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Do I need a new PSU for RDNA 3?

A PSU is a core part of your build, powering the whole system do you need to change it for the new AMD cards

Updated: Nov 23, 2022 3:05 pm
Do I need a new PSU for RDNA 3?

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AMD’s graphics cards use RDNA as its underlying architecture. Shaders and graphics are all included, along with the design of the compute units and cache. But will you need a new PSU for the new generation?

RDNA 3 has a lot of power for a relatively tiny amount of electricity because AMD emphasizes performance-per-watt. To make sure everything runs smoothly, you still need a reliable PSU. Although AMD’s RDNA 3 is a potent GPU, surprisingly they don’t require a lot of power.

The RX 7900 XTX’s TBP is 355 watts, which is around 100W less than Nvidia’s RTX 4090. Whilst the RX 7900 XT has a power of 300 W.

So a 750W PSU will be the absolute minimum need for the RDNA 3’s top end. Whilst an 800W supply is recommended for the flagship.

RX 7900 XT power consumption

Choosing an 850 W PSU provides you with a little more breathing room and is safer. If you’re putting together a powerful setup, choosing a 900W to 1,000W PSU is a good idea because AMD’s partners may require even more than that.

Pick up a powerful PSU that helps you future-proof. The base RDNA 3 doesn’t require it at all, but some of AMD’s partners might ask you to use a power supply with a comparable wattage. Whatever the case, it’s probably unnecessary, though high-end PC setups might find it useful.

For its newest graphics card, AMD is adopting two 8-pin connectors. Specific models, particularly those created by AMD’s board partners, may employ three connections.

It’s still good news for you as you won’t have to experiment with cutting-edge technologies to get something as important as a steady flow of electricity.

You can never be certain of the future upgrades you’ll receive. Overclocking your GPU, CPU, or perhaps both increases the load on your power supply. You can use a computer more efficiently with reliable electricity.

Spending more on a PSU is preferable to regretting it later if something goes wrong. Therefore, there’s no need to go for a solution that would be completely unnecessary. The ideal strategy is to total the possible power consumption of your components and then add a little additional space on top of that.


With a background in engineering and PC gaming, Seb is a staff writer with a focus on GPU, storage, and power supplies. Also one of tech supports in the office he likes helping and solving problems.

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