Power supply wattage issues

[hakestom]

Hello,

I've recently completed building a gaming computer , however I'm slightly worried about the wattage of the "psu" , My components are as follows :

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sapphire-11179-09-20G-6870-GDDR5-Graphics/dp/B004R7MTPQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1334155359&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.co.uk/AMD-Bulldozer-FX-6100-Socket-Processor/dp/B005UBNKWO/ref=sr_1_1?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1334155372&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Western-Digital-Caviar-SATAIII-Internal/dp/B00461G3MS/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1334155393&sr=8-5

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Asus-M5A78L-M-LX-Motherboard-Unlocker/dp/B004ZOH1I6/ref=sr_1_1?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1334155419&sr=1-1

and here is my "psu" :
http://www.amazon.co.uk/OCZ-500W-ModXStream-Power-Supply/dp/B001GLFD4U/ref=sr_1_2?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1330634405&sr=1-2


Is the wattage high enough to sustain my components without any chance of destroying them whilst "gaming" for large periods?


What will happen if the wattage is not high enough , will the performance be lower or will the machine shut down due to lack of power?

 

[neon neophyte]

ocz isnt known for making the best psus. 500w should be enough for that system though.

if your parts arent getting enough power typically you will get resets or the like. under powered parts can be damaged.

 

[geofelt]

The 6870 needs a 500w psu:
http://www.amd.com/us/products/desktop/graphics/amd-radeon-hd-6000/hd-6870/pages/amd-radeon-hd-6870-overview.aspx#3

Your psu meets those requirements.

The graphics card is what really draws the extra power. If it is insufficient, you may see artifacts.

If the psu is of low quality, with inconsistent voltages, you may suffer unexplained shutdowns.

If the psu becomes defective, anything can happen, including the damaging of any connected component.

As long as things are running ok, there is no need to change anything.

Next time, stick to known quality brands such as Seasonic, Antec, XFX, Corsair, PC P&C to name a few.

 

[geekapproved]

OCZ makes great psu's since they aquired pc power and cooling, however that's an older crappy design. Not even a basic 80+ certified.

It will work, but you could do much better for sure. I wouldn't attempt any overclocking.

 

[Silvune]

Yes it's an old design, but...
http://www.plugloadsolutions.com/80PlusPowerSuppliesDetail.aspx?id=55&type=2
http://www.plugloadsolutions.com/psu_reports/SP171.1_OCZ_OCZ500MXSP_500W_Report.pdf

http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/973
This review paints the performance in rather positive light.

 

[kcsmacker]

If you can return it you can get a much better 600 watt Corsair

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Corsair-CMPSU-600CXV2UK-Builder-Series-Supply/dp/B0050AFU46/ref=sr_1_1?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1334182303&sr=1-1

for like 1 euro more...

 

[dudewitbow]

the card doesnt exactly need a 500w PSU, it just needs to have a constant amperage with a power supply that is at least certified so that something bad doesnt happen. for instance, back in september:

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/core-i5-fx-6100-overclock-benchmark,3099.html

The 600$ gaming rig at the time used a 430w Antec Earthwatts PSU, and Tom&Co were able to push it to its limit, using an i5-2400 and radeon hd 6870.

 

[capt_taco]

It doesn't really need 500W; they just list that in the official specs to give people plenty of room for error. Plug everything in here and you get a total peak usage of about 340W:

http://extreme.outervision.com/PSUEngine

You should be fine with an OCZ power supply. They don't have the A+++ reputation of Antec or Corsair, but they're not a junk brand either. I've never had a problem with one, for what it's worth.