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Power Supplies...

Discussion in 'Building a new PC' started by xChronox, Jun 17, 2009.

  1. xChronox

    xChronox Regular member

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    Well, let me put it this way, I stumbled on these forums Feb '08, asking about my PC build which was actually really bad, guaranteed it would've gone wrong in half the time that my current build has lasted, and my current build can STILL play every game at like 60fps if I turn down the settings, basically, 15 pages later and I know SO much more, which Processor is good, which is bad, which is good value, how to overclock, how to deal with voltages, power supplies, memory, hard drives, DVD manufacturers...So you started me off, and I'd like to say thanks, because I'd probably be sitting here wishing I could play half the games I can now if I didn't have your help :p.

    Also it's great having the opinions of people who have actually used the components and know people who use them in a practical way, not just a "3DMark test, end." if you know what I mean.

    When I get some money I'll be ordering that 4870 and the memory and I have no doubts that it will be top-notch and will play everything, unless by the time I actually get money the 58 series is released :p.

    Long post because it's probably going to be my last in this thread until I get my gear. Until then, cya!

    ~Sam
     
  2. sammorris

    sammorris Senior member

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    Good to hear. You don't tend to hear many long-term 'thank you's around here, people set off with their build, sometimes post back that it works and then that's that. As for the HD5800 series, it's probably going to be a little while longer yet, around the christmas games release period in late october to mid november is probably when we can next expect new tech. It's going to be quite a dull (but cheap) summer...
     
  3. Shokz

    Shokz Regular member

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    Yeah, I'm sure they're trying to coincide with the official Windows 7 release (and therefore DX11)
     
  4. xChronox

    xChronox Regular member

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    Well, all the better then, I'll just save up till christmas, then get my christmas money and have even more to get a nice 5870. The mistake I made last time was getting a 3850 2 weeks before the 4800 series came out lmao.

    But the 3800 series is still beastly, it can run anything with no AA in the last year and everything with AA older than that, and tbh AA doesn't bug me that much.

    Prototype, wouldn't run on my PC, well it did but I had about 30fps no matter what settings I put it on, low, medium, high, and the graphics looked....Less than average for a new game. So it's probably my Graphics Card and my ram.
     
  5. Shokz

    Shokz Regular member

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    Hmm, might not be - I've hears other people say Prototype isn't exactly the best looking game :p

    inFamous <3 ;)
     
  6. xChronox

    xChronox Regular member

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    No, I meant the PC version and the FPS stays the same no matter what settings, even 800x600 RES and low on everything, still 30, it's not capped on 30 or anything, because it goes up to like 40 momentarily, so it's most likely my card and my ram.

    If only Graphics Cards could be like a Core 2 Duo, you just buy one and you're set for 5 years.
     
  7. sammorris

    sammorris Senior member

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    If the frame rate stays the same regardless of the resolution, then it's either capped, or your CPU is the limit, not the graphics card.
     
  8. shaffaaf

    shaffaaf Regular member

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    niether is GTAIV....
     
  9. xChronox

    xChronox Regular member

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    Well I was running Windows 7 with no programs open except the game, I have a Core 2 Duo E6750 overclocked to 3.2GHz, so I don't see why it should have been that..Hmm...

    (Edit : The FPS certainly isn't capped as it would reach frames of 70 and go back down to 40)

    This isn't the first time either, it's done this sort of thing on FarCry 2, as well as Shadows looking really dodgy and crappy, and on other games. That's probably my 3850 though.

    We'll see what happens when I get my new gear; btw, I just realised something, if the 5800 Series comes out and it demands more power than the 4800 series, I probably will need a new power supply, won't I? I'm going to go googling for a PSU-Z type program. If only PSU's came with S.M.A.R.T. ;).
     
    Last edited: Jun 22, 2009
  10. sammorris

    sammorris Senior member

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    Don't, they're all over-zealous and rubbish. A 450W Corsair is fine for any graphics card that uses up to a dual 6-pin connector. 8-pin is probably pushing it, simply because I don't trust the adapters. The PSU itself would still be fine.
     
  11. shaffaaf

    shaffaaf Regular member

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    single 8 pin should be fine
     
  12. sammorris

    sammorris Senior member

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    Except no PSU has a single 8-pin, it's single 6, 6+6 or 6+8.
     
  13. shaffaaf

    shaffaaf Regular member

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    u can get molex convertors. some GTS 250s and 4850s haev a singel 8 pin
     
  14. sammorris

    sammorris Senior member

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    I've never seen one, nor do I see the need. A single 6-pin is ample power for an HD4850 or GTS250.
    Edit: As far as I can see it is only the GDDR5 HD4850s that require the 8-pin.
     
    Last edited: Jun 22, 2009
  15. shaffaaf

    shaffaaf Regular member

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    well the 2870 and 4890 only need 1 8 pin aswell.
     
  16. sammorris

    sammorris Senior member

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    2870?
    The HD3870 if you mean that, only needed a 6-pin. The HD4890 needs two 6-pins.
     
  17. shaffaaf

    shaffaaf Regular member

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    4870

    i mean, 1 8pin = 2 6 pins.
     
  18. sammorris

    sammorris Senior member

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    Yeah but that's hardly the point. If you only have two six pins (I'm pretty sure there are PSUs out there like that, correct me if I'm wrong) then a single 8-pin needs a molex adapter regardless. Dual 6-pin is more universally accepted. That GDDR5 HD4850 remains the only card I've seen single 8-pin on.
     
  19. Shokz

    Shokz Regular member

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    Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought 8 pins supplied the same power as 6 pins - I thought they both had the same number of pins supplying power and the 8 pins just had more grounds or something...

    Though I am trying to remember this from I diagram I saw a long time ago, so don't shout at me if I just mumbled utter rubbish ;)
     
  20. sammorris

    sammorris Senior member

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    Nope, it's an extra live and extra ground, not only that, it's actually rated for 37.5W per wire, not 25W like standard connectors, so it's actually double the power. One 8-pin replaces two 6-pins.
     

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