with only a 22 amp output, would have me changing it before doing any upgrades. ( a decent quality 400w will do 30a )

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Reply to Delluser1

Delluser1 wrote :

Seems to be a unit that only comes with the case, I could be wrong though.
The only thing I could find out about it is that it's rated for 50,000 hrs @ 25c. ( You're not going to get anywhere near 50k hrs at actual operating temperature's, will see quite a bit less than 450 watts from it )
That, combined with only a 22 amp output, would have me changing it before doing any upgrades. ( a decent quality 400w will do 30a )

A 4770 would be ok, since it uses the same amount of power as a 3850.

------------------------------ CPU: Intel Core i7 920 @3.2Ghz, MOBO: Asus P6T SE, RAM: 3x 2gb OCZ Platinum OCZ3P1600LV6GK, GPU: Sapphire HD 5870, PSU: Corsair HX520W, HDD: Seagate ST31000528AS 1Tb 32mb, COOLER: Scythe Mugen (S775 version), CASE: Coolermaster CM690
Reply to Gulli

Delluser1 wrote :

Seems to be a unit that only comes with the case, I could be wrong though.
The only thing I could find out about it is that it's rated for 50,000 hrs @ 25c. ( You're not going to get anywhere near 50k hrs at actual operating temperature's, will see quite a bit less than 450 watts from it )
That, combined with only a 22 amp output, would have me changing it before doing any upgrades. ( a decent quality 400w will do 30a )

I actually bought it separately from ebay (new) for £11. I bought one of those killawatt type things that measures power drawn at the plug, and in games and in furmark the highest i got was 130ish, and with prime 95 and furmark running i got a peak of 156 watts.

Lets assume all of the 156 watts was on the 12v rail thats less than 60% usage or 13 amps out of 22 amps. Thats why i dont think i will bother with a quality psu costing £40 or more

The 4770 seems good it uses less power than the 3850 and performs close to a 4850.

Reply to shrex

Now your only problem will be that 25c rating. This is an operating temp it will never seen being stuck in a case right above a device that normally idles at 30c+, and gets a lot hotter then that while working. Add in its out heat it makes converting AC to DC, and you now get to worry about what will happen when those parts rated for 25c have to work at 35c-45c. I'm sure it will be fine though. You did spend a whooping £11 for it...

Message quoted 1 times

------------------------------ The voice of REASON
Do NOT feed the TROLLS!
Always a DEMON!
Reply to 4745454b

4745454b wrote :

Now your only problem will be that 25c rating. This is an operating temp it will never seen being stuck in a case right above a device that normally idles at 30c+, and gets a lot hotter then that while working. Add in its out heat it makes converting AC to DC, and you now get to worry about what will happen when those parts rated for 25c have to work at 35c-45c. I'm sure it will be fine though. You did spend a whooping £11 for it...

Even at full load, with a spinning DVD drive, his system plus a 4770 won't take more than 185W on the 12V, that's only 70% of full capacity, so it won't overload, even if it's one of those crappy PSU's that explode at 80% of full capacity.
Then again, for £11 it could be of such poor build quality that it'll just break down some day, regardless of how little of its capacity is being used.

------------------------------ CPU: Intel Core i7 920 @3.2Ghz, MOBO: Asus P6T SE, RAM: 3x 2gb OCZ Platinum OCZ3P1600LV6GK, GPU: Sapphire HD 5870, PSU: Corsair HX520W, HDD: Seagate ST31000528AS 1Tb 32mb, COOLER: Scythe Mugen (S775 version), CASE: Coolermaster CM690
Reply to Gulli

If you read what I wrote, thats what I said. I never said the output would be to much, I said it will be working in conditions hotter then 25c, so you don't know what will happen when it blows.

------------------------------ The voice of REASON
Do NOT feed the TROLLS!
Always a DEMON!
Reply to 4745454b

What are you going on about man? He is already using an HD3850. It uses more power and therefore almost certainly gives off more heat then an HD4770.
Whatever the situation with his PSU is the upgrade will HELP, not hurt.

Reply to jyjjy

Focus On

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