Is my PSU sufficient for this graphics card?

[TheChrono7]

Hey, I have a Dell XPS 9100, and it apparently has a PSU of 525w.

I'm looking at buying a Radeon HD 6950, which draws 500w.

Will my system be ok power-wise if I get this card?

I use it for gaming, and some 3D stuff with Maya and Blender sometimes.

 

[DM186]

The dell PSU's are some of the best for stock PSU's and you having a XPS one will definitely will work with that card. So don't worry. Good luck to you on your new card.

 

[ko888]

For a system using a single reference clocked Radeon HD 6950 graphics card AMD specifies a minimum of a 500 Watt or greater power supply. The power supply should also have a combined +12 Volt continuous current rating of 30 Amps or greater and have at least two 6-pin PCI Express supplementary power connectors.

Total Power Supply Wattage is NOT the crucial factor in power supply selection!!! Total Combined Continuous Power/Current Available on the +12V Rail(s) is the most important factor.

Overclocking of the CPU and/or GPU will require an additional increase to the combined +12 Volt continuous current ratings, recommended above, to meet the increase in power required for the overclock. The additional amount required will depend on the magnitude of the overclock you are trying to achieve.

The Dell Studio XPS 525 Watt OEM power supply, with its combined +12 Volt continuous current rating of 41.7 Amps and with one 6-pin and one (6+2)-pin PCI Express supplementary power connectors, is more than sufficient to power your system configuration with a single Radeon HD 6950.

 

[TheChrono7]

For a system using a single reference clocked Radeon HD 6950 graphics card AMD specifies a minimum of a 500 Watt or greater power supply. The power supply should also have a combined +12 Volt continuous current rating of 30 Amps or greater and have at least two 6-pin PCI Express supplementary power connectors.

Total Power Supply Wattage is NOT the crucial factor in power supply selection!!! Total Combined Continuous Power/Current Available on the +12V Rail(s) is the most important factor.

Overclocking of the CPU and/or GPU will require an additional increase to the combined +12 Volt continuous current ratings, recommended above, to meet the increase in power required for the overclock. The additional amount required will depend on the magnitude of the overclock you are trying to achieve.

The Dell Studio XPS 525 Watt OEM power supply, with its combined +12 Volt continuous current rating of 41.7 Amps and with one 6-pin and one (6+2)-pin PCI Express supplementary power connectors, is more than sufficient to power your system configuration with a single Radeon HD 6950.

Thanks for the answer. Just to be sure, does this hold sure even when using very graphically-heavy applications or games as well?

 

[4745454b]

Yes. Actually its the only time it applies. When you are just surfing the web or using your CPU heavy modeling programs the GPU will be mostly idle. It won't use much power at all. The only time the 6950 will be using 180W is when you are gaming.

 

[geekapproved]

Hey, I have a Dell XPS 9100, and it apparently has a PSU of 525w.

I'm looking at buying a Radeon HD 6950, which draws 500w.

Will my system be ok power-wise if I get this card?

I use it for gaming, and some 3D stuff with Maya and Blender sometimes.

It does NOT draw 500w. lol

It draws about 155w under max load. The psu is more than sufficient.

 

[ko888]

Thanks for the answer. Just to be sure, does this hold sure even when using very graphically-heavy applications or games as well?

The combined +12 Volt continuous current rating of 30 Amps or greater, that I specified in my above post, is enough to power the system with a reference clocked Radeon HD 6950 running Furmark GPU stability testing (i.e. the worst case GPU power consumption scenario).

If you're going to be using a factory overclocked card, like the ASUS Radeon HD 6950 DirectCU II EAH6950 DCII/2DI4S/2GD5, that specific graphics card's power draw can reach 258 Watts during the worst case GPU power consumption scenario if you also decide to manually overclock it beyond the factory overclock frequencies.

A Sapphire Radeon HD 6950 Toxic edition will draw 199 Watts during gaming and that's while only using the factory set clock frequencies.

 

[TheChrono7]

Best answer selected by TheChrono7.

 

[TheChrono7]

Thanks for the replies.

I am also looking at the 7850, would I be fine with that one also?

 

[ko888]

Thanks for the replies.

I am also looking at the 7850, would I be fine with that one also?

The Radeon HD 7850 uses a lot less power than a Radeon HD 6950 so you'll be fine.

 

[Mousemonkey]

This topic has been closed by Mousemonkey