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Did I get the wrong PSU??

S

shantd

Gawd
Joined
Aug 2, 2008
Messages
665
I just finished placing my order at newegg for my new super computer. All the components ended up costing just below $1500. Anyway, I think I blew it on the PSU. After doing some reading I've seen it mentioned that you need 4 PCI-E connectors to support a quad core. The PSU I ordered only has 2 x 6Pin connectors.

I'm getting a Q9450 with dual Radeon HD 4850s in crossfire on an Asus Rampage formula mobo. Here is the PSU I ordered: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817153038&Tpk=w0116ru

Will it work with my setup? Thanks a bunch.
 
4 PCI-E connectors for a quad core?...huh?
Those are for video cards only; completely separate from the processor. Each of the video cards you chose requires a single power cable. Since you have 2 video cards and the power supply provides two 6 pin connections, you are fine. Power supply is a bit overkill, but it will work just fine.
 
Yeah, like Blue Fox said, PCI-E connectors are for PCI-E devices. They have nothing to do with the CPU. Anyway, your PSU is more than enough to handle your system anyways. You should be around 50% of its maximum rated load at most. Just plug everything in and it should run without a hitch.
 
Blue Fox said:
4 PCI-E connectors for a quad core?...huh?
Those are for video cards only; completely separate from the processor. Each of the video cards you chose requires a single power cable. Since you have 2 video cards and the power supply provides two 6 pin connections, you are fine. Power supply is a bit overkill, but it will work just fine.
Click to expand...

Is it overkill? PSU estimator tells me I need 700 watts and I only have one video card. 4HDD's though..
 
hmmm...that's what I figured, but I read something about "having the 4 connectors needed for crossfire"...here is the exact quote: "I used the PC Power and Cooling Turbo-Cool 860watt PSU. It's ATI approved for 2 4870s in CF and has the 4 power connectors needed."

Which 4 power connectors is he referring to and what are they needed for?
 
shantd said:
hmmm...that's what I figured, but I read something about "having the 4 connectors needed for crossfire"...here is the exact quote: "I used the PC Power and Cooling Turbo-Cool 860watt PSU. It's ATI approved for 2 4870s in CF and has the 4 power connectors needed."

Which 4 power connectors is he referring to and what are they needed for?
Click to expand...

He's referring to the PCI-e power connectors that are part of the video cards he wants to run (which happen to have two a piece). Without the extra power directly from the PSU, they won't work.

Crossfire is a technology that makes two video cards work as one.

None of it has anything to do with the CPU.
 
Justintoxicated said:
Is it overkill? PSU estimator tells me I need 700 watts and I only have one video card. 4HDD's though..
Click to expand...
I've run 2 4850s, 6 drives, and a Q6600 off my 400w FSP PSU. PSU calculators tend to be crap...example: http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1333021

shantd said:
hmmm...that's what I figured, but I read something about "having the 4 connectors needed for crossfire"...here is the exact quote: "I used the PC Power and Cooling Turbo-Cool 860watt PSU. It's ATI approved for 2 4870s in CF and has the 4 power connectors needed."

Which 4 power connectors is he referring to and what are they needed for?
Click to expand...
They are referring to the power connectors for the video cards (6 pin pci-express). While the 4850s you are buying only require a single connector per card (for a total of 2), the 4870 requires two connectors per card (for a total of 4).
 
i think he is talking about the 8 pin cpu power connector. its almost like a pcie connector but it has 4 +12v and 4 grounds.

 
shantd said:
hmmm...that's what I figured, but I read something about "having the 4 connectors needed for crossfire"...here is the exact quote: "I used the PC Power and Cooling Turbo-Cool 860watt PSU. It's ATI approved for 2 4870s in CF and has the 4 power connectors needed."

Which 4 power connectors is he referring to and what are they needed for?
Click to expand...

If the person in that quote is indeed running 2x 4870s in Crossfire, then he would need 4 PCI-E power connections because each 4870 takes 2x 6pin PCI-E power connections to the card. 2cards x 2PCI-E plugs per card = 4 PCI-E connections needed . ryan_975 got it right, it has nothing to do with the CPU.

ALL4AMD - you're referring to the EPS +12v connector, which is 8-pin, and is indeed designed to boost the voltage that the board is supplied to support features like quad core CPUs (among other things).

to the OP - your Rampage formula does support the EPS +12v connector that ALL4AMD was referring to. It will also support the older P4 +12v connector instead, but your Toughpower Modular PSU does have the EPS +12v connector on it, so there's no issue there.
 
No, it's meant to boost available current primarily, though the decreased resistance from more cables will sliiiiightly raise the voltage as well.
 
As an aside, if anyone is interested, newegg is offering a helluva deal on that power supply. With mail-in rebate, I will have paid around $60 for it. I received a $50 rebate on it because I purchased it in tandem with a Q9450, a combo deal. In addition, there's a $50 mail-in rebate offered on the already sale price of $159.99. So, presuming you don't need a Q9450, you can pick it up for just over a C-note. Seeing how much the same power supply is going for elsewhere, seems to be a helluva deal.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817153038&Tpk=w0116ru
 
Wow, blue fox, that thread you referred me to re: overrated power supply estimates really hammered that point home. My previous system had 7 hard drives, a dual CPU (not dual core) setup, several promise hard drive controllers in the pci slots, etc...and I was only using a 400 watt PSU. It ran just fine for about 7 years. It is virtually dead now but that has nothing to do with the PSU. Anyway, its been 7 years since I built my last computer so seeing all these 700-900 watt PSUs being reccomended for seemingly standard setups really had me scratching my head. I was suspicious that people were vastly over-juiced but I just figured all this new technology/faster speeds must require vastly more juice than the older stuff. Apparently not...thanks for the education. Everybody here is unusually helpful. I could really get used to this forum, expect to see a lot more of me.
 
There's some big confusion out there about 8-pin PSU connectors. Some sites like zipzoomfly.com have PSU's listed as having an '8-pin PCI-E connector' when it's really the 8-pin cpu power adapter. You need to find specs from manufacturer sites.
 
Actually there are 8-pin PCI-E connectors... 3870x2's and 9800GX2's used them...
 
shantd said:
seeing all these 700-900 watt PSUs being reccomended for seemingly standard setups really had me scratching my head. I was suspicious that people were vastly over-juiced but I just figured all this new technology/faster speeds must require vastly more juice than the older stuff. Apparently not...thanks for the education. Everybody here is unusually helpful. I could really get used to this forum, expect to see a lot more of me.
Click to expand...
I started a thread about this the other day.

http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1333408
 
shantd said:
Everybody here is unusually helpful. I could really get used to this forum, expect to see a lot more of me.
Click to expand...

We're glad to have someone as polite and well-mannered as you around :).

Also, if you want to have a laugh about wattage BS, take a look at my latest post in that thread that Blue Fox linked a few posts back. Even I was a little surprised by my findings ;).
 
Blazestorm said:
Actually there are 8-pin PCI-E connectors... 3870x2's and 9800GX2's used them...
Click to expand...
And I know this. They are listing the 8-pin CPU connectors as 8-pin PCI-E connectors.

For example I have this PSU. It does not have a 8-pin PCI-E connector. The circle/square pins in the clips on the 8-pin cpu and 8-pin PCI are different.

Here are the actual specs. The 4+4 is the cpu power adapter, so you can run this PSU with the older p4 style boards.
 
Heh, still... my PSU wasn't advertised with 8pin PCI-E, and I got 1 PCI-e 6 to 8 cable (it's a modular X3 600 Ultra)

So I don't know... most PSU's today have atleast 1 PCI-E x 6, and 8pin for the motherboard...
 
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