Dear D-A-L:

I recently bought a computer with Intel Core i7 2.66GHZ.

I been reading various comments about my new PC (which is a Gateway FX6800-01e), and I found out that most of the gamer users claim that the Power supply is too small (In stock: 500W) And from one of the user he/she stated:

Do yourself a favor and buy a brand new 700W Power Supply so you can see what the Core i7 was made for.

So I assume that somehow the processor's performance has to do with the level of power supply?

Also, the majority was commenting to crossfire the video card, does that mean having two video cards? I don't know why would I want to add another video card since I see it plays all my game pretty smooth, does it goes even smoother having two video cards?

Thank You!

Adding a bigger power supply does not improve performance, unless the old supply was bad and if that were the case, the old computer would not work properly. If you are not having problems, your PSU is fine. 500W is not huge, but I suspect it is find for you now, but you will need to recalculate your needs before adding or upgrading any hardware. Use the eXtreme PSU Calculator Lite to determine your power supply unit (PSU) requirements. Plug in all the hardware you think you might have in 2 or 3 years (extra drives, bigger or 2nd video card, more RAM, etc.). Be sure to read and heed the notes at the bottom of the page. I recommend setting Capacitor Aging to 30%, and if you participate in distributive computing projects (e.g. BOINC or Folding@Home), I recommend setting TDP to 100%. Research your video card and pay particular attention to the power supply requirements for your card listed on your video card maker's website. If not listed, check a comparable card (same graphics engine and RAM) from a different maker. The key specifications, in order of importance are:

1. Current (amperage or amps) on the +12V rail,
2. Efficiency,
3. Total wattage.

Then look for power supply brands listed under the "Good" column of PC Mechanic's PSU Reference List. Ensure the supplied amperage on the +12V rails of your chosen PSU meets the requirements of your video card. Don't try to save a few dollars by getting a cheap supply. Digital electronics, including CPUs, RAM, and today's advanced graphics cards, need clean, stable power. A good, well chosen supply will provide years of service and upgrade wiggle room. I strongly recommend you pick a supply with an efficiency rating equal to, or greater than 80%. Look for the 80 Plus - EnergyStar Compliant label. And don't forget to budget for a good UPS with AVR (automatic voltage regulation).

CrossFire™ - FAQ

Don't know if this is relevant and cannot find detailed specs on that computer but I have just been researching new motherboards and most i7 boards I saw went to an 8 pin ATX for the CPU.

This 8 pin rather than the P4 4 pin started with quad cores a few years ago.

I just wonder if what you read was in regard to this or what your exact setup is.

From my understanding an i7 might work with a 4 pin lead but should have an 8 pin.

Maybe Digerati knows more on this factor.

I don't know. I just looked at several i7 boards on Newegg and some had 4 and some had 8.