Are these safe to use?

[trparky]

Amazon.com : 8 pin to 4 pin cpu power adapter

Obviously, new motherboards are coming with additional power inputs and a lot of us still have older power supplies and by older, not too old but just not ones that have the extra 4-pin cable. I was on another web site talking about a potential future build and I said that if I were to upgrade to the kind of motherboard that he was suggesting, I'd have to buy a new PSU. Then he suggested what I linked to above.

I thought these weren't possible. That the input on that side of the motherboard requires different voltages through the 4-pin than the 8-pin. And let's not even get started on pulling more power through the 8-pin. Is it even safe to use?

 

[Toothless]

8 to 4 should be fine.

4 to 8 I don't recommend it.

 

[trparky]

Hmm...

 

[80-watt Hamster]

Amazon.com : 8 pin to 4 pin cpu power adapter

Obviously, new motherboards are coming with additional power inputs and a lot of us still have older power supplies and by older, not too old but just not ones that have the extra 4-pin cable. I was on another web site talking about a potential future build and I said that if I were to upgrade to the kind of motherboard that he was suggesting, I'd have to buy a new PSU. Then he suggested what I linked to above.

I thought these weren't possible. That the input on that side of the motherboard requires different voltages through the 4-pin than the 8-pin. And let's not even get started on pulling more power through the 8-pin. Is it even safe to use?

What are you trying to accomplish, precisely? It sounds to me like you have a PSU with an 8-pin EPS connector, and are looking at a board with 8+4, and trying to find a way to populate both headers. Is this correct?

 

[trparky]

Is this correct?

Yes.

 

[cvaldes]

Obviously, new motherboards are coming with additional power inputs and a lot of us still have older power supplies and by older, not too old but just not ones that have the extra 4-pin cable. I was on another web site talking about a potential future build and I said that if I were to upgrade to the kind of motherboard that he was suggesting, I'd have to buy a new PSU. Then he suggested what I linked to above.

I thought these weren't possible. That the input on that side of the motherboard requires different voltages through the 4-pin than the 8-pin. And let's not even get started on pulling more power through the 8-pin. Is it even safe to use?

I have an ASUS ROG Strix B550E motherboard with the 8+4 CPU connectors. According to the owners manual, all DC pins are 12V. The manual explicitly states that using the 4-pin connector by itself can lead to overheating; use the 8-pin connector or both the 8-pin and 4-pin connectors.

The PSU paired with this motherboard has the extra CPU power connectors and appropriate cables so I plugged them both in even if I don't really need it.

Now I haven't downloaded the manuals for any of these newer motherboards but my understanding is that the PC industry is moving towards PSUs with only 12V rails and that other voltages needed (5V, 3.3V, whatever) would be converted on the motherboard itself.

It would be strange for a consumer CPU to use two different voltages on different power cables anyhow based on legacy compatibility and end user usage.

 

[trparky]

The manual explicitly states that using the 4-pin connector by itself can lead to overheating; use the 8-pin connector or both the 8-pin and 4-pin connectors.

Wait. What? Let me get this straight.

Using only the 4-pin is bad, but you can get away with using only the 8-pin EPS?

 

[cvaldes]

Wait. What? Let me get this straight.

Using only the 4-pin is bad, but you can get away with using only the 8-pin EPS?

Read the manual for YOUR motherboard. That's what ASUS wrote for my ROG Strix B550E.

For practical purposes, the extra 4-pin CPU power connector is superfluous on AM4 platform motherboards because of the power limit for the socket. The extra 4-pin power connector is really for extreme overclockers. I don't much about recent Intel offerings.

 

[trparky]

Read the manual for YOUR motherboard.

OK, I'm still planning a future build.

 

[cvaldes]

OK, I'm still planning a future build.

Motherboard manufacturers upload owners manuals to their websites. You can download and read them without product purchase.

Sometimes there's a delay between a product launch and when those online documents are available. If you need it right away, contact the customer support desk at the appropriate manufacturer for further assistance.

