ATX 3.0 standard 16-pin 12VHPWR connector: is AMD and/or Intel going to adopt it?

[80251]

Title says it all. I don't understand why 3 PEG 8-pin connectors aren't good enough -- especially if using 16 AWG wire.

It's not required for graphics card manufacturers to adopt the 12VHPWR connector is it?

 

[ir_cow]

They are good enough, but if each cable max is "150" watts, that's only 450 of 600.

Someone has a crappy PSU and would melt their cables, which is why official specs exist.

 

[oxrufiioxo]

Doesn't really matter if they support it or not most decent power supplies have a cable that supports the 16 pin to dual 8 pin cables even if they don't have a native 12VHPWR plug.

Cablemod makes them for most psu models as well as a 90/120 degree adapter so it doesn't really matter.

Anyone buying a decent power supply in 2023 should be buying an ATX 3.0 compiant one regardless.

I purchased my 16 pin cable for my 1000W prime TX well before I owned a 40 series gpu just so I'd have one just in case. I do plan on getting an additional one for my 850w Prime TX as some point.

 

[80251]

So maybe 3 PCIe 8-pin connectors might not be enough, but considering how unbelievably large videocards are getting why not just have 4 PCIe 8-pin connectors? I've read that a PEG 8-pin connector that uses 16 AWG wire is good to 200 Watts, so 3 would get you 600 Watts and 4 would get you 800 Watts. Not only that, but they could spread the connectors out so that they're closer to the VRM's which now seem to universally straddle the GPU on both sides.

 

[Vya Domus]

If they do hopefully by then there's going to be a revision of the connector which isn't so prone to melting.

So maybe 3 PCIe 8-pin connectors might not be enough

It's totally enough, 3x150 + 75 from the motherboard slot = 525W, if your card is starting to consume as much power as a space heater perhaps increasing the power requirements is not the way to solve that problem.

 

[Count von Schwalbe]

If they do hopefully by then there's going to be a revision of the connector which isn't so prone to melting

Intel Readies ATX 12VHPWR Connector Revision to Address Improper-Contact Fire Hazards

Intel is preparing a revision to the design of the 12+4 pin ATX 12VHPWR power connector, specifically its male connector, to improve connector mating and retention; and to minimize a potential fire hazard asiring from improper retention or mating. The male connector design revision will retain...

www.techpowerup.com

 

[dgianstefani]

One cable, with a native PSU that doesn't split it into 8 pin connectors, is much more convenient.

My SF750 has a custom cable that terminates in 12VHPWR so there's no need for an adapter, but native is still better.

 

[ir_cow]

I mean if you ignore the "official" rating you can get 300+ out of a single cable.

 

[Dirt Chip]

Sooner or later AMD and Intel will adapt the new 16pin cable, firstly on the high end 350+ GPU. If not on the reference design than thay will be OK when AIB do that.
It's the new standard, just a matter of time of how long to delay the transition.
I do hope that sub 200w GPU will still use the good old 8\6pin.

 

[Dragokar]

I do hope that they make the new revision not only advised but mandatory....right now this connector is a pain in the ass to work with. Also, the placement....why on gods earth only EVGA figured it out......not everyone wants a fat wide case to fit these cable connections.

 

[GerKNG]

the rating for a (PSU Side) 8 Pin is 336W
the GPU sided 150W limit is a fairy tale and only NVidia is following it. AMD ignores it most of the time... especially with the 295x2 which pulled overclocked around 550W out of two 8 Pins.

 

[oxrufiioxo]

I do hope that they make the new revision not only advised but mandatory....right now this connector is a pain in the ass to work with. Also, the placement....why on gods earth only EVGA figured it out......not everyone wants a fat wide case to fit these cable connections.

For me the current 16 pin is way less obnoxious than plugging in 3x 8 pin cables into the gpu.... I'm honestly a little worried about humanity when people can afford a 1600+ usd gpu but can't plug the cable in all the way.

