PCI-E Connector on PSU?

[Ruhnie]

Big time noob question here. I haven't upgraded my system in 3 years, and am getting a mobo with PCI-E for the first time. I just read something about a PCI-E connector for the mobo. How do I know if my PSU has one? What am I looking for?

 

[jonnyGURU]

The motherboard doesn't use the connector. Only some video cards. You would want a power supply with a PCI-e connector on it if you had a video card with a PCI-e connector on it.

It's a 3x2 connector (6 pins) 3 12V and 3 ground.

http://www.motherboards.org/articles/guides/1487_4.html

 

[Ruhnie]

Hey thanks for the quick reply, nice site you linked too. I think I remember seeing a 6-pin connector, but I'll have to check. Man I hope I have one, I really don't want to buy another PSU just for PCI-E


*edit*

I just noticed that my vid card comes with this extension connector cord. Just at a glance, I'm thinking it's for PSUs w/o a dedicated PCI-E connector. Maybe I'm in luck afterall

 

[jonnyGURU]

Please don't use that adapter. If your power supply doesn't have a PCI-e connector, it may because it doesn't have enough juice on the 12V rail to support a PCI-e card.

 

[Ruhnie]

Originally posted by: jonnyGURU
Please don't use that adapter. If your power supply doesn't have a PCI-e connector, it may because it doesn't have enough juice on the 12V rail to support a PCI-e card.

It's an Antec Truepower 480W PSU. I thought that would be enough juice for me, but it may not have a PCI-E connector because it's 2-3 years old. How long have they been putting those on standard?

 

[jonnyGURU]

If it's an older True Power (w/o the PCI-e) and not the new TP II, it's going to have more of it's power on the 3.3V/5V rail instead of the 12V where it is on more current PSU's.

 

[Ruhnie]

Originally posted by: jonnyGURU
If it's an older True Power (w/o the PCI-e) and not the new TP II, it's going to have more of it's power on the 3.3V/5V rail instead of the 12V where it is on more current PSU's.

Yeah I'm reading through a PSU faq right now, amazing how little I knew about them. If it's the model I think it is (can't check I'm at work), then it may only have one 12V rail anyway. So it looks like I'll need to upgrade. I saw some new Antec PSUs with 3 12V rails. Even though I'm using a single-card solution now, I figure I might as well get something that might actually last me for awhile, and Antec has been good to me in the past. Thanks a ton for your help!