Is this power supply going to kill my system?

[SteelHedgehog]

My computer is an Athlon II x4 645 system (Biostar A785G3 Mobo) with a GTX 260 (65nm, stock clocks), 500gb Hard Drive, 4gb 1600mhz G.Skill RipJaws @ 1.5v, 3 fans (+1 for CPU). I'm using a 1280x1024 monitor and only have one DVD drive. Note that I do not overclock and my processor is cooled by an Arctic Freezer 64 and stays close to room temperature, so the fans never ramp up harshly or anything. This is not a high-end system >_>

I am using an Antec Earthwatts 380w power supply. Under Furmark+Prime95, my system uses just under 280w (measured from the outlet, not the PSU itself). The processor is undervolted to 1.2375v and barely uses 110w (peak) under prime95 by itself with integrated graphics. Normal gaming use drops me around 210w~, I idle about 100w.

I have a friend that tells me my power supply is under excessive strain. He says that having the extra molex to 6-pin adapter is putting extra pressure on the 5v and 3.3v rails and that the power ripple over time will kill my computer parts. He's also trying to sell me a 600w power supply from a mutual friend for $40, but doesn't remember the brand or if it's 80+ efficiency branded.

So my question is: Is there any merit to what he's saying? Is my power supply going to slowly kill my computer parts? Does a GTX 260 really use a whole lot of 5v and 3.3v power, starving other hardware components and causing ripple?

 

[MxPhenom 216]

that Earthwatt's PSU is not that bad of a power supply. I think you will be fine. You are only using 280w right? and theres 380w capable of the PSU? Don't see much of an issue.

The GTX260 doesn't use any 3.3v power or 5v power. It is pulling all its power from the 12v rail.

 

[ThE_MaD_ShOt]

I had to bump up my psu when I swapped out a hd3650 for a gtx 280. I was running a 400 watt antec and it damn near fried it. I went to a 600 watt unit and all is fine.

 

[erocker]

Wattage seems fine however I'm not too certain there's enough amperage from the PSU. I don't really know how the 380w Earthwatts distributes it's two 12V lines.

 

[ThE_MaD_ShOt]

Wattage seems fine however I'm not too certain there's enough amperage from the PSU. I don't really know how the 380w Earthwatts distributes it's two 12V lines.

I meant to explain that and forgot to. LOL My problem was there wasn't enough amperage on the 12v line for the GTX 280.

 

[MxPhenom 216]

Looked at both the PSu and GPU. If your running the GTX260 Core 216 65nm version NVidia recommends the following.

System RequirementsMinimum of a 500 Watt power supply.
(Minimum recommended power supply with +12 Volt current rating of 36 Amp Amps.)

Two available 6-pin Molex hard drive power dongles

You don't have enough amperage or wattage for the GPU at this point.

I mean your able to play your games and such, but I feel it would be safer to upgrade PSU.

 

[SteelHedgehog]

I'm using a GTX 260 192 core version (the 65nm one).

Maybe I should elaborate. I've been using this system close to a year now and have been playing games like Bioshock and Skyrim with no problems. Power use doesn't go above 300w and the power supply has 2 12v rails, 15a and 17a, for a total of 32.

Since I'm always well within 380 watts, do I have to worry about my PSU having power ripple issues and slowly killing my system components? Does the GTX 260 even use 3.3v or 5v rails? Because my friend is arguing that the card is specifically stressing those rails.

As far as I know, most pats in a modern PC use the 12v rail.

 

[erocker]

I've been using this system close to a year now

If there indeed was/is an amperage issue it would of come up by now.

Everything seems good to me.

 

[MxPhenom 216]

I'm using a GTX 260 192 core version (the 65nm one).

Maybe I should elaborate. I've been using this system close to a year now and have been playing games like Bioshock and Skyrim with no problems. Power use doesn't go above 300w and the power supply has 2 12v rails, 15a and 17a, for a total of 32.

Since I'm always well within 380 watts, do I have to worry about my PSU having power ripple issues and slowly killing my system components? Does the GTX 260 even use 3.3v or 5v rails? Because my friend is arguing that the card is specifically stressing those rails.

As far as I know, most pats in a modern PC use the 12v rail.

No the GTX260 is not stressing those rails. As I have said before, it is pulling its power from the 12v rails. If you were running like 7+ hard drives in your system, then id be worried that theres to much stress on those two rails.