 

[dgianstefani]

For me the current 16 pin is way less obnoxious than plugging in 3x 8 pin cables into the gpu.... I'm honestly a little worried about humanity when people can afford a 1600+ usd gpu but can't plug the cable in all the way.

People like to complain when things change.

 

[ir_cow]

Took some digging but I think PCI Express Card Electromechanical Specification Revision has the information as to the maximum amp per 12V pin can be. If you have 23awg, that's probably why 75watt limit for 6-pin still exist. Funny that 8-Pin is for 150Watts, but those two extra pins are just grounds.

 

[Dragokar]

For me the current 16 pin is way less obnoxious than plugging in 3x 8 pin cables into the gpu.... I'm honestly a little worried about humanity when people can afford a 1600+ usd gpu but can't plug the cable in all the way.

Well the plug simply is not idiot-proof and when someone is working with electricity in that range it must be. Those first revision pin designs are okayish, but flawed. No engineer in his right mind would design something so flawed, at least not the good ones. Probably the same guys that put pcb beside the heater element ion washing machines.....

The PCIe 8 Pin was way more durable and that retention arm was visible locked in or not, the new one is not allowed to bend, must be fit to 100% and you must have a perfect machined example....which we all know will not happen.

 

[80251]

I was looking through digikey's 8-pin mini-fit female molex connectors and none of them have the same mechanical fitment as the 8-pin videocard female mini-fit molex connector (i.e. you couldn't plug a PCIe 8-pin male plug into the standard 8-pin mini-fit female molex connector) -- is the videocard mini-fit molex connector it's own fitment standard? There are 10 and 12 pin mini-fit connectors, but I don't think there are 16 pin varieties.

 

[R-T-B]

so prone to melting.

I've seen the stats and honestly that whole thing ended up being sort of a storm in a teacup, numbers wise.

Still, a revision to help users is not a bad idea at all.

 

[Vya Domus]

I've seen the stats and honestly that whole thing ended up being sort of a storm in a teacup, numbers wise.

I mean number wise the proportion of cards that use these power connectors is still minuscule and even taking that into account it's kind of hard to blow out of proportion issues which cause actual electrical hazards.

 

[R-T-B]

I mean number wise the proportion of cards that use these power connectors is still minuscule and even taking that into account it's kind of hard to blow out of proportion issues which cause actual electrical hazards.

It's miniscule compared to card sales man and anything that uses electricity has the potential to burn your house down if used improperly.

The thing is, we need to try to make it as "idiot proof" as possible and I agree the current design is very wanting there.

 

[wolf]

People like to complain when things change.

Especially when envil ngreedia is the first to adopt it, sure-fire way to have the vocal minority flip the table.

I doubt I'll upgrade my PSU when I do get a new card next gen (RDNA4 or RTX 50), I'll just buy the 2x 8pin to 12VHPWR corsair cable for my SF750.

 

[Solaris17]

Especially when envil ngreedia is the first to adopt it, sure-fire way to have the vocal minority flip the table

Oh man watching the ignorance while those same people spoke as if it was nvidias connector

lawd

 

[Hyderz]

i guess its the design combination of case and the gpu pcb...
current generation of gpu is relatively short thats why the FE models psu connector is located on the side and not the back
but because these gpu runs hot and needs a big beefy cooler mounted on top the psu connector cannot be on the back of the gpu

i dont mind if the companies like amd nvidia or intel uses it

 

[AsRock]

Oh man watching the ignorance while those same people spoke as if it was nvidias connector

lawd

Although you think it would have 3 clips not just one that most people will bend, one either and and the one it already has.

 

[N/A]

All micro-fit Corsair Shift. this is the future.

 

[Vya Domus]

Oh man watching the ignorance while those same people spoke as if it was nvidias connector

It's a connector which only Nvidia cards currently use and Nvidia was also one of the companies (alongside Dell) behind the standard itself.

For all intents and purposes it's their connector and their problem, I don't know who else would be responsible for it. I mean if you're behind the design of a connector which is prone to user error is it not an issue you need to rectify it ?