VGA help

[zCexVe]

250W is too weak to run anything new. Maybe a Geforce 7 or low end 8 series Gfx card, but then again it's a waste of money to upgrade a P3 system. Cos you wont be able to use the gfx card on a new system. I'd say save it and upgrade the whole machine once you get enough cash.

Its a P4 and I dont think 250W is not enough to run a 8600GT.PCI-e max power draw is 75W.It would closely get to PSU max but its still good.

Saving for a new system isn't the best idea if he just want to play NFS shift.

 

[zCexVe]

Don't worry too much abt the PSU. If your current PSU won't work with the new card then you can get one of those cheap 400W ones for less than 2k, right ?. Those cheap crappy chinese shit PSUs will not put out exactly 400Watts , but will be better than a 250W for sure.

They are 250W ones.Just a new sticker.At least the last time I checked.

 

[zCexVe]

And a big fan of Need for Speed.Have all of em XD .One of the few games I play.

 

[deegopower]

Its a P4 and I dont think 250W is not enough to run a 8600GT.PCI-e max power draw is 75W.It would closely get to PSU max but its still good.

Saving for a new system isn't the best idea if he just want to play NFS shift.

ok here is the ultimate guy to answer ya problem..........ask him.......

 

[OptiplexFx]

Its a P4 and I dont think 250W is not enough to run a 8600GT.PCI-e max power draw is 75W.It would closely get to PSU max but its still good.

Saving for a new system isn't the best idea if he just want to play NFS shift.

They are 250W ones.Just a new sticker.At least the last time I checked.

Using the eXtreme Power Supply Calculator I calculated the rough power consumption of a machine with an Intel Pentium 4 3.0Ghz + Normal Motherboard + 2 DDR2 RAM Sticks + 1 HDD + 1 DVDRW + 8500GT and it gave 189W. So he might be able to barely run it. But I don't know how accurate that site is. Or what should be the amperage on the 12v lead of the PSU for a 8500GT. Even though 8500GT doesnt require and external power source, the PSU should still be able to maintain the power drain through the motherboard right ? So a cheap 250W might not cut it.

 

[zCexVe]

Using the eXtreme Power Supply Calculator I calculated the rough power consumption of a machine with an Intel Pentium 4 3.0Ghz + Normal Motherboard + 2 DDR2 RAM Sticks + 1 HDD + 1 DVDRW + 8500GT and it gave 189W. So he might be able to barely run it. But I don't know how accurate that site is. Or what should be the amperage on the 12v lead of the PSU for a 8500GT. Even though 8500GT doesnt require and external power source, the PSU should still be able to maintain the power drain through the motherboard right ? So a cheap 250W might not cut it.

8600GT would get it into 250W load range.I would say it is accurate,but real life scenarios would differ.
If you are familiar with PCI-e tech specs a PCI-e port is allowed a peak power draw of 75W throygh the card.And a PCI-e 6 pin is allowed for a 75W peak.
If a mobo can't cut a 75W draw through a port,its going down.

And 8600GT doesn't have a power connector on it.
I've done it while I was in LK,So I am pretty sure 8600GT would do with a 250W.(Unless you get a rare edition with a power connector on it and it wont need power unless OCed heavily).

 

[zCexVe]

ok here is the ultimate guy to answer ya problem..........ask him.......

hehe I sometimes go wrong too.

 

[OptiplexFx]

According to this article 8500GT 's typical power consumption is rated at 40Watts. Therefore I don't think it would hit the 75W limit of PCI-e port. Anyways, I also think its better to have a more powerful PSU. But he can try it first with his existing PSU and see if it works.

I don't know for sure, but there is no harm in trying, right? In the worst case, the computer will crash, but I don't think it can cause any hardware problems, right?

 

[akilar25]

8500GT

 

[zCexVe]

According to this article 8500GT 's typical power consumption is rated at 40Watts. Therefore I don't think it would hit the 75W limit of PCI-e port. Anyways, I also think its better to have a more powerful PSU. But he can try it first with his existing PSU and see if it works.

I don't know for sure, but there is no harm in trying, right? In the worst case, the computer will crash, but I don't think it can cause any hardware problems, right?

No harm in trying
Nope,With even a 8600GT PC wont crash.Worst case scenario will be artifacts.Anyways how much are those 8600GTs now? I think a 9500GT would be cheaper.Same thing performance wise.