Ok I have a 300W power supply in my computer, I am running dvd-rw, memory card reader, 2xIDE hard drives, a msi ms-7145 micro atx board, and factory fans. I am getting a bfg GeForce 7600GT 256MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 Video Card, and it says it suggests a 350W power supply will mine be able to handle this or do I need to upgrade to more power? If it matters the most intense game I play is Guild wars....no fps games.
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Power supply and video card question.
- Thread starter lemans81
- Start date
For one you would want to look into more power then 350w for a start. You won't need a 600w crankup to run the system with the new card there. But an updated supply will allow having more onhand as well as when going into a new build later. The minimum SLI requirements are for 450w. That's the level I generally look at when choosing how much power to have onhand. That is seen on the specifications at http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814143049
The idea with a heavier supply here is to have something extra available. Once you start further upgrading the case or simply adding an extra drive or other types of devices the demand on the supply will grow fast. The better the supply is the better off you will be in the long run. A hefty supply can later be used in a new build if you go new instead of maxing this one out. Even with the single card alone just about everything now is SLI ready.
The main problem there would be under not over powered. The draw placed on the supply would more likely heat that up or you would simply see the system's power level drop off suddenly if anything. At the most you would see problems with the display. At 300w you may get away with the basic desktop but forget about gaming with that new a card.
At 350w you would run a game at the basics to avoid the increased demand for power. And with the 450w considered you would probably have a little extra onhand to run other hardwares in addition to the average. The thing to note about a larger but more importantly newer supply is the support and connectors that would be included for supplying power to many of the more recent model cards out. Plus a good stable model is essential for a good running system. You put the right stuff in to see the "right stuff" work well.
At 350w you would run a game at the basics to avoid the increased demand for power. And with the 450w considered you would probably have a little extra onhand to run other hardwares in addition to the average. The thing to note about a larger but more importantly newer supply is the support and connectors that would be included for supplying power to many of the more recent model cards out. Plus a good stable model is essential for a good running system. You put the right stuff in to see the "right stuff" work well.
Your price range for a new supply would need to be increased just to get into a half way decent low powered model with enough to run your build there. Newegg has four pages full of "cheapies" seen at http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...1&N=2010320058+4093&Submit=ENE&Subcategory=58 thet are priced from $17.99 to roughly $25.
There are 400-500w models seen in that price range to choose from. But if you wait the 30 days or so you would make out better in the long run. You can rush into a cheapy psu to see it flake out on you and possibly do some damage there. That would cost a lot more. But you could "luck out" as the expression goes and have one that lasts? A look at the hardware environment you have points to a need of a 400-430w model for running it basically with the two ide drives along with card reader and the better video card.
Unfortunately the online support section didn't list a link for the user manual on that model board. Just remember the $20 supplies seen there are the "crapola" that is usually thrown into the "case with supply" deals and don't count heavily on any one you go with. When you are ready to get a good one here's a somewhat "good" and "bad" list on favorable and not so favorable makes.
Good:
Akasa PaxPower - Antec(except Smart Power models) - Astec - AOpen - Channel Well - Coolermaster - Enermax
- Enlight - Fortron Source (Sparkle) - HEC - Hi-Power - Jeantech - NSpire - OCZ Technology - PC Power & Cooling - PowerMan
- Seasonic - SilenX - SilverStone - Tagan - TTGI/SuperFlower - Vantec - Zippy / Emacs - Verax - Zalman
- Corsair
Bad:
Allied - Antec Smart Power models(recommend True Power or NeoHE) - Aspire - CoolMax - DEER - EYE-T
- KingStar - L&C - Linkworld - Logisys - PowerMagic - PowerUp - Powmax - Q-Tec - Raidmax - Skyhawk - Star
- Turbolink - Ultra - ThermalTake
The comparison list here is based mainly on complaints heard about certain brands not an "exact science" as one could call it.
There are 400-500w models seen in that price range to choose from. But if you wait the 30 days or so you would make out better in the long run. You can rush into a cheapy psu to see it flake out on you and possibly do some damage there. That would cost a lot more. But you could "luck out" as the expression goes and have one that lasts? A look at the hardware environment you have points to a need of a 400-430w model for running it basically with the two ide drives along with card reader and the better video card.
Unfortunately the online support section didn't list a link for the user manual on that model board. Just remember the $20 supplies seen there are the "crapola" that is usually thrown into the "case with supply" deals and don't count heavily on any one you go with. When you are ready to get a good one here's a somewhat "good" and "bad" list on favorable and not so favorable makes.
Good:
Akasa PaxPower - Antec(except Smart Power models) - Astec - AOpen - Channel Well - Coolermaster - Enermax
- Enlight - Fortron Source (Sparkle) - HEC - Hi-Power - Jeantech - NSpire - OCZ Technology - PC Power & Cooling - PowerMan
- Seasonic - SilenX - SilverStone - Tagan - TTGI/SuperFlower - Vantec - Zippy / Emacs - Verax - Zalman
- Corsair
Bad:
Allied - Antec Smart Power models(recommend True Power or NeoHE) - Aspire - CoolMax - DEER - EYE-T
- KingStar - L&C - Linkworld - Logisys - PowerMagic - PowerUp - Powmax - Q-Tec - Raidmax - Skyhawk - Star
- Turbolink - Ultra - ThermalTake
The comparison list here is based mainly on complaints heard about certain brands not an "exact science" as one could call it.