When building a PC with the RX 6900XT GPU, many beginners get confused about what Power Supply to pick for this GPU. In this article, I will explain the power requirements of this graphics card and recommend some good power supplies to pair with it.
Here’s The PSU Requirements For RX 6900XT
Before picking a Power Supply for the RX 6900XT GPU, there are three things to consider: the Power Supply wattage, the number of PCIe connectors it has, and its efficiency ratings.
These are the main requirements that the RX 6900XT GPU has from its power supply. Now, we will take a closer look at these requirements and choose some of the best PSUs for this graphics card.
What PSU Watts For RX 6900XT?
The RX 6900 XT GPU consumes 300W at maximum load, and AMD recommends 850W PSU for this GPU.
However, picking the PSU wattage based on GPU specifications can sometimes go wrong, and it may end up buying with the wrong PSU wattage.
To pick the correct PSU wattage, we need to calculate the power requirements of all our system components. This table shows how much power each PC component uses.
Now, we will pair this RX 6900 XT GPU with all the high-end, mid-range, and budget-end components to determine what PSU wattage would be sufficient.
RX 6900 XT GPU With High-End Components
If anyone pairs the RX 6900 XT GPU with a top-tier CPU and other high-end components, then the estimated power consumption would be like this:
Components | Peak Power Consumptions |
RX 6900 XT | 300W |
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= 781 watts with Intel CPUs Total= 758 watts with Ryzen CPUs |
If you pair this RX 6900 XT with a top-tier Intel CPU and other high-end components, then the estimated power consumption would go up to 781W, and for this kind of system, you need to pick an 850W PSU.
However, if you pair this RX 6900 XT with a top-tier Ryzen CPU and other high-end components, then the estimated power consumption would go up to 758W, and for this kind of PC, you can pick an 800W PSU.
RX 6900 XT GPU With Mid-Range Components
If you pair this RX 6900 XT with a mid-tier CPU and other mid-range components, then the estimated power consumption would be like this:
Components | Peak Power Consumptions |
RX 6900 XT | 300 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= 654 watts with Intel CPUs Total= 615 watts with Ryzen CPUs |
If you pair this RX 6900 XT with a mid-tier Intel CPU and other mid-range components, then the estimated power consumption would go up to 654W, and for this kind of system, you can pick a 700W PSU.
On the other hand, if you pair this RX 6900 XT with a mid-tier Ryzen CPU and other-range components, then the estimated power consumption would go up to 615W, and for this kind of system, you can pick a 650W PSU.
RX 6900 XT GPU With Budget-End Components
If anyone pairs this RX 6900 XT GPU with a budget-tier CPU and other budget-range components, then the estimated power consumption would be like this:
Components | Peak Power Consumptions |
RX 6900 XT | 300 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= 546 watts with Intel CPUs Total= 509 watts with Ryzen CPUs |
If you pair this RX 6900 XT GPU with a budget-tier Intel CPU and other budget-end components, then the estimated power consumption would go up to 546W, and for this kind of system, you can pick a 600W PSU.
However, if you pair this GPU with a budget-tier Ryzen CPU and other budget-range components, then the estimated power consumption would go up to 509W, and for this kind of PC, you can pick a 550W PSU.
PCIe Cables Required For RX 6900 XT
The RX 6900 XT is a powerful graphics card, and it requires external power via additional PCIe connectors.
The number of PCIe cables required for this GPU depends on whether you are using a founder’s edition GPU or a third-party manufacturer GPU.
Third-party GPUs usually require more PCIe cables than founder’s edition GPUs because they need more power.
The founder’s edition RX 6900 XT GPU requires two 8-pin PCIe connectors from the PSU.
On the other hand, the RX 6900XT GPU from a third-party manufacturer requires three 8-pin PCIe connectors from the PSU:
That’s why it is advised to check the specifications of your GPU model carefully to see how many PCIe connectors you need from your power supply.
PSU Efficiency Required For RX 6900 XT
The Power Supply efficiency is another important parameter that we need to check before buying.
A good Power Supply always comes with 80 plus certifications that indicate the energy efficiency of the PSU.
The 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 pairing this RX 6900 XT GPU with all high-end components, then opt for an 80-plus gold-rated Power Supply.
However, if you want to pair this RX 6900 XT with mid-range or budget-end components, then opt for an 80-plus bronze-rated Power Supply.
PSU That Most PC Builders Pairs With RX 6900 XT
Here, I have mentioned some of the PSUs that most PC builders commonly pair with this RX 6900 XT GPU-
Recomended PSU For RX 6900 XT With High-End Components
The RX 6900 XT GPU with all the high-end components needs a PSU between 800W to 850W, and for this kind of system, most PC builders are using the Corsair RMx series PSU.
You can also pick this Corsair RMx series PSU in a variety of wattage options (ranging from 550W to 1000W).
This is a fully modular PSU with superior Japanese capacitors and 80-plus gold certifications. You can check out this product on- Amazon, Best Buy, and Newegg.
Recomended PSU For RX 6900 XT With Mid-Range & Budget-End Components
The RX 6900 XT needs a 650-700W PSU with mid-range components and a 550-600W PSU with budget-end components.
For both these kinds of PCs, most PC builders are pairing the Cooler Master Master Watt series PSU.
This is a modular Power Supply with a 120mm temperature control fan and has an 80 Plus bronze certification.
This PSU is also available at different wattage ranges between (550W to 750W), and you can check out this product on Amazon and Newegg.