Computer not meeting requirements ...

KJS

KJS

New Member
In the current computer I'm going to get, it has only a 8600GT so I want to upgrade it to a 8800GT. However, I'm afraid it won't meet the requirements of the 8800GT.

http://www.bestbuy.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?logon=&langid=EN&sku_id=0926INGFS10108839&catid=20217

Computing Features
Available AGP Slots: Not Applicable
Available Hard Drive Bays: 2 Internal 3.5" (Occupied)
Available Memory Slots: 4 Total (Occupied)
Available Optical Bays: 2 External 5.25" (One Available)
Available PCI Slots: 2 PCI x1 Slots (One Available)
Available PCI-E Slots: 1 PCI Express x16 Slot (Occupied)
Power Supply: 350 Watts
Processor Cache: 8MB L2
Removable Storage: Personal Media Drive Bay
System Bus: 1066MHz Front Side Bus

Now this is the video card I want:

http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applicati...?EdpNo=3435454&csid=ITD&body=MAIN#detailspecs

Specifications

GPU/VPU: NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT


RAMDAC: Dual 400 MHz


Fill Rate per Second: 33.6 Billion pixels


Additional Features: Vista Ready
HDCP Enabled
HDTV Ready
SLI Ready
OpenGL 2.0
DirectX 10
PCI Express 2.0


Maximum Resolution: 2560 x 1600 (Digital)


Video Memory: 512MB


Memory Type: GDDR3


Core Clock: 600 MHz


Memory Interface: 256-bit


Memory Clock: 1800 MHz


Stream Processors: 112


Memory Bandwidth: 57.6GB/sec.


Interface Type: PCI Express 2.0


Interface Speed: x16


Connector(s): Dual DVI (Dual Link)
HDTV/S-Video


Multiple Monitors Support: Yes

Minimum System Requirements
1GB of system memory
CD-ROM drive
50MB of available hard disk drive space for basic driver installation
Microsoft Windows XP operating system
PCI Express-compliant motherboard with one vacant PCI Express x16 slot
450W PCI Express-compliant system power supply with a combined 12V current rating of 30A or more.

It says XP OS only, but in the top specs it says Vista ready so hopefully it will work. I have no idea if it will work with 64-bit Vista though..
HOWEVER
My main concern is it says '450W PCI Express-compliant system power supply with a combined 12V current rating of 30A or more.' I don't actually really know what that means =p However, it my comp's specs it says:

Power Supply: 350 Watts

So does that mean it won't work with my computer?
 
No it will not work with your computer. You need a bigger power supply. What is your budget for a PSU? Realistically you could get one for ~$50. And they are not hard to replace at all, it just takes a lot of organization getting all the wires tucked away for airflow. That is generally the only thing you need to upgrade. You might want to invest in some case fans if it doesn't already have it, GPU's idle around 60C and they get very hot when gaming.
 
All you need for the 8800GT is a power supply with a 6-pin connector.

http://www.playtool.com/pages/psuconnectors/pcie6.jpg

They sell converters for the 6-pin but your power supply still doesn't have enough power. Well, you can sell the 8600GT, and maybe the power supply. I doubt you could sell them for much though. How much can you spend? I'll find you a nice and cheap power supply. What website do you buy from? It's better to go all out on your computer now so you won't have to upgrade in the near future.
 
YOu need a PSU that can provide 28A on the 12Vrail in addition to 12V+2. You will need a 500W PSU minimum, with PFC and 80% efficiency.

I would suggest teh HX520W from Corsair. Otherwise, your system may end up in smoke!
 
The 8800gt is a 100w(+-) max draw card, 8a on the +12v. I doubt 70x70 case fans and HDD's would tip the +12v1 over 28a with the help of 8800gt PCI-e draw. (I joke, go HB2!)

Seriously though, A +12v1@18-20a should be absolutely fine, barring a POS supply.
 
kookooshortman55 said:
Here's a good PSU. I don't know if you mind the LED's, if you do I'll find another one. It has great reviews, good amperage on the 12V rails, and has the 6-pin connector. $25.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817182016
Click to expand...

