MSI recently unveiled its latest X870 and X870E motherboard range at Gamescom 2024, which caught the attention of Cowcotland. The highlight of these motherboards is the inclusion of an 8-pin PCIe power connector at the bottom, raising questions about the need for such connectors in mainstream motherboards.
The addition of the 8-pin PCIe power connector on the MSI X870 and X870E motherboards is primarily to cater to the power demands of next generation Nvidia and AMD graphics cards. As reported by Cowcotland, these upcoming graphics cards are expected to consume substantial amounts of power, necessitating the need for additional power connectors on motherboards.
Traditionally, secondary power connectors were reserved for high-end or overclocking-focused motherboards to provide extra power to high-power graphics cards. However, the inclusion of these connectors on mainstream options like the MSI X870 and X870E motherboards indicates a shift towards accommodating higher power consumption in more affordable setups.
A standard PCIe x16 slot can deliver up to 75W of power, with an additional 150W from an 8-pin connector, resulting in a total of 225W from the motherboard alone. When factoring in up to 600W from a 12V-2×6 or 12VHPWR connector, the total power output could reach 800W or more, suitable for flagship tier graphics cards like an RTX 5090.
The rising power consumption and TDPs of flagship graphics cards, such as the RTX 4090 pulling up to 450W, indicate a trend towards higher power requirements for future GPUs. As manufacturers like Nvidia continue to push the boundaries of performance, motherboards with additional power connectors may become more prevalent to support these power-hungry components.
While MSI has taken a proactive approach by including 8-pin PCIe power connectors in their motherboard range, other manufacturers are yet to follow suit across their product lines. The decision to incorporate additional power connectors raises questions about the necessity of such headroom for next generation GPUs and the potential impact on motherboard design and functionality.
As the power consumption of flagship graphics cards continues to increase, the inclusion of 8-pin PCIe power connectors on motherboards like the MSI X870 and X870E signals a proactive response to the evolving needs of the gaming and enthusiast market. The industry will be closely watching to see if other manufacturers adopt similar strategies in anticipation of the next wave of high-powered GPUs.