Upgrading GPU (power supply limitations)

[Dextter]

Budget (including currency): ~500 USD 

Country: USA

Games, programs or workloads that it will be used for: I would like to play newer/ future games at max settings at 1080p at +120 FPS. Examples: Cyberpunk 2077, A Plague Tale Requiem, and Satisfactory. I have a 165Hz monitor and would like to make use of the refresh rate.

 

Current build: https://pcpartpicker.com/user/Dex232/saved/XGNpK8 

I just recently upgraded my CPU and am now looking into upgrading my GPU so my current GPU does not hold back my new CPU.

 

Parts of interest:

- PSU: (B tier) EVGA 650 B5 650 W 80+ Bronze

- Current GPU: PowerColor Red Dragon RX 5600XT 6GB

- Current CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D 

- Current UPS: APC Back UPS Pro 700VA 

 

- GPU upgrade possibility #1: AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT https://www.microcenter.com/product/632320/powercolor-amd-radeon-rx-6800-xt-red-dragon-triple-fan-16gb-gddr6-pcie-40-graphics-card

- GPU upgrade possibility #2: AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT https://www.microcenter.com/product/670431/asrock-amd-radeon-rx-7800-xt-phantom-gaming-overclocked-triple-fan-16gb-gddr6-pcie-40-graphics-card

Problem: I am looking to upgrade my GPU to something that will last me awhile (overkill for 1080p) I was looking at a RX 6800 XT or RX 7800XT. But when looking at the recommended PSUs I see that for the RX 6800Xt AMD recommends a 750 watt PSU and for the 7800XT a 700 watt PSU. Also when looking on microcenter for two models that caught my eye the recommended PSU is higher by 50 watt. But when I look at PC partpicker the estimated wattage with the 6800XT is ~560watt and with the 7800XT ~520 watt with my current build.

 

I am trying not to upgrade my PSU for this GPU upgrade because if I upgrade my PSU I would have to upgrade my UPS as well. I would like to max out my performance while not stressing out my PSU too much so my PC can last a while longer. If the 6800XT and 7800XT are too much I would like to know what GPUs would not over stress my PSU.

 

Thank you!

[--SID--]

The limitting factor is not the PSU but your 420w UPS. With an efficiency of 87% the PSU is able to give 365w to the components when it draws 420w from the UPS. 

[Dextter]

8 hours ago, --SID-- said:

The limitting factor is not the PSU but your 420w UPS. With an efficiency of 87% the PSU is able to give 365w to the components when it draws 420w from the UPS. 

Thank you, for some reason I did not think that VA was different from watts.

 

If I were to upgrade my UPS to something that could handle 650 watts would my PSU and UPS be able to handle the 7800XT or 6800XT in my current build?

[Queen Chrysalis]

32 minutes ago, Dextter said:

Thank you, for some reason I did not think that VA was different from watts.

 

If I were to upgrade my UPS to something that could handle 650 watts would my PSU and UPS be able to handle the 7800XT or 6800XT in my current build?

Yeah.  I’ve seen people run that GPU with worse, and the B5, despite being bronze efficiency, is still a good PSU.  

[--SID--]

58 minutes ago, Dextter said:

If I were to upgrade my UPS to something that could handle 650 watts would my PSU and UPS be able to handle the 7800XT or 6800XT in my current build?

6800XT have spikes to almost 600w so no, I would not recommand a 6800XT with a 650w PSU. 7800XT has 320w spikes so that should be no problem.

 

Better get a 800w UPS with a 650w Bronze PSU. At full load the PSU draws about 800w from the UPS.

25 minutes ago, Queen Chrysalis said:

I’ve seen people run that GPU with worse

I've seen people drive drunk without any accident but that doesn't mean it's safe to drive drunk.

[Queen Chrysalis]

7 hours ago, --SID-- said:

6800XT have spikes to almost 600w so no, I would not recommand a 6800XT

600w spikes on a B5 650 aren’t an issue.  And that’s uncommon.
 

7 hours ago, --SID-- said:

I've seen people drive drunk without any accident but that doesn't mean it's safe to drive drunk

Not even remotely an appropriate analogy for generalizability or relevance of mechanism.  Bad.

[Metrognome-THE ORIGINAL]

20 hours ago, Dextter said:

 

Problem: I am looking to upgrade my GPU to something that will last me awhile (overkill for 1080p) I was looking at a RX 6800 XT or RX 7800XT. But when looking at the recommended PSUs I see that for the RX 6800Xt AMD recommends a 750 watt PSU and for the 7800XT a 700 watt PSU. Also when looking on microcenter for two models that caught my eye the recommended PSU is higher by 50 watt. But when I look at PC partpicker the estimated wattage with the 6800XT is ~560watt and with the 7800XT ~520 watt with my current build.

 

I am trying not to upgrade my PSU for this GPU upgrade because if I upgrade my PSU I would have to upgrade my UPS as well. I would like to max out my performance while not stressing out my PSU too much so my PC can last a while longer. If the 6800XT and 7800XT are too much I would like to know what GPUs would not over stress my PSU.

 

Thank you!

I recently had to swap out my 750w bronze FSP because I switched from a 3060 to a 7800xt (every component was under three months old- dust free) and it was Black screening almost three times a day. Swapped to a PQM 1000w Deepcool for $140…not one Black screen since. I dont recommend trying that GPU specifically because you’ll be stuck returning stuff for endlessly upgrading afterwards. 7800xt is a great GpU…but I’d wait a year until it’s relatively cheap and performance isn’t a remortgage your home proposition.

 

or..try to find a used 4070 as its way more power efficient than anything in the AMD midrange camp…I doubt it’ll give issues like the 6800XT or 7800xt.

 

they recently updated power draw on the 7800xt so it might’ve been fixed through software but I wouldn’t try anything under 850w Gold for that GPU…I mean mine was paired with a i5 12400 in a modest 3 fan air cooled setup with one NVME and two 16gb sticks of DDR5 running base clock…. The 3060 on that system was fine up to high 1440p settings anyway with no stutters ever so… I don’t see the point anyway, unless you’re editing 4k and even then 12gb 4070 is still more sensible