2 4850s CF: Is this 700W PSU enough?

[vickmu]

I've got this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/...7341002&Tpk=OCZ%2b700w

And I'd like to know if that's got enough power for two 4850s if I go down the crossfire route.

Edit: added topic summary mentioning my MMO performance needs.

 

[WaTaGuMp]

http://game.amd.com/us-en/cros....aspx?p=3#ATI%20Radeon

 

[vickmu]

I didn't see that PSU on the certified list. So what do you think?

"no, it won't work"

or

"it's not certified, but should work"?

 

[BassBomb]

Originally posted by: vickmu
I didn't see that PSU on the certified list. So what do you think?

"no, it won't work"

or

"it's not certified, but should work"?

Get something better

Go for a Corsair 750

 

[Quiksilver]

Rest of system spec's?
Physically the PSU can handle it (4850 only needs 1x 6pin, and this PSU has 2).
Only real limitation would be the quality of the unit in my opinion. Which has been reviewed to show noise/ripple go outside of ATX specifications.

 

[vickmu]

http://secure.newegg.com/WishL...WishListNumber=5098249

Is what I'm thinking about. I've already got 4gb of DDR2 800 memory lined up.

While I'd like to experiment with one of ATI's newer cards, I do play City of Heroes. For reasons out of my control, ATI cards just don't work optimally with it. If it weren't for City of Heroes support, a 4870 or waiting a few more weeks for the 4870X2 would be a no-brainer.

So I'm carefully considering a high quality MOBO that will run the nvidia card but will leave me room to crossfire two 4850s or 4870s in the future. Unfortunately I already have this PSU so I'd really really like to re-use it. Worst case: I'll get a new PSU if I pursue a crossfire setup.

I've got to admit that I'm wary about the whole crossfire/SLI concept just from historical problems. Current FPS games seem to do decently well with it but I love playing MMOs most of the time. City of Heroes is an old engine so I suppose it is no shock that it completely chokes on multi GPU setups. It's also an OpenGL based game so I think that's why ATI has such problems with it.

I'm in the Wrath of the Lich King beta for WoW and now that I can finally get character/NPC shadows it's starting to test my current 8800 GTS 320's capabilities. I'm assuming Diablo 3 and Starcraft 2 will be comparable engines to what's in WoW now. If anybody's got some empirical data on their performance in World of Warcraft with NVidia vs. ATI and single GPU vs. SLI, please chime in!

 

[Quiksilver]

In that case, I'd have to say that for running a single GTX 260 you will be fine. It's just that by the time you choose to go crossfire in say 6 to 8 months next-gen cards will probably be on the market (eg. 5000 series) and not one of us would know the power requirements and will likely require a new PSU purchase. Now if your talking like about 2 to 3 months crossfire should still be do-able on your current PSU but only with crossfired 4850's.

 

[JPB]

In my opinion, I think it will work fine. The 4850 doesn't use much power anyway.

I say when you decide to go Crossfire...just try it. I think you will be pleaseantly surprised. If it don't....although I think it will...upgrade then.

Edit: I will also add...OCZ / PC Power@Cooling has the best RMA process I have ever seen.

 

[WaTaGuMp]

Originally posted by: vickmu
I didn't see that PSU on the certified list. So what do you think?

"no, it won't work"

or

"it's not certified, but should work"?

I think it would work fine IMHO, like others have said.

 

[sgrinavi]

I have my x38 system with a q6600, 4 HDDs pushing a pair of OC'd 4850's on a PC power and Cooling 610... works like a champ.

There's a thread over in the CPU that may be relevant to your issue.

 

[Sylvanas]

OP's PSU should be more than enough.