Question about buying a UPS for a Gaming Rig

[RadeonHD]

Seems everytime power goes somehow my hard drive sounds like its dying and windows freezes when booting etc

I don't care about saving work, my concern really is that either windows 7 gets corrupted and starts sticking forever until a new reinstall and format and or Hard Drives damages.

now I would need a UPS for a rig running a radeon HD 4870X2 and cooler master haf 922 tower which as you all know has a lot of fans and lights etc.

Now I have estimated this PC pulls about 400 watts because its a 65W Athlon II X2

And reviews that used a 125W Core 2 extreme said the full system measured 450 watts

So I am just guessing that it will use 400 watts.

My question is can I use a cheap 600 VA UPS thats about 360 watts? All I need is 2 minutes to shut down the PC.

Or would the UPS just trip and become useless since the PC is pulling more current than its rated VA?

Or do I have no choice but to buy a 1000 VA?

Or should I just sell the 4870X2 and use a single 4870?

Or should I use the cheap 600VA and keep my 4870X2 and just hope that current goes when I am browsing the internet since the will only pull 200 watts when doing simple things like browsing the net etc?

[RadeonHD]

I can't make this decision on my own you know.

[buddy5052]

The reality of your situation is that you did'ent even consider your monitor,at full a radeon 48xtwo can pull up to 400+ watts and this is just the card if the processor is overclocked at full load that tower may be pullin close to700 watts the size of the monitor also plays a roll.So if its just a gaming rig get a good line conditioner and voltage regulator other than that get a 1000va ups

[RadeonHD]

Hmm I see. Its a 23" Samsung wide LCD touch of color I play games with brightness maxxed

Guess its best I just use my Forza voltage regulator I bought from supertech?

[RadeonHD]

What you guys think is buying a UPS worth it to keep my windows clean and preventing corrupted files etc?

I notice when current goes somehow my PC never works the same again.

But from the looks of it its best I buy a 600VA from fizz and hope when current goes that I am not gaming cause it may just trip off on load since the PC will use more than its rated VA.

Or to hell with it and just use my normal voltage regulator i bought from supertech and save my money?

[hydroep]

So I am just guessing that it will use 400 watts.

My question is can I use a cheap 600 VA UPS thats about 360 watts? All I need is 2 minutes to shut down the PC.

Or would the UPS just trip and become useless since the PC is pulling more current than its rated VA?

Depending on it's design it may. Some of the cheaper ones will try to supply the current and eventually burn out.

Or do I have no choice but to buy a 1000 VA?

It is always recommended that you buy a UPS with some spare VA capacity (not only battery capacity eh). More expensive, option but safer in the long run.

Or should I just sell the 4870X2 and use a single 4870?

Or should I use the cheap 600VA and keep my 4870X2 and just hope that current goes when I am browsing the internet since the will only pull 200 watts when doing simple things like browsing the net etc?

Keep your equipment, you may not be happy with anything less. Just bite the bullet and invest in a higher capacity UPS.

[bassotronics]

like u buy chiney tower from snake.....jed wat u need is a good surge protector...cuz das really the problem here....i have a apc 550 i think...never damaged my pc...

[Altec55]

http://www.apcc.com/tools/ups_selector/index.cfm

a 550 will work. but i would say at least a 750 or 1000. better to have more because battery life will degrade over the years and therefore, one that is just the right size will trip off sooner than expected.

[Chiney]

i had a big line conditioner on it then the same APC 550VA ups waz plugged into the line conditioner

not a problem..

lol

[Altec55]

i currently use 2 belkin 800va ups w/ avr. 1 runs my laptop, 23" monitor and a phenom quad core 125W desktop. the other runs my surround sound receiver, 22" tv and cable box.

[HCCA]

Have a APC 550VA myself. Fan, 22" lcd, external hdd, logitech speakers and my high end pc tower plugged into that one unit. No tripping or anything from the output side. When electricity goes it gives me abt 7 minutes to save work and shut down.

I dunno how much power my system pulls but is ah Intel Q9650/GTX 295 in dey with ah 750W psu.

[RadeonHD]

^ eh heh?

Well then I could also get myself a 550 VA if thats the case. It will power it for sure. Yeah is Chiney former Rig I buy. It has a 850 watts Antec PSU in it should be a very efficient PSU

I know fizz has 600VA Powercom UPS for sale. But what I like about the APC is they give you the option to connect stuff like your Speaker and monitor to another section that is not connected to the battery, that is in the event current goes.

BTW HCCA current ever went while you was playing a game? you think a 340w APC 550VA can power a system pulling about 500 watts? I know idle and load is 2 totally different things.

[Chiney]

^ eh heh?

Well then I could also get myself a 550 VA if thats the case. It will power it for sure. Yeah is Chiney former Rig I buy. It has a 850 watts Antec PSU in it should be a very efficient PSU

I know fizz has 600VA Powercom UPS for sale. But what I like about the APC is they give you the option to connect stuff like your Speaker and monitor to another section that is not connected to the battery, that is in the event current goes.

BTW HCCA current ever went while you was playing a game? you think a 340w APC 550VA can power a system pulling about 500 watts? I know idle and load is 2 totally different things.

wrong

the newer antec is VERY efficient..
but this is good around the 80% mark..so its good enough

as for the pc pull plenty power..
no..
unless u upgrade that mobo and cpu, the card will not be close to 70-80% of its potential dude... neither will the PSU be under load of any sort

[RadeonHD]

Hmm well then I shall indeed buy a 550 or 600 VA UPS

[Altec55]

radeon, chiney self has a 550va for sale, $350. u should buy it from him one time.

[Chiney]

lol
he call me tell me he takin it
den i see this thread
lol

[RadeonHD]

yeah well I go take it

But allyuh need to remember Chiney living Maracas eh LOL

[HCCA]

^^Yeah but still i does travel from sando to buy stuff from him. Last thing i buy was ah Thermaltake Armor case from him 2 weeks ago. Not heavy but kinda bulky to walk with.

[RadeonHD]

^ WTF?? lol

Chiney when you will be in St Augustine? I supposed to pass supertech this week in Tunapuna maybe I could collect the UPS one time

[RadeonHD]

One question though where do you buy replacement battery for the APC?

[Chiney]

dont buy..never needed.. do u want all ur stuff to last forever? are u cheap or something?? LOL

but a new one hossssssssssssss

is like 400tt per 2 years or so with the on and off electricity

the one person that buys the most from me is HCCA.. and every single time we link up..is by st. aug rbtt for 12:30 lol

[RadeonHD]

Hmmm ok hear what I go take yours for the $350 keep it for me.

We could link up by Supertech?

[RadeonHD]

LOL boy when I buying Video cards I does want to check Heat and capacitor lifespan to ensure it lasts for 10 years and thing LOL

even though no card stays with me more than a week aahhahaha

[Altec55]

climate control has replacement batteries, and informatics in charlieville is the APC dealer, they have batteries also (they may redirect you to one of their clients, i believe they only wholesale now).