Start a Conversation

Unsolved

This post is more than 5 years old

13392

December 2nd, 2011 08:00

Dimension E310

Hello,

I have a Dimension E310 - Service Tag <ADMIN NOTE: Service tag removed per privacy policy>

I am upgrading the Intel 128MB onboard video to a Geforce 8400GS 512 MB DDR2 PCI Express video card. To do this, I'm going to need to upgrade the power supply from the original 230 watt, to at least a 400 watt power supply. I spoke with a nVidia support person about the video card upgrade and they suggested the 400 watt power supply. My question is:

If I already purchased a 500 watt power supply, will it be to much for my system and cause other parts to fail?

I need to know the max watts my system can handle.

Any help is appreciated.

 

6 Professor

 • 

8.8K Posts

December 2nd, 2011 10:00

Your current (230 watt) power supply is adequate for the 8400GS.

December 2nd, 2011 11:00

I understand from your email that you would like to know more about the power requirements for GeForce 8400GS.

Its bad that your computer has only 230Watts of power supply, however the GeForce 8400GS requires at least 400Watts on a computer.

Best regards,

Arshad

NVIDIA Customer Care

159 Posts

December 2nd, 2011 12:00

500 watt power supply is good enough and is more than enough in my opinion.

December 2nd, 2011 12:00

yeah, I'm just worried about it being to much. I've used 550 watt supplies before but I've also seen a system with not enough power shoot flames and sparks out of the back of the power supply without any notice at all. Just trying to find some insight between what my system can and can't handle.

10 Elder

 • 

46K Posts

December 2nd, 2011 13:00

ChryslerTech

The 500w PSU will work fine in the Dimension e310, the PC will only draw the wattage it requires from the power supply, at any given moment.

Bev.

6 Professor

 • 

8.8K Posts

December 2nd, 2011 14:00

I understand from your email that you would like to know more about the power requirements for GeForce 8400GS.

Its bad that your computer has only 230Watts of power supply, however the GeForce 8400GS requires at least 400Watts on a computer.

Best regards,

Arshad

NVIDIA Customer Care

Arshad is wrong.

My Core i5 quad-core is equipped with a 6570 card, much more demanding than the 8400GS, and yet makes do with a 300-watt power supply. As for the 8400GS, I have one (PCI version) installed in my 2350 with a stock power supply (250 watts?), and the machine is extremely stable.

Power requirements are almost always grossly overstated for video cards.

December 2nd, 2011 21:00

This would be a great place for a support forum. Hope they have one here someday.

December 2nd, 2011 21:00

He very well could be wrong, but then again, I talked to Dell support before i even posted here, ( and before I asked nVidia) and Dell told me I would need a power supply upgrade to run it. I just forgot to ask which one. Thats why I'm here.

If it ran ok on your system, that's cool. But your system isn't a Dimension E310 so what am I missing here?

6 Professor

 • 

8.8K Posts

December 2nd, 2011 22:00

If it ran ok on your system, that's cool. But your system isn't a Dimension E310 so what am I missing here?

Per Wikipedia, an 8400GS (G98 core) consumes a maximum of 25 watts at full load and thus doesn't need a 400-watt power supply. And Dell power supplies are underrated; I believe their ratings are for continuous output, not peak load.
 
This is the product page for my 8400GS: http://www.sparkle-usa.com/products_graphic_04.asp?cate=20&seq=65 It specifies 300 watts minimum, but the 2350's is closer to 250 watts and still the card works well under XP, Vista, and 7. I stressed the machine by playing back Blu-ray discs, which pushed CPU usage up to 70-90% and it was 100% stable.
 
If you wish to upgrade your power supply, as the E310 case is a tower not of the "clamshell" design, any standard ATX power supply should work. I installed a regular Cooler Master 400-watt ATX in a 5150 (which I believe is a cousin of the E310) and the only modification I felt necessary was a right angle SATA power adapter for the hard drive.
 

49 Posts

December 2nd, 2011 23:00

:emotion-55:

.

49 Posts

December 2nd, 2011 23:00

:emotion-55:

December 3rd, 2011 16:00

In my Dell Dimension 3100 same as E310, I have a PNY 6200 256mb pci, I  didn't need to upgrade my PSU.

www3.pny.com/font-color9999996200-256MB-PCIfont-P2526C396.aspx    :emotion-11:

No Events found!

Top