Hey Duders! I need your help.

So I've been doing my research for a new card and I'm leaning towards the AMD R9 280X (Sapphire Vapor-X particular) but I have a concern, from the research I've done I can't pinpoint what would be a suitable power supply. Right now I'm running a Cooler Master 500W yet I keep reading varies reports on the power consumption for the cards. I understand this can be down to fans or other external components yet I want to be sure I have what is required. The Vapor X card specifies on 750W requirement on the Sapphire website yet in some reviews I have read the power consumption is lower. In the comments of one the reviewer states that a users 550W would be suitable.

Some specifics for a few of the R9 280X cards state a requirement of 500W or either varies greatly. Would appreciate any advice on this. Like I said I'm looking at the Sapphire Vapor X 280X right now but I can't be sure regards to power supply.

Many thanks.

It's just a 7970 so check for that. Fairly sure a 500w would be sufficient though.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/radeon-r9-280x-r9-270x-r7-260x,3635-18.html

I'd plan to have 250 watts potentially available for the card, I don't know if that vapor X version is factory overclocked, but if it is, you may need more than that even.

250 watts for the rest of your system isn't very much, if you are running an AMD processor also, it certainly won't be enough.

750 is what they have to say to cover their asses, account for all variables, most people a 600 watt would probably be fine.

I have an Intel i7 920 CPU. Have asked a friend who as kept up with GPU releases of late (been a while for me since I built my PC) and apparently 500W would be efficient for one 280x as it generally is for the 7970. But I should not overclock the card apparently due to power limitations.

I've already decided I'll be getting a new PSU at some point anyway, probably the Corsair 750W in the next few weeks so no big deal. Thanks for the input by the way.

yeah, the 280x is a couple of watts below a 7970 at the same frequency in general.

around 200 watts is what they draw on their own. 5-600 watts would be pretty decent PSU to get.

my i7 920 with 7970 loads at about 400-450 at the wall, last time i checked.
I'm running them both kind of overclocked however, it would be down in the 300's if i ran em stock.