# Is 400w enough for gtx 960 ?



## Laughing_Beast (Dec 22, 2015)

Hello guys,

I won MSI GeForce GTX 960 GAMING 2G in a giveaway (YAY!) and now I wonder if 400W  will be enough for it in this PC :

Intel Pentium G3220
H81M-E
2GB DDR3 1333MHz + 4GB DDR3 1333MHz
WD 250GB Blue
ordinary Asus DVD

P.S.: There's 8pins for power cable on GPU but MSI itself gave 6pins female -> 8pins male reduction into box with card. Not sure what to think about it. Does it mean it basically just need 75W (it would get from 6pin) via cable? 

P.P.S.: I've read as much as I could find about this card but I really wanna be sure, sorry for nOOb questions.


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## rtwjunkie (Dec 22, 2015)

Congrats on your new card! If I'm not mistaken, the minimum recommended PSU is 400 watts. 

The reason for the 8 pin is because that card is meant to be overclocked, and has ALOT of headroom to do so. 

This is good, because as I have found with the 960 I am using in one of my systems, it needs a healthy overclock to produce good fps AND quality.  Thankfully, they are capable of doing so....if you have the PSU power.  Overclocking it though, is going to take it past the stock 120w the card draws at stock clocks.

Bottom line, it should work, but I would get more wattage as soon as you are able (depending on quality of your PSU).

What model and brand is your PSU?


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## silentbogo (Dec 22, 2015)

More than enough. GTX 960 has a TDP of 120W max.
Your system on its own will consume a bit over 300W at full load, so 400W is enough but it has to be a very good PSU.
Overclocking with this small wattage overhead is not recommended.

If I were you, I would get a decent 500W PSU instead.


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## NdMk2o1o (Dec 22, 2015)

Laughing_Beast said:


> Hello guys,
> 
> I won MSI GeForce GTX 960 GAMING 2G in a giveaway (YAY!) and now I wonder if 400W  will be enough for it in this PC :
> 
> ...



What make is your PSU, should be fine as long as it's not a total piece of crap....


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## EarthDog (Dec 22, 2015)

400W from a modern, quality, PSU is PLENTY. I wouldn't spend a penny more on a higher wattage PSU.

You would be lucky if the GPU and CPU are fully overclocked and running 100% it would hit 300W.


silentbogo said:


> Your system on its own will consume a bit over *300W at full load*, so 400W is enough but it has to be a very good PSU.
> 
> *Overclocking with this small wattage overhead is not recommended.*
> 
> *If I were you, I would get a decent 500W PSU instead.*


Highlighted parts... No.

The CPU is 53W max and can't be overclocked with his current combo. There are power limits on the 960 that will top it off around 150W or so. That is 200W at the absolute WORST, likely less. A quality 400W is fine. I would even overclock that CPU if it could with a 400W PSU... there isn't remotely a need for a 500W PSU for this system.

http://www.overclockers.com/evga-gtx-960-4gb-supersc-acx-2-0-graphics-card-review/
Our review on GTX 960. 4790K (88W CPU) system with an overclocked GTX 960 peaked at 260W (at the wall). Take 10% off that for PSU efficiency, and you are pulling under 240W actual with the card overclocked. 400W is plenty.


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## alucasa (Dec 22, 2015)

My system is powered by 450w PSU and it's got 760 GTX and the system has been rock stable for years. So, yeah, it will be fine.

Off a wall meter, it hardly ever goes above 200w.


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## thebluebumblebee (Dec 22, 2015)

The review of that very card, right here on TPU , shows that even running Furmark, the max load of that GPU (before OC'ing) is only 138 watts.  If your PSU is anything decent, it will work just fine.  If it's one of those 250 watts PSU's calling its self a 400 watt PSU, then you will have problems.


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## Liquid Cool (Dec 22, 2015)

Congrats on winning the card!

My little eVGA GTX 960 only has a six pin...I'm currently running it on a 430w psu with zero problems.  Great card....and actually the best card "sound-wise" I've ever owned.  This card is dead-silent.  Zero noise.  I love it.

Best,

LC


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## Laughing_Beast (Dec 29, 2015)

Thanks for replies!

Will have to save money for some decent-enough PSU since what I have is a VERY cheap one. I am on damn low budget unfortunately. Would never actually BUY such card, maybe something like 750ti or 950. (I have Radeon 4670 currently.) I even contemplated selling 960 and buying something cheaper but there isn't that much difference in costs of 960 - 950/750ti to make such move really worth it.

