Graphics Card Power Supply Requirements

[Ragnar2615]

I'm looking at getting a Radeon HD 7870 but it says that it has a 500W power supply requirement. I have an XPS 8500 and from what i've read(I havent cracked open the case yet) it has a 460W supply. Is the 500W requirement an overestimate and i'll be ok or should i look at a different card?

 

[rolli59]

It is an overestimate based on lackluster PSU's and the card should work fine on your 460watt unit.

 

[Freakboi_pa]

You should always have a 30% buffer of power of the required amount "needed" by your system. Power supplies start to degrade over time from spikes, sags, constant usage of peak performance and heat. If you're running at the limit of the PSU right from the start, when the PSU starts to degrade, you're going to start having issues.

 

[rolli59]

Hence the high power requirements from manufacturers actual Total system load with a HD7870 just over 300watts http://anandtech.com/show/5625/amd-radeon-hd-7870-ghz-edition-radeon-hd-7850-review-rounding-out-southern-islands/17

 

[Ragnar2615]

Thank you for the help