Upgrading my rig... just ordered
XFX GeForce 8800 GTS (320mb) ~300W at full load.
Core 2 Duo E6400
other components - 2x HDDs, 2 DVD drives...

Is a 550W PSU enough? Do i need to kick it up to a 600W-700W PSU?

2/18/2007 5:52:01 PM

youd think that energy efficiency would be up there on the priority list

2/18/2007 6:14:38 PM

just go for the cool 1kW PSU and get it over with

2/18/2007 6:56:13 PM

a GOOD 550w psu should be fine. A shitty 700w psu is still going to brownout

2/18/2007 9:06:25 PM

Just don't cheap out on the one part in your computer that can kill all the rest.

2/18/2007 10:42:53 PM

any recommendations as to specific PSUs? I need to know soon so I can contact newegg tomorrow morning and make changes to my order before it ships.

2/18/2007 10:45:01 PM

you just need to make sure that the 12v rail(s) have enough amp to support the card. I'd personally get a 550 or 650 watt Antec trio psu. They have been getting cheaper in the past few months, the 650 is under 100 now, and the 550 is about 60. Rebates included.

If you don't plan on extreme OC or adding another 8800 gts, 550-650 should be good enough. And just as aficionado has mentioned, energy efficiency is important. When the temp of the psu increases, its power output diminishes dramatically. A lot of those cheap psu's rate their watt power by the maximum at a certain degree which isn't the operating temperature. Name brands usually rate their true power at normal operating temps, Antec does this.

2/19/2007 12:30:20 AM

OCZ makes some solid psu's with some of the highest amp 12v rails of anyone.

2/19/2007 9:23:15 AM

Changed my order to the 550W Antec Trio.

[Edited on February 19, 2007 at 1:23 PM. Reason : .]

2/19/2007 1:23:27 PM