Hi Folks, the computer semi noob here again. I am going to be adding a workstation to my home pc's and was wondering if any of you had any suggestions on the video card I should add.

New pc: HP Z400 w/Xeon W3565 Quad core 3.2gHz, 12gb ecc DDR3 ram, 6 PCI Slots 2 of them PCI-E. The OS will be Win 7 Pro 64bit.

The "big issue" issue is the 475W PSU. This is a gen 2 machine and I am trying to find out if it is a proprietary HP PSU or an ATX form factor PSU. If it's a proprietary PSU, I understand I am limited to a 600W HP PSU upgrade, if not then I can just add in a 850W ATX PSU. Anyone knowing anything about the HP Z400 would be a real help.


Many Thanks in Advance

Robert

---

http://allprojectstats.com/ts593244b0a.png

Go for a mid/high end NV GPU, they take all the power form the 6/8 pin power connector so you could easely use an aditional common PSU to power them. An external 750/850W PSU could drive even 2x780 easely and you dont need to mess with yout HP prprietay PSU..

---

Hi Juan, I have been looking into the supplementary PSU market - it is very thin on products and information. If I have to I will try for a 500W Supp. PSU

Robert

---

http://allprojectstats.com/ts593244b0a.png

Look at the Nvidia 750 Ti. Runs around $ 155-170 depending on where you get it from. Almost all of them get their power from the PCI express slot (only the most modified one requires a 6 pin for additional power) That mean it will run off a standard PSU that is in your computer. I put one in my optiplex (Power supply of 300 Watts) and it runs fine. It's fast too. mulitbeams in about 12 minutes ave and astropulse in 55 minutes. Low cost, Low Power and Fast cruncher...

First choose the GPU then the PSU that is the right path, but be aware to run 2 PSU in one host you need some knowledgue about how to do that safely.

I was talking about a bigger PSU because you have 2 PCIe slots, so who knows if you i the future could add another GPU? You allways need to think about your future choices in order to do the right buy move.

---

The "big issue" issue is the 475W PSU. This is a gen 2 machine and I am trying to find out if it is a proprietary HP PSU or an ATX form factor PSU. If it's a proprietary PSU, I understand I am limited to a 600W HP PSU upgrade, if not then I can just add in a 850W ATX PSU. Anyone knowing anything about the HP Z400 would be a real help.

If it's like the proprietary power supply in my [(hp)] Elite 8200 it won't have any extra PCI 6- or 8-pin 12V leads to power the thirstier GPU cards. I didn't find the service manual for the Z400 on the [(hp)] web-site but it's probably buried there somewhere.

---

OP there is an adapter that can convert your MB to be able to use a standard PSU but I would avoid that. I'm not a fan of two PSU but that appears the way you should go.

---

Thanks Zalster, I will look at the 750 TI.

---

http://allprojectstats.com/ts593244b0a.png

Juan, I have 4 technicians at the office to help me with the 2nd PSU - thank you.

---

http://allprojectstats.com/ts593244b0a.png

Batter, thank you, do you have any links to info on an adapter?

---

http://allprojectstats.com/ts593244b0a.png

Try this link.

http://www.ebay.com/bhp/dual-power-supply-adapter

Cheers.

Thanks Wiggo

---

http://allprojectstats.com/ts593244b0a.png

You could probably run 2 X Nvidia 750 cards in that box with the standard PSU. Assuming that being a "workstation" it has decent cooling, and the PSU can actually put out 475W.

Ian

Thanks Wiggo

Just remember if the original PSU uses a non-standard wiring layout that you'll have to do some wire swapping on the sockets.

The standard pinout is detailed here, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ATX#Power_supply.

Cheers.

I think Ian is right, if it truely can putout 475W then you could run 2 GTX 750 Ti on it. If not, worse thing that would happen is it would shut down and won't start. In which case, you would need to get a bigger PSU. My 750 never gets above 44C and the fan stays at 50% all the time.



Zalster

Mega kudos Wiggo, I bookmarked that page.

Robert

---

http://allprojectstats.com/ts593244b0a.png

From what I read Zalster, the PSU is 85% efficient. So, it will put out 404 Watts.

Robert

---

http://allprojectstats.com/ts593244b0a.png

HP normally rate their PSUs on output power not input power, unlike many of the others in the market...

---

Bob Smith
Member of Seti PIPPS (Pluto is a Planet Protest Society)
Somewhere in the (un)known Universe?

From what I read Zalster, the PSU is 85% efficient. So, it will put out 404 Watts.

Robert

I just looked at the quickspecs PDF of the HP z400 They show a configuration with a Nvidia FX 4800 with the 475 W PSU. The Nvidia 4600 uses 134 W. Figure the 4800 should be close or slightly more than that. The max Graphic card allowed in that Computer is Nvidia Quad 5000 with requirements of 152 Watts. Given this, 2 Nvidia GTX 750 Ti should only be around 120 W. EVGA says even their superclocked GTX 750 Ti only requires 60 Watts. I'd give an extra 6 watts just to be sure but even then 2 x 66 = 132 W. This should still well within the Max for that PSU.

Zalster

But don't forget that there is a limit on the amount of power yo can draw through the combined PCIE sockets - I would be very cautious about running a pair of 750ti only on what can be drawn from there as the motherboard might fry and that's going to hurt the pocket...

---

Bob Smith
Member of Seti PIPPS (Pluto is a Planet Protest Society)
Somewhere in the (un)known Universe?