If you’re building a PC with an RTX 3090 graphics card, you might be wondering what power supply (PSU) you need. This article will explain the PSU requirements for the RTX 3090 GPU and recommend some good PSUs to pair with it.
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Here’s The PSU Requirements For RTX 3090 GPU
When choosing a power supply for your RTX 3090 graphics card, there are three things you need to keep in mind: the wattage, the number of PCIe cables, and the efficiency rating.
These are the main things the RTX 3090 graphics card needs from its power supply. Now, we’ll take a closer look at these requirements and choose some of the best power supply options for this graphics card.
What PSU Watts For RTX 3090 GPU?
According to Nvidia, this RTX 3090 GPU will consume 350W power under extreme load, and they recommend a 750W Power Supply for this GPU.
But you can’t just pick a power supply (PSU) with the wattage that Nvidia recommends because you might end up buying a PSU with the wrong wattage.
That’s why it’s important to figure out how much power all of your system components use and then estimate the total power consumption.
In order to do the proper estimation, we will pair this RTX 3090 GPU with all the high-end, mid-range, and budget-end components to determine what PSU wattage we need.
But before that, let’s take a look at the table below to see how much power each PC component consumes.
RTX 3090 GPU With High-End Components
If someone pairs the RTX 3090 GPU with a high-tier CPU and other high-end components, then the anticipated power consumption would be as follows:
| Components | Peak Power Consumptions |
| RTX 3090 GPU | 350W |
| Top-Tier Intel CPUs (e.g., Intel Core i9 13900K) | 253 watts |
| Top-Tier Ryzen CPUs (e.g., Ryzen 7 7950X) | 230 watts |
| 2 SSDs | 18 watts |
| 2 Hard Disk | 40 watts |
| Motherboard | 80 watts |
| 4 RAMs (16 GB) | 60 watts |
| 3 Case fans (120mm) | 18 watts |
| 2 CPU fans (liquid cooler-120mm) | 12 watts |
| Total= 831 watts with Intel CPUs Total= 808 watts with Ryzen CPUs |
If anyone pairs this RTX 3090 GPU with a top-tier Intel CPU (e.g., Intel Core i9 13900K) and other high-end components, then the estimated power consumption would go up to 831W, and for this kind of PC, we need to pick an 850W power supply.
However, if anyone pairs this RTX 3090 GPU with a top-tier Ryzen CPU (e.g., Ryzen 7 7950X) and other high-end components, then the estimated power consumption would go up to 808W, and for this kind of PC, we need to pick an 850W Power Supply.
RTX 3090 GPU With Mid-Range Components
If anyone pairs the RTX 3090 GPU with a mid-tier CPU and other mid-range components, then the anticipated power consumption would be as follows:
| Components | Peak Power Consumptions |
| RTX 3090 GPU | 350 watts |
| Mid-Tier Intel CPUs (e.g., Intel Core i5 13600K) | 181 watts |
| Mid- Tier Ryzen CPUs (e.g., Ryzen 7 7700X) | 142 watts |
| 1 SSD | 9 watts |
| 2 Hard Disk | 40 watts |
| Motherboard | 70 watts |
| 2 RAMs (16 GB) | 30 watts |
| 3 Case fans (120mm) | 18 watts |
| 1 CPU fan (120mm) | 6 watts |
| Total= 704 watts with Intel CPUs Total= 665 watts with Ryzen CPUs |
If you pair an RTX 3090 graphics card with a mid-tier Intel CPU (e.g., Intel Core i5 13600K) and other mid-range PC components, then the estimated power consumption will be 704 watts. You will need to choose a 750W power supply for this type of PC.
On the other hand, if you pair this RTX 3090 GPU with a mid-tier Ryzen CPU (e.g., Ryzen 7 7700X) and other mid-range PC components, then the estimated power consumption would go up to 665W, and for this kind of PC, you need to choose a 700W Power Supply.
RTX 3090 GPU With Budget-End Components
If anyone pairs the RTX 3090 GPU with a budget-tier CPU and other budget-range components, then the anticipated power consumption would be like this:
| Components | Peak Power Consumptions |
| RTX 3090 GPU | 350 watts |
| Budget-Level Intel CPUs (e.g., Intel Core i9 11900K) | 125 watts |
| Budget- Level Ryzen CPUs (e.g., Ryzen 5 3600X) | 88 watts |
| 1 SSD | 9 watts |
| 1 Hard Disk | 20 watts |
| Budget end Motherboard | 60 watts |
| 2 RAMs (8 GB) | 14 watts |
| 2 Case fans (120mm) | 12 watts |
| 1 CPU fan (120mm) | 6 watts |
| Total= 596 watts with Intel CPUs Total= 559 watts with Ryzen CPUs |
If you pair an RTX 3090 graphics card with a budget-tier Intel CPU and other budget-range PC components, then the estimated power consumption will be 596 watts, and for this kind of PC, you need to pick a 650W Power Supply.
