Does my computer truely consume 75 watts? (need someone who knows electricity)

[SPL Tech]

Ok I have a 250 watt PSU and I was wondering if it was enough to add an additional entry level video card. It does not say on the back of my computer how many volt/ amps it draws. I have a meter that can tell me though. The meter is fairly accurate from what I understand. If I measure a 75 watt lightbulb, it says I am drawing 75 watts. Anyway with only the tower plugged in and with the computer sitting at idle it said I was drawing 110VA and 75 watts. Does this sound about right for an entry level PC? I have a Dell Demention B110.

Windows XP Home SP2
512 MB DDR SD RAM
2.4 GHz. Intel Celeron
Integrated audio
Integrated Intel Extreme Graphics 2 GPU
80 gig 8,400 RPM HD

I am trying to figure out how much headroom I have with my PSU to add additional components. If it draws 110VA and 75 watts at idle what do you think it would draw at 100% CPU usage? I need to know if I have like 125 additional watts to work with or more or less or what.

 

[Trifid]

At idle, the hdd are not drawing out alot of electricty, the CD/DVD drives are not spinning, you have intergrated, and a CPU is not on very high load, so you could well only be using 75 watts.

Accoring to this:http://www.extreme.outervision.com/psucalculator.jsp

150 watts.

 

[Shando]

That link just saved my life. *Bookmarked*

 

[CrazeD]

My ATi X800GTO requires, I believe, a 300 (maybe 350) watt powersupply. And an X800GTO is pretty much the "slowest" up-to date card you can buy. So if you wish to greatly improve graphical performance, I would recommend getting atleast a 450watt PSU.

 

[SPL Tech]

^^^ Why is that? How much electricity do these cards use?!?! Dell told me I have enough reserve to run three expansions. Like an extra video card an extra audio card and something else.

I though if you over load the PSU it will simply burn up? Sense when does the PSU effect the performance of the video card? What does the video card not work as well if it sees a slightly lower voltage level due to an extended load on the PSU or something?

 

[SPL Tech]

Ok it said Your Recommended PSU Wattage: 188. So does that mean I need at least a 188 watt PSU or does it mean it draws 188 watts?

 

[Ste]

^^^ 1.Why is that? How much electricity do these cards use?!?! Dell told me I have enough reserve to run three expansions. Like an extra video card an extra audio card and something else.

2.I though if you over load the PSU it will simply burn up? 3.Sense when does the PSU effect the performance of the video card? What does the video card not work as well if it sees a slightly lower voltage level due to an extended load on the PSU or something?

1. For minimum requirements you should always refer to the Video cards minimum requirements section, usally stated on the box, manual or even the website its sold on. Don't ever believe what dell tech support says and lastly thats only the requirement for the card, it does not factor in what you ALREADY have in your PC. Therefore you should always have 100 or so More watts on a power supply then you need. That doesn't even consider future upgrades en such.

2. POS power supplies will Burn out/Exploud and die when overloaded or overheated however, Most newer power supplies simply switch off If overheated or Overloaded. But you should NEVER have to overload a power supply. You should always have more wattage and amperage then the minimum.

3. The Quality of a power supply affects preformence of your video card and every other component within your system. If you have a POS PSU or its under heavy Load, your computer will not preform to its max and it can cause random freezing, lagh spikes and other undesierable affects. This being said and to reiterate everything else stated, a Power supply is a very important part of your computer you NEVER want to get JUST the minimum nor do you want to go cheap on a power supply.
And if you do you should NOT be dissapointed when it does not preform well or Dies and takes other components with it.

Edit: If you have a Dell or any other propritary Computer you USALLY need to buy a Upgraded power supply from the manufacture.