Necessary power supply for an RTX 5090 graphics card?
The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090, the fastest graphics card on the market for gaming and consumer use, requires a substantial power supply to meet its demanding requirements. Here's what you need to know to ensure a safe and efficient setup.
Power Supply Unit (PSU) Recommendations
Nvidia officially recommends at least a 1000W power supply unit (PSU) to handle the RTX 5090's base TGP of around 575W [1][5]. This recommendation ensures the PSU operates at roughly 58% load, providing headroom for the GPU’s high power draw and system stability.
Choosing the Right PSU
A high-quality 80 PLUS Gold, Platinum, or Titanium certified PSU is ideal for efficiency and stable voltage under load spikes. Having extra headroom beyond 1000W can benefit overall system reliability, especially if overclocking CPU or other components.
Ensure the PSU's 12V rail(s) can supply sufficient continuous and peak amperage to the GPU and other components. Some reviews report power peaks reaching around 600W to 700W under gaming and heavy loads, underscoring the importance of a PSU that can rapidly respond to load changes [3].
Connector Considerations
The RTX 5090 uses a 16-pin PCIe 5.0 power connector, which has previously been prone to connector overheating. Therefore, the PSU should be high quality, preferably with native PCIe 5.0 support and robust power delivery capabilities [1][5].
Direct 16-pin connections from the PSU to the graphics card are generally recommended over using adapters or extension cables. However, using adapter cables may be worth the risk for frequent GPU swappers, as it makes it less likely they’ll wear out the power socket on a graphics card.
Choosing the Right PSU Standard
The 80 Plus Titanium is the current top-rated power supply standard. A 1500W 80 Plus Platinum PSU is recommended for making full use of the RTX 5090, providing a decent amount of headroom for efficiency. A 1200W power supply should also be sufficient.
Power Spikes and Gaming Performance
With the RTX 5090 and a CPU like the Core i9-14900K, power spikes can reach the 900 - 1000W range. Manually limiting the power to an RTX 5090 to around 500W (85-90%) can get close to the base level of performance, depending on the games played.
Undervolting and underclocking the RTX 5090 can help reduce power consumption, but may result in reduced performance and a less optimal gaming experience.
ATX 3.1 and the 16-pin Connector
ATX 3.1 uses the new 12V-2x6 standard for the 16-pin connector, which has longer terminals on the 12V and ground pins, combined with shorter sense pins. This design allows the GPU to detect if the connector is loose or incorrectly inserted and shut itself down, reducing the risk of arcing, melting, and potential component failure.
ATX 3.1 is the latest power supply standard, introduced to rectify issues with the initial ATX 3.0 specification.
Power Consumption in Gaming
Cyberpunk 2077 was one of the worst offenders for power spikes on the RTX 5090, with spikes as high as 659W.
In summary, the recommended approach is a premium, at least 1000W PSU with strong 12V and transient power capabilities, preferably with native PCIe 5.0 16-pin connectors or quality adapters, to safely and efficiently support the RTX 5090’s heavy and spiky power demands [1][3][5].
[1] Nvidia (2023). Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 Technical Product Specifications. Retrieved from https://www.nvidia.com/content/geforce/products/graphics-cards/1620-a1/specifications.html
[3] TechPowerUp (2023). Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 Power Consumption and Power Efficiency. Retrieved from https://www.techpowerup.com/review/nvidia-geforce-rtx-5090-power-consumption-and-power-efficiency/
[5] Tom's Hardware (2023). Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 Review. Retrieved from https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/nvidia-geforce-rtx-5090,6319.html
- Given the high power demands of the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090, it's crucial to have a power supply unit (PSU) that is at least 1000W, as recommended by Nvidia, to ensure the PSU operates at roughly 58% load and provide headroom for system stability.
- For the optimal gaming experience with the RTX 5090, choosing a high-quality PSU that is 80 PLUS Gold, Platinum, or Titanium certified, with robust power delivery capabilities, is ideal to handle the GPU's high power draw and ensure efficient performance under load spikes.
