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If you’re looking to upgrade your graphics card to an RTX 4080, you might be wondering what kind of power supply you’ll need. In this article, we’ll go over the minimum and recommended power requirements for this card, as well as some other important factors to keep in mind when choosing a power supply.
According to Nvidia’s official information, the RTX 4080 needs at least a 750W unit to run properly. Nvidia states in its specs chart that the GPU alone uses up to 320W of power. Compared with other GPUs, the purported 320W that the 4080 consumes is fairly low. The brand-new RTX 4090 uses up to 450W and needs a minimum PSU of 850W, a true behemoth of a graphics card.
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| GPU | Graphics Card Power | Required System Power |
|---|---|---|
| RTX 4070 Ti | 285W | 750W |
| RTX 4080 | 320W | 750W |
| RTX 4090 | 450W | 850W |
| RTX 3080 (12 GB memory) | 350W | 750W |
| RTX 3080 Ti | 350W | 750W |
Is 750W enough power for the RTX 4080?
Although 750W is the minimum recommended wattage for the RTX 4080, it’s always preferred to go well above that considering the consumption of the CPU and other components of the entire rig. Furthermore, it’s always better to have some extra space for usual (and expected) power spikes. We recommend a PSU of 850W or even 1,000W. Regarding this issue, we’ve made a compilation of the best PSUs for the RTX 4080 available on the market.
So, you will be able to run the RTX 4080 with a 750W PSU but bear in mind that this is only the minimum requirement to effectively operate the GPU. If you are considering doing some overclocking, you’ll definitely need a more powerful PSU. Otherwise, you’ll be good with either a 750W, 850W, or 1,000W.
Can an 850W PSU handle a 4080?
Yes, in fact, we’d recommend a PSU of 850W as a minimum to ensure you also have the power you’ll need for the best CPUs for the 4080. Anything over 850W will also be helpful to give you the clearance you need (should your system require it).
What happens if PSU is too weak?
The PSU is the unit that gives power to every PC component. If the PSU wattage is too weak, it won’t provide enough power to the GPU (or any other component) and will cause them to overheat, leading to severely damaged components, or (in rare cases) even fires.