Q: What rated power supply to use with nvidia 8600 GTS

[FulciLives]

Hello

I'm thinking of buying a nvidia 8600 GTS and I've seen some with 256MB RAM and some with 512MB RAM and I'm not sure which I am going to get but I was wondering if anyone knows what rated power supply is needed to run this type of card.

I'm looking for something cheap 8)

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

P.S.
Here are two models of the 8600 GTS that I'm thinking of getting:

XFX PVT84GYDQ3 GeForce 8600GTS 512MB
XFX PVT84GUDF3 GeForce 8600GTS 256MB

For the record I currently have a 350 watt power supply circa 2005 that came in a "stock" computer I bought at BEST BUY and I'm currently running a GeForce PCX 5300 PCIexpress x16 card that requires no direct hook-up to the PSU. As I understand it these newer cards (like the two I am looking at) require some sort of direct connection to the PSU ... correct?

[Bodyslide]

Per this page you might have the Min power needed
http://www.hothardware.com/articles/NVIDIA_GeForce_8600_GTS_and_8600_GT/?page=2

(NVIDIA recommends a 350W PSU for single card configurations and 450W for SLI).

But this page shows a 375 W PSU

http://www.compusa.com/products/product_info.asp?product_code=345703

Hope that helped....

[Poppa_Meth]

350W with 22A on the +12V rail is minimum. SLI requires at least 400W with 24A on the +12V. I just put a 7600GT in my old rig. This is the PSU I got. Single rail and a decent price for the quality of the PSU.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139004

[dLee]

Just bought a Gigabyte GeForce 8600 GT (GV-NX86T256H RT) for use in a new system I built. It does not require a direct power connection. This card has passive cooling (fanless). Fanless was important for me because my older workstation sounds like a vacuum cleaner.

Just rechecked the photos of your cards and they do have an onboard power connector

I bought a Thermaltake TR2-430W Power Supply for $39.99 USD. It has a PCI-E power connector, but I didn't need to use it.

The motherboard (Gigabyte GA-M57SLI-S4) manual says that the PCIE 12V connection should be connected if you are using two graphic cards.

So - apparently PCI-E devices can be powered via an onboard connector, a connector on the motherboard or from the motherboard alone. I didn't realize it was that complicated. More research is indicated.

[aedipuss]

fulcilives- if the card requires a direct connection to the ps, all the cards i've seen have a 4 pin old style molex drive power plug and come with a y splitter. the 8600 "gt" is a good choice also and doesn't require extra power.

[FulciLives]

Maybe I'll just go with the 8600 GT then instead of the 8600 GTS model.

I'll have to look at newegg.com etc. for some models. Kinda busy right now.

Thanks all for the comments.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[Bondiablo]

Don't waste your money on the 512MB version. With most video cards extra RAM is just a marketing gimmic, the GPUs aren't fast enough to make use of the extra RAM. The exception being the 8800 series cards.

All the newer PCIe cards that require power will have a 6pin connector. So, even though your 350w PSU might be enough, you may still have to upgrade the PSU. Some cards won't work even with an adapter.

With PSUs quality is more important that the watt rating. The Corsair 450vx (made by Seasonic) would be plenty. The 520hx would be a good choice if you want modular cabling.

[Nelson37]

IMO, high-priced power supplies are a rip-off. Never in 20 years have I seen a true need for one, all you need is sufficient wattage. I see these $100 + PSU's and I just laugh. The expensive models do not last any longer than standard ones, in fact in my experience the failure rate is somewhat higher. Marketing bullshit, put the money into CPU or RAM.

As for RAM on the videocard, nothing I have seen relates this to GPU power. It is, however, directly related to resolution and quality options.

Most newer high-end video cards do require the on-board power.

[zanos]

Maybe I'll just go with the 8600 GT then instead of the 8600 GTS model.

I'll have to look at newegg.com etc. for some models. Kinda busy right now.

Thanks all for the comments.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

If you're going to go with the 8600GT you might as well just get a 7600GT. They're basically the same card. Some reviews will even say the 7600 is more powerful. I'm getting a used one fairly cheap. I think I will go with a 400 w psu. I pay enough on electricity bills. My current psu is 250.

[Poppa_Meth]

Thats the other thing I like about the Corsair. It's one of the newer high efficiency models. 85 percent efficiency.

[steve42069]

I've got a BFG 8800GTS http://canadacomputers.com/main.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=013149&cid=999.243.390 your probably not in Canada but its just a reference Anyways I'm using an OCZ StealthXstream 600W psu http://canadacomputers.com/main.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=013680&cid=PS.808 it's a decent priced power supply in my opinion I would suggest you don't buy one of those cheapo psus all they do is die(gone through 4 this year at $40-50 a pop) so i finally broke and bought a REAL power supply and i couldn't be happier but as for the wattage of psu your looking for all depends on what your gonna run with it you said you got a 350 right now so your probably not running too much i would suggest you go with at least a 500 watt psu but thats just my 2c

[Poppa_Meth]

You'd be surprised what you can run at a low wattage. My rig had a Northwood P4, 2 HDDs, 2 DVD Burners, 2X512 of RAM, 6 USB devices attached, ATI 9800, SB Live, Adaptec Firewire card, 120mm fan, and all of that was running on a stock 250W Dell PSU.