 

[xtreemchaos]

as about as safe as sitting in a bath of soapy frogs with juggling tasers. no only joking as long as the wire is strong enough you should be fine.

 

[80-watt Hamster]

Wait. What? Let me get this straight.

Using only the 4-pin is bad, but you can get away with using only the 8-pin EPS?

Basically, yes. From overclock.net:

If your main board has a CPU power receptacle, you must install at least a 4 pin connector before the computer will even boot up. If your main board has an 8 pin CPU receptacle, power supplies with ether a 4 pin or 8 pin CPU connector can be used, the 8 pin is preferred but often not necessary (no one likes to see the empty holes). Whither you have a 4 pin or 8 pin, all ground lines come from the same place and go to the same place, and all 12 volt lines come from the same place and go to the same place. The difference between a 4 pin and an 8 pin connector is the amount of available current. There are very few exceptions to the above rules, few main board can sense whither a 4 pin or 8 pin CPU connector is used, your main board's owner's manual is the best source for this information. The four-pin connector has two 12 volt lines, and the eight-pin connector has four 12 volt lines. Each additional 12 volt input line adds about 40 watts to the 75 watts that is already at the CPU slot. The list below shows these connectors continuous out-putt rating; it is a general guide; all manufacturers do not do things exactly the same way.

• Main Boards with no CPU power receptacle will supply 75 continuous watts
• Main Boards with a 4 pin ATX12V CPU power receptacle can supply 155 continuous watts
• Main Boards with an 8 pin EPS12V CPU power receptacle can supply 235 continuous watts

 

[JrRacinFan]

View attachment 265344
Hmm...

This could potentially be used on motherboards like mine (Has an 8 pin and a 4 pin eps cpu on the board), if your PSU only has 1 EPS 8 pin.

 

[tabascosauz]

Wait. What? Let me get this straight.

Using only the 4-pin is bad, but you can get away with using only the 8-pin EPS?

An 8-pin EPS on modern boards combined with a cable from a proper PSU easily handles 300W of load by itself. Depending on who you ask, it might still be good up to 400W, you've got the solid metal pins to thank for that. Without subambient cooling, all AM4 CPUs pretty much burn themselves down past 300W, so yeah, everyone gets away with a single 8-pin.

If you simply don't have the extra connectors, just plug into the 8-pin on a 8+4 or 8+8 board. It'll be fine, the extra connector isn't there to provide magically cleaner power to your CPU.

But even with solid pins, you can conceivably run into trouble with a 4-pin on the hungrier CPUs, thus most of the time you don't see a board with only a 4-pin ATX12V.

 

[trparky]

But even with solid pins, you can conceivably run into trouble with a 4-pin on the hungrier CPUs, thus most of the time you don't see a board with only a 4-pin ATX12V.

That's what I'm thinking. Will that happen with the Ryzen 7000-series or even the Intel 12700K?

 

[tabascosauz]

That's what I'm thinking. Will that happen with the Ryzen 7000-series or even the Intel 12700K?

Do you have a PSU with only a 4-pin ATX12V? Single 4-pin (ie. plugging in only half of a 8-pin EPS) isn't advisable for any modern CPU/board. Otherwise I don't see the problem here as long as you have an 8-pin.

Stock 7950X (rarely) pulls up to 230W. You can add an extra 4-pin or 8-pin to the EPS to feel safe if you go beyond, but it's not strictly necessary unless your PSU is devil spawn or you're using really sus quality 18AWG or smaller extensions.

Stock 12700K is about the same at 200W ish.

 

[trparky]

Otherwise I don't see the problem here as long as you have an 8-pin.

Oh, I do have an 8-pin EPS 12V rail.

but it's not strictly necessary unless your PSU is devil spawn or you're using really sus quality 18AWG or smaller extensions.

I have an EVGA SuperNOVA 650 G3.

 

[tabascosauz]

Oh, I do have an 8-pin EPS 12V rail.

I have an EVGA SuperNOVA 650 G3.

Then you'll be fine.

A lot of these sub 700W PSUs only give you 1 x 8-pin, just plug in what you have.

