Can I run this graphics card?

[Ermac]

Bare with me, I'm not as tech savy or as knowledgeable on this subject as some people might be. My computer is a HP a6109, I want to get a 9800 GTX, but I think my power supply is not enough. I believe my power supply is not the 450 minium to run this card. So to make this card work would it be as simple as getting a new power supply and a 6 pin power connector? Thanks.

[ShyguyXPC]

assuming you have an open x16 PCI Express slot and an Open slot next to it/below it, and enough room in the case (video card is 9 inches in length, and takes up 2 slots), then you should be able to with a new PSU.

9800GTX also takes 2 6 pin connectors, just so you know, the 8800GTS 512MB before it used only one.

9800GTX+ uses one 6 pin. (smaller Fabrication process for GPU than the older 9800GTX, and uses less power too, 9800GTX was just a faster clocked version of the 512MB 8800GTS)



So depending on which one of these you are getting, you'll need to figure out if you'll need 1 or 2 6 pin PCIE connectors, although you can use an adapter that converts 2 spare 4 pin power connectors (preferably 1 each from a separate bundle of cables coming out of the PSU), to a single 6 Pin PCIE.

But a unit like this one will run it no problem. Newegg.com - CORSAIR CMPSU-400CX 400W ATX12V V2.2 80 PLUS Certified Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply - Power Supplies

its not 450W, but its a quality brand unit, and the +12V Amp rating is what you really need to look at for GPU's, the minimum wattage usually printed on the box has more to do with the sheer amount of crap Power Supply units on the market that are sold for dirt cheap prices, or in many prebuilt PC's, that can't provide enough power for a PC with that specific card in it.

technically, depending on the rest of the specs of the PC, its possible to run the 9800GTX off a good 350W PSU.

but Corsair is one of the better names out there, along with Antec, Seasonic, OCZ, FSP, Silverstone and a few others.


the converter cables look like this one: Newegg.com - StarTech 6" LP4 to 6 pin PCI Express Video Card Power Adapter Model LP4PCIEXADAP - Cables

for a 6 pin PCIE anyways.

depending on the card your buying and whether its new or used, it might include an adapter like this with it too.

[1fastbullet]

assuming you have an open x16 PCI Express slot and an Open slot next to it/below it, and enough room in the case (video card is 9 inches in length, and takes up 2 slots), then you should be able to with a new PSU.

9800GTX also takes 2 6 pin connectors, just so you know, the 8800GTS 512MB before it used only one.

9800GTX+ uses one 6 pin. (smaller Fabrication process for GPU than the older 9800GTX, and uses less power too, 9800GTX was just a faster clocked version of the 512MB 8800GTS)



So depending on which one of these you are getting, you'll need to figure out if you'll need 1 or 2 6 pin PCIE connectors, although you can use an adapter that converts 2 spare 4 pin power connectors (preferably 1 each from a separate bundle of cables coming out of the PSU), to a single 6 Pin PCIE.

But a unit like this one will run it no problem. Newegg.com - CORSAIR CMPSU-400CX 400W ATX12V V2.2 80 PLUS Certified Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply - Power Supplies

its not 450W, but its a quality brand unit, and the +12V Amp rating is what you really need to look at for GPU's, the minimum wattage usually printed on the box has more to do with the sheer amount of crap Power Supply units on the market that are sold for dirt cheap prices, or in many prebuilt PC's, that can't provide enough power for a PC with that specific card in it.

technically, depending on the rest of the specs of the PC, its possible to run the 9800GTX off a good 350W PSU.

but Corsair is one of the better names out there, along with Antec, Seasonic, OCZ, FSP, Silverstone and a few others.


the converter cables look like this one: Newegg.com - StarTech 6" LP4 to 6 pin PCI Express Video Card Power Adapter Model LP4PCIEXADAP - Cables

for a 6 pin PCIE anyways.

depending on the card your buying and whether its new or used, it might include an adapter like this with it too.

