6-pin question

[Bokishi]

Is a 6-pin splitter just as effective as having two individual 6-pin PCI-E power connectors? Or am I better off just converting two mollex 4-pin into an additional 6-pin?

Edited October 24, 2006 by Bokishi

[mkreku]

That depends on your PSU. Some PSU's have extremely powerful 12v rails and can take the stress of having two GPU's sucking power from it (as that's what I assume you're going for, you graphics whore ) ). But to be on the safe side: if you have a "free" 12v rail, just convert that to one of the PCI-E connectors.

 

My PSU has four individual 12v rails. Or something like that. I don't remember! It was special somehow at least

[Bokishi]

I have dual 12v rails on a 460w PSU. It has a single 6-pin. The 8800 requires a 450w PSU, and two 6-pin connectors. Would splitting my single 6-pin be okay for this? Or is it new PSU time?

[mkreku]

If your PSU is a good, high-quality one (meaning that it will actually produce those 460W at stable levels when needed), you should theoretically be ok. But reality has a way of interfering with theory sometimes. You'll know when you get the 8800.

[metadigital]

If you split the single 6-pin then the power supply for two (critical) items is reliant on one rail.

 

It is best practice to use a single rail for each GPU card, but not mandatory (the new Tagan 1.1kW, for example, shares the rails across two connectors; the 1kW Enermax got a better review in issue 193 of PC Format because of this and it's modular cable design).

[mkreku]

Yeah, my Cooltek has four 12v rails (cables). Its cables are also modular, but if I connect ALL the cables to the PSU at the same time, it looks like a rastafari. Teh cables are everywhere!! Luckily for me, it also has separate PCI-E cables.

 

Oh, and my motherboard has an extra 4-pin molex connector installed next to the PCI-E ports that you can supply additional power through, if need be. Great feature!

[Kaftan Barlast]

I have dual 12v rails on a 460w PSU. It has a single 6-pin. The 8800 requires a 450w PSU, and two 6-pin connectors. Would splitting my single 6-pin be okay for this? Or is it new PSU time?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Are there even PSU's with dual 6-pin connectors?

 

 

Id try to take two 4-pins and run them into a 6-pin adapter for the second one

[mkreku]

This is what my PSU looks like:

 

 

At the top are the four 12v. rails, 2x2.

Below that are two SATA power connectors.

Underneath those there's a 4-pin, a 6-pin (PCI-E) and an 8-pin (CPU8) connector.

Last there's the 24-pin main power connector (the hole underneath that is something the Cooltek uses to stabilize the currents and voltages).

 

I don't have dual PCI-E connectors either. But at least it has its own rail.

[Bokishi]

Thanks guys, i think I'll use my 4-pins + adapter for the second 6-pin rather than a splitter.

[taks]

keep in mind, too, if you have problems with one element on a single rail, such as a short from a part that fried, it could potentially damage any other element on the same rail since your supplies would not be buffered from each other.

 

taks

[Kaftan Barlast]

Thanks guys, i think I'll use my 4-pins + adapter for the second 6-pin rather than a splitter.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

But are you sure the 8800 uses dual 6-pin connectors? The chinese photo of the 8800 prototype cannot be trusted to represent what the production models will look like.

 

 

I just had a look at BFG Techs latest monster PSU and they 2-4 6-pin connectors so I guess I might need a new PSU aswell

Edited October 24, 2006 by Kaftan Barlast

[Bokishi]

 

[jaguars4ever]

Six connectors? That's insane. This thing uses more power than George W. Bush does when he "amends" foreign policy.