GFX card recommendations

[reklipz]

The card calls for 400w of power and my PSU is only 250w. It runs it just fine. It only uses about 140w maximum while playing, I tested it with a power meter. Draws the power from the slot so it uses really low power.

Did you test the power draw with a bigger PSU then? Maybe your PSU can only supply 140 watts on the 12 volt rail(s), and that's why you found that mark. How did you measure power of the card from the slot? Or did you just measure overall power from the wall, which doesn't account for the inefficiencies of the PSU and doesn't single out the card?

If the manufacturer says the card pulls 400 watts at full load, and you intend to run it at full load, you would be wise to provide the card with adequate power.

Finally, the PCI Express slot is only specified to supply 75 watts; the 6 pin PCI express power connector can provide 75 watts more, while the 8 pin provides double. Wikipedia notes some non-PCI Express compliant cards opt for two 8-pin connectors, giving way to 375 watts total, but this is non-standard and therefor rare.

Glad your setup is working, though.

[Jking72]

I went with the 260x,ordered it late last night total $188 bucks shipped.

Should be here next week.

[trickedaccord92]

I went with the 260x,ordered it late last night total $188 bucks shipped.

Should be here next week.

Congrats buddy you should definitely notice a difference in your games.

[Jking72]

Congrats buddy you should definitely notice a difference in your games.

thank you and thanks for the suggestions.

[Mishakol129]

Did you test the power draw with a bigger PSU then? Maybe your PSU can only supply 140 watts on the 12 volt rail(s), and that's why you found that mark. How did you measure power of the card from the slot? Or did you just measure overall power from the wall, which doesn't account for the inefficiencies of the PSU and doesn't single out the card?

The card seems to draw about 50 watts when running. At idle the entire computer uses 90 watts. I was using a power meter connected to the wall and the power cord.

If the manufacturer says the card pulls 400 watts at full load, and you intend to run it at full load, you would be wise to provide the card with adequate power.

Finally, the PCI Express slot is only specified to supply 75 watts; the 6 pin PCI express power connector can provide 75 watts more, while the 8 pin provides double. Wikipedia notes some non-PCI Express compliant cards opt for two 8-pin connectors, giving way to 375 watts total, but this is non-standard and therefor rare.

Glad your setup is working, though.

What I read was the chip companies wildly overrate the power requirements as a liability in case someone is running a super power hungry setup. Like I said the card takes about 50 watts at full power... I'm even thinking of upgrading to a quad core processor that takes 30 more watts because it will handle the games better. Right now it runs the games great with the GPU alone but sometimes it chugs when there's a lot of things going on. Needs quad core.


I'm playing the new South Park game by the way, the Stick of Truth. Its awesome. So awesome in fact that I think its the best game in years. The creators of the show have done something utterly awesome... and utterly funny.

[reklipz]

What I read was the chip companies wildly overrate the power requirements as a liability in case someone is running a super power hungry setup.

I suppose that makes sense. Seems rather silly; not sure I would buy such a card.

I'm playing the new South Park game by the way, the Stick of Truth. Its awesome. So awesome in fact that I think its the best game in years. The creators of the show have done something utterly awesome... and utterly funny.

Haha, glad you like it.