Just bought a Dell XPS 8300 from dell outlet: It has arrived!

[aphelion02]

You will be fine. Graphics card manufacturers jack up their PSU requirements by a ton to cover their asses when some one with a shitty power supply complains that their PSU exploded. As long as the Dell PSU performs within spec, you will have no problem at all.

 

[Mnaircckel]

Hmm, so you think that it is completely safe to go ahead and put the graphics card in without getting a new PSU? If it does somehow miss-function could I just replace the power supply? Or would it break other parts of the computer as well? Thanks for all the input and help guys!

 

[Doltmoopsie]

Well ****, I may be in trouble. I was looking at the page to see the details and.. I just noticed that it says it requires a 500 watt power supply. The dell only comes with a 460. I thought you guys that would run the 6780 fine... well I guess I'll buy a power supply. Damn it gonna have to go over 800 now but my fault for missing that..

Edit:
So yea guys I'm gonna need your help finding a power supply to replace the one that comes with the computer.

I do NOT think that you need to buy a new power supply. I expect that you will be able to make the 460 watt included supply work. There are two reasons that I believe the included supply will work.

The card says that it requires a 500 watt power supply because many low-quality supplies are not able to deliver their labeled wattage. If you look at this power supply review at hardware secrets, you will see that this "450 watt" power supply can only produce 200 watts. I expect that Dells 460 watt power supply will be able to deliver 460 watts.

The other reason is that the AMD HD 6870 only has a a power draw of 151 watts. The processor, RAM, etc. should only consume about 125 watts. This means that your total system power draw should only be under 280 watts.

 

[mfenn]

Hmm, so you think that it is completely safe to go ahead and put the graphics card in without getting a new PSU? If it does somehow miss-function could I just replace the power supply? Or would it break other parts of the computer as well? Thanks for all the input and help guys!

Yes, it is completely safe. Barring a catastrophic PSU failure (which could happen with or without GPU), the worst thing that would happen is that it simply would not work when the the GPU was plugged in.

As aphelion and Dolt mentioned though, the PSU is more than enough, you will be fine.

 

[Mnaircckel]

Ok new things I need help with so I'm bumping this thread. See first post.

 

[mnewsham]

there should be a single thumb screw in the back then you pull on that little ridge in the back and it pops off (requires some force). As for the instalation just make sure there is not anything blocking the PCI-E x16 slot and slide the card home (removing the expansion placeholders) connect power cable from the PSU and that should be it.

 

[Mnaircckel]

Got the case of completly lost on how to remove the graphics card thats in it now, all the fucking videos seem so simply but this has nothing to remove it and there is no screws or anything to remove it so I give up. Should have never bought a graphics card seperatly I can't do anything myself because I'm mentally retarded.

 

[mnewsham]

Take a pic, even a cell phone pic. there should be a small tab on the PCI-e x16 slot that you press sideways and lift up on the card at the same time to release it.

 

[Mnaircckel]

OK well I got the graphics card in I plugged it into the PSU. I turned the computer on, but the monitor isn't detecting anything.. what now

 

[mnewsham]

Did you plug the monitor into the GPU? if so that might not work and you will need to use the onboard video until you can download the latest drivers off the interwebs

 

[Spikesoldier]

congrats. what games are you going to load up first?

 

[Mnaircckel]

Yes, I plugged it into the GPU. I switched it to the onboard video and it doesn't work either..when I turn the monitor on it says no input detected for both gpu and onboard.. so I dunno what to do, I never even turned the computer on before I switched the graphics card on so now I'm completed lost. Any ideas how to fix this.

 

[mnewsham]

take out the GPU and use JUST the onboard video.

 

[Mnaircckel]

Ok, I took the gpu out. THe computer won't even start without the gpu... ok. I switched back to the graphics card that came with the computer.. that booted up fine. So that means I put in the new graphics card wrong, or it's broken.. Hopefully its just that I did something wrong. So I have a http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102913. I plug it into the computer, and plug in the yellow cable things to the graphics card from the psu.. anything else I need to do to get it to work?

 

[Spikesoldier]

so are you using a dvi cable? if so try using the other port instead.

maybe your power supply isnt big enough to support the 6870?

 

[Mnaircckel]

it isn't but everyone on this thread said it should work anyway, idk what cable im using, its a cable that is blue on both ends. PLugs into the monitor and and computer..

 

[mnewsham]

WHat GPU is currently working (model number etc.) How much power can your PSU deliver?

 

[Spikesoldier]

look on the power supply's label and look for the output table.

tell us how many A's are on +12V (+12V1/+12V2..etc) do not add them up if multiple.

 

[mnewsham]

im betting it is drawing too much, or your GPU is F'd and need an RMA.

 

[BoomerD]

Wow...OP, have you ever done anything like this before?

I think your BEST bet is to find someone who actually knows something about computers to help you before you f*ck something up.
Sorry to put it this way, but you sound totally incompetent with computers.

 

[mfenn]

it isn't but everyone on this thread said it should work anyway, idk what cable im using, its a cable that is blue on both ends. PLugs into the monitor and and computer..

Emphasis on the should. I believe most people cautioned you to get the computer before buying the GPU so that you could look up the PSU specs firsthand.

Anyway, others please correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't VGA cables usually blue and DVI cables white?

OP, please take a picture of the inside of the case and the back of the case with all cables plugged in.

 

[mnewsham]

OP, please take a picture of the inside of the case and the back of the case with all cables plugged in.

this

 

[Mnaircckel]

Ok guys I was distracted by playing games on my new rig. Sorry I took so long to reply.

Yes I got it working, sorry for the rage there. I was getting upset thinking that I ordered a graphics card that was DOA. For some reason, it wouldn't work when I connected it with a VGA cable. Which I don't understand because it came with a VGA adapter.(There probably is a obvious reason).
I tried lots of things however when I found out the card came with a HDMI cable and used that it worked just fine, weird but I'm just happy it works.

Rig works like a charm. On it right now. Got everything installed and working. Plays Just Cause two on max settings at about 80 fps which is amazing compared to what I'm used to.

Thank you all so much for all the constant help on building the rigs, we got it done. Mostly thanks to you guys!

 

[mnewsham]

Grats, glad you got it working!

 

[VirtualLarry]

Wierd. VGA should always work.