6670 on 220w PSU

MrPiddles

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Jun 5, 2012
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Hi guys, I'm new here and really scratching my head on this one. I'm a college student who mostly uses my little slimline desktop for surfing the web and for my digital art, but recently I've taken up MMO gaming between my studies. Last week a friend of mine stopped by and commented on how crappy the game looked on low settings, and said he had a graphics card he could give me that would be a big improvement. It turns out it's a Radeon 6670. Before I even tried to install the card I did some research and found mixed opinions on whether this card would work with my setup seeing as I only have a 220w PSU, and a few people stated that as long as there's at least 14 amps on the positive 12v rail it should be fine. (Full disclosure: this technical side of things makes my head spin a little.) I opened my case and looked at the label on the PSU only to find that there's two entries for the +12v rail.

dxn281.jpg


So my main question is this: will the card run (safely) with this PSU? (I'm a 3rd-year student in a dual-degree program, so I don't have a lot of spare change to upgrade parts.)

And, just out of curiosity, why are there two +12v rails? Since one is listed as 16a, does that mean it passes the "14 amps" requirement?

Thanks for any and all help you can offer. I'm at a loss when it comes to hardware, but I will try to provide any other information that may be needed.


By the way, I believe this is my computer.
 

MrPiddles

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Jun 5, 2012
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Oh, it just occurred to me to see if there's even enough room to install it. To my amateur eye it looks like there is, but I figured it couldn't hurt to ask here too.


2w3q9v6.jpg


 

randomkid

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Yes, the 6670 should fit into the black slot.

As for the power, you might get away with it. I entered your PC specs + the 6670 in here:
http://extreme.outervision.com/PSUEngine
& I got around 190W minimum but recommend 239W as safe. Try it yourself & decide.

But the ultimate question is will it fit into the case as I can see you have a slim line pc case. But since the card is free, you can try if it fits. If it fits, well & good. If not, the worst thing that can happen is to leave the cover open. :)
 
And, just out of curiosity, why are there two +12v rails? Since one is listed as 16a, does that mean it passes the "14 amps" requirement?
To meet the ATX12V Power Supply Design Specifications the power for the CPU must be kept separate from all of the other devices in the system with each +12V rail having its own current limiter. Since the CPU gets all of its power from the +12V rail that is why it has its own dedicated rail (i.e. +12Vb in your picture is the rail dedicated to the CPU).

Your +12Va rail rated at a max of 8 Amps is left to power anything else that requires +12V power like the graphics card, hard disk drive, CD/DVD drive, motherboard chipset, cooling fans, etc.
 

MrPiddles

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Jun 5, 2012
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Thanks for the replies and the explanation, randomkid and ko888. The card does fit physically, but it looks like the system can't safely power it. I guess I'll search around online and at the local computer parts stores to see if there's a cheap psu I can upgrade to.
 

MrPiddles

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Jun 5, 2012
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That's good to hear, tourist. I guess I can feel safe installing the card tonight then. I'll still look into the better power supply, just to be on the safe side. I've still got two more years before I've completed my degree programs, so avoiding unexpected expenses (burned-out computer being near the top of the list) is probably prudent.
 
I've had my 6670 on a 225W for some time, and I would not recommend it. I've ran it for a little bit, and played some LoL and other games properly, but it was more of an experiment. I have mine in a slimline case, and it generates alot of heat.

I am unable to upgrade the power supply to something better, for the case (Acer Aspire x1301) only fits a specific power supply, so I need a new case for a new power supply.

As for you, I would say a power supply upgrade would be in order. If he is giving you the card for free, it would be a good deal, since a 6670 ranges from $70-$100. I would go with the suggested Seasonic power supply, as they make some of the best in the business.
 

MrPiddles

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Jun 5, 2012
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Oh, I put the card in, just to make sure it fit, then ordered that Seasonic psu ko888 and others suggested. I should be getting the psu delivered today (newegg is FAST!) and I'll install the card when I get home from the studio today. Thanks everyone for all your help!
 

clay1987

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May 29, 2012
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Why would he get a 300W instead of going ahead and getting say a 500W, to cover possible future cards. Is the 500W considerably more expensive than the 300 W? Also, while I have read that the 6670 will run on 300W power supply, the manufacturer says more, and I didn't know if the 300W could be borderline in some cases, though I guess if you get a good 300W power supply, then a 6670 would likely not be borderline. I am these asking questions because I do not know. Appreciate any help.

I am planning to install a 6670 or 7750. I have a Dell Inspiron 530 Vista 32-bit system built in Feb. 2009, which came with a 300 W power supply, integrated graphics, E5300 dual-core processor, 3 GB DDR2 RAM, and 19" monitor.
 

Try finding a reputable brand TFX form factor power supply that has more than 300 Watts.

The limitation is PSU form factor and availability of those PSUs.
 

clay1987

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May 29, 2012
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Ok I understand. Thanks.
 

clay1987

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If as a test, he installs and runs the 6670 with the existing 220 W power supply, what would be the result of the test if the 220 W power supply is inadequate?


In general, what are symptoms of a computer caused by a borderline power supply?

In the more extreme, what does one see and what does the computer function like -- what happens -- if after installing a graphics card, the power supply is below borderline -- i.e., significantly deficient.

Thanks.
 

MrPiddles

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Jun 5, 2012
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Sorry for the late reply - I was away from home for the weekend. The power supply came on Friday evening and I hooked it up this morning when I got back. I ran the card on the original 220w for about an hour and noticed nothing unusual; but then again I have no idea what to look for. None of the things I use this computer for are very graphics-heavy, so I don't know how safe it would be to run it on the 220w for an extended period of time or under stress. Just to be safe I installed the new power supply and everything's running smoothly so far, knock on wood.

So I can confirm that the card will run on 220w, but I was unable (and unwilling) to stress it to see how well it performs at that wattage.

Thanks again for all your advice everyone.