I don't give a rat's ass who makes the PSU, it either provides the required power or it doesn't. Before you go running your mouth about what will or will not work, do you have a clue how much amperage these card's actual draw? I don't think you do.
Are you aware that six pin and an eight pin plugs and connectors each have an amperage rating? I don't think so.

The entire point it this: because these cards demand the power they do, an 8 pin connector provides more paths for that power. In that way, and because none of the individual paths are fused or breakered, there will not be an excessive draw through any one of the paths while, in concert, they will supply the requisite power.
You should know that more power correlates to more heat (created by resistance, actually) and that, at some point, excessive heat will burn something up. If you take the time to do the research, you can find what these plugs and connectors are rated for instead of guessing at their purpose.

Finally, think of it in terms of water supplied through a given pipe size, say 1/2 inch. At some point, the pipe limits the ability to supply more volume of water. The solution is either increase the pipe size, or supplement the supply by adding more 1/2 pipes to the same destination. Six pipes (wires, pins, whatever) supply more water (power) than 4, but not as much as 8.
The wire size (pipe) from the PSU is a fixed value (one you cannot change) and can only transport a certain safe quantity of amperage without overheating to the point of burning. So your only solution is to add more pipes (wires, pins, whatever) from the PSU.
On the other hand, 20 pipes (wires, pins...) aren't worth a damn if each one is only carrying a trickle of water (power) because the well (power supply) isn't capable of keeping the paths full.

If you don't know how much amperage the card requires, how the hell are you going to tell someone a particular power supply will or will not drive it?

[ShyguyXPC]

...ass.


So I guess the fact that I have built several systems with similar cards, running similar spec'd and quality brand Power supply units, and I have no clue what I'm talking about... right?

using this unit, SilverStone Technology Co., Ltd - Designing Inspiration

Despite the fact these systems have been running for months with no hiccups at all. Must of all been in my head I guess...

Oh and, I guess the fact that none of the cards above use an 8 pin power connector, further reinforces your obvious knowledge on the subject right?


KarmaKiller, If Your Reading This, What Kind of Card was it that You guys Put in Surreals PC?

You Know the 400/450W Corsair PSU like the one above I sent her last year for her PC?


Also if your reading this KK, maybe you can enlighten this fool with the PC you ran a 300-350W unit on, the specs and card you were running in it?

[KarmaKiller]

If you don't know how much amperage the card requires, how the hell are you going to tell someone a particular power supply will or will not drive it?

Maybe because he has several, and has used several, and knows what to expect. Let me ask you a question. How did your above post help the OP here? From the looks of it, you didn't offer 1 shred of actually 'useful' information to the OP. You came in here bashing a very well known and respected member for no reason, other to display your a huge dick. If your gonna post on here, please make the posts 'somewhat' useful.

[1fastbullet]

Anyone can buy a stack of parts, throw them together and get lucky. Some manage to do it more than once.

The fact remains that, without knowing the demands of a component part, you cannot accurately assign a value to another (dependent) component part. Period.

If you didn't understand that essential point, then you're correct, I didn't add anything of benefit to YOU. Not my problem.

On the other hand, I wasn't particularly addressing you. Someone else will most likely come along and have common sense enough to realize that when no pertinent information is supplied by the asker of a question, the only response he can expect will be some self-professed expert who blows smoke up his butt.

Similar cards? How similar? Like, the same color?

[Aaron_8015]

9800GTX only needs 12-13Amps of power to run it.....

Without knowing the rest of the OP's system its difficult to say how many Amps that would need.

@fastbullet, lighten up. Its difficult to know if the OP's PSU will run the card without reading the sticker on the side. Then yes it may run the card but if it is a cheap unit it will die soon after, taking some (if not all) the system with it. Better to be safe than sorry.

[ShyguyXPC]

assuming the original Posters specs haven't changed from the factory default specs...

Product Specifications HP Pavilion a6109n Desktop PC - HP Customer Care (United States - English)

then yes, that PSU should be enough to run that whole setup and the card in question.


