Question 6pin psu to 8pin gpu

vherub

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Jan 4, 2008
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I have an older psu (earthwatts ea-500d) It's been solid and I'm not looking to replace it, but it has a 2 x6pin output. It's powering a 750 ti ftw card, which takes a 6pin. That card is showing it's age, so I'm looking at upgrading to a gtx 1660 (1080p gaming). The card needs an 8pin though.
Would a 6pin to 8pin adapter be ok? Reading some other threads it seems fine, given the low total load for my system. And what is a reputable adapter make- is this 18awg option good?
 
Using Adapters is actually not recommended. Get a compatible PSU, having sufficient PCI-E connectors.
 
What can happen when you go 6 to 8......is you can get more voltage drop than you would have if you just went with a straight 8 because you are trying to put the same amount of current through less wires.

This can result in lower voltage at the card than you would have with a straight 8....and this isn't desirable.
 
thanks for the quick comments about adapters. And thanks on the psu lookup, unfortunately that's not my psu, I have the older model (non Green), so it doesn't have the 6+2 pin
 
I might go with a 1060 6gb card that only requires a 6pin instead and stay at 1080p for another couple years. Ideally the 1060 would be in the $150usd range, so I probably won't do anything atm. Seeing the 1660s in the sub 200 range on sale is what prompted this whole line
If I replace the psu, I'd probably also upgrade the cpu/mobo/ram, but then I'd also want to go with a higher res monitor.
 
https://pcpartpicker.com/list/vmph9J

This is probably your best perfromance/$ setup. Both parts equal the same price as a gtx 1660. The RX 580 is about 5-10% faster than a gtx 1060 while also being cheaper.

As for your psu, Earthwatts were good psus a very long time ago, but age, old design, and many years of use takes it's toll on any hardware, especially the psu. I would recommend upgrading to either the psu listed or a corsair cx series. Upgrading your psu is not only so you can run a better gpu, it also ensures the rest of your components won't fail due to an old psu, thus costing you more in the long run.