With a new graphics card, you may be in the market for a new power supply to match it
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We were more than excited to see the release of the RTX 4000 series cards – expecting plenty of power required for the high-end options, but what is the best PSU for RTX 4080? We can start off by suggesting either the MSI MPG A850G PCIE5 or ROG LOKI SFX-L 850W to support your 4080. As always, we’ll keep this guide updated to reflect the current market and best picks. We’re definitely looking around the 850W mark as a suitable range for the RTX 4080, though the minimum recommended is 750W for many models of the GPU.
Although the launch of the cards came with some scrutiny – both in terms of the cost of the first cards launched being sky-high and concerns over the power usage. Even if the initial rumors suggested they were higher, the release has shown it to be not too far off the last gen. Now with the new generation of cards, Nvidia is also using the new 12VHPWR connector. However, the early adoption of the ATX 3.0 specification has not come with ease. With plenty of the connectors burning up on the 4090. However, that issue was found to be not fully connected cables so down to user error. So with that, let’s get a closer look at what power supply for the RTX 4080 best suits you.
Whilst the RTX 4090 was the first to come, the RTX 4080 came out just a couple of months after, cementing its place as one of the best graphics cards. That means it does require a decent amount of power to run smoothly and optimally. We’ve of course taken that into account, so let’s jump straight into our suggestions and talk more about them.
Wattage
850 W
80 Plus certification
Gold
Modularity
Fully modular
ATX 3.0
Yes
For the best choice for your new RTX 4080, you can pick up the MSI MPG A850G PCIe 5. It is a great pick for native support of the new ATX 3.0 connector. Giving you freedom over what cables you can be using. It is rated 80 Plus Gold to provide some good efficiency in converting energy for what your system needs. It saves you a good bit of money when it comes to running it. Along with the standard protections to stop any systems from burning up or doing what they shouldn’t.
The PSU is fully modular as well with its 12VHPWR. Meaning it’s a good choice for keeping down your cable count. Especially as the numbers have increased over the years, the new spec really cuts it down. It also has a quiet mode to keep the noise down whilst working away at the bottom of your PC.
Wattage
850
80 Plus certification
Platinum
Modularity
Fully modular
ATX 3.0
Yes
Another compact pick is the ROG Loki SFX-L 850W Platinum. It also is PCIe Gen 5 ready with native 12VHPWR support to enable better cabling work inside of your case as well as with its fully modular build. Although ASUS ROG is a more premium choice of manufacturer. So you do pay a bit more premium on the products, but they come with some good quality. It still makes it a popular choice with an array of products that will work well together as well.
It has great efficiency as well. Both 80 Plus Platinum and Lamda A certifications from Cybenetics. This means you can be sure that running it will save you plenty in the long run as its efficiency is one of the best available. Cooling is great on it, with heatsinks and well-built and thought-out options. It also has a zero-decibel fan to keep running silently and stay out of the way.
Wattage
850W
80 Plus certification
Gold
Modularity
Fully Modular
Another more simple pick for a PSU for your RTX 4080 is the Corsair RM850x. It is a tried and tested popular choice of power for builds. So you know it’s a safe choice that can offer a great pick, especially with Corsairs 12VHPWR solution. It is 80 Plus Gold rated so it is a fairly standard choice, but does mean it can offer a cheaper selection since it’s not the latest specification. So you might miss out on some of the newer options but it can still get the job done.
Along with being fully modular, it does give some good cable management across the board. This means the complete look can be simple and organized. Even if you do have to use the adapter instead.
Looking for the right product can be quite a daunting task when you’re not sure what you’re looking for. So that’s why sometimes it’s best to get another more informed opinion. And so we offer some expertise on the subject. We’ve had years of experience and knowledge of the market. So we know what to look out for between the different options offered by power supplies. With previously accumulated knowledge we can evaluate the options.
As well as looking over the offered reviews of options there is a lot to go off. Making sure that the PSU can handle the workload it is put under and how well the manufacturer’s track record is.
