Mobo/PSU Dilemma

[MrSamHideki]

Couple hours ago i was just trying my best to do some wire management on my unit but failed miserably and i came across a problem. I just recognised my PSU unit only has three PCI-E power connectors and i have two all ready connected to my GPU. In the future i would like to CrossfireX/Sli but im not sure if im capable now even with this new knowledge bottlenecking. I have checked my PSU Info, which is a XFX/Pro/850 and it is compatible for Sli/CrossfireX but my problem is that i would be one PCI-E power connector short, is something wrong here? or have i just plugged one too many "Pow-Cen" in to my GPU. My GPU is a XFX Black Edition 6870.

I also have another question about compatibly when crossfireX, would i need to get a exact same card i have now even though i know i wont be able to find a black edition any more or could i buy a similar card i have now that is a different brand or model? I know vital info about crossfireX but not enough. I also know that it has to have to same specs and be the same model Number.

For example

http://xfxforce.com/en-gb/Products/G...687A-ZNBC.aspx

with

http://xfxforce.com/en-gb/Products/G...687A-ZDBC.aspx

[MrSamHideki]

Can anyone help with my question?

[csgohan4]

Firstly is your PSU this one?

If it is it seems it's not modular and all the cables should be with the PSU as it's specs say it should have x2 PCie 6 and x2 PCIe 6+2 cables. So you might have connected them already either from seperate cables or using the non modular cables

Secondly in regards with the cross fire issue, if you get a second card same class but different model i.e another 6870 but it is lower in clock speed, the highest your system will use is the lowest Clock speed and that goes for both cards. So your effectively wasting your higher clocked card for e.g. Generally try and get the same brand and model of card.

Your PSU is more than enough for crossfire 6870

My other question is, why do you need to go Crossfire? do you have low fps on playing games, or want want to play at the highest detail or do you plan on using more than 1 monitor for e.g

[ltnmzh]

I think you can get better result by upgrading to latest single GPU card than CF it. More efficient in terms of performance/power ratio.

[MrSamHideki]

Firstly is your PSU this one?

If it is it seems it's not modular and all the cables should be with the PSU as it's specs say it should have x2 PCie 6 and x2 PCIe 6+2 cables. So you might have connected them already either from seperate cables or using the non modular cables

Secondly in regards with the cross fire issue, if you get a second card same class but different model i.e another 6870 but it is lower in clock speed, the highest your system will use is the lowest Clock speed and that goes for both cards. So your effectively wasting your higher clocked card for e.g. Generally try and get the same brand and model of card.

Your PSU is more than enough for crossfire 6870

My other question is, why do you need to go Crossfire? do you have low fps on playing games, or want want to play at the highest detail or do you plan on using more than 1 monitor for e.g

Firstly, yes that is my PSU and damn! Not sure if i can even find a black edition of my GPU any more. Ive been on the XFX site and it seems they have brought a new version of my black edition but with heat pipes instead but i cant even find the black edition any where. Well any trusted sites that is. Clock speed? GPU clock or memory clock? I would love to upgrade my GPU to newer series but scaling on price is just too much. I've also had this system for about a year now and im just looking for standard gaming requirements. My GPU falls below under minimum requirement for certain games. My GPU hasn't failed me yet and hasn't really failed at high settings but i would love to see and increase of quality and fps. If i upgrade my card it would cost me around £160+ but if i crossfire i get nearly get the same amount of fps for £60 less.

oh and thanks for the reply. I was waiting quite a while and im still confused about the PCie power connectors. I have both fitted in one graphics card, the other just floating in my case. Sorry if i come across as a "stupid"

[csgohan4]

Firstly you don't sound stupid. That's what these forums are here for. Noone knows everything, we help each other here.

Secondly so you do have x2 cables for GPU spare for crossfire? The same ones you connected to your current GPU

Thirdly I mean matched GPU clock. Another xfx black should be fine as long as its not higher in speed, otherwise you would be wasting it. But if you can't find anything cheaper then that may be your only choice.

[MrSamHideki]

Firstly you don't sound stupid. That's what these forums are here for. Noone knows everything, we help each other here.

Secondly so you do have x2 cables for GPU spare for crossfire? The same ones you connected to your current GPU

Thirdly I mean matched GPU clock. Another CDC black should be fine as long as its not higher in speed, otherwise you would be wasting it. But if you can't find anything cheaper then that may be your only choice.

I did another wire management and i failed at it again and nearly managed to destroy my CPU but my bios shut the pc down because i forgot one wire to connect which was the CPU cooler and i managed to find all the cables. I had them connected to other things but these where connected when i first built the system and totally forgot about them and i just suck at custom built systems but looks like ive learnt another new thing. I can never get wire management down. Its impossible. Now i just need to find a BDXFX6870...

Thanks again

[csgohan4]

You might want to get some zip ties which can be bought cheap on EBAY for your cable management issues.

If you really want to be able to build yourself a system, you should disconnect EVERYTHING and start from scratch. You will learn two things:

1- To read the Manuals
2- which goes where
3-What not to do

Generally you won't blow your PC as your PSU should have safe guards.

Look on Youtube on how to setup a PC to be sure

We all learnt somehow

[MrSamHideki]

You might want to get some zip ties which can be bought cheap on EBAY for your cable management issues.

If you really want to be able to build yourself a system, you should disconnect EVERYTHING and start from scratch. You will learn two things:

1- To read the Manuals
2- which goes where
3-What not to do

Generally you won't blow your PC as your PSU should have safe guards.

Look on Youtube on how to setup a PC to be sure

We all learnt somehow

Yeah i suppose i can do that but because i have a HAF 932/A, the backplate spacing isn't enough so other wires that i ain't using ends up in front of the PSU instead of being in the little spacing for my wires. I think i might just take it all apart and start again. Ever since ive been trying to cable management i manage do something about it but with no results. I most probably will take it apart when i get the chance and see if i can get all the wires in the back instead of being everywhere. Another thing is that im not using the case holes properly, so i might just start from there.
Still reading the manuals Thank again.