Best video card on a 300w power supply

You can work backwards from the PSU power calculator Utility at the link below. A lot depends on the 12v rail amps. available from your current 300W PSU. In reality you're looking for a Vid card that draws ~100W or less under max load.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NVIDIA/GeForce_GTX_5...

If you want to objectively, accurately and scientifically determine what PSU power is required for your Vid card and PC in both watts and 12v rail amps., the forum Utility link below will show you how easy it is to calculate this information and objectively determine which PSUs are quality built, reliable PSUs that can meet your needs. Be advised that the available 12v rail amps. is just as important as the total PSU wattage. You need both to be correct.

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/314712-28-please-read...

I am not overly technical , can you suggest a video card that is a significant upgrade from the Nvidia 220 that will work no issue with my PS ,

Thing is, how many quality 300w power supplies are sold these days? Its likely a generic, or off brand unit that can't sustain rated power anyway. Keep a voltage utility handy when using this P/S and a new video card. Hopefully, if the voltage goes out of tolerance while gaming, the alarm will pull you out of the game before your power supply goes poof. I replaced a motherboard, CPU, and power supply in a customers emachines unit a couple years back, because his kid put in a video card it couldn't handle. When the 12v P/S rail went, it cooked half the stuff using the 12v rail. He had a 300w PSU as well.

Food for thought.

What is the rest of the hardware? HDD's, SSD's, DVD drives, USB devices ...?

What model PSU do u have?

If you want a decent video card for gaming - 300W will not cut it.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168... and then your choices become much nicer.
Tell us what games and your complete system specs so we can better assist you.;-)
-Bruce

This topic has been moved from the section Windows 7 to section Graphics & Displays by Area51reopened

its for train simulator 2012 , want top resolution and highest quality graphics , all my specs are good except the graphics card , have HP-141 ELITE , I am willing to upgrade power supply and card , just need to know a sensible combination that is not overly expensive

Is your graphics card the low profile one?

-Bruce

yes it is

Will a full sized card fit?
-Bruce

If you can only install a low profile video card, then you will be limited to a Radeon HD 6570 which is currently the best performing low profile video card.

HD 5670s are also available low profile but harder to get
also watch out with OEM slim half height cases because
the fan assembly from the card can be a problem to fit in
I had to mod the assembly to make it fit in my Dell slim Desktop

@ jag
HD 6570 DDR3 vs HD 5670 GDDR5
which wouild you pick?

The HD 6570 with DDR5 VRAM is overall faster than the HD 5670 with DDR5 VRAM.

Using DDR3 VRAM will probably drop the performance by about 5% - 10% which means that the HD 5670 will likely be overall the better performer by a small margin.

so really only a very minimal difference in performance


Hopefully they will offer the HD 7670 in a low profile

that series of cards HD X670 especially low profile must be a good seller
due to OEM towers in need of upgrades

Granted they are not very good for DX11 titles
but as far as DX9/10 they do okay

I was disappointed that the HD 6670 wasnt available in low profile
when I was shopping for cards in April

They reviewed a low pro HD 6670
but I never saw any for sale

There was a reference design for a low profile HD 6670 back in April 2011, but it never saw the light of day. At least not yet...

http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/AMD-Radeon-HD-66...

That is the review I saw
So in May I was shopping for a card for my low pro Dell
but never saw the 6670 LP
That is alright I saved about $30 and really didnt lose too much performance
by going with the HD 5670

for the OP the two choices are the HD 6570 and HD 5670
since both are offered in Low Profile (half height)
I run the 5670 on a 280w PSU and no problems (so far)
I have read of the HD 5670 running on 250w PSUs

and the HD 6570 is similar in power draw
definitely under 75w since that is limit of PCIe slot by itself

the HD 5670 maxes according to AMD website at 64w peak wattage

I just wouldnt have too many HDs opticals PCI cards with the card

I have 1 optical 1 HD 2 pci cards (sound and tv tuner) E4500 C2D
and according to PSU calculator require @270
one thing is that the Dell PSUs wattage is rated at continous max
not peak max so the 280w is equal to about a 350w peak

OP should look at PSU and check ratings on label
particulary 12v amperage

Best answer selected by gstanley.

This topic has been closed by Mousemonkey