Will I need a new (more powerful) PSU??

[The Mailman]

here's what I've got in the wings so far:
2x 8800GT Superclocked
intel Q6600
single hard drive, optical is USB and will barely be used if at all,
maybe 5 fans total, air cooled

plan to OC the cpu and video cards

right now I have a Seasonic SS 600-HT


will this get me by? not enough?

 

[Yellowbeard]

If you OC the CPU and both cards, I'd estimate roughly 150w for each maximum. So, OCed and at 100% load, those 3 components "might" draw 450w or 37.5 amps on the 12v rail. What is the 12v rail rated at on that PSU?

 

[robertk2012]

You should be good to go.

 

[The Mailman]

oh good, a guy on another forum was hammering in how i'd only be able to run one of hte 8800GT's unless i upgraded to a 1000-13000W PSU (and it had to be a pc power single rail high end model to boot)

...and that just sounded....wrong....

thanks guys

 

[Yellowbeard]

If you have 40a on your 12v rail you'll be fine, even at load with your OCs. Personally, I'd want more than 40a just so you are not at or close to 70%+ max load on the 12v rail but, that is just me being an overkill kind of guy. It's like having too many bullets or too much horsepower.....there's no such thing. I'm guessing your SS has about 40a + on the 12v rail?

Oh, you can tell the guy at that other forum that the 8800 GTs only pull about 105w-110w at stock, max load. Was he trying to sell you a PSU

 

[MarcVenice]

Haha, that guy on another forum should be ignored Good thing you doublechecked. Your S12 has 2 pci-e connectors and is SLI certified, perhaps not for 8800 series cards, but the powerdraw of the 8800gt's arent THAT much higher, if higher at all, then the previous generation of videocards. Besides, Seasonic is a real qaulity unit, and there is no way your rig is going to draw anywhere near 600w of power, according to these charts: http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3140&p=13 350-400w is a more reasonable estimate, which is perfectly fine for a 600w unit, even a slightly older one.

 

[The Mailman]

yeah. when i built my current (well, now old) rig a year or so ago, i bought the 600w thinking i would be doing crossfire or SLI no problem. i didnt end up doing it...

now i want to do SLI and im getting told its impossible with my weak-o PS, lol, something was amiss