What Should I Do if My Motherboard Requires More Power Cables Than My PSU Provides?
Asked by
TechSavvy47
I've just assembled my new PC with an Asus TUF B650 Plus WiFi motherboard and a Ryzen 7 7800X3D, but I'm facing a bit of a power supply issue. My PSU, the NZXT C1000, came with only two 8-pin CPU power cables, while my motherboard has an 8-pin and a 4-pin CPU power connector. Do I need to connect both, or is it okay to leave one of them unplugged? Any advice would be appreciated!
Answers
You can plug in the 8-pin connector without worry! The 4-pin is typically for additional power when overclocking, so for most standard setups, you can leave it unplugged. Just make sure everything else is connected properly!
Reply to this answer
You can either leave the 4-pin unplugged, as per the owner's manual recommendations, or use a split from one of your 4+4 connectors to get the 4-pin connected if that's your choice. Just don’t stress over it too much; your setup should work fine either way!
Reply to this answer
Most 8-pin CPU cables can actually split into two 4-pin cables. So if you have a 4+4 cable, you could use just one 4-pin if you wanted to. But honestly, for your CPU setup, one 8-pin cable is sufficient. No need to worry about the extra power unless you plan on overclocking.
TechSavvy47: Thanks! That makes sense.
PCMasterRace01: Just remember, if it's a solid connector, you can still insert only half if you want to leave four pins hanging.
Reply to this answer
Add your answer
Answers are reviewed before publication.
TechSavvy47: Thank you for the clarification!