Maybe buying GTX 260 factory refurbished for cheap...Advice needed

[iam2thecrowe]

Time for a cheap upgrade for me, maybe. The item is a factory refurbished Zotac gtx 260 216 SP model. Im expecting to get it for less than 1/3 the price of a 5770 and it performs similarly minus the dx11. Nvidia reccommends to have a 500w psu and this review shows a system load of 274w from the wall http://www.anandtech.com/show/2619/9
I have a 470w thermaltake TR2 thats currently running an overclocked 8800gts 640mb so it should be ok....right...
My PSU ( this one http://www.thermaltake.com/product_info.aspx?PARENT_CID=C_00001026&id=C_00001027&name=TR2+470W&ov=n&ovid= )
It has been a good PSU and the inside is kept clean and there are no leaking/suspect caps. From memory, the user manual stated one 12v rail (14A) went to the motherboard and the other (15A) goes to the other connectors. So i plan to use the 6 pin connector plus a dual 4pin molex-6pin converter to power it. Im asking advice from the experienced people here at toms if you think this is a good idea? or would you not risk it with this PSU? If i have to get a new PSU, with the extra cost i may aswell just get a 5770 and use my current psu. But if it works out the way i want it will be a cheap upgrade, which is all the wife will allow....

 

[rolli59]

If you are getting the card for $35 I would take the chance. For about $50-60 you can get another and better PSU if needed. Then again the HD5770 is a good card with newer tech at $110 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102898

 

[iam2thecrowe]

thats kind of my point, im not going to buy the card + psu when i could just get a 5770 and use my current PSU. Im still watching ebay to see how high its going, its looking like its going higher than i want, but the seller has a few of them selling later in the week so ill keep an eye on them. I think my PSU will be ok, so long as i dont run furmark. If i get it i will underclock it to start with to see how my psu holds up. I know when i run furmark on my OC'd 8800 the 12v rail drops noticeably to 11.7v, signifying that there is some stress on it, but it does not do this during gaming.

 

[rolli59]

Another thing to throw out there is, you possibly get 30day warranty on the refurbished card but up to a Dual Lifetime warranty on a HD5770!

 

[iam2thecrowe]

true, well ill see how cheap i can get this gtx260, if i can get it for less than half the price of the 5770 ill get it just for a temporary thing until skyrim is released, then ill sell it and get something DX11.

 

[sykozis]

thats kind of my point, im not going to buy the card + psu when i could just get a 5770 and use my current PSU. Im still watching ebay to see how high its going, its looking like its going higher than i want, but the seller has a few of them selling later in the week so ill keep an eye on them. I think my PSU will be ok, so long as i dont run furmark. If i get it i will underclock it to start with to see how my psu holds up. I know when i run furmark on my OC'd 8800 the 12v rail drops noticeably to 11.7v, signifying that there is some stress on it, but it does not do this during gaming.

The GTX260 is going to require more power during gaming than the 8800 does. With only 29amps combined maximum on the 12v rails and the minimum recommended is 38amps on the 12v rails....I think you'll be taking a chance of damaging a graphics card, power supply and potentially the entire system.

A GeForce GTX 260 requires you to have a 500 Watt power supply unit at minimum if you use it in a high-end system. That power supply needs to have (in total accumulated) at least 38 Amps available on the 12 volts rails.

These figures, though typically exxagerated, are intended for safety. Overloading a power supply, either amperage or wattage, can result in damage to not only the PSU, but also other components connected to it. Other reviews, contrary to Anandtech's review, have shown draws in excessive of 300watts under full load from a system using a GTX260....as seen here: http://www.guru3d.com/article/geforce-gtx-260-review/4

 

[iam2thecrowe]

thanks for pointing that out, 38 amps eh....well ill just focus on the newer cards i guess. When my tax money comes in ill just fork out for a 6850 or something.

 

[iam2thecrowe]

Best answer selected by iam2thecrowe.