Computers that are not receiving enough power can have subtle symptoms like graphical downgrades to obvious extreme symptoms like being unable to turn on. If a computer isn't receiving enough power, the cause likely stems from the device's power supply being unable to provide enough power to the computer or the power supply is failing. The power connection is probably not at fault. If you're running a lot of electrical devices on a single circuit the breakers will usually trip above 1,800 watts -- computers usually run between 200 and 400 watts -- and cut power to the entire circuit.
Graphics Downgrade
Other than the CPU, the computer's graphics card is the most power-hungry component in the system. The GPU is a likely target to show the earliest symptoms of being underpowered. When a graphics card is underpowered it will drop the performance levels and display graphics at a lower quality. The graphics downgrade will usually trigger if you run a graphics-heavy game or application that pushes the card to its limits. Graphics settings drops are usually accompanied with an error message and often start when you add new hardware to the system or replace an old component with a more power-demanding one.
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Display Irregularities
If the monitor is flashing or displaying dots and lines when it shouldn't be, the computer may not be getting enough power from the power supply unit. The insufficient power can cause the CPU and graphics card to render screen displays inconsistently. Additionally, the graphics card may turn off the monitor if there's not enough power to render on-screen graphics. This is particularly common in multi-monitor setups.
Unstable System
Random program crashes, system freezes and the Blue Screen of Death are all symptoms of a computer that's not getting enough power. Like with graphical degrades, system instability symptoms often follow adding new hardware or upgrading existing components. System instability issues from insufficient power can be reversed by upgrading the power supply or reducing the draw on the existing one by disconnecting unnecessary components. System instability can also cause driver errors and disable individual system devices. Additionally, if the computer isn't getting enough power the PSU may just give up and shut down the entire system. The forced shutdown is similar to the BSOD, but the power is so insufficient that the system immediately shuts down and is unable to even display an error message.
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System Won't Power On
A computer that has a severely inadequate power source won't turn on at all. In a better-case scenario, the computer may power on and display a splash screen before the power gets cut. However, the system refusing to power on is a symptom of several other hardware problems like a broken PSU. If the system won't power on following adding a new component or upgrading an old part, try swapping the old one back in and seeing if the computer powers on. If the system still powers on, either the new component is defective or the power supply can't handle it.
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