Just got a 8800GTX do I connect all 4 molex power connectors?

[nx02nx02]

My evga 8800gtx came with 2 power cables. on one side of the power cables connects to the card. on the other side there is 2 male, molex power connectors each. So there is a total of 4.

Am I supposed to connect power to all 4? or just 1 each totaling 2?

 

[ViRGE]

The molex to PCIe power adapters are if you don't have 2 PCIe power cables built in to your power supply. I would be very surprised if you had a PS that was good enough for the GTX, but lacking the PCIe power cables in the first place.

At any rate, if you have to use the adapters then you need to fill all 4 molex plugs.

 

[n7]

Here's the key question...what PSU do you have?

If yours doesn't have a couple PCI-e connectors, i'd be getting a little concerned.

 

[nx02nx02]

Oops, you guys are right I do have a Seasonic 700 Watt and it probably does have PCIE power cables. I haven't even looked yet. I didn't even think about it and just started connecting the other cables first.The power supply is modular. I will go ahead and use those instead.
I didn't really know about that as I am kind of new to cards like this.

Thanks for the help.

 

[nx02nx02]

Ok I have 1 more question. I have a Seasonic 700 Watt power supply. It is modular. and has 2 PCIE power outputs on it. The power supply comes with 2 PCIE power cables. The PCIE power cables have 1 connector on 1 side and 2 on the other side. so if you plug both into the power supply you end up with 4 6 pin PCIE power connectors. The 8800GTX requires 2. So my question is do I want to take advantage of both PCIE connectors on the power supply or is 1 cable enough? 1 cable will fill all the power slots on the card, (because it splits in two). But will it provide enough power? I heard on these cards it's best for the 2 PCIE power connectors on the card to have their very own cable from the power supply?

I hope this makes sense.

The cables are triangle, 1 connector on 1 side and 2 on the other. The power supply has 2 PCIE power outputs. And the 8800GTX requires 2 6 pin PCIE power connectors.

So is 1 triangle cable enough? Or should I use both outputs from the power supply?

 

[Hauk]

You have the 700w version of this psu I'm guessing.

So you have two PCI-E cables that are split on the video card side and have two PCI-E ports on the psu. I'd say use both cables connecting one of each end to the GTX. A psu guy can confirm, all four 12v rails will then be used to supply power..

 

[nx02nx02]

Ya that's my power supply. The Seasonic M12 700 Watt Modular.

I am worried that I am going to connect it wrong.

Should I use both PCI-E ports from the PSU side or is just 1 enough.

The split cables really throws me off.

If we dont know for sure what to do it wouldn't hurt anything to use both outputs from the PSU would it?
Like it wouldn't give the card too much power or anything?

 

[Hauk]

I say use both cables. Connect both to the psu, and use ONE end from each cable to connect to the GTX.

 

[nRollo]

Originally posted by: SteelSix
I say use both cables. Connect both to the psu, and use ONE end from each cable to connect to the GTX.

You're correct, one cable won't be sufficient to power the GTX.

 

[nx02nx02]

I have 1 more question. I actually have got a few different answers on how to do this. A couple people told me to use just 1 cable and output. Others said use both and utilize both outputs. I don't want to choose the wrong one then a few months down the line end up ruining the 8800GTX or the PS.

So is using the molex connector adaptors that came with the evga 8800gtx safe and just as good as the PCIE power connectors?

If I decide to just use the molex power and molex adaptors will I lose performance or underpower the card or anything like that?

 

[ViRGE]

Originally posted by: nx02nx02
I have 1 more question. I actually have got a few different answers on how to do this. A couple people told me to use just 1 cable and output. Others said use both and utilize both outputs. I don't want to choose the wrong one then a few months down the line end up ruining the 8800GTX or the PS.

So is using the molex connector adaptors that came with the evga 8800gtx safe and just as good as the PCIE power connectors?

If I decide to just use the molex power and molex adaptors will I lose performance or underpower the card or anything like that?

Using the molex adapters is acceptable, but I would hesitate to call it just as good. Half the reason that we have the PCIe power connectors is so video cards could have a direct connection to the PS that is guaranteed to be able to supply (150W I think?) of power through 2 12v lines with nothing else drawing off of that connection; a single power supply wire simply isn't capable of safely sustaining the kind of amps needed to drive a video card @ 12v along with many other devices. The point is that it's better to have a card fed straight from the PS so that you aren't trying to feed a video card and half a dozen hard drives (among other things) off of the same 12v wire.

