I'm building a new gaming PC, and while I don't have all the parts yet, my MSI Gaming Trio 5090 has arrived. I want to test the card with a few benchmarks to ensure it's functioning correctly, but I'm concerned about my power supply. I'm considering running it on a Seasonic Focus GX 850W PSU with 4 PCIe connectors combined across 2 cables using the provided adapter. My other components include an Intel i7-10700K, 64GB of DDR4 RAM at 3600MHz, and an ASUS ROG Z-490E motherboard. I know it won't draw full power and I'm planning to undervolt the components. I just want to be sure that this setup is safe and won't damage anything or start a fire. Can I safely test the 5090 this way?
7 Answers
Honestly, you might have been better off with a 5080 and using the leftover money to improve the rest of your build. This setup seems a bit unbalanced when you look at it as a whole.
I wouldn't take the risk. You could end up starving other parts of your PC or overloading the power supply, leading to stability issues or worse. I'd suggest getting a solid 1200W PSU before you go ahead with the install.
Your PSU should shut down if the system pulls too much power, but for long-term use, I highly recommend upgrading to a 1000W-1200W PSU to prevent risks with overdraw. It’s worth being safe, especially with that setup!
You can test it out, just remember to undervolt and set power limits on your CPU and GPU. According to PCPP, you're looking at about 838 watts total, so you’ll be close to maxing out the PSU. Just ensure every cable is fully connected.
It's cutting it pretty close. The 5090 can pull around 600W by itself, which doesn't leave much room for your other components. You might want to be cautious with that setup.
For gaming, you might be okay since your CPU will bottleneck the GPU, which should limit the overall power draw. Just make sure your PSU stays below 95% utilization and keep an eye on it.
You really should upgrade to at least a 1000W PSU and sell your current one. It’s just safer for the long run, especially with all that power draw.
I see your point! I was just excited to get the latest card, but I do see the potential issues with balance now.