With all the excitement around the arrival of NVIDIA’s RTX 3080 and 3090 graphics cards, PC lovers are left wondering: how much power is enough? And What are the RTX 3080 & 3090 Power Supply Requirements?
Highlights:
- Opt for at least a 750-watt PSU for RTX 3080, ensuring stability and future-proofing.
- For RTX 3090 and overclocking, an 850-watt PSU provides the necessary headroom.
- Consider manufacturers’ suggestions, like Seasonic’s 850-watt recommendation, for added safety.
- Utilize online calculators to tailor your PSU choice to your specific system configuration.
- Your PSU choice impacts your PC’s performance; invest wisely for a seamless gaming experience.
The internet is rife with conflicting opinions, from 650-watt believers to advocates for 1000-watt power behemoths.
RTX 3080 & 3090 Power Supply Requirements
To power an RTX 3080, a reliable 650-watt PSU suffices for most users, while the RTX 3090 demands an 850-watt PSU for optimal performance, accommodating overclocking and future upgrades.
Here, we’ll cut through the confusion and delve into the real power requirements for these high-end GPUs.
Understanding Power Issue
One urgent query bounces through tech forums and communities as gamers eagerly await these graphical powerhouses: “Is my power supply unit (PSU) sufficient?” Opinions on the subject have been sharply divided in the heated discussion.
While some claim a 650 watt PSU would do, others swear by platinum-rated 1000 watt units.
Best Case Scenario: RTX 3080
Let’s start with the best-case scenario. We set up a system featuring an AMD Ryzen 3 700X CPU, two 8GB DDR4 modules, three 1TB SSDs, and a standard set of peripherals.
Running the numbers through a power supply calculator, we found a load wattage of 202 watts without the RTX 3080.
Adding the GPU’s power requirement of 320 watts brings the total to 572 watts. Based on this, a 650-watt PSU should be adequate for a minimalist setup without overclocking or extensive extras.
Worst Case Scenario: RTX 3090
For the worst-case scenario, we configured a system with an AMD Ryzen 9 3900X overclocked to 4.4 GHz, high-end RAM, four 1TB SSDs, an optical drive, and a liquid cooler.
The power calculator indicated a load wattage of 387 watts, with an additional 400 watts considered for an overclocked RTX 3090. This totaled to 837 watts.
An 850-watt PSU seems ideal in this scenario, ensuring sufficient power for overclocking and additional components.
Manufacturer Recommendations
Manufacturers frequently propose greater power PSUs to allow for fluctuations and ensure system stability.
The Seasonic suggestion of an 850-watt power supply for the RTX 3080 and 3090 matches our worst-case scenario findings.
Choosing a slightly higher wattage PSU acts as a safety net, allowing for future upgrades and ensuring lifespan.
PSU for RTX 3080?
K11r asked on Reddit:
“Hello community, I just put together a pc. I have a Ryzen 9 3900x, 32 GB Ram DDR4 3600 Mhz, Motherboard Tuf Gaming x570 Plus Wifi. 1 TB M.2 SSD, HHD 4tb and a Raidmax Hybrid 80 + 730 W PSU.
I want to put an RTX 3080 graphic on it, my 730 W power supply can handle all this power? Thank you!”
DrJack3133 replied:
“Nvidia recommends 750 Watts. I don’t have a 3000 series card or anything but that’s what they recommend. I can’t find the video right now, but Linus did a build with a 750 W power supply and the PSU kept killing the power because the power draw went beyond the capabilities of the unit.”
crimson117 also replied:
“Please do not plug a $700+ graphics card into a $57 PSU from 10 years ago.”
Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/buildapc/comments/jkn0p9/psu_for_rtx_3080/
Conclusion
Power supply selection is critical in PC building. While a 650-watt PSU might be enough for a simple setup, a 750-watt PSU is preferable, even for the RTX 3080. An 850-watt power supply is recommended for the RTX 3090 and overclocking lovers to ensure best performance and future upgrades.