You can get away with using the molex adapters, but you should be using straight PCIe power connectors.

 

[nx02nx02]

Originally posted by: ViRGE

Originally posted by: nx02nx02
I have 1 more question. I actually have got a few different answers on how to do this. A couple people told me to use just 1 cable and output. Others said use both and utilize both outputs. I don't want to choose the wrong one then a few months down the line end up ruining the 8800GTX or the PS.

So is using the molex connector adaptors that came with the evga 8800gtx safe and just as good as the PCIE power connectors?

If I decide to just use the molex power and molex adaptors will I lose performance or underpower the card or anything like that?

Using the molex adapters is acceptable, but I would hesitate to call it just as good. Half the reason that we have the PCIe power connectors is so video cards could have a direct connection to the PS that is guaranteed to be able to supply (150W I think?) of power through 2 12v lines with nothing else drawing off of that connection; a single power supply wire simply isn't capable of safely sustaining the kind of amps needed to drive a video card @ 12v along with many other devices. The point is that it's better to have a card fed straight from the PS so that you aren't trying to feed a video card and half a dozen hard drives (among other things) off of the same 12v wire.

You can get away with using the molex adapters, but you should be using straight PCIe power connectors.

I would love to use the PCIE power connectors but I just dont know for sure exactly how to hook them up. I will be honest, I asked a few different people exactly how to do it. And asked on a couple different forums and I have got different answers.

Am I supposed to utilize both outputs on the Seasonic 700 Watt M12 Modular? I think Seasonic set it up so that you only use 1 wire per card but I just don't know for sure.

How many PCIE outputs does it take to run a 8800GTX? It looks like Seasonic set it up so that you use only 1 wire and output per card but is it even possible for 1 PCIE cable to sufficiently run a 8800GTX?

If anyone else here on these forums has a seasonic Modular and a 8800 card please tell me how you have yours connected.

 

[ViRGE]

Originally posted by: nx02nx02

Originally posted by: ViRGE

Originally posted by: nx02nx02
I have 1 more question. I actually have got a few different answers on how to do this. A couple people told me to use just 1 cable and output. Others said use both and utilize both outputs. I don't want to choose the wrong one then a few months down the line end up ruining the 8800GTX or the PS.

So is using the molex connector adaptors that came with the evga 8800gtx safe and just as good as the PCIE power connectors?

If I decide to just use the molex power and molex adaptors will I lose performance or underpower the card or anything like that?

Using the molex adapters is acceptable, but I would hesitate to call it just as good. Half the reason that we have the PCIe power connectors is so video cards could have a direct connection to the PS that is guaranteed to be able to supply (150W I think?) of power through 2 12v lines with nothing else drawing off of that connection; a single power supply wire simply isn't capable of safely sustaining the kind of amps needed to drive a video card @ 12v along with many other devices. The point is that it's better to have a card fed straight from the PS so that you aren't trying to feed a video card and half a dozen hard drives (among other things) off of the same 12v wire.

You can get away with using the molex adapters, but you should be using straight PCIe power connectors.

I would love to use the PCIE power connectors but I just dont know for sure exactly how to hook them up. I will be honest, I asked a few different people exactly how to do it. And asked on a couple different forums and I have got different answers.

Am I supposed to utilize both outputs on the Seasonic 700 Watt M12 Modular? I think Seasonic set it up so that you only use 1 wire per card but I just don't know for sure.

How many PCIE outputs does it take to run a 8800GTX? It looks like Seasonic set it up so that you use only 1 wire and output per card but is it even possible for 1 PCIE cable to sufficiently run a 8800GTX?

If anyone else here on these forums has a seasonic Modular and a 8800 card please tell me how you have yours connected.

There should be 2 separate PCIe power cables coming from your power supply, each going to a separate plug on the 8800GTX. You can probably get away with less, but it's not what's recommended.

 

[Hauk]

Use both PCI-E cables. Plug both into the psu. Plug one end from EACH cable into the GTX. Nothing's going to happen.

Just do it man! Balls to the wall baby.

 

[BlueAcolyte]

What do you think your computer is going to do when it is turned off, emit gamma rays or explode or something? You are probably making more risk and more clutter by using the molex adapters.

plug two PCIE cables into the PSU. Take one and plug it into one of the sockets on the card. Take the other and plug it in. Done!