Now that RTX 30-series video cards are available at near-MSRP prices, the time for building gaming PCs has returned! But if you aren’t up to date with current video cards, you might be wondering what type of power supply you’ll need for that new RTX 3000 series video card.
When NVidia first announced the RTX 3000 series, people were speculating that the power requirements for the new cards would be a little bit different than what consumers were used to. Some people claimed the 30-series GPUs would take a single 8-pin power cable, some claimed one card needed three 8-pin connectors, and others threw out weird combinations of 6-pins and 8-pins. As it turns out, these rumors probably came about due to a new type of power connector NVIDIA opted to use on the cards, but we’ll get into that later.
But now that we are several years away from launch, we fully know the power requirements of the RTX 3000 series and you can know exactly what your new card will require without having to guess.
How many 8-pin connectors do 30-Series cards need?
As it turns out,someof the new 30-Series GPUs require two of the PCIe 8-pin connections (otherwise known as “6+2” connectors), while others require three – and even within the 3080 product line specifically, the power connection needs vary depending on the specific card. We’ve broken down the most relevant information below, to help you plan out your upgrade and make the purchase that’s best for you.
Note: This information is pulled directly from NVIDIA’s official spec sheet for the new 30-series graphics cards, as well as official spec sheets from various manufacturers.
NVIDIA
Nvidia Geforce RTX 3070 Founders Edition | Nvidia Geforce RTX 3080 Founders Edition | Nvidia Geforce RTX 3090 Founders Edition |
One PCIe 8-pin power cable (1x PCIe 8-pin) | Two PCIe 8-pin power cables (2x PCIe 8-pin) | Two PCIe 8-pin power cables (2x PCIe 8-pin) |
Thermal Design Power (TDP): 220W | 320W | 350W |
Required system power: 650W | 750W | 750W |
MSI
GeForce RTX 3090 GAMING X TRIO 24G | GeForce RTX 3090 VENTUS 3X 24G | GeForce RTX 3080 GAMING X TRIO 10G | GeForce RTX 3070 TiGAMING X TRIO | GeForce RTX 3070VENTUS 2X |
3x PCIe 8-pin | 2x PCIe 8-pin | 3x PCIe 8-pin | 2x PCIe 8-pin | 2x PCIe 8-pin |
Thermal Design Power (TDP): 370W | 350W | 340W | 310W | 220W |
Required system power: 750W | 750W | 750W | 750W | 650W |
ASUS
ROG Strix GeForce RTX 3090 24G Gaming | ROG Strix GeForce RTX 3080 10G Gaming | ROG Strix GeForce RTX 3070 8G Gaming V2 OC Edition | ASUS TUF RTX 3070 Ti GAMING OC |
3x PCIe 8-pin | 3x PCIe 8-pin | 2x PCIe 8-pin | 2x PCIe 8-pin |
Thermal Design Power (TDP): 750W | 320W | 220W | 290W |
Required system power: 850W | 850W | 750W | 600W |
EVGA
EVGA GeForce RTX 3090 XC3 GAMING | EVGA GeForce RTX 3090 FTW3 GAMING | EVGA GeForce RTX 3080 XC3 GAMING | EVGA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti FTW3 ULTRA GAMING |
2x PCIe 8-pin | 3x PCIe 8-pin | 2x PCIe 8-pin | 3x PCIe 8-pin |
Thermal Design Power (TDP): 350W | 350W | 320W | 290W |
750W | 750W | 750W | 750W |
GIGABYTE
AORUS GeForce RTX 3090 XTREME 24G | GIGABYTE Gaming OC GeForce RTX 3080 10GB (rev. 2.0) (LHR) | GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3070 Ti 8GB | GIGABYTE Gaming OC GeForce RTX 3070 8GB | GIGABYTE Eagle OC GeForce RTX 3060 12GB |
3x PCIe 8-pin | 2x PCIe 8-pin | 3x PCIe 8-pin | 1 x PCIe 6-pin + 1 x 8-pin | 1x PCIe 8-pin |
Thermal Design Power (TDP): 350W | 320W | 290W | Not provided | 170W |
Required system power: 850W | 750W | 600W | 750W | 550W |
RTX 4000 Series Power Requirements – What Do We Know So Far?
The power requirements of the upcoming RTX 4000 series video cards have yet to be announced, though that hasn’t stopped leaks and speculation. Leakers let slip that the RTX 4080 would have a TDP of 450W, while rumors peg the RTX 4070 at 300W TDP. Those numbers hint at some pretty spicy power supplies to meet the minimum requirements. In fact, commenters and rumor articles speculate that a 1000W power supply could be required on mid-range cards and 1500W for the high-end RTX 4090.
For more information on how to choose a new power supply for your build, you can read our PSU guide.
