Hey guys i'm fixing a relative's pc, (gateway desktop) the video card went on it, I have a spare card laying around ati hd 3870, the system req. is a 450watt psu, but the one in the pc is only 300watt, they dont play 3d games on it, mostly movies and other desktop application, do you think i can still use it without blowing the computer?
thanks.
Gateway Support - Specifications
I don't know if you need to worry about "blowing the computer", but the 300W PSU may not have enough capacity.
The 3870 uses a 6 pin PCI-E auxiliary power connector, so it can consume up to 150W in principle. A quick check online suggests that it actually uses more than 120W.
You may be able to use a lesser PSU, as long as it's a good one, like:
Newegg.com - CORSAIR CMPSU-400CX 400W ATX12V V2.2 80 PLUS Certified Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply
(Corsair 400W, 30A on its single +12V rail.)
Free is good, but you (or your relative) might be better served by dropping a modest sum on a newer low-end card rather than trying to use an old high-end one. (There are Radeon 5XXX series cards for less than $50, which support DX11, pointless though that may be.)
hm, ok thanks for the info! money is a factor, but i didnt realize psu are that cheap now. i will let them know, thanks again.
Quote