GX2 9800 power supply question

A

acameron_56

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jan 26, 2008
Messages
289
Hi, I am potentially looking in to getting a cheap GX2 on the fs forums, but am wondering if my power supply can handle it. I am currently using the corsair 520 HX psu, but I noticed that 580W was recommended. My other components are:

2x 1 gb of D9 ram
Lots of fans
Some lights
A Q6600
Creative X-fi x-treme Gamer
3 HDD
2 cd drives
lots of usb peripherals

I still have my old psu, a silverstone zeus 750W so would that be a better choice? I hesitate to go back to it because it isn't modular and I've become quite fond of modular psus. My other question has to do with the 8 pin pcie. Can I use a 6 pin + a 2 pin instead of an 8? Thanks
 
Go with the 750W PSU if that is the only option.

Don't you just hate the manufacturers PSU requirements for video cards!!! They usually just give an overall wattage requirement for the whole system. What they should give is the max current draw (of just the video card) under load. That way we can tell exactly if the PSU rail(s) will cater for it.

From what I've just googled, some people state the 9800GX2 can draw up to 40A @ 12V. I find this a 'tad' over rated (480W just for the video card???) - oh well, maybe so.... It seems both your PSU's have a 18A rating on the 12V rails (one has 3 rails and the other 4 from what I see). So with 2 dedicated 12V rails going into the video card, you hope that the card doesn't really draw more than 36A max total, if it does, then you will be getting a drop in voltage which may cause the card to play up.

So really, to play safe and by the rules, you need to get a bigger PSU with more amps on the 12V rails.

I bet you will find many people running that sort of card with a 750W PSU like yours and never had a problem though...
 
If you plan on having your cpu and GPU overclocked then I woud reccomend getting a 750W PSU. After the rebates the corsair psu are pretty cheap and will last a long time.
 
The HX line of Corsair PSUs are beasts. I know of a folding@home rig which has 3 9800GX2s that used a single Corsair TX750 to power it. Your 520 will have no problem keeping up with one 9800GX2. You do have several minor extra power draws on your system but you should be fine.

I am guessing that your 6+2 pin connector is the same as what is on my HX1000. Yes it is capable of handling the 150W or 12.5amp draw required by the 8 pin connector.
 
I'm running 2 9800GX2s on a 750w perfectly. Try it with the 520w and you at least know you already have the 750w for backup.
 
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