Computers & Tablets

[workthis]

I got a A6200N HP home computer and i bought a GeForce 8500GT with it. I installed it and it went smoothly. When i tried palying some games on it. i could run the game faster than it would of been with the old video card. The thing that tangles my head a little right now is that my Power Supply is a 250W. AND i can still run the 8500GT. It says on the box of the GeForce 8500Gt that the requirements is to have a 350W power supply.

-Could someone tell me a reason for this? that would helpful

[Sassums]

You might possibly be damaging the card as well as other components that are trying to draw power, but cannot because the supply is maxed out.  I would expect the suppy to blow eventually.  That is not good for the computers internal parts.

[workthis]

ok, that you for the info i expected something like that might happen eventually.

[workthis]

wat kind of battery should i be buying? my money is limited so something that is at a decent price thats affordable and yet effective.

[inutel]

A battery?, maybe you meant power supply. Get the wattage rating that will make your video card happy (min 350 watt).

For the moment why dont you attach a multimeter to your PSU (Power Supply Unit) 12 rail output (black and yellow wire) and check its voltage while you are playing/ doing extensive stuff on your PC. 10% tolerance is good enough that your PSU can tolerate, lower than that and your using too much juice from your PSU and it's possible that youll break it.

PSU's are cheap nowadays, just make sure to buy the one that will fit exactly inside ur case.

edit: Forgot.. here is a link to calculate how much power you really need.

http://www.antec.outervision.com/

Message Edited by inutel on 01-02-2009 12:02 PM

[laney1025]

Blows my mind that HP would actually put a computer on the market with an inadequate power supply...what's up with that?

[u_hsen]

not just hp, call manufacture does that. that usually just put the bare minimum power supply to power up what comes out of the box, not aftermarket products.

so u can get the dynex power supply that has 400watt. that's probably the best to get right now

[laney1025]

I guess it's all part of reducing the prices of PCs.  Not very good business seems like.  Look...a good rule of thumb is to look at what you want.  If you want a hard drive, floppy, good quality video card, network card, and maybe a sound card...I wouldn't even consider a computer with less than a 350 watt power supply.  And notice that I mentioned only the basics.  In fact...come to think of it, I wouldn't consider anything less than a 350 watt power supply for even an emachine.  Less than that is just not enough.

[u_hsen]

the dell studio with intel quad core processor, they also come with a 300 watt power supply.

[laney1025]

You said the magic word...Dell.  I wouldn't trust a Dell computer built in the last two years if my life depended on it.  They are competing in a market that they cannot win in and their quality is suffering tremendously.  A 300 watt power supply is just not enough unless you really aren't performance oriented.  Good for the 12 year old just starting out...maybe.    Maybe I am just spoiled.  I expect to sit in front of my computer and not have to wait on anything...and I don't.  I can guarantee you that my computer is not a Dell...or a Gateway...or an HP...or a Compaq...or an Apple.  I can guarantee you, also, that I don't wait for anything on my computer.