Power Supply + Video Card

S

Seros

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Jun 11, 2003
Messages
1,358
Hey guys,

As you may have seen in another thread of mine, i am in the market of a new video card and basically almost narrowed one down (thanks to everyones help :D).

One more question i have that i seem not to be able to get an answer to. I have a 2 year old Dell Dimension 4550. I will be opening up the case tomorrow, but am asking what i should look for on it.. the new video card i plan on getting i hear might need more wattage and has cables i have to connect to the power supply. Where should i look for both of these on my PSU?

I feel like a total idiot because i dont know this stuff.. cables on video cards are new to me :p

Thanks for the help in advance guys. And comments and responses are appreciated.

Note: Mods, i wasnt sure where to put this. I just decided here.. move where need be if i made a mistake :D
 
The card will come with a Y-connector power cable. Unless you have two hard drives installed, just plug the spare hard drive cable into the Y-Connector, then that into the video card. If you already have two drives installed, then you'll have to unplug the bottom drive's power cord, plug that into the single end of the Y-Connector, then plug one end of the Y-connector into the drive, the other end into the video card.

Check out this it's a Y-connector. The card will look like this with the cable attached.
 
Also, make sure that you have enough PCI slots cause if you're buying one of the high end ones, it's almost certain that it'll cover up one of the PCI slots
 
For the record, more than one user has had hard drive problems shortly after installing a high end vid card and running a splitter of the hard drive power cable.
Its safer to run it on its own line.
 
0ldman said:
For the record, more than one user has had hard drive problems shortly after installing a high end vid card and running a splitter of the hard drive power cable.
Its safer to run it on its own line.
Click to expand...


Heh, I have a pair of Raptors in RAID 0, a WD 120GB all under 3 connectors on the same power line and a Y connector for my 9800Pro hanging off of my WD 120GB and I haven't seen a problem. Guess I can't say that for others :(
 
If it's a Dell your PSU probably isn't very powerfull. OEM's like to use the lowest power supply wattages possible. But if your not running more than one hard drive you should be ok.
 
For the record, more than one user has had hard drive problems shortly after installing a high end vid card and running a splitter of the hard drive power cable.
Click to expand...

I think thats what happened to me my drive was only 2 months old and died it was with the same line as the video
 
Dell does sell minimum specs power supply, but, at least in the past, a 250 watt PSU from Dell was a bare minimum 250watt, not exageratted. On par with some cheap 350 watt PSU's.

Lately I've worked on several Dell systems with blown PSU's, Dell has had some weak PSU's come through in the past 6 months.
 
0ldman said:
Dell does sell minimum specs power supply, but, at least in the past, a 250 watt PSU from Dell was a bare minimum 250watt, not exageratted. On par with some cheap 350 watt PSU's.

Lately I've worked on several Dell systems with blown PSU's, Dell has had some weak PSU's come through in the past 6 months.
Click to expand...
Yeah, but he's got a 4550, that's an older model, made a year ago. He shouldn't have any problems.
 
Thanks for the help everyone. Seems simple enough

Mad_Pyro said:
Make sure your motherboard has an AGP slot.
Click to expand...
Of course :D. Wouldnt be able to live without one

Yeah, but he's got a 4550, that's an older model, made a year ago. He shouldn't have any problems.
Click to expand...

2 years in december :D.
 
I recently had to buy a new power supply with a video card also. I heard that some Dells have special power supplies that have a special size, and cannot be replaced by a generic power supply...Is that correct? Maybe that's for really old Dells.

If I were you I'd get at least a 350watt supply to be on the safe side...You don't want to starve your computer of energy, it can be a very bad thing. :-/ I think ATI recommends that all 9800Pro users have a 300watt supply...
 
Dell doesn't conform to the ATX standard for mobo connectors or power supplies.

The PSU will have to be compatible with Dell's oddball wiring scheme. Some Dell's use standard ATX PSU's, but those are the oddballs.

If you feel the need to upgrade, google dell powersupply and there are a few manufacturers that make high power PSU's specifically for Dell upgrades.
 
hmm.. alright now im getting nervous about this hahaha..

other then opening up the computer physically (its kind of a bitch for me, given my computers location.. doable, just a bitch), is there a program like CPU-Z, that looks at your power supplys wattage?
 
Sometimes the wattage is displayed right on the back of your case...Take a look.

