When building a new PC with an RTX 3080 Ti GPU, many beginners are unsure about what power supply to choose. In this article, I will explain the PSU requirements of this graphics card and recommend a few good power supplies to pair with it.
Here’s The PSU Requirements For RTX 3080 TI GPU
Before choosing a power supply for an RTX 3080 Ti graphics card, there are three important factors to consider: the power supply’s wattage, the number of PCIe connectors it has, and its efficiency rating.
These are the main PSU requirements for the RTX 3080 Ti graphics card. Let’s take a closer look at these requirements and choose some of the best power supplies for this graphics card.
What PSU Watts For RTX 3080 Ti?
According to Nvidia, the RTX 3080 TI GPU consumes 350W power under extreme load, and they recommend a 750W Power Supply for this GPU.
But you can’t just pick a power supply (PSU) with the wattage that Nvidia recommends because you might end up buying a PSU with the wrong wattage.
To decide what PSU watts to choose, we will figure out how much power all the system components will consume and then do the estimation.
In order to do the proper estimation, we will pair this RTX 3080 TI GPU with all the high-end, mid-range, and budget-end components to decide what PSU wattage we should pick.
But before that, let’s take a look at the table below to see how much power each PC component consumes.
RTX 3080 Ti GPU With High-End Components
If you pair the RTX 3080 TI GPU with a high-end CPU and other high-end components, then the estimated power consumption would be like this:
Components | Peak Power Consumptions |
RTX 3080 TI | 350W |
Top-Tier Intel CPUs (e.g., Intel Core i9 13900K) | 253 watts |
Top-Tier Ryzen CPUs (e.g., Ryzen 7 7950X) | 230 watts |
2 SSDs | 18 watts |
2 Hard Disk | 40 watts |
Motherboard | 80 watts |
4 RAMs (16 GB) | 60 watts |
3 Case fans (120mm) | 18 watts |
2 CPU fans (liquid cooler-120mm) | 12 watts |
Total= 831 watts with Intel CPUs Total= 808 watts with Ryzen CPUs |
If you pair this RTX 3080 TI GPU with a top-tier Intel CPU (e.g., Intel Core i9 13900K) and other high-end components, then the estimated power consumption would go up to 831W, and for this kind of PC, you need to pick an 850W Power Supply.
However, if anyone pairs this RTX 3080 TI GPU with a top-tier Ryzen CPU (e.g., Ryzen 7 7950X) and other high-end components, then the estimated power consumption would go up to 808W, and for this kind of PC, you can pick an 850W Power Supply.
RTX 3080 Ti GPU With Mid-Range Components
If anyone pairs this RTX 3080 TI GPU with a mid-tier CPU and other mid-range components, then the estimated power consumption would be like this:
Components | Peak Power Consumptions |
RTX 3080 TI | 350 watts |
Mid-Tier Intel CPUs (e.g., Intel Core i5 13600K) | 181 watts |
Mid- Tier Ryzen CPUs (e.g., Ryzen 7 7700X) | 142 watts |
1 SSD | 9 watts |
2 Hard Disk | 40 watts |
Motherboard | 70 watts |
2 RAMs (16 GB) | 30 watts |
3 Case fans (120mm) | 18 watts |
1 CPU fan (120mm) | 6 watts |
Total= 704 watts with Intel CPUs Total= 665 watts with Ryzen CPUs |
If you pair this RTX 3080 TI GPU with a mid-tier Intel CPU (e.g., Intel Core i5 13600K) and other mid-range components, then the estimated power consumption would go up to 704W, and for this kind of PC, you should pick a 750W Power Supply.
However, if you pair this RTX 3080 TI GPU with a mid-tier Ryzen CPU (e.g., Ryzen 7 7700X) and other mid-range components, then the estimated power consumption would go up to 665W, and for this kind of PC, you should pick a 700W Power Supply.
