Question A couple of questions about my new PSU?
Question A couple of questions about my new PSU?
I just put in my Seasonic Prime TX-1600 PSU today. It came with a 12 pin connector for the GPU, which I chose. Previous information suggested Seasonic favors 3x8 pin connectors, but I found the 12 pin safer and better suited for higher wattage. It has a 600W rating. My GPU is a 4090 model. Is the 12 pin connector the better choice?
On my Crosshair VIII Dark Hero motherboard, the CPU connections are 8 pins and another 4 pin next to it. With my previous Seasonic 850W PSU, I used 3x4 pin connectors. The TX-1600 only offered 8 pin connectors for the CPU, so I switched to a new 8 pin connector and one of the old 4 pin connectors. There wasn’t much to pick from. I was a bit surprised by the absence of a 4 pin CPU connector in a high-end PSU.
After installing the new PSU, I ran the Superposition benchmark. I noticed a very high-pitched whine that wasn’t heard before. It’s unclear whether it comes from the GPU or the new PSU. The PSU is in hybrid mode, and in Afterburner I saw the GPU drawing 424 watts during the test. This isn’t significantly different from what I experienced with the old 850W PSU and its 3x8 connectors, so I don’t think the GPU is the issue. I’m wondering if coil whine is possible with this TX-1600. I haven’t experienced coil whine from any of my previous Seasonic PSUs. Is this typical?
System Specs
Asus Crosshair VIII Dark Hero
Ryzen 5900X
MSI 4090
32GB RAM @ 3600Mhz
Seasonic TX-1600 PSU
360mm AIO
Corsair 780T case
Samsung Odyssey G8 32" 4K QD OLED
the 8 pin (4+4 pin) EPS connectors on your new power supply can be adapted from 8 pin to 4+4 pin
(they are built this way, just apply a bit of pressure and they will detach from 8 to 4+4)
thus you’ll be using one "uncracked" 8 pin
plus one split 4 pin and the remaining +4 pin will remain unplugged
never
combine modular cables from different power supplies - not even within the same brand.
unless your previous model belongs to these lines CORE, FOCUS, VERTEX, and PRIME
(these share the same pinouts and are compatible -
but ideally you should still use the cables that came with your new unit)
this situation might also be linked to the coil whine
turn off your pc and your power supply,
remove the modular cable from another power supply immediately,
and replace it with the one that came with your new psu.
I attempted to divide the 8 pin but unless I'm overlooking something, there doesn't appear to be a seam to split them.
The previous PSU was a Seasonic Prime with titanium construction and lower wattage.
I believe the 4 pin CPU connector isn't necessary for my CPU; it's only recommended for serious overclocking and stability.
I'll review the new cables to confirm if they split into two 4 pin connectors. I still have spare parts on my workbench.
Edit: Using magnifying glasses, I noticed a seam on the lock tab of the 8 pin CPU connector. After trying to separate it, I used pliers and successfully split them. It might have been easier with the right tools.
It's generally simpler to do so. Your power supply includes three 4+4 EPS connectors, so if one was difficult to split, you could have attempted the others too. I'm hoping everything is functioning properly now. Is the coil whine eliminated?
The coil whine appears only in the Superposition benchmark and is very faint. If it occurred more often or while gaming, it would become a bigger concern. Update: I swapped the old 4-pin CPU cable for the new one. I also tried disconnecting one of the other provided CPU cables, which separated more easily. The source of the coil whine remains present during the Superposition test.