I'm planning to buy a used RTX 3090 (non-Ti) for about $550, which is a way better deal compared to the $3000 price tag of the 4090. The problem is that I need to figure out what power supply (PSU) to get. I'm considering a 1000W PSU, but I've noticed that newer models have a 12V-2x6 connector that the 3090 doesn't support. It needs three 8-pin PCI-e connections.
For example, the Corsair RM1000e has four 8-pin ports, but since I'd also need two for the motherboard's EPS connectors, that totals to five required 8-pin connections. Do I really need to find a PSU with at least five 8-pin ports, or am I missing some options to make this setup work with a newer PSU?
1 Answer
You don't necessarily need a PSU with five 8-pin ports. You can use a power supply that can handle at least two cables with a pigtail adapter. That's how I set up my 3090. Just remember that most systems only need one CPU 12V power connector unless you’re going for heavy overclocks on an i7 or i9.
So would using the RM1000e's 12V-2x6 cable that splits into two 8-pin PCI-e connections work for me? If I combine that with an additional 8-pin, would it fully power my 3090?