Discussing 4-pin and 8-pin CPU questions
Discussing 4-pin and 8-pin CPU questions
Recently I started assembling a PC and chose a master cooler MasterWatt 650 modular semi-fanless PSU. It has two 4-pin connectors for the CPU and not a single 4-pin and an 8-pin connector. I selected an ASUS Prime X570-P, which offers future flexibility, paired with a Ryzen 5 3600 and a Gigabyte RX 5700 XT graphics card. I’m not particularly skilled in custom PC construction, but I understand the fundamentals. My motherboard has both 4-pin and 8-pin CPU slots, while my PSU only provides two 4-pin connections. Should I use just the 4-pin connector for the CPU and leave the 8-pin unused? From what I know, the 8-pin is mainly for overclocking purposes and isn’t essential unless you intend to push performance beyond normal limits. Currently, I don’t plan to overclock, so I’ll wait until my PSU is upgraded before making any changes. I’m also waiting on my SSD and GPU to be ready, so the build isn’t complete yet. Thanks for your help, LLT community!
Previously, CPU connectors were always four-pin, but as processors became hotter they added more pins. An eight-pin connector equals two four-pins and can handle over 300 watts. Pairing an eight-pin with a four-pin is three-four-pin configurations, rarely used. Insert the two four-pin connectors into the eight-pin slot and leave the third four-pin unused since it won’t be needed. You probably don’t require the second four-pin, but having it is fine. Your current motherboard should support overclocking easily. Some believe it can manage more than 300 watts—though they might be mistaken, it should still overclock under normal cooling conditions.