Nvidia’s RTX 40-Series has been the topic of much controversy since its launch.

However, the problem that’s arguably the most annoying is the power draw issues affecting these behemoth GPUs.

Do Nvidia’s RTX 40-Series GPUs Draw More Power?

RTX 4080 Featured Image

Image Credit:NVIDIA

First up, Nvidia’s RTX 40-Series GPUs don’t consume as much power as you think.

Keep in mind that both cards are rated at a 320W TGP.

So despite what you might hear, Nvidia has attempted to optimize these GPUs and lower the power draw.

Picture of NVIDIA GTX 4090 along with 450W and 600W 12VHPWR adapters

Image Credit:NVIDIA

You’ll also get similar results when comparing the RTX 4090 with the RTX 3090.

What Is ATX 3.0?

ATX 3.0 is the new specification standard for Power Supply Units (PSUs).

12VHPWR 450W and 600W adapters and gpu socket

Image Credit:NVIDIA

Additionally, this new connector also carries signals indicating its power capabilities toPCIe-connected devices.

This enables power limitations to be set on components using PCIe, including GPUs and SSDs.

Do you oughta Upgrade to ATX 3.0?

It’s never a bad idea to dish out extra cash on your PSU to protect your other components.

The 30-cycle lifetime on the new PCIe Gen 5 connectors is also nothing to worry about.

As a result, these GPUs perform better than their predecessors while using far less power.

The power requirements were ramped up, but they weren’t as big as compared to the performance enhancements.

This allows Nvidia to further tune the cards and lower power levels for better efficiency.

Not to mention a slightly cheaper electricity bill.