Graphics Card Power Connectors

The amount of power consumed by a graphics card is tantamount to the quality of its graphics performance and adaptability to high-end games. A graphics card is a very vital component of a computer system that determines the quality of graphics displayed on a computer system but like every other component, it needs to be powered before it can function effectively. 

The amount of power supplied to a graphics card determines the quality of its graphics performance and that is why the right power connector must be paired with the right slot to ensure optimum performance and to prevent instances of fire hazard. 

All motherboards come with a prebuilt graphics power connector but in some cases, this power connector might not be enough to cater to high-end games, hence the need for a secondary graphics power connector to boost the graphics performance of the graphics processing unit. 

Graphics Card Power Connectors

PCI-e connector

Almost all graphics cards come with a PCIe X16 power connector that functions with the PCIe slot to provide 75 watts of power that is suitable to power mid-range graphics cards and transfer data between a motherboard and a graphics card. 

The PCI-e slot functions as a primary power connector and all external graphics card power connectors have to be connected to it for a smooth transfer of power and graphics performance to the computer. 

A 6-pin graphics card power connector is a secondary power connector that is powerful enough to supply up to 75 watts of power to the graphics card while complementing the 75 watts of power produced by the PCIe slots to make a total of 150 watts. It is suitable for a graphics card that requires more than 75 watts of power. 

8-pin connector

This graphics card power connector can deliver 150 watts of power to the graphics card on its own. It can be paired with the PCI-e X16 power connector as a secondary source of power to the graphics card, it produces a total of 225 watts, which makes it most suitable for a high-end graphics card that requires more than 150 watts of power.

12-pin connector

 This power connector is highly compatible with Nvidia’s RTX 3000 series and it provides a high amount of power which makes it suitable for highly demanding games and applications. It is almost the same size with an 8-pin power connector and it is equally compatible with two 6-pin adapter cables.

It can support up to 500 watts of power via 18AWG and 600 watts of power via 16WAG. Its ability to generate more power than the 8-pin power connectors while taking up the same amount t of space as an 8-pin power connector makes it suitable for transferring data and aiding the graphics performance of high-end games. 

Conclusion 

Low-end graphics card draws their power from the PCIe X16 slot while higher graphics card needs a secondary source of power such as a 6-pin power connector or/and an 8-pin power connector to increase the power consumption and performance of graphics cards. Some graphics cards come with a 6-pin and an 8-pin connector, while some come with two or three 6pin or 8-pin connectors. 

However, if the power unit on your graphics card does not have a 6-pin or an 8-pin power connector to complement the PCIe, you can use either a 6-pin converter or an 8-pin converter/ adapter cable to power the graphics card.