I'm building a new PC and have two different PSUs to choose from: a Corsair RM850 and an EVGA 850 Supernova GT. I'm not too savvy on PSU specs, but I'm pretty sure 850 watts should be enough for my ASUS PRIME 9070XT and a 5800X or 5700X3D. Here's the breakdown: My GPU has three power ports, and I've heard it can draw quite a bit of power, especially during spikes.
The Corsair PSU only comes with two PCIe cables, both of which are pigtailed (8-pin to 6+2-pin). On the other hand, the EVGA has three VGA cables, with one 8-pin to 6+2 and two that are pigtails with 8-pin to two 6+2 connectors.
I have a few questions:
1) Just to clarify, the 6+2-pin connectors go into the GPU, and the 8-pin goes into the PSU, right? Why are they different? What happens if I connect them the wrong way?
2) Which PSU should I use? Is one better than the other? Would using one 6+2 and one 2x 6+2 pigtail with the Corsair work?
3) Do pigtail cables perform differently than those without?
Let me know if you need more information! Thanks!
3 Answers
Honestly, both PSUs are solid options for your build. However, I'd suggest going with the EVGA since it has three physical cables. More cables generally provide better stability, especially during those power spikes you mentioned.
I'd lean towards the Corsair PSU mainly because of EVGA's recent issues as a company. The 6+2 pins are designed to go into the GPU, and they exist because older GPUs had different pin requirements. If you accidentally plug them in backward, they won’t fit correctly and could potentially damage your components. Just be careful there!
I've had my Corsair PSU for a while, and I can confirm it includes three cables for PCIe, not just two as you mentioned. For your 9070XT, you shouldn't need more than two 6+2 pins; it typically uses around 330 watts, even with overclocking it won’t go much beyond 380. So you should be good with what you have, but having those extra cables can offer peace of mind.
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