Oh well at least the card is very nice to look at. That'll make waiting/saving easier 

How about this one - Seventeam Cilense ST-P0520PBA (520W) http://www.partis.cz/index.php?gid=2258 ? Offered for about 1100CZ = 44USD here. According to review I found it might be what I look for? It has 40A on 12V...well MSI asks for 42A for its 960....close enough? 

P.S.: I am very unlikely to upgrade to anything more power-hungry (unless I win it. )


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## Folterknecht (Dec 29, 2015)

Get yourself something decent, the PSU is the last part you want to safe money.

http://www.partis.cz/index.php?gid=1617

Its totally overpowered for a 2 Core CPU and a 960 which wont draw more than 250W, but it's very solid and enables you to just plug in a more power hungry CPU and/or GPU, if you get your hand on them in the future.


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## thebluebumblebee (Dec 29, 2015)

Laughing_Beast said:


> How about this one - Seventeam Cilense ST-P0520PBA (520W) http://www.partis.cz/index.php?gid=2258 ? Offered for about 1100CZ = 44USD here. According to review I found it might be what I look for? It has 40A on 12V...well MSI asks for 42A for its 960....close enough?


I don't know Seventeam, but that _looks_ okay????  As for the 42A, don't worry about that at all.
How much would a FSP AURUM 400W cost?


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## NdMk2o1o (Dec 29, 2015)

Mate you system will struggle to pull 300w with insane overclocks on the CPU and GPU you should be fine!


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## Laughing_Beast (Dec 29, 2015)

thebluebumblebee said:


> How much would a FSP AURUM 400W cost?



Well,about 2000CZ/81USD


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## rtwjunkie (Dec 29, 2015)

Laughing_Beast said:


> How about this one - Seventeam Cilense ST-P0520PBA (520W) http://www.partis.cz/index.php?gid=2258 ? Offered for about 1100CZ = 44USD here. According to review I found it might be what I look for? It has 40A on 12V...well MSI asks for 42A for its 960....close enough?



The specs look fine, but I couldn't in a quick search find out much about it or the component maker.


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## thebluebumblebee (Dec 29, 2015)

Laughing_Beast said:


> Well,about 2000CZ/81USD


OUCH!
How about: http://www.partis.cz/index.php?gid=1331


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## JrRacinFan (Dec 29, 2015)

@Laughing_Beast 
Think about this for a moment, your current system is probably pulling just a mere 30W under what your planned specs would be. It will work just fine.


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## Laughing_Beast (Dec 30, 2015)

thebluebumblebee said:


> OUCH!
> How about: http://www.partis.cz/index.php?gid=1331



1225CZ = 49USD - Only slightly more then the one I posted. (Which is just first one I found decent review on.) That could be the one for me 



rtwjunkie said:


> The specs look fine, but I couldn't in a quick search find out much about it or the component maker.



Review I found is in Czech  Well,it says it has (good) active components from Infineon but cheap Chinese capacitors (Teapo, Suscon). Its performance in these tests wasn't good enough for 80+ Bronze, though. Verdict is like " It's ok for its price, very similar to Seasonic / Fortron in this segment."
Apparently Seventeam mostly makes PSUs for  Ultra, CoolerMaster, SilverStone and bazillion others.


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## thebluebumblebee (Dec 30, 2015)

One more: http://www.partis.cz/index.php?gid=2280


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## Laughing_Beast (Dec 30, 2015)

thebluebumblebee said:


> One more: http://www.partis.cz/index.php?gid=2280



About 2029CZ/81USD too


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## thebluebumblebee (Dec 30, 2015)

I'd go for the 1225CZ = 49USD Seasonic over the 1100CZ = 44USD Seventeam.


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## Laughing_Beast (Dec 30, 2015)

thebluebumblebee said:


> I'd go for the 1225CZ = 49USD Seasonic over the 1100CZ = 44USD Seventeam.



Ok,seems like I'm going to get the 1225CZ = 49USD Seasonic one.(http://www.partis.cz/index.php?gid=1331) 

Thanks to @thebluebumblebee and all others for help!


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## thebluebumblebee (Dec 30, 2015)

Because of a better warranty, how about one more? http://www.partis.cz/index.php?gid=2990


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## DarthBaggins (Dec 30, 2015)

Yup if you snag a SeaSonic for low or a Super Flower go for it


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## Laughing_Beast (Dec 30, 2015)

thebluebumblebee said:


> Because of a better warranty, how about one more? http://www.partis.cz/index.php?gid=2990



Most shops have it for about 1400CZ but some for as cheap as 1080CZ/44USD...hmm gotta check those shops. Will do it tomorrow I guess, my head hurts a bit now. Thanks again.


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