Discussing PCIE connectors
Discussing PCIE connectors
Hi community, it's been quite some time since I assembled my previous build, but I'm eager to get back in the game now. I've acquired a new Toughpower GF3 1000W with just four PCIe 8-pin slots. I managed to snag a 3090 from a mining friend for $600. The challenge here is that the 3090 requires three 8-pin connectors, while my motherboard (TUF GAMING X670E-PLUS WIFI) has two 8-pin slots for the CPU. According to the PSU manual, I should use three PCIe connectors, but it seems one is missing or the board uses an adapter from a single 8-pin to two 8-pin. Should I upgrade to a larger PSU with more connectors (like the 1300W model) or do I need a bigger setup? Also, my CPU is a 7950X. Thanks for your advice!
pci cable and cpu(eps) cable are distinct components, not meant to be swapped. You can typically use a single 8(4+4) pin cpu cable regardless. If you're connecting two pci cables each with two 6+2 connectors, it's acceptable to take two connectors from one cable and one from the other for the card. Edit: while three separate cables would be better, this setup works just fine.
The power source you purchased has swapped CPU/PCIe ports with a 12VH connector for new GPUs. If this is incorrect, you might still manage to use it. You only need one of the 8-pin(4+4) connectors for the CPU to function; it only needs one. The secondary CPU 8-pin(4+4) is intended for aggressive overclocking. In short, you have sufficient connectors for both CPU and GPU, but if you don’t mind, swapping the PSU to one with more common ports beyond the 12VH connector would be ideal. Remember, CPU power cables differ from GPU/PCIe cables—CPUs use 8-pin(4+4) while GPUs/PCIe use 8-pin(6+2), so they aren’t interchangeable.
They're on the right track. Running just one 8-pin connection to the motherboard should suffice unless your CPU is exceptionally powerful. Otherwise, two connections aren't necessary.