Urgent Spec Check - is this ok?

karrde25

karrde25

karrde25

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Joined
5 Mar 2003
Posts
72
hi,

just ordered this this morning (i was quite impulsive). Checked it all out and it looked ok but now I'm worried about whether my GC will fit.

Case = Antec NSK 2480 Desktop Case - 380W Earth Watts PSU
MB = Gigabyte GA-73PVM-S2H NF 630i, S 775
GC = 8800GT
CPU = E8200

please can someone confirm an 8800GT is ok in that case / mb??

Thanks.
 
According to the case dimensions here, it should just fit if standard size 8800GT ;)

BUT, 380Watts might be cutting it to low for a 8800GT. Most GFX manufactures recommend 425W+ & at least 28A (single/combined) on the +12V Rail :(

EDIT: Think the NSK2480 uses standard size PSU, so maybe swap it out for this
 
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My mobo demanded a minimum 400w, but recommended 500-600w heh. Most modern PC's you want 500w+ to be safe. A graphics card can use upto 140w, the GT would be safe to say uses around 100w or below, CPU maybe 100w, then there's everything else, then add 30% to that for a safety margin.
 
If you're buying from OCUK just ring them and ask. Then if it doesn't work out, you have a better course of action for returning the goods.
 
Well I got a 600W cheapo PSU but the cables are too short so will have to get some extensions for it (should have listened and got a quality one).

In the mean time I built it all up on the 380W that the case came with. I tried the 8800GT in it and it started fine, then got everything running. I checked in Windows with the MB software it the +12v reports at 12.4 (or somthing, but it's in the twelves.

Tried a few games out (TF2 and Crysis) and it seems very stable. Does this mean I'm ok on the stock 380W? My GC states it needs a 400W PSU with 26A on the +12v.

Found a review on mine that states it's 27A on the +12v so that seems to indicate I'm ok?

What signs would I see that my system was underpowered? Would the System just fail to start? or would I see crashes? Because I've not seen any of that yet.

Could it also make the GC run slower? I say this as I've noticed that on a similar spec machine an 8800GT should get about 42fps on the crysis CPU bench with High settings at 1024x768. Mine comes out at about 35fps on high at 1280x720 (i;ve had to use this as am using hdmi into my lcd, so have to go at a 720p res).

Also, dropping to a very low res, 800x480 or something, doesn't seem to make a huge diff to the fps, probably about 3-4 extra fps.

could this be an effect of the underpowered psu??

Full system spec;

E8200 - stock
8800GT
4GB ram
Vista 32bit


Thanks..
 
The Power Supply is the heart of your machine. Don't risk frying your hardware. You want no less than a 500w and make sure it's not some cheap tat :p
 
I don't think so, no.
IF it were underpowered, it would just crash or reboot itself, which in itself can damage other components.
It may work right now, but the longevity of the psu would be cut short because you're making it work much harder than you would a 500w psu. Also a higher voltage psu 'usually' means that it will supply a better regulated voltage with less sags and spikes.
Honestly mate, i think you're taking a risk. You've got a decent rig, don't 'blow it' (quite lterally) by using an under qualified psu. It aint worth the heartache.
I've lost count of the amount of rigs i've had to rebuild at work, due to faulty/cheap psu's being installed.
 
any ideas what could be causing lowish fps in crysis then?

I get about 20-25fps while playing, 35 on the GPU benchmark. with settings at high. Reading about I should be getting more like 45 + fps with this setup.

3dmark came out at 10,000 with my system at the lowish end of the scale.
 
I have the setup in my sig, i.e. better specced, and i get ~25-28 FPS on high on 1248 x 1024 Res (Actually ALL high, no adjustments or tweaks. This is just looking at FPS in fire-fights, it's not a program average, so may be higher). So 45+ FPS on high is nonsense on a somewhat lesser card, unless it's been OC'd the crap out of or they've:

a) Tweaked the config file
b) running XP and using the DX9 mod to force high settings
c) Saying it's high settings, but moving elements like physics down to medium.

Though note that my PC is brand new build, all the drivers are latest and extremely stable at 3Ghz. I'd love to see a stock 8800GT at that res. at 45 FPS on high..
 
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Make sure you plug in the extra power connector to the graphics card?.

Otherwise it won't give maximum performance. (found that out a while ago on an old 7800GT :))
 
Ethics said:
Make sure you plug in the extra power connector to the graphics card?.

Otherwise it won't give maximum performance. (found that out a while ago on an old 7800GT :))
Click to expand...

lol what did you think those PCI-e cables and the connector on the cardwere for? :p haha
 
I didn't forget that one. Lol.

I have read in another thread that after a user changed his PSU from a weedy underpowered one, to a uber one it cured his fps issues. so hopefully this is my issue.

I'll report back in the morning.
 
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