As graphics card power consumption continues to increase, Intel has established new power supply standards: ATX 3.0 and ATX 3.1. These standards are mainly designed to meet the high power demands of high-end graphics cards ATX 3.1 is an upgrade from ATX 3.0, focusing on improving power stability and safety.
ATX 3.0 is a new power supply standard introduced by Intel in 2022, primarily to accommodate high-wattage graphics cards. It also introduces the PCIe 5.0 12VHPWR power connector. The first graphics card to implement the 12VHPWR connector was the RTX 3090 Ti.
Supports 12VHPWR power connector (16-pin).
A single cable can deliver up to 600W, suitable for high-end graphics cards.
Replaces multiple 8-pin power cables, reducing cable clutter.
Can handle up to 200% transient power spikes, ensuring system stability.
With the launch of the RTX 40 series, flagship graphics cards like the RTX 4090 and RTX 4080 adopted the latest 12VHPWR power connector. However, soon after release, many users reported that the power connector was overheating and even melting, leading consumers and review media to question the reliability of the 12VHPWR connector.
Although NVIDIA stated that the overheating issue was primarily due to users not fully inserting the connector, many gamers still believe it was caused by poor design of the 12VHPWR connector.
↑Graphics card damaged due to overheating connector (Image from reddit, r/nvidia)
ATX 3.1 is an improved version of ATX 3.0 introduced by Intel, mainly aimed at addressing the overheating and melting issues caused by the 12VHPWR power cable connector.
ATX 3.1 improves upon the 12VHPWR power cable connector by adjusting the pin length to ensure a secure connection. This not only improves safety but also prevents damage due to poor contact when inserting or removing the graphics card. Additionally, the connector has been renamed to 12V-2x6.
ATX 3.1 adjusts the power hold-up time requirements. At full load, it only needs to maintain 12ms, but at 80% load, it must still maintain 17ms, improving overall stability.
The connectors for ATX 3.0 and ATX 3.1 look identical, meaning users cannot distinguish them by appearance alone. Currently, the only way to differentiate them is by checking the product specifications.
darkFlash has launched the PMT series power supply, which adopts the latest ATX 3.1 standard and includes the 12V-2x6 power connector. This ensures stable and safe power delivery of up to 600W while avoiding the melting issues of ATX 3.0 connectors.
For those using RTX 40 and RTX 50 series graphics cards, the PMT series power supply is one of the most reliable choices.
↑PMT power supply 12V-2x6 cable and connector
(Image from forum.gamer.com.tw)
