2x2 vs 2x4 CPU power connect

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Michael Daly

[H]ard|Gawd
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Jan 6, 2007
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I'm wondering about the use of a 2x4 CPU power connection (ATX2.2 PSU) when the CPU doesn't require the extra power.

My PSU has two 2x2 (split 2x4) plugs. The MB manual says to connect both parts (i.e. a 2x4 power plug) if I have a CPU that requires it (e.g. certain Pentium 4 power hogs). It says I can plug in a 2x2 if I don't (but it doesn't say not to plug it in as 2x4). I'm installing a C2D that only needs a single 2x2 connect.

Is there any risk to plugging the 2x4 into the MB even if I don't need it?

I figure that if I designed the board, I'd make it safe to do so, but I saw a forum elsewhere where someone claimed that connecting both would fry the CPU. It may seem silly, but I'd just as soon plug both 2x2s in and not have a 2x2 dangling.
 
If your board has the 8-pin Aux CPU rather than the 4-pin, you can use the 8-pin and you don't have to worry about frying your board or CPU. That's what it's designed for. You can also just use half of the 8-pin and that should work for most CPU/board combinations also.

What board are you talking about anyway?
 
Does your board actually have a 2x4 pin +12V AUX/CPU connector? Any discussion on this connector in the manual for the board?
 
Is there any risk to plugging the 2x4 into the MB even if I don't need it?
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If you are indeed plugging it into the correct place, no, absolutely no risk.

Keep in mind that if your cpu does not require the extra power, it will not draw it from the supply, you might loose 1/2 amp of power to power up the circuitry etc but , to repeat myself, if the cpu doesnt need more power, it will not be drawn out of the PSU.

Hook him up !!!
 
kirbyrj said:
What board are you talking about anyway?
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Gigabyte GA-965P-DQ6 with a C2D E6600.

kick said:
Any discussion on this connector in the manual for the board?
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As I paraphrased above, it only says you can use the 2x4 if required and that you can use a 2x2 otherwise.

Thanks all for the info. Since it apparently will suck up a teensy bit of power to plug in the unneeded power connector, I think I'll save the $0.17/year and leave it out after all.
 
? Plug it in if theres a spot, otherwise don't. I don't understand here, you can't plug it in if theres no place for it to be plugged in.
 
Holy Crap PLUG IT IN, those connectors provide nice clean power to the voltage regulator circuits for the CPU avoiding the long circuit board traces that run from the regular large power connector on the board. Its MUCH better to have the CPU pull it's power from the aux connector than through the motherboard main power connector.

Sorry I was not more clear before, my bad.

It will work if its not plugged in, it will work/overclock a HELL of a lot better if it is.
 
Yeah, I agree...if there's a lot to plug a power connector in, you might as well do it.
 
BillParrish said:
Its MUCH better to have the CPU pull it's power from the aux connector than through the motherboard main power connector.
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The issue is not whether or not to use the separate CPU power connector, it's whether to use the 2x2 connector alone (which is required for a C2D) or plug both 2x2s in as a 2x4 config (which is only required for the high-power Pentiums). Plugging the second half of the 2x4 is redundant; I just wondered if it would cause a problem as it is not required. I'd rather not leave a plug dangling, but I'd also not want to waste power if the second half isn't doing anything.
 
You can probably run it in 2x2 mode and never have a problem. But at the same time I don't think you'd actually be wasting power as it would likely draw less power from the original 2x2 plug.
 
Hi there, my question is in same line as this topic. However i wanna buy a gigabyte ga-h270m-ds3h motherboard (which has a 2x4 12v CPU Power connector ) and i also want to use a Pico-PSU (which only has a 2x2 12v CPU Power connector).

I see some adapter cables on the internet where you can go from 2x2 to 2x4. My question: would it be advisable to power all pins of the 2x4 cpu power connector on the mobo (meaning that i have to find an adapter cable somewhere) or would powering only half of it be sufficient... and what would i potentially miss then ? I wanna make use of a i7-7700, samsung 960 pro ssd and 4x16 gb ram .. and it will be passively cooled using heatpipes and a streacom fc5ws evo enclosure.

Thanks for any replies

Regards Koen (newbie here)
 
kdwykleingeld said:
Hi there, my question is in same line as this topic. However i wanna buy a gigabyte ga-h270m-ds3h motherboard (which has a 2x4 12v CPU Power connector ) and i also want to use a Pico-PSU (which only has a 2x2 12v CPU Power connector).

I see some adapter cables on the internet where you can go from 2x2 to 2x4. My question: would it be advisable to power all pins of the 2x4 cpu power connector on the mobo (meaning that i have to find an adapter cable somewhere) or would powering only half of it be sufficient... and what would i potentially miss then ? I wanna make use of a i7-7700, samsung 960 pro ssd and 4x16 gb ram .. and it will be passively cooled using heatpipes and a streacom fc5ws evo enclosure.

Thanks for any replies

Regards Koen (newbie here)
Click to expand...

Holy thread necro....

If you plan on running all that, you need way more than a Pico psu.
 
jmilcher said:
Holy thread necro....

If you plan on running all that, you need way more than a Pico psu.
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hi , i dont think so.. pico psu is 160 watt .. 93% efficiency ..

cpu is 65 watt max , mobo is 40 watt, ram is 15 watt and ssd 3 watt max ... the enclosure is passive cooling so does not take any power .. so must fit i guess ..
 
kdwykleingeld said:
Hi there, my question is in same line as this topic. However i wanna buy a gigabyte ga-h270m-ds3h motherboard (which has a 2x4 12v CPU Power connector ) and i also want to use a Pico-PSU (which only has a 2x2 12v CPU Power connector).

I see some adapter cables on the internet where you can go from 2x2 to 2x4. My question: would it be advisable to power all pins of the 2x4 cpu power connector on the mobo (meaning that i have to find an adapter cable somewhere) or would powering only half of it be sufficient... and what would i potentially miss then ? I wanna make use of a i7-7700, samsung 960 pro ssd and 4x16 gb ram .. and it will be passively cooled using heatpipes and a streacom fc5ws evo enclosure.

Thanks for any replies

Regards Koen (newbie here)
Click to expand...


I use PicoPSU with i7-6700, just use it as is, no adapters needed.


https://hardforum.com/threads/why-n...ve-motherboard.1919995/page-2#post-1042752113
 
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