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FAQs
NVIDIA recommends a 750W PSU for the RTX 3080 and RTX 3090 Founders Edition cards. PSUs come in varying wattages based on the power requirements for your hardware. NVIDIA officially recommends a 750W PSU for the RTX 3090 and RTX 3080 Founders Edition cards, with a 650W PSU recommended for the lesser RTX 3070.
What is the recommended power supply for the RTX 30? ›
Power Wattage Guide
GPU | CPU | Recommended power supply |
---|
RTX 3090 (TDP 350W) | Core i9-12900K | V Gold i 850 |
Core i7-12700K |
Core i5-12600K |
RTX 3080 (TDP 320W) | Core i9-12900K | MWE Gold V2 850 |
14 more rows
How much power does a RTX graphics card need? ›
2. Which power supply do you need for common desktop PC graphics cards?
Card: | Minimum: | Recommended (minimum): |
---|
NVIDIA RTX 3060 Ti | 600W | 750W |
NVIDIA RTX 3060 | 550W | 700W |
NVIDIA RTX 2080 Ti, NVIDIA RTX 2080 Super, NVIDIA RTX 2080, NVIDIA RTX 2070 Super | 650W | 800W |
NVIDIA RTX 2060 Super | 550W | 700W |
31 more rowsJan 11, 2023
What do I need to run a 30 series GPU? ›
NVIDIA recommends a 750W PSU for the RTX 3080 and RTX 3090 Founders Edition cards. PSUs come in varying wattages based on the power requirements for your hardware. NVIDIA officially recommends a 750W PSU for the RTX 3090 and RTX 3080 Founders Edition cards, with a 650W PSU recommended for the lesser RTX 3070.
How much power does an RTX 3060 need? ›
The recommended PSU for the RTX 3060 is 550W.
Is a 600W power supply enough for RTX 3080? ›
600w may be cutting it close but it depends on what you have running with it. 750W recommended for an RTX 3080. Use a calculator or if you have the Cash and want to upgrade later a good quality power supply is a worthwhile investment. Even if it could run it technically, I find it to close for comfort.
Is 500W enough for an RTX 3060? ›
The official Nvidia recommendation for an RTX 3060 is 550 watts and for a 3060 ti, 600 watts. You should be fine with a 500 watt PSU, but if it were me, I would go with at least what's suggested by the manufacturer, being 550. It is better to just get 600 watt or 750 watt.
Is 600W enough for an RTX 3060? ›
Yes, 600W is more than enough for that setup. Such setups draw approximately 400W-450W so you have sufficient headroom with a 600W PSU.
How do I know how much power my GPU needs? ›
Graphics Processing Unit (GPU): To determine the power supply for your GPU or graphics card, use Newegg's wattage calculator to choose the GPU chipset, series, and the number of required cables. GPUs receive their power through cables with pins on them.
Is 500W enough for an RTX 3070? ›
if the OEM limited the speed / power draw on both the CPU and GPU, they can probably get away with a 500W PSU. but OEM cards use more power, so you want the bigger PSU.
It's more than capable of 1080p gaming, which is enough for some players. If you're an entry-level PC gamer or think of yourself as more of a casual player, then this graphics card and the gaming PCs that use it will be sufficient for you. It helps that it doesn't cost as much as other GPUs too.
What is the minimum power supply for the RTX 3080? ›
If your graphic card RTX 3080 was low profile, that power supply should not be a problem. However, if it was not low profile, you need a power supply with at least a minimum of 750 watts. If you plan to overclock your RTX 3080 or run it at high settings, we recommend a power supply of 850 watts or higher.
Is it worth getting a 30 series GPU? ›
If you are buying new, 30-series makes little sense. If you have a 30-series already, and you are happy with the performance, don't feel pressured. But Frame Generation is a huge deal, a 4060 Ti performs roughly on-par with a 3090 Ti, when Frame Generation is enabled, while consuming about 300W less power.
Can an RTX 3060 run on 400W? ›
Yes. That is the - recommended watts for a power supply, on a system including a 3060 Ti graphics card.
Can an RTX 3060 run on a 450W PSU? ›
Some PSUs can't cope with the sudden rapid rise and drop in power usage. Older PSUs usually can't handle this so while 450W should be fine on sustained loads with the 3060, considering it's from 2015 it might not be able to handle the spikes.
Is a 700W power supply enough for a 3060 Ti? ›
Nvidia recommends at least a 600W PSU for the 3060 Ti, so, yes, a 650W PSU should be able to handle it, so long as you're not using outrageous amounts of power elsewhere in your system. I would suggest also checking against the recommendations of the manufacturer of the specific card that you buy.
What power supply is needed for RTX 3080? ›
The GeForce RTX 3080 is rated for 350W of total board power, and Nvidia recommends using a 750W power supply with it. That's a lot more than prior-gen Founders Edition graphics cards required.
Is 750W enough for an RTX 3080? ›
Yes, it is.
Is 650W enough for a 3060? ›
Nvidia recommends a 650 W PSU for 3060 Ti.