Obelisk 875-0xxx PSU Upgrade Help

[JustaCarGuy]

Hey all, I'm looking to upgrade my 500w PSU but can't quite wrap my head around all the pros/cons and compatibility (fit) issues, looking for general & specific feedback from anyone who has done this to their machine.  Suggestions as to what you're running/what fits in our rigs would be GREATLY appreciated.

And thanks for all the other info on here - you've taught a dumb car guy A TON already!

My details:

Obelisk 875-0xxx

Product number: 4NM66AA#ABA

Windows 10 Pro 64-bit

Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-8700 CPU @ 3.20GHz

32 GB

System board

84FD 00

System BIOS

F.25

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080

[old_geekster · Accepted solution]

@JustaCarGuy , welcome to the forum.

You are very welcome!  We try to make the Forums a place to get problems solved and as a learning tool when possible. 

Choosing a new PSU can be daunting, but it is actually fairly straight forward.  The PSU in your computer is standard ATX.  It has a 24-pin power connector.  The best way to know what will fit into your case is, measure the existing PSU and compare the measurements to the one you choose.  I like Corsair products.  A full modular PSU is very good for smaller mid-size cases like yours.  They allow you to use only the cables that are absolutely necessary.  This creates more space for good airflow which is very important with new more powerful components.  You didn't mention the wattage that you want to buy.  If, for instance, you are going to upgrade the video card, it is recommended that you buy a PSU with 100W to 150W more than the card requires.  The PSU will only distribute the amount of power required to operate the computer properly.  The additional power is used for peak power needs.  The PSU is the backbone of the computer.  I believe that it is not the place to cut corners.

If you will let me know why you want to upgrade the PSU, it will make it easier for me to make a recommendation.

[JustaCarGuy]

Gotcha, thanks for getting back to me !

From what I've read it seems the RTX 2080 should be run w/a 650w PSU minimum but I've only got a 500w unit. By any chance would upgrading to a 650w (or higher) PSU reduce GPU heat under load? Or would that increase heat/make no difference?

I don't overclock to the bleeding edge/do anything too crazy but need to run my GPU fan (that's right, fan - singular) at 65-70% in Afterburner to keep under 80c under load...which is quite annoying. Just trying to determine if a higher-rated PSU would 1- improve GPU performance, 2- help manage heat. Feel free to suggest a Corsair PSU that would work in the obelisk, I promise not to sue if it doesn't fit 😉

(And lmk if you ever have car questions/problems - would be glad to return the favor/help if you ever need it !)

[old_geekster]

You are very welcome, @JustaCarGuy!

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@JustaCarGuy wrote:

Gotcha, thanks for getting back to me !

From what I've read it seems the RTX 2080 should be run w/a 650w PSU minimum but I've only got a 500w unit. By any chance would upgrading to a 650w (or higher) PSU reduce GPU heat under load? Or would that increase heat/make no difference?  The wattage of the PSU will not cause the video card to be cooler or hotter.  The PSU only provides the amount of wattage that is requested by the computer.  The extra wattage is for peak needs.  Here is a HP Knowledge Base article on upgrading the video card:  https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Gaming-Knowledge-Base/Upgrade-Video-Card/ta-p/7447100

Just so happens that I wrote it because we get so many requests for information on upgrading Video Cards.  As I state in the article, it is recommended to have 100W to 150W more power from the PSU than required by the card.

I don't overclock to the bleeding edge/do anything too crazy but need to run my GPU fan (that's right, fan - singular) at 65-70% in Afterburner to keep under 80c under load...which is quite annoying. Just trying to determine if a higher-rated PSU would 1- improve GPU performance, 2- help manage heat. Feel free to suggest a Corsair PSU that would work in the obelisk, I promise not to sue if it doesn't fit 😉  Any time that you overclock the CPU, RAM or video card it will produce more heat.  The newer video cards have a maximum temperature of 88C.  The 80C that you are receiving is getting close to what I consider maximum.  I won't worry about being sued if you measure your current PSU and compare the measurements to the one that you choose.

(And lmk if you ever have car questions/problems - would be glad to return the favor/help if you ever need it !)  Thank you for the kind offer.  When I was a kid I worked on my cars all of the time.  Now, I am very inept with the newer cars.  My car has more computers than HP manufacturers in a day. 😉  So, I leave the cars up to the experts like you.

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