Video card/PSU advice

1

1st Sgt. Burke

Limp Gawd
Joined
Nov 1, 2004
Messages
436
Im upgarding my rig, which is a gateway FX6800.

Basically an I7 920, with a crappy mobo (i plan to swap out in the future)
Ive got 9 gigs of ram
2 HD's
1 dvdr
and currently a 4850 512mb


Im looking at upgarding to a Dx11 card that will last me 3-4 years Im thinking the 5850 but wanted some other peoples advice. At the same time i need a new power supply to run the new card and all my peripherals. Something probably around 700w and preferably modular and under $75 (asking a lot , I know)

I play games like Aliens vs Predator, BFBC2, COD4, HL2, OFP:DR, GTA4, etc.
 
1st Sgt. Burke said:
At the same time i need a new power supply to run the new card and all my peripherals. Something probably around 700w and preferably modular and under $75 (asking a lot , I know)
Click to expand...

Yeah, good luck w/ that: you'll have to spend more unless you want complete junk. Keep an eye on the deals forum though, especially w/ memorial day here: you might get lucky.

As to the gpu, I'd recommend a 5850 - it's the best bang for your buck at the moment. XFX offers the best warranty.
 
Yeah I know Im asking a lot on the PSU, least I know now Im looking int he right direction.

Can you recommend a PSU? It doesnt have to moudlar, I would just prefer it though.
 
You're not going to find a good 700+ watt power supply for less than $100 (before rebate and promotional sales). That said, here are two good PSUs that meet your budget requirements:

$75 - Antec Earthwatts EA650 650W PSU (free shipping)
$80 - Antec NEO ECO 620C 620W PSU (free shipping & $15 mail-in rebate)

The key to finding a good PSU, among other factors, is by looking at the power each PSU has on its (combined) 12V rail(s), not its overall power. A majority of the cheap high-wattage PSUs available don't have enough power in the 12V rails for a good video card (many of which require over 30A, or 360W, of power). The Earthwatts and the NEO ECO have about 45A and 48A, respectively, on their combined 12V rails. In other words, each PSU has more than enough power for one HD 5850, all while providing enough juice for a slight overclock of the processor.

As you know, a modular PSU is more expensive than a non-modular PSU. At $75, there are no modular PSUs that I would recommend.
 
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The Corsair HX series, as a whole, is a good choice. You can also consider the Antec True Power Quattro series (the True Power New series consists of "half modular" PSUs) and the Silverstone Strider Series PSUs. The Seasonix X-series are among the best (in terms of energy efficiency, based on the 80 Plus standard), but they're also among the most expensive.

You wouldn't go wrong with, say, a Corsiar HX750 or an Antec TPQ-750/850. Having said that, do you really need that much power for one video card?
 
Then the HD 5850 would be a good choice. PSU wise, in your budget range, the Antec NEO ECO 620C that tiraides posted is your best bet. However the Corsair HX line, as Tiraides pointed out, is a good PSU line. XFX also brands pretty decent cost-effective modular PSUs.
 
Yah, I agree with Danny. The neo eco also offers more power on the +12v rails than the earthwatts.
 
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