Good psu for a gtx 580

[Spencrawf]

Hello,

my dad got a new computer its a dell optiplex 980 and although its a business computer id like to know if i could use it for gaming. im planning on updating the graphics card since that seems to be the only bad part of the computer and my psu is only 305 watts. id like to get a gtx 580 so what psu should i get for that? btw im not too good with computer stuff so yes.

 

[beenthere]

The information below will help you determine exactly what you need for a PSU and what current is required on the 12v rail.

As far as PSUs are concerned, be informed. Before you buy any PSU read accurate, objective PSU reviews at reputable sites such as www.jonnyguru.com or www.hardwaresecrets.com on the EXACT model PSU that you are interested in as some brands have good and poor quality PSUs.

You can also get an accurate rating of how much PSU power is required for your current or future system at the PSU calculator link below. Once you know the total PSU watts required then you need to confirm that the 12v rail has enough amps. to support your Vid card(s) and the rest of the PC system.

There are several websites that show the Vid card power consumption in watts. Divide the watts by 12 to determine the amps. required on the 12v rail(s). Add 15 amps for the rest of the PC on the 12v rail and you now know the Minimum total 12v rail amps required under full load. It's best to have at least 5-10 amps. reserve on the 12v rail available under full load so the PSU is not loaded to 100%.

It's also worth noting that people often misunderstand the 80% power rating. This is a rating of the PSU's energy efficiency not it's output. 80% plus PSUs use less grid power to produce the same PC power. If it's 80% Bronze, Silver or Gold the cost savings on electricity is pretty small between Bronze, Silver and Gold unless you are paying very high rates for electricity so any 80% rated quality PSU is fine even if not Gold. For those who leave their PC on 24/7 a quality 80% PSU is a good investment.


http://extreme.outervision.com/psucalculatorlite.jsp

http://www.guru3d.com/article/geforce-gtx-560-ti-sli-review/14

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NVIDIA/GeForce_GTX_560_Ti/25.html

IT'S BETTER TO TEACH SOMEONE HOW TO FISH THAN TO GIVE THEM A FISH FOR DINNER !

 

[casualbuilder]

For a single card, i would recommend:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139010

If you plan on going to a dual card or SLI setup:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139014

dont waste your money on cheap PSUs. You need to run solid, consistent power for those cards, and you wont be disappointed by these PSUs performance. The PSU will only pull as much as is needed to run the system, so dont look at the wattage and see money flying out the window, but their efficiency is top rated. You will save money in the long run, and you will have room to grow. I run the HX750W in my system, and it is rock solid. Im running a GTX560 at 570 clocks, and no issues, and i have plenty of room for extra components on my PSU.

Other brands if you want to shop:

Antec, Seasonic, Silverstone (1500W model was used in the 2011 Rig of the Year), Corsair, XFX, and OCZ.

Rosewill makes a decent PSU for lower end rigs, but i wouldnt recommend it for your GPU.

***Stay away from low end models of Cooler Master, and most any other PSUs.

 

[purple stain]

What's your budget for both the card and the PSU?

Their's no problem with getting a new PSU for the GTX580 but the problem is that with these Dell case's they are rather small and don't provide good airflow.Which would be really bad for such a high performance card like the GTX580 since they can get really hot.In fact I have doubts that it will fit in the Dell case.

I would suggest upgrading the case if you plan on using a card like the GTX580.

 

[Spencrawf]

My budgets like $650. And yeah i've heard that the dell cases are smaller but I think mine may be big enough i have the mini tower not the desktop which seems to be a bit bigger than the standard desktop but still I have no idea what is big enough for a new psu.

 

[purple stain]

For just a single GTX580 you could easily go with a 500 watt PSU but it's best to get a 600+watt just in case for future upgrades.

Seasonic 620watt

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151096

The other problem that I mentioned before is that even if it will fit the Dell case's don't have adequate airflow for such a high powered card.You can get a case for around $50.It's well worth the money,imo.

Antec 300 Illusion

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129066

MSI Twin Frozr II GTX580

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127567

Best aftermarket cooling.Plenty of room in your budget for a new case.

 

[Spencrawf]

Nice! Didn't realize they were that cheap thanks a lot for the info

 

[purple stain]

Yes they can go much cheaper but those are more barebones.At least with the Illusion u get plenty of fans to cool the GTX580.

 

[delluser1]

Optiplex 980, an mBTX system that is not dual slot card capable, unless the 4x slot is used, don't want to do that with a 580.
That also means that a new case isn't going to help, unless it comes with a new motherboard.

 

[Spencrawf]

shoot what cards would be compatible with 4x slot then?

 

[purple stain]

O really? I was only able to see the 990 and figured the 980 wasn't far off.If it's a BTX then a new case will not help at all.Pretty much gonna have to buy a new motherboard if you want to support a new card and a new case.

 

[Spencrawf]

Shoot how much would a new motherboard be anyways? I can keep saving up and eventually build this pc. Just cuz my dad actually got this computer for free and it has like 16 gb of ram and an intel core i7 870 and he's probably not even going to use the computer much. So i might as well make it into something awesome.

 

[purple stain]

For just a single PCI-Express x16 lane the mobo would cost around $100.If you've got a 870 I would definitly start O.C.ing.An O.C.'d i7 and a GTX580 will make a very potent combo.

 

[Spencrawf]

Nice thank you very much!