▷ The power connections of a graphics card
Table of contents:
- What are power connections for a graphics card and why are they important?
- Power connections from a 6-pin graphics card
- Power connections for an 8-pin graphics card
- Can adapters be used?
The graphics card is an important component of a PC, and generally consumes more power compared to the rest of the components . Low-level or some entry-level intermediate-level graphics cards get all the power they need to run from the PCI Express x16 slot on the motherboard only, but the upper and upper mid-range graphics cards require external power to operate.. External power for these powerful graphics cards is provided by the 6-pin and 8-pin PCI-Express power connectors on the power supply. In this article we talk about the power requirements and power connections of a graphics card.
Index of contents
What are power connections for a graphics card and why are they important?
All modern graphics cards come with a PCI Express x16 connector that fits into the PCI Express x16 slot on your motherboard. The PCI Express x16 connector connects the graphics card to the motherboard, and is the only interface through which communication occurs. A PCI Express x16 slot can provide a maximum of 75 watts of power to the graphics card, which is sufficient for less power demanding graphics cards. Even some mid-range graphics cards can also work only with the PCI Express x16 slot, such as the GeForce GTX 1050Ti, but higher mid-range graphics cards and high-end graphics card require external power from the PSU via of 6 and 8 pin power connectors, as its power consumption exceeds 75 watts, and the motherboard cannot satisfy its voracious appetite.
At this point, many of you have realized that there are some GeForce GTX 1050Ti that come with a 6-pin power connector, while there are others that do not include it, the explanation for this is simple. The card we are talking about has a maximum power consumption of 75W, so the PCI Express x16 slot is enough to power it, however, this is the maximum consumption with its reference clock speeds, which are Nvidia. Some manufacturers such as EVGA, Asus, and MSI, sell GeForce GTX 1050Ti models with factory overclock, so their consumption exceeds 75W, and therefore they need the 6-pin connector to function. In these cards we must always connect this power cable, since otherwise we will be forcing the PCI Express x16 slot excessively, and we can irreversibly damage the motherboard.
Power connections from a 6-pin graphics card
The 6-pin power connector can supply 75 watts to the graphics card. Therefore, if your graphics card's power consumption is greater than 75W, you will need a 6-pin PCI-E power connector for operation. A graphics card with a 6-pin power connector can get a maximum of 150 watts, as it will get 75W from the PCI Express x16 slot and 75W from the 6-pin connector. Most Nvidia and AMD mid-range graphics cards come with a 6-pin power connector.
Power connections for an 8-pin graphics card
The 8-pin power connector can deliver a maximum of 150 watts to your graphics card. So if the graphics card power consumption is more than 150W, it will definitely come with one 8 pin connector or two 6 pin connectors. A graphics card with an 8-pin power connector can get a maximum of 225 watts of power, 75 watts from the PCI Express x16 slot and 150 watts from the 8-pin connector from the power supply. Some of the high-consumption graphics cards may have 6-pin and 8-pin connectors or two 8-pin connectors. A graphics card with 6 and 8 pin connectors can get a maximum of 300 watts (75W + 75W + 150W).
Can adapters be used?
If your power supply does not have 6 or 8 pin connectors then you can use some converters or power adapter cables to power your graphics card. Doing this is not highly recommended on cards with a very high consumption, because these power supplies will not be prepared to power such a hungry component. You can do it with a GeForce GTX 1050Ti that needs a 6-pin connector, but don't even think about doing it with a GTX 2080Ti. These adapter cables generally draw power from Molex or SATA cables.
You will find it very interesting to read the following tutorials:
This ends our article on the power connections of a graphics card, remember that you can leave a comment if you have any questions, you can also share it with your friends on social networks so that it can help more users who need it.
Integrated graphics card or dedicated graphics card?
We explain the differences between an integrated and a dedicated graphics card. In addition we show you its performance in games in HD resolution, Full HD and which is worth it for its acquisition.
→ Graphics card connections: hdmi, dvi, displayport ...?
We explain what the main graphics card connections are: HDMI, Displayport, Thunderbolt, the classic DVI or VGA.
External graphics card vs internal graphics card?
Internal or external graphics card? It is the great doubt that users of gaming laptops have, or simple laptops. Inside, the answer.
