Upgrading PSU in a prebuild

nutski1873 · Saturday at 23:10

Can you change the PSU from a prebuilt Acer Predator Orion 3000 (500w PSU installed) to a more powerful one to run a better GPU? If so how easy is it/and what would you suggest sticking in it?

Tetras · Saturday at 23:23

nutski1873 said:
Can you change the PSU from a prebuilt Acer Predator Orion 3000 (500w PSU installed) to a more powerful one to run a better GPU?

It looks like it is technically possible, but the connectors are proprietary, so you'd need at least one adapter cable and reports (from a google) are mixed about how successful this is.

What graphics card are you trying to upgrade? It is possible that you can still achieve something with the stock PSU and a single 8-pin PCIE connector (assuming that is present).

nutski1873 · Tuesday at 15:12

Tetras said:
It looks like it is technically possible, but the connectors are proprietary, so you'd need at least one adapter cable and reports (from a google) are mixed about how successful this is.

What graphics card are you trying to upgrade? It is possible that you can still achieve something with the stock PSU and a single 8-pin PCIE connector (assuming that is present).

Any suggestions on what PSU and adapter to get? Prob would like to go what 650w-750w, doubt price difference would be too different.

Tetras · Tuesday at 16:11

nutski1873 said:
Any suggestions on what PSU and adapter to get?

You should be able to find some of the posts on reddit (and elsewhere) and read about user experiences with this type of upgrade.

I would not want to recommend anything, because this is all unofficial/modding-type territory with big potential for issues/frying stuff.

nutski1873 · Tuesday at 16:25

Tetras said:
You should be able to find some of the posts on reddit (and elsewhere) and read about user experiences with this type of upgrade.

I would not want to recommend anything, because this is all unofficial/modding-type territory with big potential for issues/frying stuff.

I could make it go kaboom you mean lol. That would be a story wouldn’t it. I fry my eyebrows off due to a recommendation from Tetras

nutski1873 · Tuesday at 16:55

I know you won’t recommend anything, but doesGAMEMAX 750W Fully Modular ARGB Power Supply come with the right cables possibly? I am not looking at it for the rub or anything, just wondering if your best guess the cables included could be right?

Tetras · Tuesday at 17:00

nutski1873 said:
I know you won’t recommend anything, but doesGAMEMAX 750W Fully Modular ARGB Power Supply come with the right cables possibly? I am not looking at it for the rub or anything, just wondering if your best guess the cables included could be right?

From what I can see when googling the possibilities for the motherboard it comes with, no PSU comes with the right cables. You should need an adapter for at least the main 6 pin, of which no official adapter exists. The last example I saw, they used one intended for a Dell, but several other posters said these adapters did not work.

Best to take the panel off and have a look yourself.

nutski1873 · Tuesday at 17:05

I may be safest then, just to keep the thing alone, maybe add a slightly better than a 3060 in it (doubt I can go much higher with only a 500w PSU) and then just leave it as is, and put all funds into own build in future.

hornetstinger · Tuesday at 17:07

nutski1873 said:
Can you change the PSU from a prebuilt Acer Predator Orion 3000 (500w PSU installed) to a more powerful one to run a better GPU? If so how easy is it/and what would you suggest sticking in it?

No it's ATXV12 or something like that, it's not a generic PSU from overclockers.

I worked on a Acer Predator 3000 a bit ago, put it into a new case, new HSF.

hornetstinger · Tuesday at 17:14

nutski1873 said:
I may be safest then, just to keep the thing alone, maybe add a slightly better than a 3060 in it (doubt I can go much higher with only a 500w PSU) and then just leave it as is, and put all funds into own build in future.

Acer do have a 750W version, I don't know the part number, but do a google search for acer predator 3000 750W PSU.

I'd do the following in your Acer

1) Fit into a new bigger better ventilated case
2) Replace the stock Intel HSF with another one, I used a thermelright dual tower (no problem with fitting)
3) Upgrade RAM
4) Add addition NVME drives, and/or SATA

PSU cables are a bit short so you might need extension cables for the two four pin CPU power. They just fitted without them in a Antec case but I had to change the orientation of the PSU. For typical cables pointing forward in a large case you'd probably need the extension cables.
Y splitters for fans, or a case with fan hub
Acer 6 pin to SATA for SATA drive / fan power

Tetras · Tuesday at 17:41

nutski1873 said:
I may be safest then, just to keep the thing alone, maybe add a slightly better than a 3060 in it (doubt I can go much higher with only a 500w PSU) and then just leave it as is, and put all funds into own build in future.

The best upgrade I can think of with a similar power profile and a single 8-pin connector is a 4070. 9060 XT 16GB is 8-pin as well, but 4070 has more grunt.

nutski1873 · Tuesday at 17:50

Definitely should not be running a 5060ti in the machine then, will stick the 3060 back in before I blow the thing sky high.

hornetstinger · Tuesday at 18:01

What CPU does it have? Intel 13600f with 4070 with 500W on the one I used

nutski1873 · Tuesday at 18:11

I7 12700f with 3060, 500w. B660 mobo

Tetras · Tuesday at 18:18

nutski1873 said:
Definitely should not be running a 5060ti in the machine then, will stick the 3060 back in before I blow the thing sky high.

That's not a problem, power usage of a 5060 Ti is similar to the 3060, but a 5060 Ti would normally have a 16-pin connector.

nutski1873 · Tuesday at 18:21

Tetras said:
That's not a problem, power usage of a 5060 Ti is similar to the 3060, but a 5060 Ti would normally have a 16-pin connector.

One I got had only 1 x 8-pin connector. But yesterday machine did turn off as it got very warm indeed.

hornetstinger · Tuesday at 18:24

nutski1873 said:
One I got had only 1 x 8-pin connector. But yesterday machine did turn off as it got very warm indeed.

Absolutely lousy cooling in the case. Not sure how specific reduction but I think around 30 degrees lower on CPU with new case and hsf

Tetras · Tuesday at 18:39

nutski1873 said:
One I got had only 1 x 8-pin connector. But yesterday machine did turn off as it got very warm indeed.

Hmm, odd. The 5060 Ti has similar power usage, so I'm not sure why that would happen.

Though, the 5060 Ti is more powerful, so it may have increased the CPU temperature keeping up.

Is the cooler design the same? The 3060 wasn't a blower was it?

hornetstinger · Tuesday at 18:46

The case has crap ventilation. Two 92 mm fans, the front fan is blocked by casing and drive bay. Upgrading case and HSF resulted in lower temps all round plus much quieter.

I'd do those upgrades. Be aware you will need a deepish case as the front panel I/O sticks out bigger than a regular case.

Fitted in a Antec Flux Pro ok although that isn't a cheap case. Should fit in a Antec Flux but you will need the extension cables.

If you get a GPU with similar usage to a 4070 should be ok.

nutski1873 · Tuesday at 19:32

Cheers for the great advice as always. teaches me to never go prebuilt again. For years i wanted a Predator, but seems to not have been the right financial choice in the long run.