Your PSU just arrived at your place and you are super excited to get started with the installation process.
The only problem is you are totally overwhelmed by the different cables that are provided with the PSU.
You are probably wondering:
Which PSU Cables Do I Need?
Generally, you will be provided with two main cables.
One of them is with 4 pins while the other is 8 pins.
You only need to use one of these according to your requirement.
The 8 pin cable also has the capability to split into two segments for backward compatibility.
Dont worry, its perfectly normal to be confused.
Do I Need To Use All PSU Cables?
No, there is absolutely no reason for you to be using all your PSU cables.
You are actually meant to be using only the cables that you need at a time with modular PSUs.
The non-modular PSUs dont give you any choice so you are stuck with using all cables.
If you are a beginner, heres a tip: dont build your first PC in a case.
Quickly check out our epic guide ondo modular PSUs come with cables.
This header should also include the connections for the power switch on your case.
Also, check out our separate post onGuide of Power Supply Units.
How Do I Know Which Power Supply Cables I Need?
Keep in mind that the specific requirements will still vary from one build to another.
One great thing about all computer power supply connectors is that they have a foolproof design.
What this means is that they only have the ability to be connected in a single direction.
This means that there is virtually no way to mess up here.
Also, check out our separate post onthe most RELIABLE PSU Tier list.
A tip I can give to beginners is to confirm that these cables are fully inserted.
The number of PCIe cables you will need will depend entirely on how many GPUs you have.
If you have just 1 GPU then you will need just 1 PCIe cable.
Some low-power GPUs might not even need a PCIe connector so you oughta check whether your system needs it.
Check out our separate post onwhy to use PSU shroud.
Is 500W PSU Enough?
Whether a 500 Watt PSU will work for you or not will depend on your build.
However, with modern NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30-series GPUs, you will start to see it struggle.
Youre probably staring at the screen making that confused face, wondering whats the point of a platinum certification.
For some light gaming, an 850W PSU will also work just fine.
FAQ
Does it matter what power cord I use for PSU?
Are all ATX PSU cables the same?
What is the difference between throw in 4 and throw in 3 PSU cables?
All other cables like the SATA and PCIe are exactly the same.