However, if you pair this RTX 3090 GPU with a budget-tier Ryzen CPU (e.g., Ryzen 5 3600X) and other budget-range PC components, then the estimated power consumption would go up to 559W, and for this kind of PC, you should pick a 600W Power Supply.
PCIe Cables Required For RTX 3090 GPU
The RTX 3090 GPU is a powerful graphics card; therefore, you have to provide power to it via PCIe cables.
The number of PCIe cables you need for an RTX 3090 GPU depends on whether you buy the Founder’s Edition or a third-party model GPU.
Generally, third-party GPUs typically need more power than Founders Edition GPUs, so they require more PCIe cables.
If you buy the Founders Edition RTX 3090 GPU, then you’ll get an 8-pin PCIe to 12-pin PCIe adapter in the box. You’ll need two PCIe cables from your power supply to connect this adapter to the GPU.
On the other hand, if you purchase this RTX 3090 GPU from third-party manufacturers, then you also need two 8-pin PCIe cables from the Power Supply to run this GPU.
Most RTX 3090 GPUs need two 8-pin PCIe cables from the power supply, but it’s always best to check the GPU’s specifications before buying, you can also read this article to understand when your GPU requires one, two, or more PCIe cables.
PSU Efficiency Required For RTX 3090
The Power Supply efficiency is an important parameter that we need to check before buying a Power Supply.
A good Power Supply always comes with 80 plus certifications that indicate the energy efficiency of the PSU.
The 80 Plus PSU is categorized into different efficiency levels, including- 80 Plus White, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Titanium. You can read this article about- different PSU efficiency.
Among these different levels, the 80 Plus Bronze, Silver, and Gold offer excellent performance within the budget range.
So, if you’re planning to pair this RTX 3090 GPU with high-end or mid-range components, then opt for an 80-plus gold-rated Power Supply.
However, if you’re planning to pair this RTX 3090 GPU with all the budget range components, then opt for an 80-plus Bronze-rated Power Supply.
What PSU To Choose For This RTX 3090?
The type of power supply you should choose for this RTX 3090 GPU depends on whether you’re pairing this GPU with high-end, mid-range, or budget-end components.
Here, I’ve listed some power supply units (PSUs) that many PC builders commonly use with the RTX 3090 GPU-
Recomended PSU For RTX 3090 With High-End Component
The RTX 3090 GPU with all the high-end components requires an 850W Power Supply, and for this kind of system, most PC builders are using the Corsair RMx series Power Supply.
You can purchase the Corsair RMx series PSU in a variety of wattage options (ranging from 550W to 1000W), including the 850W version.
This is a fully modular PSU with superior Japanese capacitors and 80-plus gold certifications. Check out the price of this PSU on- Amazon.
Recomended PSU For RTX 3090 With Mid-Range Components
The RTX 3090 GPU, with all the mid-range components, requires a Power Supply between 700W and 750W. For this kind of system, most PC builders are using this Corsair RMx series PSU.
You can pick the Corsair RMx series PSU between 700W and 750W (based on your requirement) from the above link.
Recomended PSU For RTX 3090 With Budget-End Component
The RTX 3090 GPU, with all the budget-end components, requires a Power Supply between 600W and 650W. For this kind of system, most PC builders are using the Cooler Master Master Watt series PSU.
This is a modular Power Supply with a 120mm temperature control fan and has an 80 Plus bronze certification.
This PSU is also available at different wattage ranges between (550W to 750W), including the 600W & 650W versions. You can check the price of this PSU on Amazon.
Additional Tips
When overclocking your CPU or GPU, you should get a power supply with at least 100 watts more than your system’s estimated power consumption. This is because overclocking increases the power draw of your components, so you need a power supply that can handle the extra load.
For instance, If your system components consume 600 watts, then you should get a 700-watt power supply so you can overclock your PC.
FAQ’s:
Is 650W PSU Enough For 3090?
A 650W power supply is enough for an RTX 3090 graphics card when you pair this GPU with a budget-end CPU (such as Intel Core i9 11900K or Ryzen 5 3600X) and other budget-range components. Otherwise, you will need a more powerful power supply.
Is 750W PSU Enough For 3090?
A 750W power supply is enough for an RTX 3090 graphics card if you use a mid-range CPU (like Intel Core i5 13600K or Ryzen 7 7700X) and other mid-range components. But for a high-end CPU and top-tier components, you will need a more powerful power supply.
Is 850W PSU Enough For 3090?
An 850W power supply is enough for an RTX 3090 graphics card, even if you use a high-end CPU and other high-end components. But if you are building a mid-range or budget PC, then you can use a lower-wattage power supply, such as a 650W or 750W power supply.