It really isn't a big deal to open your case. Just don't touch anything. Usually the wattage is displayed right smack on the power supply. You shouldn't have to move or touch anything to be able to see the sticker.

And in the case that you do need to buy a power supply, you can probably get a local PC store to do it for free...I had a friend help me with mine, and we had it in and my computer running in about 5 minutes, it's very simple if you know what you're doing.

Dell.com's Support might say what wattage your model comes with also...
 
Seros said:
hmm.. alright now im getting nervous about this hahaha..

other then opening up the computer physically (its kind of a bitch for me, given my computers location.. doable, just a bitch), is there a program like CPU-Z, that looks at your power supplys wattage?
Click to expand...
A Dell PS of your vintage is rated at 115 v @ 3 amps, that's 345 watts. I know this becuase my Dimension 4400 has the same PS your 4550 has. Stop worrying, a Dell PS will handle anything you can throw at it.

My Dimension 4400 has a P4 2.6 Ghz / 768 mb ram / 1 x 200 Gb hd + 1 x 120 Gb hd / Radeon 9800 Pro / DVD Burner and DVD ROM / Soundblaster 5.1 / Ethernet / USB PCI card. With all of that it only pulls 175 watts running Folding@Home which ist 100% CPU power, and I've been running mine for almist 2 1/2 years. Open the frigging thing up and install the card, and play some games.

Oh, BTW Dell Dimension 4300, 4400, 4500, 4550, 4600, 8200, 8250 and 8300 ALL use standard ATX PS and mobo pinouts. Dells earlier than the 4300 (late 2001) the 8100 for example, and the new Dell XPS gamer's box use non-standard, ie proprietary PS.
 
qdemn7 said:
A Dell PS of your vintage is rated at 115 v @ 3 amps, that's 345 watts. I know this becuase my Dimension 4400 has the same PS your 4550 has. Stop worrying, a Dell PS will handle anything you can throw at it.

My Dimension 4400 has a P4 2.6 Ghz / 768 mb ram / 1 x 200 Gb hd + 1 x 120 Gb hd / Radeon 9800 Pro / DVD Burner and DVD ROM / Soundblaster 5.1 / Ethernet / USB PCI card. With all of that it only pulls 175 watts running Folding@Home which ist 100% CPU power, and I've been running mine for almist 2 1/2 years. Open the frigging thing up and install the card, and play some games.

Oh, BTW Dell Dimension 4300, 4400, 4500, 4550, 4600, 8200, 8250 and 8300 ALL use standard ATX PS and mobo pinouts. Dells earlier than the 4300 (late 2001) the 8100 for example, and the new Dell XPS gamer's box use non-standard, ie proprietary PS.
Click to expand...

115v @ 3 amp is the draw from the wall, not the power that it will actually provide.

If we assume a *very* generous 75% efficiency, then you've only got ~250w on the secondary side of the PSU.

That being said, you'll probably still be fine. You are quite correct about the new Dell PSUs, tho. If you need to upgrade, you'll be fine, and i'd check the Power Supply FAQ for some good recommendations.

If I were you I'd get at least a 350watt supply to be on the safe side...You don't want to starve your computer of energy, it can be a very bad thing. :-/ I think ATI recommends that all 9800Pro users have a 300watt supply...
Click to expand...
That's because they know that most crappy 300w PSUs couldn't put out 200w to save their lives.
 
Sir-Fragalot said:
If it's a Dell your PSU probably isn't very powerfull. OEM's like to use the lowest power supply wattages possible. But if your not running more than one hard drive you should be ok.
Click to expand...

Quite the contrary, if its a Dell you can be guaranteed the highest quality Dell Proprietary PSUs available.

My Dell 250 W Rated PSU handles 2 Hardrives, 2 Opticals, modem, sound card, TV tuner, Radeon 9800 Pro, and a floppy without a single complaint.
 
FWIW, my dad's Compaq Presario 5726 had a Mitac 200W power supply that powered 2 CD-RWs and two 80GB hds.
 
Ok, so what you are saying is that even a Dell 4500 could handle a ATI Radeon 9800 with no flaw. My computer only has one hard drive, 1 cd drive/w burner, and wireless, along with all the standard componets of the Dimension 4500. I'm new to the power supply, cause my computer has never needed a higher standard of a PSU. :confused:
 
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