motherboard power question

ThaArtist · Post by **ThaArtist** » Tue Nov 10, 2009 11:28 am

Im building a system right now. I have this motherboard:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6813128392

It has a 24 pin atx power connector AND a 8 pin atx connector. Do I need to use both?

If thats the case I dont have an 8 pin connector. The closest thing in resemblance is a 4 pin connector (square).

If you click the link the 24 pin connector is on the right of the mobo and the 8 pin is on the left of the cpu slot. Thanks for your help!

Joe

thejamppa · Post by **thejamppa** » Tue Nov 10, 2009 12:45 pm

You really don't need those 4 extra pins, depending on your CPU. I got Asus P45 board. It has 8-pin connectory for CPU like you do, but 4 pins have been placed under removable cap and since I use only E8400 Dual core I have not bothered to route 8-pin connector there but I have used 4-pin. But you have to use either 4-pin or 8-pin connector as it provides extra power for CPU. Otherwise with 24-pin mainconnector the system won't start up.

ThaArtist · Post by **ThaArtist** » Tue Nov 10, 2009 3:57 pm

Im a little confused. I have an athlon 2 x4 quadcore processor. But my dilemma is that I dont have an 8 pin connector from my PSU. The closest thing is a 4 pin (looks like a square) connector. What do I do?

ThaArtist · Post by **ThaArtist** » Tue Nov 10, 2009 5:27 pm

Anyone? It seems I am going to need a new PSU...

reddyuday · Post by **reddyuday** » Tue Nov 10, 2009 5:31 pm

Each circuit of the connector, i.e., each pair of the positive and ground terminals, can provide up to 6 Amps of current at 12V, i.e., 72W. So, a 4-pin connector can provide 144W of power, and an 8-pin connector can provide twice that. Of course, whether all this power materializes depends all on your power supply.

If your power supply provides an 8-pin connector (called EPS), then by all means plug it into the socket. If it only provides a 4-pin connector (called P4), then you can plug it into the 8-pin socket as well, at one end or the other - it fits at only one place. If you use 4-pin, then you are advised to remain within 144W of power for the CPU. As far as I know, all the CPUs on the market are within the limit if run at the normal clock rate.

You can read up all these issues at this playtool web page.

Uday

ThaArtist · Post by **ThaArtist** » Tue Nov 10, 2009 5:32 pm

I did find an adapter:

http://www.directron.com/ad202.html

But now Im not sure if 370 watts is enough for my system?

hybrid2d4x4 · Post by **hybrid2d4x4** » Tue Nov 10, 2009 7:14 pm

370 is more than enough. I built a i5 750 rig with a more power hungry vid card than yours on an Antec 380W PSU for a friend recently and only used the 4pin P4 connector on one end of the 8pin mobo exactly as Uday described and it went without a hitch. The adapter shouldn't be necessary though it might distribute the current going through the PCB traces more evenly by opening up the extra paths. As long as your mobo is built to spec, it should have no problem running your CPU on just the p4 connector.

ThaArtist · Post by **ThaArtist** » Tue Nov 10, 2009 8:03 pm

Thanks so much hybrid thats exactly what I needed to hear. I think Ill order one anyway but atleast for now I can get things going! Thanks!!!!!!!!

colm · Post by **colm** » Wed Nov 11, 2009 10:35 pm

the 8pin is typically for dual cpu. eps12v .
I a guessing by the sight if all the vrms and connectors, gigabyte wanted the stability and extra...

I am the other direction, seeking an eps12v for a future build, but only using 4 pin. the cost is no different, from what I have found, but the engineering must have something, like an extra phase, without extra power, very stable. As I hate vrms, I know why they built it.