Question PSU for an old 7950

[CU]

I have a computer with an Antec HCG-400 400W PSU with 30amps on the 12v line. It is running a G3220 right now, but will probably get my 2500K in the future when I upgrade it. Do you think that will be enough to run a PowerColor Radeon HD 7950 AX7950 3GBD5-2DHV5E. I know I will need an 6pin splitter as I think the psu only has one and the card needs two. The computer only has an R250e in it right now so it will be a big step up for my kids computer. My other options is to sale it on ebay and see what I can get for it. Than maybe look around for something that uses less power for what I sold the 7950 for.

 

[GodisanAtheist]

I am currently running a 7950 in my wife's PC on an OCZ 550W PSU (Which is not a great PSU) and it's been chugging along great for years.

30A on the 12V is 360W, which should be enough to power the 7950 and a processor so long as you don't have a ton of extra stuff running on the PC (tons of extra mechanical HDDs for example).

It's close, not gonna lie, but it can work and will be a huge upgrade.

The alternative as you mentioned is to sell it (you're probably looking at $50 bucks or less minus time and effort) and picking up something like a used RX 570 or GTX 1060 or similar for $100 bucks which will be an improvement over the 7950 anyhow.

 

[CU]

Only other thing in the computer is an SSD.

Funny you mention a RX 570. That is what I just replaced my 7950 with.

 

[Stuka87]

I used an overclocked HD7950 for years and years. I ran it on two different PSU's. A 480W Antec supply, and then later an Antec Neo-Eco 520C. I am actually still surprised that the 480W supply worked, as at that time I was using a Phenom II 965BE at 3.7GHz, which is super power hungry. It would hit just over 410W at the wall.

With the CPU that you have, a 400W *might* work, but I would verify that with a Kill-a-watt or the like.

 

[GodisanAtheist]

You're looking at ~60W for the CPU and ~200W for the 7950 peak. That leaves a generous amount of headroom for the one SSD drive you have in the PC and any other powerspikes that might occur. Even a 2500K is going to be around 100W peak with no OC, so its tighter but still works.

Shame that you have to use a splitter/Molex-6pin or something, but from what I've read PSUs are unnaturally expensive right now so its understandable if you didn't want to invest in something long term.

 

[CU]

Got another plan that should work better. My other kid runs an AMD A10-7860K and RX 460 with a Corsair CX 430, which has 2 more amps on the 12v. It is also a bigger case with more air flow. So I can put the 7950 Boost in that one and move the RX 460 to the other one. That way they both get a better gpu, RX 460 to 7950 Boost and R250e to RX 460.

 

[Hans Gruber]

I have a 7950 still running on another rig. a 450 worked on it but I couldn't OC with it. 550w would be enough. I had a 620w power supply on it and ran with no issues.

 

[CU]

I used an 8 pin splitter to power the cards two 6 pin plugs from the CX 430's one 8 pin. Been working fine for a week now.

 

[SPBHM]

without OC the 7950 is not that power hungry, also with low voltages some OC could also be OK

and using adapters is fine, I've used for years the 4 pin to 6 pin adapters.