Video Card With Lower Than Recommended PSU?

[IonizeMyAtoms]

I have a 250 watt power supply and I just got a radeon x800xl. The recommended psu is 300 watts. Will I seriously damage anything if I use the card for about two weeks? (I'm getting a new computer then but I want to use my new card until then)

 

[Vorac1ous]

Probably, uninstall the video card until you get a new PSU just in-case.

 

[IonizeMyAtoms]

Yeah that's what I did
I really want to use it!
Ah well, I can wait

 

[J_Tweedy]

I just bought a new 485w psu, because my old 400w wasn't enough. A64 and 6800gt suck a lot of juice, and if your psu isn't a quality one, the wattage rating can be deceptive- mine sure was- 400w should have been plenty.

 

[IonizeMyAtoms]

But what's the worst that will happen? Will it hurt my card?

 

[Axyon]

You shouldn't damage it - if you're sucking up more juice than it can provide, then simply nothing will work. If everything runs okay for two weeks then you're obviously fine.

 

[DrDevin]

It should not hurt anything but it could depends on your system specs. If you are running a slow or just 1 hard drive, an optical drive an something like an athlon XP or less you might be fine but if you are already sucking a lot of juice then you could run into trouble. By trouble I mean spontanious reboots or crashes (especially if it happens when spinning up your hard drive/optical drive). It could be fine though especially if it is a quality power supply. Post your system specs and I could be more certain. I havent heard of anyone destroying a videocard when it did not have enough power.

 

[Asus]

I wouldn't use it. If it does let your machine run then you probably don't know what kind of load is on your PSU. That could be bad on such low watt PSU.

 

[IonizeMyAtoms]

You shouldn't damage it - if you're sucking up more juice than it can provide, then simply nothing will work.

That's what I was thinking

Here are my specs
AMD Athlon XP 3000+ CPU
1024gb RAM
250 watt psu
160gb hard drive

 

[IonizeMyAtoms]

I wouldn't use it. If it does let your machine run then you probably don't know what kind of load is on your PSU. That could be bad on such low watt PSU.

Yeah I don't think I will, I can live without it for a couple weeks
Thanks guys

 

[baron insig]

you are sensible well done mate!

 

[B-MAn]

I'm running a GeForce 6800 Ultra, A64 and various other things on just a 350w PSU. i have a ninja of a PSU

 

[Asus]

I'm running a GeForce 6800 Ultra, A64 and various other things on just a 350w PSU. i have a ninja of a PSU

350Watt is what Nvidia recommends.
But yes, that PSU is like a ninja. =p

 

[BaconIsGood4You]

I'm running a 6600GT with a really crappy PSU so my computer crashes. Gonna' have to order a whole new case because the crappy Gateway case has a mATX case so I cannot just replace it.

Pretty much it is just unstable, programs crash as well as whole system crashes. I've lost some data, but nothing serious. Getting a new case is a priority for me but my dad is really slow about it (approving of my purchase/contributing funds)...

 

[gweedodogg69]

I have a 580W runnin on just one 6800 Ultra (when I had it for AGP but not im usin my PSU on my PCIx mobo). Right now I have an ATI X700 which will be upgraded to a 6800 Ultra soon. Just disconnect the optical drive and floppy drive from the PSU and run the HD, mobo, and vid card.

 

[psyno]

I have a 250 watt power supply and I just got a radeon x800xl. The recommended psu is 300 watts. Will I seriously damage anything if I use the card for about two weeks? (I'm getting a new computer then but I want to use my new card until then)

The card should be fine.. The bigger problem is that you're going to be asking for too much power from that PSU, which will mean 2 things:
The PSU will get hot.
You computer may flip off/restart, seemingly randomly.

The second is not only ridiculously frustrating, but also isn't known to be particularly healthy for your HDD...