RTX 3080 Ti GPU With Budget-End Components
If anyone pairs this RTX 3080 TI GPU with a budget-tier CPU and other budget-range components, then the estimated power consumption would be like this:
Components | Peak Power Consumptions |
RTX 3080 TI | 350 watts |
Budget-Level Intel CPUs (e.g., Intel Core i9 11900K) | 125 watts |
Budget- Level Ryzen CPUs (e.g., Ryzen 5 3600X) | 88 watts |
1 SSD | 9 watts |
1 Hard Disk | 20 watts |
Budget end Motherboard | 60 watts |
2 RAMs (8 GB) | 14 watts |
2 Case fans (120mm) | 12 watts |
1 CPU fan (120mm) | 6 watts |
Total= 596 watts with Intel CPUs Total= 559 watts with Ryzen CPUs |
If anyone pairs the RTX 3080 TI GPU with a budget-tier Intel CPU and other budget-range components, then the estimated power consumption would go up to 596W, and for this kind of PC, you should pick a 650W Power Supply.
On the other hand, if anyone pairs this RTX 3080 TI GPU with a budget-tier Ryzen CPU and other budget-range components, then the estimated power consumption would go up to 559W, and for this kind of PC, you need to pick a 600W Power Supply.
PCIe Cables Required For RTX 3080 TI GPU
This RTX 3080 TI is a powerful graphics card, and you have to provide power to it via extra PCIe cables.
Usually, you require two 8-pin PCIe cables from the Power Supply to run this GPU.
The Founder’s Edition RTX 3080 Ti has a different power connector than most other graphics cards. It uses a 12-pin connector instead of two 8-pin connectors. Nvidia includes an adapter in the box that lets you connect two 8-pin power cables to the 12-pin connector.
To connect the 12-pin connector, plug the two 8-pin female adapter into the two 8-pin male PCIe cables from your power supply.
PSU Efficiency Required For GTX 1070 GPU
Before choosing a Power Supply for the RTX 3080 TI GPU, we need to check the PSU efficiency factor.
A good Power Supply comes with 80+ certifications that indicate the energy efficiency of the Power Supply.
This 80 Plus PSU is categorized into different efficiency levels, including- 80 Plus White, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Titanium. You can read this article about- different PSU efficiency.
Among these different levels, the 80 Plus Bronze, Silver, and Gold offer excellent performance within the budget range.
So, if you’re planning to pair this RTX 3080 TI GPU with high-end or mid-range PC components, then pick an 80-plus gold-rated Power Supply.
However, if you’re planning to pair this RTX 3080 TI GPU with budget-end PC components, then opt for an 80-plus Bronze-rated Power Supply.
PSU That Most PC Builders Pairs With RTX 3080 TI GPU
What Power Supply you should pick for this GPU depends on whether you’re pairing this GPU with high-end, mid-range, or budget-end components.
Here, I’ve listed some Power Supplies that most PC builders are pairing with this RTX 3080 TI GPU.
Recomended PSU For RTX 3080 TI With High-End Components
The RTX 3080 TI GPU with all the high-end components needs an 850W Power Supply, and for this kind of PC, most PC builders are using the Corsair RMx series Power Supply.
You can purchase the Corsair RMx series PSU in a variety of wattage options (ranging from 550W to 1000W), including the 850W version.
This fully modular PSU has superior Japanese capacitors and 80-plus gold certifications. Check out the price of this PSU on- Amazon.
Recomended PSU For RTX 3080 TI With Mid-Range Components
The RTX 3080 TI GPU, with all the mid-range components, requires a Power Supply between 700W and 750W. Most PC builders use this Corsair RMx series PSU for this kind of system.
You can pick the Corsair RMx series PSU between 700W and 750W (based on your requirement) from the above link.
Recomended PSU For RTX 3080 TI With Budget-End Components
The RTX 3080 TI GPU, with all the budget-end components, requires a Power Supply between 600W and 650W. For this kind of PC system, most PC builders are using the Cooler Master Master Watt series PSU.
This modular Power Supply has a 120mm temperature control fan and an 80 Plus bronze certification.
This PSU is also available at different wattage ranges between (550W to 750W), including the 600W & 650W versions. You can check the price of this PSU on Amazon.
Over To You
You can also pick other PSUs that meet the wattage, efficiency, and PCIe connector requirements for this RTX 3080 TI graphics card, except for the recommended PSUs.
Here are some other PSU models that fulfill the requirements for the RTX 3080 TI GPU- Seasonic Prime TX-850, EVGA SuperNOVA 850 P2, Seasonic Focus GX-750, be quiet! Pure Power 11 750W.