GPU killed my PSU?

[Irishman]

I’ve been putting together a new PC lately and went for the GTX 480 GPU. The PSU I was using was only around 380w and needed replacing but with money being low right now I could only afford this PSU;

http://www.maplin.co.uk/680w-g7-power-extreme-atx-psu-345571

It doesn’t come with the 8 pin connector that’s needed to power the GTX 480 but I got myself a 6pin to 8pin converter. I then attached another 6 pin connecter (1. 6pin + 1. 8pin all together) to power it up. Ran a few games on max without a hitch but today I thought I’d try out Duke Nukem Forever and about 5 minutes into the game my PC powered itself down. I unplugged each devices at a time (GPU ect) with no luck so I placed my older PSU back in and it’s working again.
So did my GPU kill my PSU?

 

[Maguscreed]

surprised it was even running on that power supply to begin with.
Yeah it probably sucked the life out of it. I usually would recommend 500watts or more for that

 

[stormy13]

Think some of the comments in this thread sum up that power supply,

Which PSU to Buy? - Overclock.net - Overclocking.net

Do you really want to take a chance with a £30 power supply to run a very power hungry £250-300 video card? This is one of those where you would be far better served to save up and get something far better, because it can be a lot more expensive if (or more likely when) it goes and hope it doesn't take anything else with it.

And to answer your question,

So did my GPU kill my PSU?

Yes it is more than possible. It is also very possible that when a PSU goes that it will usually take something else with it.

 

[Irishman]

Thanks guys.
How about something like this?

Quad Rail 850W Gaming Power Supply Unit For PC 850W PSU | eBay UK

 

[Maguscreed]

Nice high wattage but I would say aim for 500-650watts and try to find a name brand in your price range.

 

[stormy13]

Looks like more of the same. That one falls under the same "no name piece of junk" as the first one you linked too.

Might be a good idea to give this a read,

Power Supply Information and Selection - Tech Support Forum

and this one on what happens with cheap power supplies,

The Bargain Basement Power Supply Roundup Review

Then from there do a Google search on any power supply you pick out. If you can't find any reviews on it (user reviews posted on the site it is sold by don't count), then it is a very good bet that it is something to avoid.

 

[Irishman]

Might as well save up and get this,

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Corsair-Enthu...ing_PowerSupplies_EH&hash=item230f91980f#shId

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139005&Tpk=Corsair%20Enthusiast%20TX650w

 

[stormy13]

Good choice. And from looking around a bit can be had for a few ££ less,

Corsair TX 650W V2 PSU - 80plus Bronze Certified | Ebuyer.com

Corsair TX 650W V2 ATX2.31 80 PLUS® Bronze Power Supply

 

[Terronium 12]

I was beaten to the punch, so I'll just re-iterate: never, ever buy something as important to the well-being of your PC like a PSU for a penny on the dime.

Usual consensus is the following:

- If it's too cheap, it's usually cheap for a reason - it's horrible.
- If no one has ever heard of it before, don't risk it.
- Never buy a PSU on the stated wattage alone. Why? One, you don't from where that total wattage was measured. Two, you should base a PSU purchase on how much amperage is available on the single or multiple 12V rails and then it's total wattage.
- When putting together a system you usually want to spend a bit more on your PSU if you can. There's no such thing as having a PSU with "too much power" despite what anyone tells you. Additional, or even excessive headroom is always a good thing, it allows for expansion down the line without any compromise.

 

[Matt2488]

Yeah your PSU is dead.

With that video card I'd recommend a certified psu with at least 700ws... I'm not sure what else you have in your rig but it may demand more.

 

[Fluffy]

Thanks guys.
How about something like this?

Quad Rail 850W Gaming Power Supply Unit For PC 850W PSU | eBay UK

If you can stretch it a bit more I would go for this.

Corsair Builder Series CX 500W ATX Power Supply (CMPSU-500CXUK) [CMPSU-500CXUK]

As others have said, don NOT take a chance on a cheap power supply, they just can't handle it. I paid £229.99 for mine and its money well spent.

 

[Irishman]

Good choice. And from looking around a bit can be had for a few ££ less,

Corsair TX 650W V2 PSU - 80plus Bronze Certified | Ebuyer.com

Corsair TX 650W V2 ATX2.31 80 PLUS® Bronze Power Supply

Would 650w be enough considering I have a phenom ii x4 processor?

 

[Matt2488]

Good choice. And from looking around a bit can be had for a few ££ less,

Corsair TX 650W V2 PSU - 80plus Bronze Certified | Ebuyer.com

Corsair TX 650W V2 ATX2.31 80 PLUS® Bronze Power Supply

Would 650w be enough considering I have a phenom ii x4 processor?

Assuming you buy a quality PSU, that's certified it MIGHT be enough. Honestly I would get a minimal of 700ws, but that's just me.

With that video card and I assume you are going to play some games I wouldn't settle for less than a certified 700w psu.

 

[LiquidSnak]

Unless you have a bunch of stuff, like six or seven hard drives, a good 650W power supply should be fine. I second the recommendation of corsair

 

[Irishman]

Again, thank you guys you've been a great help. I ended up ordering the Corsair TX 650W V2, should be here by Monday!

 

[LiquidSnak]

That should do you just fine

 

[boogieboy]

GTX 480 was running on a 380W????

 

[Irishman]

GTX 480 was running on a 380W????

lol No, my old GPU was using the 380w PSU and when I bought my new GPU I also replaced my PSU (with a cheap one that died ).