Power Supply Units And Graphics Cards

Hi, i am currently modding a PC for someone i know and i just found out something a bit wierd, they were complaining about their Games running really **** FPS, and while flags popped up instantly for a new gfx card i was stunned when i found there comp specs were as follows:

GFX Card: XFX nVidia GeForce 7950GX2 1GB 500MHZ 1.20GHZ PCIE
HDD: 180GB SATA (not sure what RPM its running at btw how do you find out?)
RAM:2GB
PSU: 350W

And i believe the rest arent essential, can a power system slow down an omega gfx card like the 7950 this much?!
and does running gfx intense programs(games) under this low power mess the gfx card up?

Thanks.

 

Hi, i am currently modding a PC for someone i know and i just found out something a bit wierd, they were complaining about their Games running really **** FPS, and while flags popped up instantly for a new gfx card i was stunned when i found there comp specs were as follows:

GFX Card: XFX nVidia GeForce 7950GX2 1GB 500MHZ 1.20GHZ PCIE
HDD: 180GB SATA (not sure what RPM its running at btw how do you find out?)
RAM:2GB
PSU: 350W

And i believe the rest arent essential, can a power system slow down an omega gfx card like the 7950 this much?!
and does running gfx intense programs(games) under this low power mess the gfx card up?

Thanks.

Corrupt_Tiki

First: Wrong forum, the PC Hardware Discussion is right below this one.

Second: Yes low power can hinder gaming....and with those stats you are gonna need a significant amount of power. When buying though, remember that volts aren't everything and getting enough current (amps) is more important, especially on the +12 Rail. 

What's his processor btw 

If the system isn't getting enough power, then the videocard will underclock itself, making itself slower as it doesn't have enough juice to run any faster.

I would recommend he get this power supply:
http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?name=PS-EN5150G

When looking for power supplies, look for ones with a good reputation (Seasonic, Corsair, OCZ, Silverstone, etc.), ones that can supply enough power to your computer, and ones that are efficient.

You can't always tell whether or not a power supply is good from pure specs. You'll have to go to hardware sites and read reviews. A reliable reviewer of power supplies is jonnyGURU. 

Oops, can you delete topics? (i should shift it :s ) His processor is 3.2ghz Single Core What does matter when purchasing a new power supply unit to ensure you get the right Amps and voltage to the system And does this stuff up the video card? because if it does he wont be happy, those 7950GX2s dont come cheap.Corrupt_Tiki

Amps are the most important. It could be giving you 10000 volts but unless it has the current to move electrons, it aint doing anything. Most people say a minimum of 20 Amps on the +12 rail will be fine, so I'd look for like a 400 watt PSU with over 20 Amps on the +12