Can i run a new videocard on my PC?

guidovandestolpe

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Nov 20, 2011
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Hello, I want to buy a nvidia geforce gtx 560 or a nvidia geforce gtx 460. Can those videocards run with my PC?

If they do, wich one do you think is better to buy?

If they can not run on my PC, how can I upgrade my PSU, and by how much should i do that?

These are the specifications of my PC:
Studio XPS 8000
intel core i7 860 280 GHz
4,00 GB RAM
64 bit system
right now i´m running a geforce GTS240 videocard.

Many thanks if you can answer my question!
Guido
 

ulillillia

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Jul 10, 2011
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If you have at least 25 amps on your +12V rail(s) on your PSU, you should be able to. wikipedia shows 150 watts for the maximum power on both, for 12.5 amps. The 560 is 20% better than the 460 as far as processing power goes.
 

guidovandestolpe

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Nov 20, 2011
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@mauler184 i´m not sure, I haven´t changed it since I bought my PC. I´ve looked on the internet and people with similar computers have a 350W PSU, but some say it can run a 500W videocard. I don´t know but maybe it has multiple connections of each 350W. How can i figure out wich PSU I have and wich is needed for the GTX560 card? thanks for reply btw
guido
 

ulillillia

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You can open up your computer case and look at the rectangular box that every wire is leading toward. There's a label on this box that indicates the wattage. The most critical details needed are how many amps you have on each +12V rail you have. That will be the deciding factor. Even with 300W, you may still be able to run a GTX 560, provided you don't overclock, have few peripherals, and other such things. At 12.5 amps (watts (150) divided by volts (12) gives you the amps) for the 560 alone, plus probably another 10 for the other components, you're getting very close to maxing out a 300W PSU, provided it offers 25 amps on the +12V rail.

No video cards today, unless highly overclocked, use 500 watts of power.