Hi All

Re: Power Supply Unit Too Small To Cope With New Graphics Card ?


I've posted in the Graphics Card forum, but I suspect that this Forum is more appropriate. I've been given a free PC Desktop. An old Advent 3511; single core pentium 4 (2.8Ghz) CPU, running on genuine windows XP Home Edition, with 1Gb of DDR RAM. I want to install a Nvidia 256Mb AGP graphics card... hardly cutting edge I know, but there's a few floating around on eBay that might fit the bill. I was thinking about a Nvidia GeForce 7800GS or 7600GS? I understand that playing something like Doom 3 would draw 255Watts on cards like these. I can only guess that something more modern (like Call of Duty 4, on-line) would be more than this?

My concern is whether the original Power Supply Unit that's installed with the PC will be able to cope with any new Graphics Card when I start to play fairly modern & graphic-intensive games, even if I were to lower the game’s graphic settings. I've located the Power Supply Unit and all I can find is Chinese script. You'd think that there'd be something about volts or watts, but alas no. I really need an idea (even gut feelings based on experience would help) of what card is safe to buy.

So can anyone tell me how to find out if the Power Supply Unit will cope? I won't be replacing the PSU, so the selection of the Graphics Card will be based on whether there's enough juice available. I've just enough technical skill to remove the PC Case and replace the old card.

Kind Regards
Emmily

OK-- I've found specs for you...

UKT Support - Advent 3511 PC
No PSU rating, though.
Off-the-shelf PC's do tend to be somewhat limited for PSU's
That said-- this is not going to be a "monster system", any way.
What I would do-- is get the video card-- and perhaps check into upgrading the RAM--
That mobo has 2 slots-- is what you have now 1x1Gig stick-- or 2x512MB ?
I would suggest another gig-- when video cards start reaching their limits (when gamng) --they will use system RAM.
If you have one stick-- it's easy-- you just add another of the same spec
If it's it 2--it's a bit wasteful-- because to go to 2 gigs you need to remove the old ones.

I would upgrade the card-- see how it goes... if it's fine, great.
if not-- through in another gig (RAM is the cheapest upgrade there is-- most performance-per-dollar increase, anyway. I do not mean go buy Joe's cheapo RAM-- good quality RAM is essential)

A way to check the Power-supply is to look inside the case for any label-- it should list how many watts is produced-- the you could go here:
eXtreme Power Supply Calculator Lite v2.5
be sure to enter all your hardware-- include the extra RAM-- New Video card--
all pripherals (USB draws power)-- then add 50-75 Watts to that total--for "headroom"-- thats what you should have- for a PSU.
If it's close, but low-- you might get by-- depends on how well-made it is.
If you have the budget-- and are so inclined-- just replace all 3-- that way you can be confident.