Unhindered performance with a great cooling solution
Cutout cooler design allows unblocked airflow for optimal cooling
Overclocked card offers the best performance at this tier
One of the biggest cards to accomodate the cooling solution may not fit many cases
A popular card it is harder to find and usually more expensive than the other options
Excellent cooling solution to keep temperatures down
Overclo cked option allows for top tier performance
A more premium choice of card that will cost more than the rest of the selection
Now there are some key features of a power supply that will influence what the best choice is for you. So when it comes to the best PSU for RTX 4080 here are some of the main factors to consider.
One of the main considerations for this generation of power supplies is if you want a native cable for your GPU. This would save you from having to use the dreaded adapter, which has been seen to fail. And instead, you get a straight connection of the 12VHPWR connector. However, this does come at a higher cost. Newer technology is still not too common and so the limited options aren’t cheap to buy. So it can be a consideration for you. Especially if you don’t mind using the octopus of an adapter the cards come with.
Another difference to consider than when looking for the best power supply for the RTX 4090 is the wattage. The cards will have different requirements so you don’t need to spend as much on unnecessary. Wattage or power rating is how much energy the PSU can supply. This is to power your entire system and so you have to consider the entire build. Although GPU is one of the biggest contributors, CPU and other components need a supply too.
The RTX 4080 has a TBP (total board power) of 320 W. Nvidia recommends a 750 W PSU when paired with a Ryzen 9 5900 X. Although that may be higher if you consider a newer CPU. Other custom models will have different recommendations. Such as the MSI Suprim suggests a total of 850 W for your build. So there’s an option for a safety net and buffer if you need it. Which can be good for any spikes that may occur during use.
Cables are not fun to deal with in a build. Especially if you’re case is on the smaller side it can be hard to fit it nicely in when doing any management. So one factor to help minimize any stress is modularity. Modularity refers to whether the cables are replaceable and if you need to have all of them coming out or save on some unnecessary mess. There are options for fully modular (most common), semi-modular, or not modular.
These differ by how many cables come attached. So not modular would mean all the cables come preinstalled without the ability to change or remove them. So would have to fulfill your need for connections and take up a lot more space. Although this type tends to be limited to budget options and lower wattages. Then there is semi-modular which offers a choice for peripherals and VGA but tends to have the ATX 24-pin and CPU 8 pins attached. Whilst modular you can choose any cables so you can save plenty of space and only use what you need.
Another standard for power supplies is the efficiency rating. This is how much of the energy supplied is actually converted to useful energy for your PC. As wall power is given in AC but your system needs DC and there is inefficiency in the conversion given off as heat. So there are ratings to tell you how much is actually converted.
This standard is historically rated by the 80 Plus company and these efficiencies can be used to compare across the different options. With the Gold option being the most common. And from the table below you can see how those relate to the efficiencies. So if you want to save the most money on electricity a higher rating is a good consideration.
The RTX 4080 has a total board power of 320 W. It’s a fairly significant amount but not any higher than the previous generation but you still need to consider what you’re pairing it with.
Nvidia recommends using a 750 W power supply for the RTX 4080. That’s when its paired with the 5900 X so if you’ve got something more powerful you may need to up that number. Which is the case for some custom models of the 4080 as they suggest using at least 850 W.
750 W is enough for a 4080 as that is the recommended power supply rating recommended by Nvidia.
Strictly speaking, you don’t need an ATX 3.0 power supply for the 4080. As the graphics card should come with an adapter for the 12VHPWR connector. Allowing you to use it with older PCIe connectors. However, an ATX 3.0 PSU will alleviate the need for the octopus connector and messy cables.
The RTX 4080 is a big card, so connectors can be a good consideration when it comes to installation and management. But there is a lot to choose from whether it’s native support for the new connector or not. There are multiple factors to consider depending on what you need. There is a range in pricing depending on your budget. As well as how much you want to then save on the electricity to run it.
Altogether, the most important things tend to be safety and efficiency. So it’s best to avoid the cheapest options you can find as those bring some danger with the unknown with them, and so always choose something reliable.
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