Power Supply and video card question

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I bought a evga geforce 7950gt ko graphics card for my HP around June of '06. I happened to be cleaning out my pc and noticed the power supply was only 300 watts. Evga recommends 400watts at least. Could this effect the performance of my graphics card? This is just a temp pc until I get everything together to build my other pc. So, if I bought a better power supply should it run better? What about a better sound card?

Athlon 64 3800+ 2.4ghz
2 gigs ram

[=98=]

If it were affecting it, you would notice a few things.

Games would crash
Your computer would crash
You'd get an error saying the card has been reduced as there is low power
Your computer wouldn't boot!

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^ doesn't do any of that. I maybe thought my graphics card would perform a little better. I guess I shouldn't worry about it then?

[JustMe0171]

when i upgraded a while back, i had a 300w psu, and my new card required 350w, so i thought i'd skim by & i did alot of times, but when everything peaked i'd ctd, i went to 470w and never ctd'd again.

[Warhawk]

^ doesn't do any of that. I maybe thought my graphics card would perform a little better. I guess I shouldn't worry about it then?

I'd be a little worried. Your PSU probably runs very hot because its being pushed to the max. If this is so its lifespan is greatly reduced and when it goes out it can easily take half your computer down with it.

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Well, I bought a 500 watt power supply and a sound card. I notice a huge difference. It runs way better with the new sound card and power supply. The power supply was a Cooler Master Extreme. The sound card is a Sound Blaster Audigy SE. It was about $80 for both.

[JustMe0171]

Well, I bought a 500 watt power supply and a sound card. I notice a huge difference. It runs way better with the new sound card and power supply. The power supply was a Cooler Master Extreme. The sound card is a Sound Blaster Audigy SE. It was about $80 for both.

Dang thats really cheap i dont know much about "brand names" with PSU's, but is that a good one??
i give about 120bucks for mine, its 470w , 520peak

[=98=]

Yea, coolermaster is ok for PSU's.

Audigy SE..... that thing is ancient. Im surprised it's not worse than onboard audio.

[JustMe0171]

Yea, coolermaster is ok for PSU's.

Audigy SE..... that thing is ancient. Im surprised it's not worse than onboard audio.

audigy se isnt ancient, well compared to new tech if thats what you mean. but walmart around here thats all they sell is audigy se, you have to go to computer store or order online if ya want a really nice one.
i bought one, ran good with another game, but not with my bf2, something about creative & bf2 that dont mix.
far as that goes ventrillo also, it dont float with vent. so if you start having bf2 troubles that could be it, just disable it & run bf2 if it dont do it again then you know its conflict with the card.

with all the ventrillo probs, and the bf2 voip , i just put my onboard back & took out the creative, no troubles since.

[code_red]

Yea, coolermaster is ok for PSU's.

Audigy SE..... that thing is ancient. Im surprised it's not worse than onboard audio.

The coolmaster is decent. It's quiet and it lowered my temp. I didn't realize the SE was "ancient" It totally blows away the onboard. I can hear things I didn't realize was there. I really didn't want to spend a whole lot because I'm building a PC in the near future.

i bought one, ran good with another game, but not with my bf2, something about creative & bf2 that dont mix.

I haven't tried it with BF2 yet. I'll have to try it tonight if I'm not to busy playing COD4.

[megawhompertoo]

Remember not to tick the "hardware" option for sound. The se will do some tricks to make the sound better than most onboard setups through software, but it doesn't have a discrete chip for running hardware accelerated-sound.

[JustMe0171]

The coolmaster is decent. It's quiet and it lowered my temp. I didn't realize the SE was "ancient" It totally blows away the onboard. I can hear things I didn't realize was there. I really didn't want to spend a whole lot because I'm building a PC in the near future.



I haven't tried it with BF2 yet. I'll have to try it tonight if I'm not to busy playing COD4.

oh i never meant the card didnt sound good, jsut that it conflicts easy with bf2 & vent.
i hated to take mine out, very nice sound, & if you get the creative speakers with it , then its awsome.