Inside be quiet!

09.12.2020
How many Watts do I need for my new GPU?

Nvidias new RTX30XX graphics cards not only set new bars regarding graphics quality but also in terms of energy requirements. Many fans who had no problems with their 600W PSU are now wondering if their trusty system will be enough for the new high-end components. A question that we can answer!

We've tested a multitude of different graphics cards over several weeks in many different configurations, with very demanding benchmarks and graphically taxing computer games, and on all of our PSUs - from the System Power 9 up to the Dark Power Pro 12. We've intentionally taken our time with these tests in order to make the results als precise and solid as possible.

The most important learning we took from our tests is: A power supply unit with less than 650W is not suitable for the new high-end GPU generation! They simply cannot handle the very high performance peaks that are way beyond the specified loads. Here is the list of our official minimum requirements for a reliably stable system:

RTX 3070 (with overclocking): minimum 650W
RTX 3080 (with overclocking): minimum 750W
RTX 3090 (no overclocking): minimum 750W
RTX 3090 (with overclocking): minimum 850W
RTX 3090 SLI (with overclocking): minimum 1200W

It's very important to remember that these are not mere recommendations - these are real minimum requirements! If you run your system with less power than that, there's an immediate threat by overloading followed by an unplanned shutdown. So if you're planning to get a new high-end GPU: don't cut corners there!