Whichever way you look at it, 18A is insufficient for that card. That PSU = POS!

POS = PIECE OF SHIT

POS = 72% efficiency AT 25oC - LOL you have to be kidding.
POS = no PFC
POS = 18A on 12V rail (remember, 1 12V rail is dedicated to CPU under ATX standards)


Go ahead, use that with a 8800GT and see how you go, please post back so I can laugh though

This is signifcantly better and for the extra $30, well worth it.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139003

33A on 12V rail
85% efficiency
Active PFC

Don't waste your money on a cheap and nasty PSU, it is one of the most important components in your machine.
 
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That power supply has 2 12V rails at 18A. That's more than enough to power an 8800GT. You only need 26A TOTAL recommended to run one. And I don't think the difference between a 72% efficient PSU and an 82% efficient PSU defines the difference between an amazing PSU and a "POS". The only con is you pay maybe $2 more on your electric bill per year and it might run a couple degrees hotter. But with a 120mm fan who cares?
 
kookooshortman55 said:
That power supply has 2 12V rails at 18A. That's more than enough to power an 8800GT. You only need 26A TOTAL recommended to run one. And I don't think the difference between a 72% efficient PSU and an 82% efficient PSU defines the difference between an amazing PSU and a "POS". The only con is you pay maybe $2 more on your electric bill per year and it might run a couple degrees hotter. But with a 120mm fan who cares?
Click to expand...

Let me address your concerns about my assesment of that PSU.

That PSU's 72% efficiency is rated at 25oC. That is a joke, because it is very very rarely that cool in a PSU, more likely to be 50oC (particularly when the PSU is under strain due to under speced 12V rail), thus the efficiency of that PSU is likely to be around 50 - 60% realistically. POS!

$2 eh?

Model Efficiency @ 550W Input Power @ 550W
Quality 750W 83% 662W
Standard 750W 73.8% 745W

For the same output power, the quality units use 83W less input power.

3-year savings = .083KW x $0.10/KWH x 24 x 365 x 3 = $218.12 - and that's not even counting the temperature derating influcence on the cost. Add another 20%.

Thinking you can add up the 12V rails is a noob mistake. Here are the facts: A large, single 12-volt rail (without a 240VA limit) can transfer 100% of the 12-volt output from the PSU to the computer, while a multi-rail 12-volt design has distribution losses of up to 30% of the power supply's rating. Those losses occur because power literally gets "trapped" on under-utilized rails. For example, if the 12-volt rail that powers the CPU is rated for 18 amps and the CPU only uses 7A, the remaining 11A is unusable, since it is isolated from the rest of the system (under ATX design standards).

Since the maximum current from any one 12-volt rail of a multiple-rail PSU is limited to 20 amps (240VA / 12 volts = 20 amps), PCs with high-performance components that draw over 20 amps (e.g. a 8800GT system - we agree it needs 26A right?) from the same rail are subject to over-current shutdowns. With power requirements for multiple processors and graphics cards continuing to grow, the multiple-rail design, with its 240VA limit per rail, is basically obsolete.

You need to do your research. Thats all i am going to say on this. I will unsubscribe from this thread and the OP can make his/her choice.
 
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As i have already explained if 11A are trapped on one 12V rail (ie CPU uses 7 of the 18A), how much does that leave in TOTAL on a 36A PSU? 25? That is less than 26 isn't it, but of course, you cannot add them up like that - you missed the point.
 
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Lol nevermind. The system requirements say you need 26A on the 12V rail for an 8800GT. That means if your PSU has more than 26A, your system is good, including the 8800GT. Even if it does add up, I'm sure you would get more than 26A on a 2 18A rails. But whatever. I have a 500W PSU, 2 12V rails at 16A, that's rated around 75% efficiency. I just installed an 8800GT and my computer hasn't exploded yet. KJS, just buy the Corsair or whatever bigfella posted. I'm still apparently missing the point.
 
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