View Full Version : I only have a 250 Watt Power Supply...
Well, I was thinking about getting a new FX 5900 128 soon, but I opened up the Manual of my Dell, and it says my computer only has a 250 Watt Power Supply...:(
I have read several reviews, that say I need at least a 350 Watt Power Supply to take advantage of the card.
(oops, thats the 256 Version..but still)
Am I totally screwed?
Is it ok to run with 250 Watts?
Help!!
~Q~
saturnotaku
06-20-03, 08:02 AM
Well, you're totally screwed in the fact that your computer most likely has a proprietary power supply. So we can't really tell you to run out and get a shiny new Antec 450W unit.
You can try to run the new vid card on your system, but we ain't gonna promise you it'll work or that you won't blow out your power supply (possibly taking other components with it).
Do you think the 128 Version absolutely needs 350 Watts to function properly as well???
Maybe since it's smaller, it dosent need as much...
I'm hoping anyway...
~Q~
saturnotaku
06-20-03, 08:18 AM
I can't answer that as I've never built a computer with less than a 350W PSU.
...well, I'm asking about the card itself...does anyone know?
~Q~
gstanford
06-20-03, 08:40 AM
It is the quality of the power supply, not the overall wattage that really makes the difference.
On the plus side, Dell power supplies are usually very high quality and have a fair amount of "reserve power".
There is a power supply convertor available, but I have never used it or seen it used.
http://www.endpcnoise.com/cgi-bin/e/dellconverter.html
According to the 14th edition "Upgrading & Repairing PC's" by Scott Mueller (and industry bible for those not in the know):
Fortunately, starting in 2000 Dell switched to using industry-standard ATX power connections in its Dimensions 4300, 4400, 8200 and newer systems. That means barring any other unforseen glitches, these systems should be more easily upgradeable by just replacing either the power supply or the motherboard alone. I, for one am glad to see Dell moving back toward industry standardisation because its systems are now far more appealing to purchase as a starting point for a system that will be user upgradeable and repairable in the future.
So, you never know, you may have a standard ATX power supply already.
OK,
Heres whats happening.
Just got off the phone with DELL...they are trying to find a third party manufacturer of Power Supplies that works with my DELL Dimension 4400 Desktop's MOBO. They'll call me...
Yeah it sucks...but I will be able to upgrade hopefully...
~Q~
gstanford
06-20-03, 09:51 AM
You should be fine since you have a 4400, and according to Mueller, the 4400 series uses standard ATX power supplies.
It would be best to get confirmation from Dell however, so wait and see what they say.
Another potential gotcha is that the existing power supply, even if it is ATX compliant, may be a custom shape or size, or mounted somewhere non standard in the case (quite a few Dell systems have the power supply at the bottom of the case).
EMunEeE
06-20-03, 12:16 PM
The Dell's say they have 250W power supplies. But a Dell engineer alerted me that they are rated based on mean output. The max output is 345W:eek: ....I have a Dell Dim 8200 with a radeonn 9700, two optical drives, two hard drives, 512MB ram and all kinds of other stuff. You should be fine.
E Mun, is that what yours is? A 250 Watt PS?
~Q~
mark949
06-20-03, 03:42 PM
i think i have the same problem i have a 250 watt power supply
i have a compaq 5000 series 5330 us .i want to get the 128 5900
dont know if it will work what about the value edition will it work?
i know the bfg 5600 ultra will they say a 250 is the lowest you can go...... what the $%$# why is that not enough 250 watt is a lot of damm juice if you ask me damm.. next will be 1000 watts...
ricercar
06-20-03, 04:08 PM
A 250 W PSU should let you play in 800x600 with a 5900 Ultra. Gaming in 800x600 will work, but above that you'll have problems. The card will function without sufficient power, or even without power on the molex, but it'll be slower than a GF4 Ti.
A 200 Watt PSU just barely ran my G3Force FX 5800 Ultra. 200 W was fine for 800x600 gaming, but running at 1024+, the machine would blue-screen as soon as the 3D engine kicked in. A 300 W PSU solved the crashing, and moving up to a 350 W PSU gave me even higher benchmarks and no noticable problems in games (mainly UT2003). I'm now looking at testing a 400-550 W PSU to see if the thing will bench even higher.
I strongly surgest you get a 400w PSU you can pick them up cheap enough now :)
EMunEeE
06-20-03, 04:36 PM
The power supply in my Dimension 8200 has a MEAN rating of 250W but a maximum output of 345W.
mark949
06-20-03, 04:38 PM
i have bought a 350 ps and the thing wont fit the pins that go to motherboard are not enough i have a compaq 5330 us computer is that the reason ????can some one help what ps do i need for a compaq 5330 us.i want a 350... im about ready to buy a new one im tired of this from compaq.
Not sure but i am guessing it's due to your case and motherboard being MiroATX.
quik_2_win
06-20-03, 06:15 PM
Originally posted by ricercar
A 250 W PSU should let you play in 800x600 with a 5900 Ultra. Gaming in 800x600 will work, but above that you'll have problems. The card will function without sufficient power, or even without power on the molex, but it'll be slower than a GF4 Ti.
A 200 Watt PSU just barely ran my G3Force FX 5800 Ultra. 200 W was fine for 800x600 gaming, but running at 1024+, the machine would blue-screen as soon as the 3D engine kicked in. A 300 W PSU solved the crashing, and moving up to a 350 W PSU gave me even higher benchmarks and no noticable problems in games (mainly UT2003). I'm now looking at testing a 400-550 W PSU to see if the thing will bench even higher.
Thats very interesting...
yoladude
06-21-03, 12:28 PM
Originally posted by Dazz
Not sure but i am guessing it's due to your case and motherboard being MiroATX.
yea, i have a microatx mobo, but an atx psu....can i safely upgrade to a higher wattage psu? or should i just buy one, test it, and return it if it doesn;t work? ill just do that sometime.
Well, it seems that I may be ok...from what I hear...
There may be alittle more power than I thought...it's still 250, but I hear alot about thats just the MEAN average....and that I should be ok, if I choose to get the 5900.
What do you all think?
~Q~
mark949
06-22-03, 04:48 AM
whats the mean average?how do you find it out?i have a 250 watt power supply and wanting to get the 5900 128 ver.shouldnt it depend on what you have that is using the power already ?
Mark,
You and I are in the same boat!!!!
I'll let you know what i find out...
Heres what I think i know...
The Mean avg, is basically what it can run at normally...
...it can do that with flying colors. What it's supposed to do.
But supposedly it can go higher...
...just how high...depends. On what, I dont know.
If anything bad happens, or it just cant handle the power Capt., I've heard it'll basically shut your computer down, before it'll fry it.
...I've heard...
:I
~Q~
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