Korean Job Discussion Forums

ohfamous · Joined: 10 Jul 2004 Location: Off the beaten path

My trusty Ti 4200 is dying a slow death as I speak. I've been out of the techie loop for a while, but it seems like the nVidia 6600GT line gives the best bang for the buck these days. Anyone know what the power requirements are for these cards? I don't have PCIe, so I'm planning on getting the Gigabyte 6600GT AGP VIVO version, which requires an external power supply.

I've got an Antec True Power 380W right now, powering an Athlon 2500 on nForce2, 2 HDD, DVD, CDRW, and sound card. Will it be okay? And, I can't find the tech specs on this card's power consumption anywhere. Advice? Suggestions?

Demophobe · Joined: 17 May 2004

380W should be plenty. However, how many HDDs do you have? How much RAM? How many system fans?

ohfamous · Joined: 10 Jul 2004 Location: Off the beaten path

I have 2 7200RPM ATA drives, 1 GB RAM, and 2 80mm case fans.

Demo, do you have a similar setup? i've been reading on the nVidia forums and people seem to have had a LOT of trouble with these cards...

Derrek · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

I've got the same card you do, and one of the fans died. I tried running on just one fan, and playing video for any great length of time would overheat it. I've got a slot fan sucking air around it now, and it's fine. I've had troubles with my card not always powering on when I reboot. I figure it might be my low 250watt power supply, though... probably not the card's fault.

Demophobe · Joined: 17 May 2004

I have 2 7200's, 2 optical drives, an aging 9800XT and a whack of 90mm case fans, all running off of 2 cheap-o 250w power supplies. Yes, 2. One outside with a lead running in the back and one inside. One just for the graphics card and fans.

If your power is truly 380w, really, you will be fine. A buddy has the same card (but less drives) running from a 300w just fine.

You can always buy another for 20,000 and run it outside the box.

eamo · Joined: 08 Mar 2003 Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.

I just got my nice new Nvidia GeForce 6600GT tonight only to realise my 250W power supply isn't enough for all but the most basic games.

The monitor simply goes to stand-by when Starwars Battlefront gameplay starts.

Looks like I'm shopping for a new power supply tomorrow.....

The Nvidia support page quotes a minimum of 300w.

Should I play safe and go for 350w or even more?

If I decide to just get an external power supply for the 6600GT alone what power rating should that be?

Demophobe · Joined: 17 May 2004

Plug the monitor into the wall, not the PSU. I would buy a cheap-o 250W...they are readily avaliable and maybe 25,000. Take some of the burden off the older one as well...plug a couple of drives into it or something.

eamo · Joined: 08 Mar 2003 Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.

A word of warning...

DO NOT buy cheap power supplies!!!!!

I picked up an 18,000 piece of crap power supply at my local computer store. 300W. In theory, enough to drive my new graphics card.

Not only was it no improvement over the old 250w PSU (my newer games still didn't work at high resolution....) but it also fizzled and died within 1 hour!

I'm lucky it doesn't seem to have fried any components.

I'm going to Yongsan or Technomart to buy a 480w brand-name PSU and I'll be happy to spend circa 100,000. Any suggestions?

Demophobe · Joined: 17 May 2004

You bought a 15,000 won PSU to replace your old one totally? I was talking of running them in tandem, as the cheap one wouldn't really have the advertised juice.

Antec, enermax....lots of good ones to choose from.

This one looks ok.

eamo · Joined: 08 Mar 2003 Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.