Getting upgrades for my pc for christmas

Comments

• Quizzical Member LegendaryPosts: 25,519

  November 2010

  You should get a better power supply.  The one you picked lets ripple get out of hand.

  http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/Cooler-Master-GX-750-W-Power-Supply-Review/917/10

  Judging by the efficiency numbers, they probably should have called it about a 500 W power supply.  But if it were only rated at 500 W, you probably wouldn't have picked it at that price, which is why they didn't.

  At stock speeds, your system should never draw 300 W from it.  This one would be adequate:

  http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=15_226&products_id=15390

  If you're looking to go for a moderate overclock (say, whatever clock speed you can get stable at the stock voltage), you should probably get something more powerful than that.  This one will fit nicely:

  http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=15_226&products_id=11004

  Conveniently, both are also cheaper than what you had picked out.  If you're looking for a heavier overclock, well then, that takes a different class of parts entirely.
• thething2 Member UncommonPosts: 10

  November 2010

  So that powersupply should be able to run them parts with some overclocking available if i want to overclock a little?

  and do you know what graphic card is better. im thinking the gigabyte since its cooler would make it run cooler.
• Quizzical Member LegendaryPosts: 25,519

  November 2010

  Sure, the latter power supply (Antec TruePower New 550 W) would be plenty if you want to overclock a little.  But my idea of "overclock a little" is don't touch the voltage, and don't even try to push the processor past about 3.6 GHz or the video card past 900 MHz.  (Incidentally, the top bins of the dies are 3.5 GHz for the processor and 900 MHz for the GPU.)  That degree of overclocking might add 50 W to the requirements at load, but the system would probably still never draw 350 W.  Note also that without adjusting the voltage, there's no guarantee that the processor or video card can reach even those speeds.

  If that's your idea of "overclock a little", then have at it.  If you want to go for a larger overclock and bump the voltage upward to get it, you'd need something high quality with more wattage available on the relevant rails, and that would add to the cost.  You'd likely also want to upgrade some other parts if going for a bigger overclock.

  The two cards that you linked are based on exactly the same GPU chip.  My guess would be that the Gigabyte one has a more effective cooler.  No meaningful external exhaust means you'd need more case airflow, but that case should have plenty.
• thething2 Member UncommonPosts: 10

  November 2010

  
  Originally posted by Quizzical

  Sure, the latter power supply (Antec TruePower New 550 W) would be plenty if you want to overclock a little.  But my idea of "overclock a little" is don't touch the voltage, and don't even try to push the processor past about 3.6 GHz or the video card past 900 MHz.  (Incidentally, the top bins of the dies are 3.5 GHz for the processor and 900 MHz for the GPU.)  That degree of overclocking might add 50 W to the requirements at load, but the system would probably still never draw 350 W.  Note also that without adjusting the voltage, there's no guarantee that the processor or video card can reach even those speeds.

  If that's your idea of "overclock a little", then have at it.  If you want to go for a larger overclock and bump the voltage upward to get it, you'd need something high quality with more wattage available on the relevant rails, and that would add to the cost.  You'd likely also want to upgrade some other parts if going for a bigger overclock.

  The two cards that you linked are based on exactly the same GPU chip.  My guess would be that the Gigabyte one has a more effective cooler.  No meaningful external exhaust means you'd need more case airflow, but that case should have plenty.

  yeah i want to get the card at 800mhz core clock and the cpu around 3.3/3.4ghz if i can .