I currently have an HP system with an RTX 3060 and am considering buying a relatively inexpensive RX 6800 XT. My main concern is whether the existing 600W Thermaltake Toughpower PSU can handle it safely. The power supply has two 8-pin GPU connectors, but they're connected using a single daisy-chained cable. Could running the 6800 XT this way overload the PSU or cables, potentially causing damage?
2 Answers
The RX 6800 XT is roughly a 300W card and can produce significant transient power spikes. Your 600W unit might technically run the system, but that particular PSU isn’t considered a particularly strong model, so I wouldn’t pair it with a high-power GPU long term. A good-quality 750W power supply would be the safer choice. If possible, use separate PCIe power cables rather than relying on one daisy-chained cable.
It may work, especially since a Ryzen 7 5700X3D system usually won’t draw an extreme amount of power. However, the concern isn’t only the average wattage; the 6800 XT’s power spikes and the quality of the existing PSU matter too. You probably won’t instantly set anything on fire, but replacing the unit with a reputable 750W model would give you much more headroom and peace of mind.
I’d prefer to keep the current PSU to save money, but I’m fine spending extra if replacing it makes the upgrade safer.
That makes sense. I was seeing conflicting advice, but I’ll probably budget for a quality 750W PSU along with the graphics card.