Can a poor PSU lead to VGA driver issues?
Can a poor PSU lead to VGA driver issues?
I recently purchased a used ASRock RX 6600 XT Challenger GPU and overlooked my PSU, which is only 400W, whereas the recommended power supply is 450W. Initially, everything worked fine—installing the driver was smooth, but after about an hour the display went black while the PC still powered on. After restarting, the monitor stopped showing any signal, so I sometimes use it as an iGPU to transfer data and it works normally. Should I worry about the GPU or the PSU?
It can definitely be an issue. The 400W rating for the PSU isn't just a number—it represents the maximum power it can deliver under full load, split across various branches and voltages. The GPU requires a +12V DC branch, so you must check the amperage in that specific branch. This PSU is designed for office PCs with dual 12V branches, which only provide half of the total available power, making it insufficient for a 160W GPU. You’ll need a more powerful PSU, ideally between 650-750W. In the meantime, you can use Adrenalin driver settings to restrict the GPU’s voltage and maximum power output. This may result in some performance loss, but it should still function.
I just removed the AMD driver, worth trying again later. I’m worried adrenaline might mess with the GPU, so I’ll give it another shot. Probably buying a new PSU next week.