The Nvidia GeForce GTX 980 Ti is an upmarket desktop graphics card with a TDP of 250 watts and 6GB of GDDR5 video memory. But when it comes to SLI, it requires a power supply minimum of 850 watts or greater.
In this article, you’ll know about the power supply for the 980 Ti SLI graphics card in detail.
1. Power Supply Wattage
Here, a power supply converts the alternating current into the direct current needed by the components inside your computer. You should notice the supported wattage while buying a power supply unit. In this case, you can consider two kinds of power supply wattage (PSW). Like an estimate of the highest quality and an estimate of the average quality. According to 980 Ti –
High-quality estimate
| Instruments | Peak Power Usage |
| GTX 980 Ti GPU | 250 watts |
| High-class CPU (for example core i7) | 240 watts |
| Motherboard | 80 watts |
| SSDs | 36 watts |
| 3 case fans | 18 watts |
| 2 CPU fans | 12 watts |
| Estimate sum: | 636 watts |
| Recommended PSW: | 800 watts |
Source: techreviewer
Average-quality estimate
| Instruments | Peak Power Usage |
| GTX 980 Ti GPU | 250 watts |
| Average-class CPU (for example core i5) | 150 watts |
| Motherboard | 80 watts |
| SSDs | 18 watts |
| 2 case fans | 12 watts |
| 2 CPU fans | 12 watts |
| Estimate sum: | 522 watts |
| Recommended PSW: | 650 watts |
Source: techreviewer
Adding a 100–150 watts buffer to your anticipated usage is often a smart idea. This buffer will offer you some leeway in the event of errors in judgment and will enable future additions of devices.
Most of the time, it is safer to ensure system stability by purchasing a little bit more wattage than you require. If you want to overclock your CPU or GPU, don’t forget to take the extra power into consideration. Depending on how much you overclock these devices, overclocking could demand an additional approximate 50–100 watts.
2. Power Efficiency Level
Higher-efficiency power supply units use less energy and generate less heat, which increases their dependability and lowers noise. By displaying a power supply’s efficiency rating, the 80-plus certification program aids in the promotion of energy efficiency. A higher initial cost may be associated with higher-efficiency power supplies. However, over time, they might enable you to spend less on power.
Conversely, power supply units with lower power output will use less energy even when they are not in use. This means that choosing the power supply unit with the proper wattage rather than the one with the highest 80-plus certification may allow you to save more on electricity overall. According to 980 Ti –
Power supply unit efficiency level
| Rating | 10% Load | 20% Load | 50% Load | 100% Load |
| 80-plus | 80% | 80% | 80% | |
| 80-plus titanium | 90% | 92% | 94% | 90% |
| 80-plus platinum | 90% | 92% | 89% |
Source: techreviewer
3. Power Cables
In terms of power supply, the cable is an important component. Here are the relatable factors including cables –
Cables
Many cables are typically included with the power supply to connect your components. On the other hand, additional, unneeded power cables might bother you by obstructing ventilation. In contrast, you can only attach the necessary cables to the modular and semi-modular power supply. Semi-modular power supply has some cables welded on and offers the opportunity to attach others.
Cable length
The majority of the power supply will have cables that are sufficiently long to handle medium-sized towers with ease. To make sure that the cables are long enough to allow for effective cable management, and you have a large tower, then you may wish to check proper documentation and reviews.
Cable connector
Verify that the power supply unit has the appropriate connectors to support the system hardware. By giving fewer options and shorter lengths, the less expensive option may reduce expenses on connectors and cables. To find out which connector types are required, you can see the user guide for your motherboard and graphics card.
If you wish to create a new arrangement, choose one well, recently produced power supply unit as it is likely to include the required connectors. However, you can encounter some conflicts if you use outdated parts or a power supply.
Suggested Power Supply for 980 Ti SLI
If you want to reduce the cost of your electricity bill or if you don’t anticipate using your computer frequently each day. In those circumstances, a power supply unit with a cheaper upfront cost but poorer efficiency would be a better option. A more efficient power supply unit, on the other hand, would be preferable if you have greater environmental concerns and want to maintain higher CPU or GPU utilization.
It will be wise to not exceed 150 watts beyond your anticipated power requirements. An appropriate power supply will reduce your electricity expenses because higher-wattage power supply units use more power even when they are not in use.
So, if you are interested in an average-quality estimate power supply (450-750 watts) then you may go for an 80-plus platinum-rated unit. For the high-quality (750-1000 watts), you can go for the 80-plus titanium-rated unit.
Here you want to use the 980 Ti 2-Way SLI, which means two 980 Ti graphics cards are setting together, then you should have at least 850 watts of power supply, in another word, use an 80-plus titanium-rated power supply.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What power supply do I need for 980 Ti?
You need to have a power supply of 450-750 watts for lower efficiency or 750-1000 watts for higher efficiency.
Does the GTX 980 Ti support SLI?
Yes, GTX 980 Ti graphics card supports SLI which is GTX 980 Ti 2-Way SLI. It is remarkable to the users, especially gamers, for its outstanding performance.
How much power does a 980 Ti use?
A single 980 Ti graphics card uses 250 watts of power supply on its own. But along with other components, it can be up to 650 watts to 800 watts.
How much power does SLI use?
In general, a scalable link interface aka SLI uses a power supply of at least 850 watts. A little bit better supply will be preferable.
Conclusion
If the 980 Ti is your primary interest, you can select a power supply system with an average estimate of 450 to 750 watts or a high estimate of 750 to 1000 watts. However, if you have a 980 Ti SLI, you must have at least 850 watts of power, which naturally gravitates toward a high-efficiency power supply.
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