8 pin PCI-e connector

[jsc]

I had read about the new 8 pin connector. I figured that if a 6 pin connector will carry 7.5 amp, an 8 pin connector will carry 10 amps. Didn't think any more about that.

Fast forward to last week. I was upgrading one of my systems (Giga P35 motherboard to P45 and Antec 650 watt PSU to Corsair 750TX). I will build a low spec box with the old parts and an E5200. The Corsair has four "6+2" connectors. I looked at them closely and the 2 extra wires are not only ground wires, but they are piggybacked off of two regular wires. Now I am having a "And I thought I knew something about electronics" moment.

If they truly need more power, why didn't they design a connector with 4 hot and 4 ground wires instead of 3 and 5? The two extra wires don't seem to do anything. Will the card run with a 6 pin plug?

I will be happy to hear from any graphics card expert.

 

[Dekasav]

6-pin connectors can deliver 75 watts at 12 volts, which is 6.25 amps. 8-pin connectors can deliver 150 watts at 12volts, which is 12.5 amps.

Though I'm not sure why this is....

 

[jsc]

That's my point. If there are only three hot wires in an 8 pin connector, I don't where we need an 8 pin connector.

 

[the last resort]

think of it kind of like the wall outlet. There is 2 vertical plugs, and then a third round plug for ground. When a device uses that ground, it is able to pull more power overall out of the outlet.

 

[Dekasav]

Heh.... just the other day I broke off the third ground so it would fit. Most things work just fine with two!

 

[chef7734]

Heh.... just the other day I broke off the third ground so it would fit. Most things work just fine with two!

Hope your computer is not hooked up to that. Nothing on that lik is grounded now.