Are 12-pin and 14-pin PSU connections compatible with an RTX 3070?
Asked by
TechnoWizard92
I'm trying to figure out the connections for my graphics card. I know the basics about 6 and 8 pin PCIe cables, but my Founders Edition RTX 3070 has a smaller 12-pin plug. I noticed my power supply has a PCIe 5.1 plug that's 12-pin as well. Are these two connections compatible, or is there another standard I need to be aware of? I currently have my 3070 connected with two PCIe 8-pin cables, but I'd prefer to streamline things by using a single cable directly from my PSU to GPU, if that's possible.
Answers
Your RTX 3070 actually has a 12-pin connector, not 14. The PCIe 5.1 term refers to a 12V-2x6 configuration, which includes additional pins for sensing power. Although Nvidia introduced those 12-pin connectors on the 30 series before the design was finalized, it’s crucial to ensure that the orientation of the connector doesn’t interfere with proper insertion.
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I just wanted to clarify—your 3070 is definitely using a 12-pin connector, not 14. Also, you won't be able to use the newer 12VHPWR standard cables with the 30 series cards, so stick with what you have for now.
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Unfortunately, those two connectors aren't compatible. The RTX 30 series introduced the 12-pin connection, while the 40 series later standardised it into what’s known as the 12VHPWR connector. They look similar but aren't interchangeable.
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