300W PSU and a new graphics card.

[gevinn]

So I really want to upgrade my GPU, but today I found out I don't have a sufficient PSU.
It's only 300W and it's a Dell L300PM-00.
So I wanted to ask you if I could run HD7770 or HD7750?
Or do you guys have any other suggestions as to what card should I get.

My computer:

CPU: Intel Core i3-2120 @3.30GHz (2 cores, 4 threads)
GPU: nVidia GeForce GT 620
4GB DDR3 RAM
1280x1024 resolution screen.
Dell L300PM-00 300W PSU

Any suggestions are welcome!

 

[RealBeast]

The HD 7750 should run with no problem and you have pretty good odds that the 7770 would also run if you really want it and are willing to upgrade your PSU if it doesn't cut it (although it is highly probable that it will work). The 7770 IIRC needs a 6 pin PCIe power adapter so you may need a molex to 6 pin adapter to power the card.

 

[StarBG]

Well your PSU should be ok but there is not much space for much better cards and other upgrades. It depends on your budget what card we can recommend.

 

[gevinn]

well under 150 bucks would be great.
I wouldn't really want to upgrade my PSU right now.

 

[gevinn]

my PSU doesn't have the 6 pin connectors. every wire coming out of it is already connected to the motherboard or one of my two HDDs.

 

[StarBG]

You can get the HD 7790 and a new decent psu for around $150.

 

[RealBeast]

my PSU doesn't have the 6 pin connectors. every wire coming out of it is already connected to the motherboard or one of my two HDDs.

You would need to use a molex splitter and molex to PCIe 6 pin adapter to run the 7770.

 

[jaguarskx]

For a 300w PSU I would not recommend anything above a Radeon HD 7750 or GTX 650 (no Ti or Ti boost version).

 

[dkulprit]

I know you don't want to upgrade your psu, but it should be the first thing you do on this system. Despite what the stocker says, many psu's aren't actually putting that much out, or lose wattage as they age. Being on the borderline can be dangerous. Most times lack of power will just cut off your system, there is a chance you can actually fry your system. That is more than the extra money just to upgrade psu. I would rather be safe.

Newegg, ncix, and tiger direct all have great deals a lot of the time, around this time a year and black Friday around the corner, way better. Newegg also has bundles or open box to investigate.

Safe> sorry

 

[gevinn]

A lot of people said that the 7750 would still be safe despite the low wattage of my PSU.
The last reply got me confused, so is the 7750 safe?
I also have two not very spacious HDDs.
I'll try to post a picture of the sticker on my PSU later so you can see the ampers and whatnot

 

[dkulprit]

A lot of people said that the 7750 would still be safe despite the low wattage of my PSU.
The last reply got me confused, so is the 7750 safe?
I also have two not very spacious HDDs.
I'll try to post a picture of the sticker on my PSU later so you can see the ampers and whatnot

it is safe. But it is borderline. Adding any components or a drop in wattage could cause issues.

go to pcpartpickers, go to system build, put in all your components, and it will tell you if there is any possible conflicts or issues with the build.

As I said psu's can lose wattage over time. I used to work for an nvidia card manufacturer in support, so I've seen a lot of issues when it comes to psu's. The ratio of cards sold to major issues is low, but it still put the fear in me.

idk what companies you have that sell components in the UK, but newegg has a 500w gold psu on sale for 24.99 right now. So you could upgrade your psu for a relatively low amount.