how do you find out your watts?

[jimmy_396_jimmy]

i'm going to buy a new video card soon, i wanna know how to find out my computers watts.....pls help

[CaptJordus]

Re: how do you find out your watts?

well open the case and look at the PSU.

Also, make sure you get a PSU that has good rail ratings, not just a high wattage.

[jimmy_396_jimmy]

Re: how do you find out your watts?

can you find it out without opening it?
cause i don't know where it is.....

[AlphexHunter]

Re: how do you find out your watts?

open your case...its the one in a corner and has alot of wires sticking outta of it u can't miss it..it will say what company and how much watts there is on it..

[jimmy_396_jimmy]

Re: how do you find out your watts?



that big box thingy is my psu right?
OUTPUT: 364.7W MAX.

theres a bunch of numbers i don't under stand and stuff

[CaptJordus]

Re: how do you find out your watts?

Thats it.

some of the different numbers are going to be the rails like 12v 5.5v etc.

Make sure the rails on the PSU you buy has high amperage ratings. As well as a high wattage output.

[jimmy_396_jimmy]

Re: how do you find out your watts?

but the video card i'm gonna get needs a minumum of 350W is mines okay?

[CaptJordus]

Re: how do you find out your watts?

What card is it?

It might be ok, but if you have the extra money it cant hurt to get a good PSU. Especially if you have a large amount of optical drives or harddrives on it as well.

[jimmy_396_jimmy]

Re: how do you find out your watts?

the 6600 maybe or even the 6800, i don't thik i'm gonna get anything like drives and stufff though

[CaptJordus]

Re: how do you find out your watts?

Well i mean the amount of drives you have in your case right now.

For instance....if you have 2 IDE optical drives (CD, DVD) and a floppy, and 2 IDE hard drives, and then a few SATA drives, then obviously your overloading that PSU.

If you have one hard drive and one or 2 CD/DVD drives, then you should be fine.

I'd get the video card first, try it out. If you notice that you have bad power problems then go ahead and order a new PSU. The one you have just might work out.

[jimmy_396_jimmy]

Re: how do you find out your watts?

yeah i have drives for cds dvds and one main harddrive


thanks for all your help

[imported_Wreck]

Re: how do you find out your watts?

Do you even have an AGP slot?

[CaptJordus]

Re: how do you find out your watts?

Do you even have an AGP slot?

Actually now that i look at his pic.

It looks like the area where the AGP card would be is blocked by the PSU.

Good catch.

[imported_Wreck]

Re: how do you find out your watts?

Yeah, I see a card, but can't tell the socket. Jimmy take another pic, but a bit lower so we can see all the card slots below the PSU.

[QuikSilv3r47]

Re: how do you find out your watts?

wow man your PSU is huge compared to mine.. I think i have to take mine out to see how many watts it is, cuz there is no label..