[steve42069]

You'd be surprised what you can run at a low wattage. My rig had a Northwood P4, 2 HDDs, 2 DVD Burners, 2X512 of RAM, 6 USB devices attached, ATI 9800, SB Live, Adaptec Firewire card, 120mm fan, and all of that was running on a stock 250W Dell PSU.

yea that is true but the 8800s are power hungry

[zanos]

I've got a BFG 8800GTS http://canadacomputers.com/main.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=013149&cid=999.243.390 your probably not in Canada but its just a reference Anyways I'm using an OCZ StealthXstream 600W psu http://canadacomputers.com/main.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=013680&cid=PS.808 it's a decent priced power supply in my opinion I would suggest you don't buy one of those cheapo psus all they do is die(gone through 4 this year at $40-50 a pop) so i finally broke and bought a REAL power supply and i couldn't be happier but as for the wattage of psu your looking for all depends on what your gonna run with it you said you got a 350 right now so your probably not running too much i would suggest you go with at least a 500 watt psu but thats just my 2c

A cheap power suppy is $10-$20.

[FulciLives]

I've got a BFG 8800GTS http://canadacomputers.com/main.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=013149&cid=999.243.390 your probably not in Canada but its just a reference Anyways I'm using an OCZ StealthXstream 600W psu http://canadacomputers.com/main.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=013680&cid=PS.808 it's a decent priced power supply in my opinion I would suggest you don't buy one of those cheapo psus all they do is die(gone through 4 this year at $40-50 a pop) so i finally broke and bought a REAL power supply and i couldn't be happier but as for the wattage of psu your looking for all depends on what your gonna run with it you said you got a 350 right now so your probably not running too much i would suggest you go with at least a 500 watt psu but thats just my 2c

A cheap power suppy is $10-$20.

What crack cocaine are you smoking?

I've never seen a computer power supply unit at that price range ... at least not in this day and age.

We are talking about the main PSU of the computer here you know.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[vhelp]

Evening guys

FulciLives,

Yeah, I agree with Nelson37, that they (those fancy-schmancy) and over-priced
PSU's are a bit of a rip-off. Text (sales pitch) as usually written on the box or
sales brochure, they don't always move me when it comes to these types of equipment.

(if this were 2001 and we were talking capture cards, then yeah, I'd bought as many
as I could grab, cause that was how I was, back then -- oh, the good old days)

Anyways. As you know, I've updated/upgraded my (I should really say, added) an
new computer system, with Windows XP Home, plus SP1 -- more junk and hooks.. blaa!

And this pc has a 285 watt supply. I have one, 160 gig HDD, and a DVD/R/RW drive,
and a Pinnacle Studio AV/DV pci card, with one free pci slot left. So far, I can
not prove that this is low wattage PSU is bad for this set up, cause I have no
problems with it -- sides, sofware or user error. But, no hardware failure or
pci or i/o card or motherboard troubles, to date.

I don't know. I'm scratching my head on this one. Whoever is passing such advice
that you need a higher watter, like 450 watt or 500 watt PSU.., I don't know. I
guess you really (one 'L' or two 'L' 's -- anyways) have a have a stocked
system to require such a electric company's itching pocket to believe you must
serve them by installing such a hot plate. I tell you, its all a conspericy.
They're all in co-hoot with each other on this one. Ok. I'm exagerating a bit.
Or am I ?

Serious, though.. go out and get yourself that Graphics Card you have you eye on,
and install it, and see how your system handles the (assumed) load. I can't see
it loading your PSU for 500 watt's or whatever you were worried about.

Hay, don't listen them (the brochers and store clerks) .. listen to me, I know
it all. Seriously. Ok. I'm kidding. But, you get the picture

-vhelp 4437

[FulciLives]

@vhelp

I enjoyed that post

Very funny !!!

Actually I'm thinking I may just go with the 8600 GT since they supposedly don't require additional power or maybe even an old 7600GS since I saw one that looked nice for like $80 US Dollars on newegg.com

Problem is a lot of the new video cards need to be connected DIRECTLY to the PSU and older PSU's (like mine) do not have the correct connection so while my 350 WATT PSU sounds good enough even for the 8600 GTS (which is "above" the 8600 GT and 7600 GS) I wouldn't be able to run the 8600 GTS as my 350 WATT PSU has no direct connection for the video card. This means I have to go with a video card that does NOT require a direct-to-PSU connection.

Really I just want an Nvidia card that supports PURE VIDEO and the 7600GS does that so maybe I'll just settle for that and worry about a "major" upgrade when I actually have the money to blow.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[Supreme2k]

A cheap power suppy is $10-$20.

What crack cocaine are you smoking?

I've never seen a computer power supply unit at that price range ... at least not in this day and age.

We are talking about the main PSU of the computer here you know.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

Actually, I've gotten quite a few at that price. If you're okay with rebates, you can even get them free (especially this close to the holidays).

For example:
http://www.pricewatch.com/power_supply_for_case/450w.htm
http://www.pricewatch.com/power_supply_for_case/500w.htm

[Bondiablo]

The 7600GS is nowhere near the performance of the 8600GT but the 7600GT is pretty close. If you really want to compare cards check these 2 sites. Oh and I may have misspoke before about the Corsair being made by Seasonic. The HX series Corsairs are made by Seasonic but one or both the VX series are made by CWT.

http://www23.tomshardware.com/graphics.html

http://futuremark.yougamers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=164

[guns1inger]

The manual for my 8600 GT recommends a 450 watt PS as a minimum