Discussion Can graphics cards with external PCIE power connectors run off of just the power from the PCIE slot?

[Order 66]

I am wondering if it is possible. In my experience with my RX 6800, I have found the answer to be no, but I don't have anything else to test with.

 

[jordanbuilds1]

I am wondering if it is possible. In my experience with my RX 6800, I have found the answer to be no, but I don't have anything else to test with.

you will get output, but the preformance will prob be on par with a lp version of a card.

 

[bignastyid]

Nope, likely to either just not post or give a warning screen that says to plug in the pci-e power connectors.

 

[jordanbuilds1]

Nope, likely to either just not post or give a warning screen that says to plug in the pci-e power connectors.

forgot about that, i remeber older cards would post.

 

[Eximo]

Cards check to see if the PCIe grounds are hooked up. If they aren't they won't POST or they will prompt the BIOS to ask you to plug in the cables.

I forgot to plug my GTX980 back in once after some routine maintenance. It told me to plug it in. Might have been m GTX1080, or both.

 

[Order 66]

Cards check to see if the PCIe grounds are hooked up. If they aren't they won't POST or they will prompt the BIOS to ask you to plug in the cables.

I forgot to plug my GTX980 back in once after some routine maintenance. It told me to plug it in. Might have been m GTX1080, or both.

But why not make the cards power limited to 75W without being plugged in, rather than not posting?

 

[hotaru.hino]

But why not make the cards power limited to 75W without being plugged in, rather than not posting?

If you want people to make sure they use the product as intended, then prevent them from using the product not as intended.

Imagine a case where someone sort of half plugs in the PEG cables. Or at least enough where it looks like a good connection is made. They boot the computer up, but get crippled performance. Then they go through the rigamaroll of software fixes, maybe report the card doesn't seem to use more than 75W, and people could conclude the person has a bad card.

When in reality, they just needed to push the cables in a bit further.

 

[Order 66]

If you want people to make sure you use the product as intended, then prevent them from using the product not as intended.

Imagine a case where someone sort of half plugs in the PEG cables. Or at least enough where it looks like a good connection is made. They boot the computer up, but get crippled performance. Then they go through the rigamaroll of software fixes, maybe report the card doesn't seem to use more than 75W, and people could conclude the person has a bad card.

When in reality, they just needed to push the cables in a bit further.

that’s a good point. I still feel like it would be nice for the (admittedly niche) use case of putting a relatively powerful GPU in an office pc with a proprietary power supply, and just using the slots power for the GPU. Pointless, sure, but I would have a use for it.

 

[hotaru.hino]

that’s a good point. I still feel like it would be nice for the (admittedly niche) use case of putting a relatively powerful GPU in an office pc with a proprietary power supply, and just using the slots power for the GPU. Pointless, sure, but I would have a use for it.

Proprietary PSUs tend to be proprietary only on the motherboard side, because the system builder designed/made the board so they control it. They can't do proprietary plugs for other things like video cards or storage drives, because they don't make them (video cards from Dell or whatnot are rebadged). So I don't really see a problem there.

We could have the standards make a slot-based power thing like what Apple did and what MSI and ASUS are trying to do, but I don't think everyone will be on board with that. If it becomes standard, it's most likely going to optional, and that's just going to create a headache for people using cheaper boards that likely won't include it to save cost.

 

[Eximo]

Yeah, the current implementation from ASUS makes the expansion slot longer which certainly won't work for all form factors.

Has its own problems anyway. Not going to see 675W through the motherboard without some drastic changes. So it would have to become some in-between standard. Not to mention the need for people to then plug in the PCIe or additional EPS cable to the motherboard.

I think there is too great an expense in board layers on the cheaper side of things for it to get adopted. Why make all boards with a huge power plane if the scenario of an APU is most common for off the shelf desktops?

Dell video cards are sort of re-badged. Usually made by Foxconn or PNY, but they are Dell approved designs, usually with their own 'custom' PCB/Cooler, likely from Cooler Master anyway.

It would have been confusing as well, but they should have just switched to dual EPS instead of triple PCIe 8-pin and called it a day. I like the 12VHPWR connector in theory, just the implementation in practice is bad, and still confusing since the same connector has multiple power delivery options.

Not sure what will happen if OEMs adopt it, 400W PSU with a 12VHPWR cable that only does 75W or something? Going to be people buying big cards that fit in the chassis, and wondering why they don't perform as well. Assuming they won't get mad at being under powered. I know some of the cards will already work with 3/4 8-pin plugged into the 12VHPWR adapter, they just disable the ability to adjust the card power.

Or worse, they will create a whole new class of computer that comes with a 12VHPWR connector which means a huge power supply, costing hundreds of extra dollars and then ship it with an RTX4060.

 

[Order 66]

I was just thinking I could put rx 6600 or similar class of card, in an HP workstation with an i5 6500 for my siblings. the card would ideally be powered off of just the PCIE slot, and more powerful than the RX 550 currently in the system.

 

[Eximo]

RTX 3050 6GB is your best bet off the shelf for now.

https://pcpartpicker.com/product/TG...-6gb-6-gb-video-card-rtx-3050-ventus-2x-6g-oc

There are a few Quadro, but probably not what you want to pay for.

 

[Order 66]

RTX 3050 6GB is your best bet off the shelf for now.

https://pcpartpicker.com/product/TG...-6gb-6-gb-video-card-rtx-3050-ventus-2x-6g-oc

There are a few Quadro, but probably not what you want to pay for.

Or the RTX 4000 SFF, but i Don’t understand the point of that card.

 

[Eximo]

That would be the Quadro. They don't call them that anymore, but it is what they essentially are.

Just a different market segment. The workstation drivers enable features that are denied to the geforce versions. These are often installed in desktops for work purposes such as CAD/Simulation etc where the drivers allow for far higher performance even if the silicon is the same. Usually very specific tasks though, general CUDA core related functions don't change much.

Also the case of taking the best GPUs that can be very efficient in the case for the Ada 4000 SFF card. 70W and that powerful is amazing.

The main thing is you can call up Nvidia when there is a problem, and they will fix it. Geforce, they'll get around to it eventually, but Quadro, it can be as little as a few days.

Once with Autocad 2010 I believe, we had some shiny new Lenovo workstations with Quadro 4000 (Fermi). With dual monitors, constantly having the cursor disappear. We talked with Nvidia and had a new Beta driver the next day. About one week later there was a new Quadro driver released.

 

[Angel Fernandez]

No they can not. They need the external power to work properly. Old video cards that don't have external power connectors will work.

 

[Joseph_138]

SO I have found a fix for games crashing for this error. download and install intel extreme tuning utility. BTW this works for 13th and 14th gen cpus. underclock the p cores. for me i went from x57 to x56 and it started working properly.

RTX 3050 6GB is your best bet off the shelf for now.

https://pcpartpicker.com/product/TG...-6gb-6-gb-video-card-rtx-3050-ventus-2x-6g-oc

There are a few Quadro, but probably not what you want to pay for.

Agree with this. This is the only use case where I could recommend using a 6gb 3050. It's the least expensive, and most up to date card that you'll find that doesn't require external power.