How to upgrade this system

[Will Kee]

+ Sony Vegas Pro 12 64bit

[Michael Acres]

Spend a bunch of money on a better system or work with Proxies on the Raw stuff

[Mark Barton]

If you start to have some stability problems, I would replace that power supply with something rated much higher (800W+).

[Will Kee]

When I was building the system, the power demand came in at something like 370 watts. Does you comment still stand in this case?

[Dave Osbun]

I don’t think your power calculation is correct. A 450 watt power supply is mainly used for very basic system (ie- no video card, one hard drive, etc). You are way too small on the power supply! I’m surprised your system isn’t experiencing any crashes.

This is the only item i’d replace in your system. Everything else is fine. Do you think your system is underpowered??

Dave

Intel i5 3570K Ivy Bridge 3.40GHz quad core
Asus P8Z77V-LK
16gb RAM
ATI Radeon HD7850 2gb
Crucial M4 SSD + Seagate Barricuda 7200rpm
Windows 7 Pro 64

[Dave Haynie]

A decent power estimator is here:
https://www.extreme.outervision.com/PSUEngine

You’re probably ok, assuming you don’t have any PCI cards, rarely use powered USB devices, etc. Probably.

But keep in mind, a 450W supply may or may not power a system that’s actually using 425W-450W. A proper supply IS overdesigned, so that the rated output is greater than the sum of the individual outputs.
A cheap supply, not so much. You don’t have one PSU at 450W — one supply might deliver +3.3V@16A, +5V@25A, +12V@21A, -12V@0.8A, +5VSB@2.5A (a lousy one), another +3.3V@20A, +5V@20A, +12V@33A, -12V@0.8A, +5VSB@2.5A (a decent one), which lets you trade off power demands from that total. Or you may have something like +12V@18A, +12V@18A, +5V@15A, +3.3V@24A, -12V@0.3A, +5VSB@2.5A… less +5V power, more overall +12V power, but that power is split between the CPU and the peripherals… if your CPU needs +12V@20A but the peripherals are only using +12V@10A, you’re still overloading your supply.

This is the usual reason people recommend a higher spec supply. That, and the idea that you may eventually upgrade… a higher end GPU could easily add 100W to your power budget, pushing you into a new PSU as well. I don’t see an obvious problem with your system as-is, but any significant changes may demand more power.

-Dave

[Will Kee]

All good to know, thanks. I seem to remember my system warranting about 360 watts of power (minus the 4 hard drives I ab about to put into the comp). What would a sensible power be? Also, are they easy to install or should I consult a professional?

[Mark Barton]

If you are working with a mini tower or larger case, then they are a standard size. They are fairly simple to put in as long as you are careful with grounding yourself (touch the metal chassis before touching any of the circuit boards as you open up the computer. Usually it is a few screws and plugging in a few power cables.

To avoid future headaches, I would look for a gold rated power supply where they state a certain efficiency. That is an indicator that they chose quality parts and can maintain the voltage more consistently.

As far as 600W or more, will likely depend on you budget and what you realistically think you will upgrade on this computer. I went with an 800W because the i7 hex core, 9 fans, dvd burner, BD burner, 3 drives, Nvidia GTX 570, and wanted the option to add a second GTX 570.

I have since abandoned the usefulness of adding a second GTX 570, but adding more drives is quite possible.

Good luck.

[Will Kee]

Thanks for your replies, they have been helpful.

I need a new power supply very urgently, as deadlines are approaching.

What does everyone have to say about this product?: Corsair GS800 Bronze ATX PSU 800w

[Dave Osbun]

Corsair makes quality products. I installed one of their power supplies in the system I just built over Christmas.