Nvidia’s monstrous RTX 3090 Ti has finally been released, and while there have been plenty of hot takes on its cost and practicality for gamers, one thing that’s clear is that it needs a massive power supply. Nvidia recommends a minimum of an 850 watt PSU, and with good reason.
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 Ti has dual 16-pin power connectors, which means it can draw up to 1,200W of power. It’s unlikely that any gamer will be able to use so much power, but it does mean the card won’t be power throttled in most scenarios, including liquid nitrogen overclocking.
Depending on the other components in your system, you may need more than 850W to run everything smoothly. For example, if you’re using an overclocked CPU and GPU, then your total system power consumption could reach close to 1,000W. In that case, a 1,000W PSU would be a better choice.
You’ll also want a power supply with enough headroom for future upgrades and overclocking. I’d recommend looking for a unit with overvoltage protection and short circuit protection as well. These features can save your components in the event of a surge or accident.
Lastly, make sure the power supply has sufficient compatibility with your motherboard. Most modern motherboards support a maximum of two 8-pin PCIe power connectors. However, older boards often use a single 16-pin power connector. If you’re using an older motherboard, then you might need to buy a special adapter cable to connect the power supply.