4-pin molex on 7800GT?

[GarfieldtheCat]

Just got the XFX 7800GT (the one from ZZF with the $30 rebate and free COD2), with the factory OC clock to 450MHz.

It's got a 4-pin molex instead of the 6pin PCI power connector. Is this something new (or old)? I haven't heard about this anywhere. Could it be since it draws less power, they figured they didn't need the PCI connector, and maybe make it easier for people with older system to be able to use this card without a power supply upgrade?

 

[Len12345]

got the same card from ZZF and it also has the 4-pin molex. Looking at the XFX forums told me that there are several versions of this card but it wasn't clear whether this overclocks better or worse than the ones with the 6pin connector. Since I dont have the rest of my system yet I dont really know how it performs.

 

[Woofmeister]

We've been having a lengthy discussion of this card here.

The jury is still out on whether the molex connector is a plus or a minus. My own view is that anybody who buys a 7800GT now probably bought a PCI-Express PSU months ago.

There have also been a number of complaints here and in other forums that the card's fan never throttles back and is consequently, excessively noisy.

On the other hand, the card is way cool looking. :thumbsup:

 

[jiffylube1024]

Yeah apparently that is the XFX Extreme Edition 7800GT. Weird that it comes with a molex plug, for sure...

 

[GarfieldtheCat]

I thought this card sounded a bit louder then my old 6800GT. I guess my fan is running 100% al the time as well.

I don't mind the 4-pin (as long as the card continues to work as intended), since it make no difference to me what I plug in, as long as it gets whatever power the card need to run.

But the loud fan is annoying....Time for a Zalman or Artic Cooling solution perhaps?

 

[CP5670]

I would think that this card is quieter than a normal 7800GT. That looks like a GTX cooler on it, similar to the one on the EVGA CO card.

 

[Woofmeister]

Originally posted by: CP5670
I would think that this card is quieter than a normal 7800GT. That looks like a GTX cooler on it, similar to the one on the EVGA CO card.

The point is not the efficiency of the cooler on the Extreme Edition, the point is that the fan runs at full speed all the time despite the temperature of the GPU. It seems like a bug in the card BIOS.

 

[Wolfshanze]

I thought this card sounded a bit louder then my old 6800GT.

Am I the only person who finds this statement funny? "My old 6800GT"?!?!

You guys must just be growing money trees in the back yard. Heck, I just "upgraded" to a 6800GT... I don't have the money to get a new PCI-E rig with a 7800GT. I can see the need to upgrade to a 7800GT if you had a rather clunky and/or out of date system, but if he already had a 6800GT, I find it hard to justify spending the kind of money probably necessary to get the extra 10fps in games.

Oh well... maybe I'll go rob a bank or something so I too can call my 6800GT "old".

 

[kellehair]

LOL @ Wolf! That's hilarious. If it makes you feel any better I upgraded from an ancient 9800 Pro.

Anyone have anymore info on this 4-pin Molex version of the card? Good thing or bad thing?

 

[GarfieldtheCat]

Sorry, how about calling it my "current-challenged" 6800GT, or maybe "lightly-used"?

Anyway, it's going into another PC I'm going to build, so it will be put to good use

 

[RelaxTheMind]

I suppose it would help if you choose 2 rails instead of the card drawing current from just one. Only thing that I can figure. It may also help some people where the Molex connectors simply cant reach as it may already be connected to cd/dvd/hard drives. since it has an adapter I honestly dont see anything strange about it.... AND of course the "market" they are selling to gets bigger for people who dont feel the need to upgrade to a new PSU.

 

[kellehair]

The market isn't going to increase because they're not advertising the Molex connection. Every one of us who got one of these cards was expecting to find a PCI-e connector.