 

[trparky]

I guess my next question is... Why are the motherboard manufacturers requiring an extra 4-pin connector or even another 8-pin connector?

 

[GerKNG]

I would replace that PSU before i would buy these weird adapters.

I guess my next question is... Why are the motherboard manufacturers requiring an extra 4-pin connector or even another 8-pin connector?

To not look "cheap" compared to others.

 

[cvaldes]

I guess my next question is... Why are the motherboard manufacturers requiring an extra 4-pin connector or even another 8-pin connector?

CPUs (and GPUs) have been getting more power hungry over the years. Due to its node issues Intel threw CPU efficiency out the window in an effort to stay competitive with AMD.

These extra CPU power connectors are there to support the higher power CPU parts that are commonly making it to the consumer marketplace.

 

[trparky]

To not look "cheap" compared to others.

That's a bullshit reason.

I would replace that PSU before i would buy these weird adapters.

I'm thinking that too.

However, I think I'm going to put my plans to build a new system on hold; at least for now. As many of you know, prices aren't the best right now; I'm hoping that as we come closer to the holiday buying season that prices will get better. That and I'm questioning the wisdom of upgrading over what I already have.

 

[tabascosauz]

I guess my next question is... Why are the motherboard manufacturers requiring an extra 4-pin connector or even another 8-pin connector?

On the Intel side it's more common, since 9th gen you can push those CPUs pretty high on power when OC. Still not to the level of urgent concern for a single 8 pin though.

I have yet to see an AMD board that will not boot and function properly with just a single 8-pin plugged in. The 8+4 or 8+8 boards I've had "require" all connectors plugged in, in bold text in the manual - the same reason they put 16-phase VRMs on AM4, pure marketing.

On high end 8+8 boards I guess it's also that they want you to choose their board for doing LN2. On lower end 8+4 boards it's simply nonsense (ie. B550M Steel Legend)

 

[cvaldes]

However, I think I'm going to put my plans to build a new system on hold; at least for now. As many of you know, prices aren't the best right now; I'm hoping that as we come closer to the holiday buying season that prices will get better. That and I'm questioning the wisdom of upgrading over what I already have.

Well, you have never stated what your objective was nor how your current system is inadequate in whatever usage case(s) you have (also not shared).

You have not stated a budget either which is always the first thing to do when you ask "Should I buy ____?"

As for prices, some components are actually fairly well priced right now: DDR4 memory, SSDs, previous generation CPUs.

Other components (newer CPUs, GPUs, next generation motherboards) are still at early adopter price levels. I doubt if those prices will come down much in a month.

Something like this power cable adapter probably won't fluctuate much in price regardless of when it is released. Nor would cases or fans change much in pricing.

There is nothing wrong with buying new gear for the sake of having new gear. But it is helpful to state this early and explicitly in discussion forums such as this one here at TPU.

 

[trparky]

Well, you have never stated what your objective was nor how your current system is inadequate in whatever usage case(s) you have (also not shared).

Well, mainly I want to do an upgrade just because it seems that even common everyday programs are getting heavier in terms of required hardware. Programs that used to be very fast now seem like they're much slower. We're not even talking about games here; we're talking about a damn web browser or desktop applications for God's sake. Windows, of course, has gotten heavier and I know that which is probably adding to the software load. I can only imagine that much of that added weight is all the damn fixes that software companies have had to put into their code to fix the various processor security vulnerabilities that have come about lately.

At any given time when I'm using my system, overall processor usage is hovering at around 20%. I could be looking at my screen, not typing or moving my mouse and yep... 20% overall usage across all twelve threads.

You have not stated a budget either which is always the first thing to do when you ask "Should I buy ____?"

I was thinking about getting a 5800X3D, but the question is... Will it be worth it? Will it give the kind of performance boost that I'm looking for?

The one thing that I've noted, at least with my system, is that Cinebench R23 scores on my system are at least a hundred points lower than typical systems with the same CPU in it. Why that is? I don't know. Is it the memory timings? Again, I don't know. There definitely seems to be some kind of performance bottleneck that's in my system that's dragging everything else down.