GPU upgrade for a FM1 system

leigh120585

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Hi guys, ive been thinking about upgrading my system, which is currently
a Amd a6 3670K running oc at 3.2ghz
8g cruicial ballistix sport series
his 6670
samsung 840 pro ssd
coolermaster gx 450 psu

Im running dual graphics and it has been decent for the last 18 months but would like a bit more beef, I was thinking about this graphics card at this price and was wondering if anyone on here has one and would i need to upgrade my system for this card?

XFX DD Radeon HD 7870 GHz Edition (Tahiti LE) 2GB GDDR5 Graphics Card [FX-787A-CNAC] + 2 FREE GAMES! - Aria PC
 
that card would have been my recommendation, what psu have you got? Assuming thats up to the task youre good to get it.

Edit: missed the psu in your specs list, it only has 1 6 pin adapter, so rules the 7870 out, the 7850 or nvidia 660 are your best bets
 
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sorry yeah missed that as i was reading:facepalm:, i edited my post above
 
I'm assuming the PSU is the CM gx450.

Might be a bit tough - my old CM 500 PSU used to get very noise with my 7870 in it. Not sure how close it got to the max power draw but it wasn't very comfortable TBH.

I'd up the PSU as well.
 
i suppose you could get a 7870 and then buy a molex to 6 pin adapter for the second power connector.

The 7870 is your limit really psu wise.

edit: The system wont pull more than 300 watts total so thats not worth worrying about, but thats as far as you should push it comfortably.
 
i suppose you could get a 7870 and then buy a molex to 6 pin adapter for the second power connector.

The 7870 is your limit really psu wise.

edit: The system wont pull more than 300 watts total so thats not worth worrying about, but thats as far as you should push it comfortably.

There were molex to 6 pin adapters (2 of them) in my 7870 box so you might not need to buy one. Your PSU might get noisy though. Mine did.
 
yeh i agree with the thoughts on the psu, I'm having a bitfenix prodigy m for crimbo of my wife and was thinking of going for a semi modular one then. What would be the best for a budget of 50-70 quid?
 
any 600 watt plus, xfx corsair enermax or seasonic
 
I went with the advice given, and got the 7870 tahite. The only problem I have got that I need a 8 pin power adapter as I only have a 6 pin on my power supply. Does any one know where I can get one from?
 
how many spare 6 pins do you have? Do you know their wattage?
 
StarTech.com PCI Express 6-pin to 8-pin Power Adaptor Cable - PCIEX68ADAP - CCL Computers

One of those.

From what i undestand (loosely), The thing is on the whole 6 pin is used for 75w loads, even though it can do more, 8 pin for 150 or more, so how nicely it plays is down to the stability of the psu and how solid the 12v rails are.

You'll be fine, but i'd still get a new psu in the future as youre up against the limit with the 7870 anyway.
 
do i need to plug the 8 pin and 6 pin into the graphics card? or can i just plug the 8 pin in?
 
both, im not sure how you'd do that without using two adapters, by that point i would seriously consider getting a new psu. The tahiti is pushing it, the standard 7870 uses one 8 pin or two 6 pins, i cant remember which.

Using molexs to an 8 pin is pushing the bounds of what i'd be comfortable with, but yes if you did want to that would be the only way. New psu is the best way tbh.
 
both, im not sure how you'd do that without using two adapters, by that point i would seriously consider getting a new psu. The tahiti is pushing it, the standard 7870 uses one 8 pin or two 6 pins, i cant remember which.

Using molexs to an 8 pin is pushing the bounds of what i'd be comfortable with, but yes if you did want to that would be the only way. New psu is the best way tbh.

Standard 7870 is 2x6 pins.
 
Standard 7870 is 2x6 pins.

yeah if it were the standard one then couldve used the one 6 pin and 2 molex to 6 pin adapter, but as it is my recommendation would go with a new psu.
 
yeah if it were the standard one then couldve used the one 6 pin and 2 molex to 6 pin adapter, but as it is my recommendation would go with a new psu.

Yep - before I replaced my old 500W CM PSU I had to use a molex to 6 pin adapter to make it all work.

If there wasn't a 8pin converter with the card either I'd 100% agree with you that a new PSU is the way to go even if it's just for piece of mind.

Some good prices on PSU's as well at the moment so not a massive expense either.
 
i have managed to get a Molex to 8 pin pci-e adapter, but i have another problem!:confused: I placed my 7870 into the pci slot and the cooler fouls the headers for the power reset etc. So im gonna bite the bullet and get a new motherboard and CPU. My budget is not massive, maybe £150 for matx motherboard and cpu. I was thinking of a intel haswell i3 build or is amd's new kaveri going to be any good. I'm also not to bothered about over clocking. If anyone would give me some help, it would be appreciated.
 
i have managed to get a Molex to 8 pin pci-e adapter, but i have another problem!:confused: I placed my 7870 into the pci slot and the cooler fouls the headers for the power reset etc. So im gonna bite the bullet and get a new motherboard and CPU. My budget is not massive, maybe £150 for matx motherboard and cpu. I was thinking of a intel haswell i3 build or is amd's new kaveri going to be any good. I'm also not to bothered about over clocking. If anyone would give me some help, it would be appreciated.

Mine did that as well. My ASUS board had a block that you fitted the reset and led cables to and then pushed that into the board.

I had to remove the block and put the wires into the board directly to save the necessary few millimetres. Might work for you.

See the attached picture - that was plugged into my MB - now it's not as it saved about 1cm
 

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How did you connect them, mine are like black pugs to go onto the pins.

Yeah - I've got the black plugs on the end of the wires but instead of them going into the white block shown I have put them into the board pins directly.

If yours are already going straight into the mobo then you might be out of luck unfortunately. :(
 

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