Can you power your R9 390x using a 550w power supply?
Can you power your R9 390x using a 550w power supply?
Hello everyone, I'm just starting out with overclocking and haven't done it much before. Most of my time is spent gaming, so I've heard that improving my GPU performance through OC is a solid approach. I own an MSI afterburner and have learned a lot about the topic, but I'm a bit nervous because my PSU only supports 550W. There are some discussions online where people claim it's enough to overclock, while others think it's not necessary, which is confusing for me. I want to know what others think. Also, I haven't overclocked my CPU since I thought it wouldn't really boost frame rates much.
Here are my specs:
- Motherboard: Asus M5A97 2.0
- GPU: MSI Radeon R9 390X 8G @ 1040 MHz core and 1500 memory
- CPU: AMD FX-8350 black @ 4.0 GHz with CM hyper 212 EVO
- RAM: 1x DDR3 8GB 2400 MHz
- Power Supply: FSP Fortron Raider 550W
The efficiency ratings aren't the main concern. What really counts are aspects such as ripple suppression, the quality of main and secondary capacitors, etc. Very few sites provide enough detail or a thorough breakdown to assess stability or performance. Johnnyguru and similar sources actually offer detailed analysis. At a high level, this gives you a sense of which PSUs perform well or poorly: But it doesn't explain the reasons behind their performance in detail.
It would be better to overclock the 8350 to stabilize the system, though you're already at risk with high power use. I suggest using a watt meter to track your energy consumption during intense gameplay. Your chances of overclocking depend more on the reliability of your PSU than just its wattage. Even a 1000W unit won't work well if it lacks consistency. The Seasonic 750 and 850 models are pricier but justify the investment, as are other premium power supplies.
Hello everyone, I'm just starting out with overclocking and haven't done it much before. Most of my PC is used for gaming, so I've heard that improving the GPU can help boost frame rates. I own an MSI afterburner and have read a lot about overclocking, but I'm a bit nervous because my PSU is only 550W. Some people say it's enough to overclock, others think not, which makes me a bit confused. I haven't overclocked my CPU yet since I thought it wouldn't really help much.
Here are my specs:
- Motherboard: Asus M5A97 2.0
- GPU: MSI Radeon R9 390X 8G @ 1040 MHz core and 1500 memory
- CPU: AMD FX-8350 black @ 4.0 GHz with CM hyper 212 EVO
- RAM: 1x DDR3 8GB 2400 MHz
- PSU: FSP Fortron Raider 550W
Unless your monitor is 1440 or higher... why would you need to overclock? You shouldn't be facing any issues with games running at 1080p.
SBMfromLA:
Hello everyone, I'm new to overclocking and haven't done it before. I mostly use my PC for gaming, so I've heard that overclocking the GPU is a better way to boost frame rates. I own an MSI afterburner and have read much about overclocking, but I'm nervous because my PSU is 550W. Some people say it's enough, others say not, so I'm a bit unsure. I haven't overclocked my CPU since I thought it would only slightly improve FPS.
Details:
GPU: MSI Radeon R9 390X 8G @ 1040 MHz core and 1500 memory
CPU: AMD FX-8350 black @ 4.0 GHz with CM hyper 212 EVO
RAM: 1x DDR3 8GB 2400 MHz
Power Supply: FSP Fortron Raider 550W
Unless your monitor is 1440p or higher... why would you need to overclock? You shouldn't be facing issues with games running at 1080p.
That's the funny part—I don't even play games at 1080p; my resolution is 1360x768. The main issue is that Warhammer: Vermintide has been fluctuating, dropping from over 120 to around 30 frames. I was considering boosting my GPU to keep it above 50.
Firefoxx04 suggests OCing the 8350 for better balance but notes you're already near the limit with power use. It recommends using a watt meter to track usage during intense gaming sessions. The chances of overclocking depend more on PSU quality than just wattage, even for high-end supplies like 1000W. Seasonic 750 and 850 watt units are pricier but justified. Your current PSU is rated 80+ silver; most online sources confirm its reliability. The alternative PSU you wanted (600W) was available locally, and the shop staff were knowledgeable gamers with long experience.
The efficiency ratings are not the main concern. What really counts are aspects such as ripple suppression, the quality of main and secondary capacitors, among other factors. Most websites don’t provide enough detail or perform a proper breakdown to assess stability or performance. Only a few sites thoroughly analyze PSU quality. At a high level, this gives you a sense of which PSUs are good, bad, or terrible: However, it doesn’t explain why certain models fall short in detail.