Sniper Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 I was wanting to upgrade the graphics on my 3+ year-old computer, that was running a GeForce 8400 card with 256 Mb of memory. My problem was I didn't want to replace my 350 watt power supply AND the graphics card. I got a good deal on a Galaxy 210 with 512 Mb memory, $18+ after rebate, but it really didn't make a big improvement in the graphics. Then I found the Zotac GeForce 440 GT with 1 Gig of GDDR5 memory. Tigerdirect has them for $90 and a $20 rebate. The real winner is, this card will run with a power supply of just 300 watts. It takes up 2 slots so I moved my sound card down a slot, to give more air space between the two. Card installed without a hitch and runs 10 degrees C cooler than the 210. Fallout: New Vegas detected the card and reset all the graphics settings to HIGH. I'm well pleased with it. Zotac at Tigerdirect Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator Tarun Posted July 12, 2011 Administrator Share Posted July 12, 2011 Sounds like a good upgrade. Though a power supply upgrade would be cool too. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eldmannen Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 Next time you buy something, you might want to read benchmarks first so you don't end up paying for something that doesn't result in increased performance. If you're interested in buying a power supply, make sure its certified 80 Plus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James_A Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 If you're interested in buying a power supply, make sure its certified 80 Plus. +1 US prices make me weep. The equivalent price in the UK at today's exchange rate for a Zotac GeForce 440 GT with 1 Gig of GDDR5 memory is US $121 and no rebate available. Some suppliers are charging considerably more. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puntoMX Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 If you're interested in buying a power supply, make sure its certified 80 Plus. This doesn't work always by the way. Let me tell you a story about a coolermaster 80 plus PSU... Once, far far away... in a land called Mexico, a Dutch guy bought a modular 600W coolermaster PSU. The Dutch guy installed it and it worked great, but, as always, great things do end too! One day he came into his office and smelled a burning stink, not knowing where it came from. he knew that there was a brownout (no, he wasn't smelling the brown... *snap*) and so, something got damaged. He turned on his PC and all looked fine. 3 Weeks later he turned on his PC as well and smoke and fire came out of his PC. Now, it seems that the active voltage regulator circuit that accept voltages between 85 and 240 o so was trying to start the computer any way, but with only 70V coming in and the current (amperes) were getting to high, the whole thing smoked for some time and popped 3 weeks later. The Dutch guy learned from this that it's not always better to have a 80 Plus PSU; If your incoming powerlines have dirty or low voltage from time to time you are better off buying a NOT 80 Plus PSU. Yup, I trashed the junk, 100USD down the drain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eldmannen Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 Of course equipment can be damaged by improper voltage but power supplies usually have some form of over-voltage-protection. 80 Plus means its rated to live up to reasonable high energy efficiency, which is a good thing. If a power supply isn't 80 Plus certified, its a big indicator that it is a crap power supply and most likely have cheap poor-grade capacitors (that will leak or even explode), high ripple, unstable voltage, etc. When it fails it might fry the whole computer and all its components. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James_A Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 Talking of exploding power, I've never had that problem, because I use a UPS. That saved my day when the main supply company cable down the road exploded. Water, insulation breakdown and 415V at several 100's of amps is a lethal combination. They were digging up the road for weeks.... The great thing about a NON 80 Plus certified is that there's no need to wait 3 weeks for it to explode. You can actually do that the day you switch it on! As witness the following review extracts:- At 50 per cent load (just 300W) ... the 12V rail failed dismally to output the minimum 11.4V required by the ATX specification, instead pushing out a feeble 11.03V, which would cause most circuits to fail and your PC to crash. When we upped the ante, and tried to draw 600W from the PSU, it gave up the ghost and refused to power up at all. Although it would power up again at 300W, it started to emit a smell so foul .... It was also drawing over 430W from the mains to give that 300W output (= 69% efficiency). The lesson is clear - a generic unbranded PSU is not only a danger to your PC but also a serious environmental hazard. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puntoMX Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 Of course equipment can be damaged by improper voltage but power supplies usually have some form of over-voltage-protection. They do have that . But what they don't have is undervolted protection, and as it's an active switching PSU it did smoke while struggling for power, that's all I wanted to say. I don't give much about ripple or noise in my PSU and have now a non 80 Plus PSU that does 80+ any way but in a shorter range, say from 150 to 300W load, it has mostly the same components used as my old 80+ one. It also doesn't turn on when voltage is under 85. Talking of exploding power, I've never had that problem, because I use a UPS. That saved my day when the main supply company cable down the road exploded. Water, insulation breakdown and 415V at several 100's of amps is a lethal combination. They were digging up the road for weeks.... The great thing about a NON 80 Plus certified is that there's no need to wait 3 weeks for it to explode. You can actually do that the day you switch it on! Yup, an UPS would have saved it most likely, but doesn't that eat 5% of your efficiency too? You know, across the loo there is a country where they do have subterranean cabling. And yeah, keep making fun of my NON 80+ PSU, hehehe By the way, all the crap PSU I use for my internetcafé part are still continuing to work after almost 2 years of 6 to 8 hours a day usage and are always on S3 mode (sleep mode) when not in use. And guess what, they cost only 10USD wholesale. Efficiency is bad, that is true, some 65%, but these computers pull not more than 80W max. (avg, some 65W) from the outlet so even a 80+ would be struggling to do better at that poweroutput. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eldmannen Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 Well all computer PSU are switched-mode power supplies. By active, I believe you meant Active PFC. Isn't active PFC mandated by law nowadays? If a PSU don't have active PFC it must be really crappy. 65% efficiency, wow thats horrible, thats 35% energy just wasted. I have an 80 Plus, but wish it was 80 Plus Platinum. I want 90%+ efficiency... :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James_A Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 According to the 80 PLUS listings only just over 1% of 80 PLUS power supplies currently make it to Platinum grade. Isn't active PFC mandated by law nowadays? Depends. In Europe, yes, under CENELEC. In the USA, you have Energy Star. Is that mandatory, or not? . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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