Question500 watt vs 300 watt
Question500 watt vs 300 watt
Just a brief inquiry. My older computer, about 8 or 9 years old, wouldn't turn on recently. It had a 500-watt PSU, and I replaced it with a new 300-watt one. It tried to boot but stopped right away. Would the lack of power stop it from starting? I'm sure it was a very cheap 300-watt model. I also have a Radeon R9 280X GPU. Thanks for the help, this is my first post.
The R9 280X requires a 550W power source. A 300W unit might not suffice, particularly if it's a budget model, since low-quality PSUs frequently fall short of expectations.
It would be wise to appreciate that the PC didn't start. The 280X/7970 is very power-hungry compared to its era and can experience sudden spikes close to 300W. On an inexpensive, outdated 300W PSU, there might not even be 200W of +12V output. Without specifics on both units, it's hard to offer meaningful advice. Otherwise, it feels like trying to fix a "four-door car" — if the 500W unit were bad, it likely caused the failure.
Thanks. I’ll get a good 550 watt power supply and check if my GPU is fine. Your help means a lot.