Two CPU power connectors?

Ominaeo

Junior Member
Oct 5, 2011
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Dilemma: The motherboard I'm getting (wanting to get) has two eight pin CPU connectors. The power supply I'm getting (wanting to get) has only one eight pin CPU power connector.

My question is broken down thusly:

A. Do I need to have both of those slots filled?
B. What advantages/disadvantages are there to having/not having both slots filled?
C. Is there any possible way to adapt from an eight pin PCI-e connector to fulfill the second CPU power connector requirement?

Keep in mind, I'm getting a 2600k and I plan on taking it to at least 4.5...but maybe/probably not much further than that (water cooling). The PSU will be a Corsair 850 watt.

Thank you so much for your time/knowledge.
 

theAnimal

Diamond Member
Mar 18, 2003
3,828
23
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A. The 2nd connector is probably only really needed for extreme OCing.
B. Same.
C. I'm sure you could get an adapter, (probably dual 4 pin Molex to 8pin CPU).

My recommendation would be to get an XFX 850W XXX Edition PSU which comes with 2 8pin CPU connectors. (I got the 850W Black Edition XFX due to the fact it has those connectors which I need because I have 2 CPUs.)
 

Ominaeo

Junior Member
Oct 5, 2011
20
0
0
A. The 2nd connector is probably only really needed for extreme OCing.
B. Same.
C. I'm sure you could get an adapter, (probably dual 4 pin Molex to 8pin CPU).

My recommendation would be to get an XFX 850W XXX Edition PSU which comes with 2 8pin CPU connectors. (I got the 850W Black Edition XFX due to the fact it has those connectors which I need because I have 2 CPUs.)

Does the second connector help to stabilize the voltage at all, or keep the processor from spazzing out? Also, have any idea where I could find that adapter you speak of?

As for the XFX PSU...I have a really big case. From what I've read, the connectors on that particular unit are relatively short. One of the reasons I was going with Corsair was because of the long runs.
 

BarkingGhostar

Diamond Member
Nov 20, 2009
8,410
1,617
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About 15 months ago I bought a Gigabyte mobo for a new PC for the wife. I put in it a 1st gen i3 processor, and the manual for the mobo said I only needed the 4-pin PSU connector if I were running an extreme processor. I wasn't and not even OC'ing. Yet, the system wouldn't even POST without that additional connector connected.
 

VirtualLarry

No Lifer
Aug 25, 2001
56,570
10,205
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About 15 months ago I bought a Gigabyte mobo for a new PC for the wife. I put in it a 1st gen i3 processor, and the manual for the mobo said I only needed the 4-pin PSU connector if I were running an extreme processor. I wasn't and not even OC'ing. Yet, the system wouldn't even POST without that additional connector connected.

The ATX12V connector is not optional. What is generally optional, is if the mobo has an 8-pin socket, and you only have a 4-pin ATX12V coming off of your power supply, then you don't need all 8 pins, you only need to plug into half of that.