According to the Nvidia site its PSU requirement is 450 watts. But that is maximum usage. When you render video you go into the maximum usage category. The rest of the time, not so much. I recently upgraded my PSU from 400 to 750 watts going from a Nvidia 8400 series to an ATI 7880 series. Took all of 15 minutes. Ultra brand PSU about $55. Have used them in the past. No reason to pay a lot of money for a so called "gaming brand" PSU when most of them put out the same power.

As far as upgrading your video card... There is nothing wrong with getting the GTX 460. I only went with the ATI because I wanted to try one again. The last one I had was 7 or 8 computers ago. __________________________________________
Windows 8 Pro 64 bit

CyberLink PowerDirector 10 Tutorials
PDtoots PowerDirector Tutorials

**NOTICE**
When you are asked to provide a DXDIAG you go the following link and do part "B". Your posted specs are NOT what we are looking for as they tell us nothing. The specs on the box of your computer mean nothing. The DXDIAG shows us how your computer is configured as it runs.

DXDIAG Link

I have the same feeling about ATI myself.

It's been a while maybe 15 yrs since I have had an ATI and maybe I should give them a try.

Thanks for the input. I do have an Enermax 500W PSU and I hope it will keep on going.

Forgot something.... For Power Director do not go dual video cards (crossfire) thinking it will double your video card usage. PD does not use the two video card concept. __________________________________________
Windows 8 Pro 64 bit

CyberLink PowerDirector 10 Tutorials
PDtoots PowerDirector Tutorials

**NOTICE**
When you are asked to provide a DXDIAG you go the following link and do part "B". Your posted specs are NOT what we are looking for as they tell us nothing. The specs on the box of your computer mean nothing. The DXDIAG shows us how your computer is configured as it runs.

DXDIAG Link

Thanks Bubba. I'm not the SLI type and never needed SLI or even felt the need for it.

I still don't see why SLI is needed as one GREAT card in a great system can do any game well IMO. Who needs frame rates the human eye can probably not process given the human eye has 1/30 sec shutter speed.

I have had a good PD9 day today. I adjusted my virtual memory and removed a lot of the fancy stuff from windows such as animations and a shadowed cursor etc.

I reinstalled PD9 and it seems to be responding well today.

Checking the Nvidia website for the GTX 460, it states maximum power requirements for the GTX 460 is 160 w. The minimum size for the system power supply is 450 w.

Don

Don... you are correct I quoted the next line down...

__________________________________________
Windows 8 Pro 64 bit

CyberLink PowerDirector 10 Tutorials
PDtoots PowerDirector Tutorials

**NOTICE**
When you are asked to provide a DXDIAG you go the following link and do part "B". Your posted specs are NOT what we are looking for as they tell us nothing. The specs on the box of your computer mean nothing. The DXDIAG shows us how your computer is configured as it runs.

DXDIAG Link

The Nvidia GTX 460 is a great balance between price and performance. A 500watt power supply should work. Also I don't think PD fully uses SLI in Nvidia cards either. My youtube channel====> http://www.youtube.com/user/relate2?feature=mhsn

Here are a few relative render time comparisons for PD9 that maybe of interest to you with some different cards including your base card and the GTX 460 you are considering. A sample video clip being rendered to 1920x1080, 24Mbps with the H.264 codec.

AMD 1090T 6cpu 3.2Ghz, 1.0 unit of time
GTS 8800 512MB..........., .93 units of time
GTX 460 1GB................., .43 units of time
GTX 470 1.2GB.............., .34 units of time
GTX 580 1.5GB.............., .20 units of time

So based on what I've seen on my rig, your GTX 460 should be about two times faster rendering to the stated profile compared to your GTS 8800.

Jeff

Thanks Jeff

It would also be nice to have a spare card as my card in now longer under warranty since BFG had quit the card business.

I like those comparisons you provided.