I'm considering buying a 9070 Sapphire Pulse GPU, which has a max TDP of 220W. I'd love to use just one cable for it (like in this picture). Worst case, I could power limit the GPU by 10% using MSI Afterburner since I'm a bit of an OCD person who hates extra cables and clutter. I know a motherboard slot can provide 75W, and a single PCIe cable can handle 150W, so I'm curious if using one cable would work for a 220W card like the 9070. Also, what's the math regarding AWG? I saw a reference for 288W for 18 AWG—how much can a 16 AWG cable provide?
3 Answers
You're good to go with a single PCIe power connector! The official rating fits your use case, and the cable can handle even more power, so you shouldn't have any worries about using it that way.
Technically, you could make it work since the motherboard also gives 75W plus the 150W from the cable, totaling 225W. So, in theory, you should be fine running the 220W card on a single cable.
While it's technically possible to use one cable, it's generally recommended to use multiple cables. If you face random shutdowns later, it might be worth revisiting this decision. Just a heads up!
If you're using a pigtail configuration, it should handle 220W without an issue, especially if your PSU is from a trusted brand. But keeping an eye on it is wise!
Actually, each GPU connector is rated for 150W, and the cable can often go up to 300W. Just check the PSU's documentation to know how much power can safely come through one cable!