The original Poster also did mention this " I believe my power supply is not the 450 minium to run this card."

assuming they know they have a Unit that is less than 450W's which they said is the minimum to run this card...

so from what they have posted we know 2 things, one that the current PSU is most likely not powerful enough for this card and is under 450W.

and 2nd we at least know what the minimum Specs for their PC is or should be.

given that info even adding the most of what that Motherboard in that system can support, the suggested replacement Power supply can still provide enough power for that system.

its an AM2 socket Motherboard, more than likely all it has in it at max is a Dual Core AM2 CPU, add in 4 to 8GB max of DDR2 RAM, only has a few 3.5" bays and 2 5.25" bays, add in power for 3 hard drives, and 2 Optical drives, as well as estimates for 2 PCI slot Devices, 1 PCIE x1 device, and said video card, as well as case fans, CPU fan, and a few USB devices, and as mentioned before that PSU suggested WILL handle it.

Anyone can buy a stack of parts, throw them together and get lucky. Some manage to do it more than once.

The fact remains that, without knowing the demands of a component part, you cannot accurately assign a value to another (dependent) component part. Period.

If you didn't understand that essential point, then you're correct, I didn't add anything of benefit to YOU. Not my problem.

On the other hand, I wasn't particularly addressing you. Someone else will most likely come along and have common sense enough to realize that when no pertinent information is supplied by the asker of a question, the only response he can expect will be some self-professed expert who blows smoke up his butt.

Similar cards? How similar? Like, the same color?

Right on Queue, here's 1fastbullet...




As to similar cards, Geforce 8800GTS 320MB (G80 Predecessor core to the 9800GTX's G92a Core), on load with system pulls about the same 300-315 or Watts of power as the 9800GTX in the Toms Hardware Review.

But Lets see, other similar Builds including the 8800GTS above, an 8800GTS 512MB G92a core, MY 9800GTX G92a core in my 2nd System (hmmm, imagine that? I just happen to have the same video card/chip the original poster is asking about... so I guess I must be blowing smoke up their ass right? ), and both of those system are using slightly more powerful 500W quality brand units, with plenty of power to spare.

Won't bother even mentioning my current gaming main build.

Geforce GTX 285, Core i7 920, 3GB DDR3, 2 DVD burners, 5 Hard drives, Sound card, 4 case fans, flash card reader, 120mm CPU cooler, running off a more than adequate 750W Corsair PSU, with enough power to add another similar powered video card to the whole thing as well as more RAM down the road... (have an extra Geforce 9600GSO to throw in and use for PhysX games, that I haven't installed yet)


its a bit more than just LUCK, that I know what I'm talking about when suggesting things to others on here... its called personal experience. just like most of the others on this site.

[JPMiller]

I don't give a rat's ass who makes the PSU, it either provides the required power or it doesn't. Before you go running your mouth about what will or will not work, do you have a clue how much amperage these card's actual draw? I don't think you do.
Are you aware that six pin and an eight pin plugs and connectors each have an amperage rating? I don't think so.

Wow...
Apparently, with arrogance, comes stupidity...

Yes, if all things were equal, your little rant makes generic sense... ( dont get me wrong, its full of holes and nonsense as well)...
BUT things are NOT equal...
Lets say you have a LOGISYS PSU rated at say 850W sitting beside a Corsair 400W PSU.
the LOGISYS has all the correct connectors and the little sticker has all the right Amperage...
It also has lower weight wiring, with low quality components, that as a whole, supply unsteady, "dirty" power to the components, with a much higher chance of impedance, heat and the likelihood of taking everything connected to it, out with it when it dies...
However the "lower" specced Corsair however has none of those issues, has higher efficiency, heavy-duty wiring, and better protection against failure related system loss.

People like Shyguy don't have to know the exact minutiae of every component to know what to safely suggest.
Anyone with experience and knowledge knows the better brands, and the minimum wattage to suggest allowing for overkill, overclocking, and "unknowns"
Truth is your PC rarely uses as much power as you think, and even under load, quality is more important that quantity...

I'm sure you'll fire back with a "pomp-ass" retort, but be aware that the level of experience, and knowledge on this forum is much higher than what I'm sure your used to...
I'd warn you to watch your attitude and respect our forum, but something tells me you wont last long anyway...