How can I safely test whether my 600W PSU can handle an RX 6800 XT?
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MellowHarbor42
I'm using a Chieftec GPS-600A8 600W power supply, and it has been running my RX 6700 XT reliably for several months. My system has a Ryzen 7 7800X3D, and I'm considering testing an RX 6800 XT, but I'm concerned about its higher power draw and transient spikes. I've already run a Heaven benchmark and played PUBG without issues, with the GPU drawing roughly 250W at about 97% usage. What would be the best way to stress-test the system and determine whether the power supply can handle the card safely?
Answers
The RX 6800 XT is roughly a 300W card with two 8-pin power connectors, so the important thing is testing the combined CPU and GPU load rather than the graphics card by itself. Run a CPU stress test such as Prime95 at the same time as a GPU test like FurMark to check sustained maximum power draw. After that, a variable workload such as a 3DMark benchmark can help expose sudden load changes. Keep in mind that passing benchmarks does not completely guarantee there will never be a transient shutdown, and the quality and age of the 600W power supply matter just as much as its advertised wattage.
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MellowHarbor42: My CPU is a Ryzen 7 7800X3D. Heaven ran successfully with the GPU using around 250W at nearly full load, and a PUBG session was fine too. I’m also trying 3DMark to compare results, although I understand that does not guarantee the PSU will handle every possible spike.