Question 8-pin GTX 1060 / motherboard compatibility ?

[silversmithy]

Hello. I recently purchased a used Gigabyte G1 GTX 1060 3gb GPU and am getting ready to test it out. It's been a while so want to make sure I don't mess up. Components as follows:

Lenovo H430 desktop PC with core i3 2120. I know this is not a gaming rig at all and outdated, but currently the only PC with enough room to fit the you in length wise.

Antec Earth Watts 500W PSU 80 plus bronze

2 sticks of Corsair xms3 4gbx2 ram

3.5 inch SATA HDD

Single DVD player

1 case fan

I have everything installed and connected. My big concern is that besides the 24 pin ATX connection on the motherboard there is just another 4 pin connection. The GTX 1060 has single 8 pin connector which I have connected from the PSU with the specific pci-e labeled cable. Is having just the 4 pin connector on the motherboard going to make any difference whatsoever in the functioning of the GPU. May seem like a newbie question but I tend to be overly cautious.

Again this is strictly just to test this GPU for maybe an hour or two to confirm basic funtionality in this older set-up.

Thanks in advance for you help.

 

[thestryker]

The EPS12V on the motherboard is just for CPU so it shouldn't have any impact at all when it comes to your new video card.

 

[silversmithy]

Thanks. That's what I thought but wanted to make sure. Been really tired so wanted to make sure I wasn't forgetting something.

 

[DSzymborski]

The 4-pin connector shouldn't make a difference. However, this PSU is really old, likely manufactured at least 12 years ago, and to suddenly add in a GPU at this point, to a PSU that also wasn't particularly good in the first place (cheap and group-regulated, so only a 408W PSU in any modern sense) is absolutely asking for magic smoke.

 

[silversmithy]

Okay, thanks. I have a PSU tester. Would this be okay to check and see if the Earth Watts PSU will at least be okay to test the GPU?

 

[DSzymborski]

Okay, thanks. I have a PSU tester. Would this be okay to check and see if the Earth Watts PSU will at least be okay to test the GPU?

A PSU tester just tests the most basic of functionality. Actually testing a PSU's safety involves a load tester and oscilloscope.

If you're just using it to see if it turns on, it's *probably* OK. If by testing you mean stress-testing, benchmarking, etc. that would be a big "no" from me.

 

[thestryker]

Honestly the load from your equipment is going to be very low even with the new card. While it's not a great PSU it should work fine for your use case.

 

[silversmithy]

Thanks. Got it. Just going to power on, install drivers, and see if the card works. Won't attempt any benchmarkmarking or stress tests.

 

[silversmithy]

I just remembered that the same PSU was powering a GTX 560 GPU in an almost identical set up, (mostly older games, nfsu2 and similar without any issues. The GTX 1060 3gb has dual fans, and GTX 560 is a single fan.

 

[DSzymborski]

I just remembered that the same PSU was powering a GTX 560 GPU in an almost identical set up, (mostly older games, nfsu2 and similar without any issues.

First, you don't know that. Damage caused by junky PSUs is invisible to an observer until it reaches the point something bad happens. That you never got to the point where something obviously bad happened doesn't mean that everything's OK or you should do it again; most people who drive drunk also get home safely, but it doesn't make it safe.