folded

Distinguished
Dec 3, 2009
68
0
18,640
we own a fujuitsu-siemens ESPRIMO P3510( C2D E7200, 1gb RAM no video card, 160 HDD, 300watt PSU) and i want to install a ATI4850 or ATI4870 in it.

is it safe to upgrade it without overloading the psu?
 
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 5000 series cards which use less power due to their energy efficiency.

A high quality 500 to 550 watt psu will have a +12 volt rail rated at 40 amps. A high quality 700 to 750 watt psu will have a +12 volt rail rated at 60 amps.

In addition the power supply should be at least 80+ Bronze certified for energy efficiency.

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. Some of the newer models come with a 7 year warranty. Lately we've been seeing a few other brands offering some high quality units. An example would be the Antec Earthwatts series which is an improvement over Antec’s older series psu’s.

 
A "best answer" for a POS Apevia PSU????? That PSU may be good for 60% or so of its labeled rating; fine for an old S939 system, but not much more.
To the ones JohnnyLucky listed, I'll add Antec and Enermax to the better brands. Look for full range active PFC (no little voltage switch) and at least 80+ certification.
 

folded

Distinguished
Dec 3, 2009
68
0
18,640
hey johnny lucky, what if i chose to buy a 5770 graphic card instead of a 4870? i found out that they have almost the same performance.. should i still upgrade as a precaution? or will my 300W psu be sufficient?

im dont wanna blow up our PC.. may as well upgrade the PSU too

i just wanna be sure. thanks!