What PSU do you need for the RTX 3060?
With a 120 W CPU such as the Ryzen 7 9800X3D: 550 W is the safe choice.
With a 65 W CPU, 550 W. With a 253 W CPU, 650 W.
Measured card power, not rated power: 181 W average while gaming, 198 W highest 20 ms spike.
Is my power supply enough? 450–1600 W
Each cell is the sustained gaming load as a share of the label. ✓ Safe: the load fits, the card's measured spikes stay under the label, and the size meets the higher published recommendation (550 W). ✗: not recommended — the steady load is over 80% of the label, a spike passes the label, or the size is below 550 W.
| PSU | 65 W CPU e.g. Ryzen 7 9700X | 120 W CPU e.g. Ryzen 7 9800X3D | 253 W CPU e.g. Core i7-13700K |
|---|---|---|---|
| 450 W | ✗ 71% | ✗ 84% | ✗ 113% |
| 550 W | ✓ Safe 58% | ✓ Safe 68% | ✗ 93% |
| 650 W | ✓ Safe 49% | ✓ Safe 58% | ✓ Safe 78% |
| 750 W | ✓ Safe 43% | ✓ Safe 50% | ✓ Safe 68% |
| 850 W | ✓ Safe 38% | ✓ Safe 44% | ✓ Safe 60% |
| 1000 W | ✓ Safe 32% | ✓ Safe 38% | ✓ Safe 51% |
| 1200 W | ✓ Safe 27% | ✓ Safe 31% | ✓ Safe 42% |
| 1600 W | ✓ Safe 20% | ✓ Safe 24% | ✓ Safe 32% |
Sustained load = card's measured gaming draw + CPU at its TDP (Intel 12th gen and later: maximum turbo power; games usually draw less, so this errs high) + 75 W for board, memory, drives and fans: 65 W CPU 321 W · 120 W CPU 376 W · 253 W CPU 509 W.
Measured power draw
| Gaming average | 181 W |
|---|---|
| Highest 20 ms spike | 198 W |
| Rated board power | 170 W (NVIDIA) |
| Card measured | EVGA GeForce RTX 3060 XC (board-partner model; other models of this GPU can draw somewhat more or less) |
Measurements are from TechPowerUp's review of this card, which records card-only power with dedicated equipment. TechPowerUp's test method has changed over the years, and newer test runs of the same card can read higher — one more reason the safe choice never goes below the published recommendations.
Why PSU recommendations disagree
- NVIDIA: 550 W (spec page). The maker's figure has to cover any CPU and any power supply.
- TechPowerUp: 550 W minimum, sized from the card's measured draw.
- Most online calculators add up rated power (TDP) for every part and then add a margin. Rated power is not what a card or CPU actually draws in games, which is why their answers can differ by 100 W or more.
- This page: the safe choice never goes below 550 W, the higher of the published figures. See the methodology.
Connectors
A single 8-pin (or 6+2-pin) PCIe connector is typical; some low-power models draw everything from the slot. Almost any modern PSU qualifies.
When to step up a size
Overclocking, a factory-overclocked card, more than four drives or a lot of fans and RGB each add tens of watts. If two or more apply, take the next size up. Check your exact card's spec sheet too — some board partners list a higher minimum.
Try your exact CPU in the PSU calculator · Best CPU for the RTX 3060