A few gfx card questions

[morcar]

ok so i am going to buy a gainward radeon 4850 golden sample which has been overclocked. I cant use a 4870 or even a geforce GTX260 as i have been told my PSU just wont take it or it wont last too long while running them.

This is the PSU i got...

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/135453

Anyway I wanted to know with graphics cards whats the best thing to look for is it how quick the card runs or how much memory it has because i have seen cards that are 1GB and i am wondering if i would get better perfomance from them.

I am currently running a XFX Geforce 8800GTS 360MB XXX Edition along side an Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 and 4GB 1066MHz Corsair Dominator.

 

[magicbullet]

who ever told you that the psu wasnt gonna hold is not so smart. now on, dont believe him/her or it. get 4870 or gtx260 or even gtx275, you will be fine.

 

[gkay09]

@magicbullet I think the person who suggested the OP about the PSU is very correct...
It will not last long powering that card...Did you notice the amps on the 12V rail ?
It just has a single 12V rails with max 20amps on it...

Always when choosing a PSU, you should not go by the total wattage...The amps on the 12V rails matters the most...

@morcar even I wouldn't suggest the HD 4870...It is better that you upgrade your PSU first before purchasing your video card...
If you go ahead and purchase that card, then you would get random shutdowns and PC crashes...

 

[mindless728]

+1 to gkay, get a new PSU first then a new graphics card
or get them both at the same time

i remember the other post with this PSU,

i wouldn't handle today's systems well with only 20A on the 12 v rails

@magicbullet, do some PSU research
Jonnyguru PSU reviews
Hardware Secrets Power section

 

[leo2kp]

I agree with gkay09. 20amps won't power much. Your PSU is something you don't want to skimp on. Go with a good brand with plenty of amperage, and keep an eye on the warranty. PC Power and Cooling makes a great product. A 500watt PC P&C will power 55% more than that 600watt supply you linked, and a 610watt PSU has nearly 2.5x the power output with a 5-year warranty. You'll pay more but it'll save you money in the long run, and possibly save your entire rig.

 

[morcar]

ok so what about the memory and specs of these 4850 cards what matters the most memory or how fast it runs amd would a 4850 run on my psu as i did read the 4850 take less to run that my 8800gts.

 

[morcar]

oh and as for a psu would this power my sata dvd writer, 2 hard drives (maybe a third soon) my gfx card, p35-s3 mobo with my intel core 2 quad q6600.

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/132563

What wattage and amps would i need to run all of my pc does anyone know ???

 

[magicbullet]

those are recommended number. i know Amp matters and 260 only uses 34 amp(recommended) at most. nvidia up the value almost 50% from what it is needed.
I ran q6600 @ 3.0ghz, 2hdd, 4 stick of rams, 1 drive, 4x120 fans and 275 with only 400 watts psu 25A 12V rail for a few months and had no problem.

i had first hand experience. this is kind ridiculous to be arguing over this matter.

 

[gkay09]

@magicbullet your 400W PSU itself had 25A on the 12V Rail but a 600W PSU having just 20A on the 12V rails should speak for itself about the quality of that PSU...And you cannot be sure that it would even put out the complete 20A...
And accepted that the cards dont utilize that much power that is recommended by the graphics company...But still taking the point from what you have said - 50%, still the HD 4870 would require ~19A for working and might spike higher...And there are other devices that will share the power from that 12V rail...
So better safe than sorry...

 

[morcar]

I have to agree it is better to be safe than sorry and i know my PSU is not the one i should be runnning a 4870 or a GTx260 and higher. I am looking into it but as i only have 130 GBP (My pounds symbol will not work sorry) then its either a 4850, a new monitor cuz i need one (I am currently using an old CRT 19' Hansol) or a new power supply.

Damned if i do damned if i dont lol

Just a quick question too when i do get a psu whats the wattage i am looking in getting ?

Thanks

 

[gkay09]

^ IMO you need a better PSU than a better monitor right now...

PSU
Preferably - Corsair 450HX
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/152606
or
Silverstone Strider ST50F-230
http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/500W-ST50F-230-v-10-Strider-PSU-silent-modular-cable-V-10

Graphics card-
HD 4850
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/168023

 

[yellosnowman]

I defiantly agree with gkay
get a corsair 550TX , that would last you a while
and why get a 4850? get a

Spoiler

HD4890

prices should go down soon