What PSU do you need for the RTX 3080?
With a 120 W CPU such as the Ryzen 7 9800X3D: 750 W is the safe choice.
With a 65 W CPU, 750 W. With a 253 W CPU, 850 W.
Measured card power, not rated power: 336 W average while gaming, 422 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 (750 W). ✗: not recommended — the steady load is over 80% of the label, a spike passes the label, or the size is below 750 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 | ✗ 106% | ✗ 118% | ✗ 148% |
| 550 W | ✗ 87% | ✗ 97% | ✗ 121% |
| 650 W | ✗ 73% | ✗ 82% | ✗ 102% |
| 750 W | ✓ Safe 63% | ✓ Safe 71% | ✗ 89% |
| 850 W | ✓ Safe 56% | ✓ Safe 62% | ✓ Safe 78% |
| 1000 W | ✓ Safe 48% | ✓ Safe 53% | ✓ Safe 66% |
| 1200 W | ✓ Safe 40% | ✓ Safe 44% | ✓ Safe 55% |
| 1600 W | ✓ Safe 30% | ✓ Safe 33% | ✓ Safe 42% |
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 476 W · 120 W CPU 531 W · 253 W CPU 664 W.
Measured power draw
| Gaming average | 336 W |
|---|---|
| Highest 20 ms spike | 422 W |
| Rated board power | 320 W (NVIDIA) |
| Card measured | RTX 3080 10 GB |
Measurements are from TechPowerUp's 2023 re-test of this card (charted in its RTX 4060 review), 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: 750 W (spec page). The maker's figure has to cover any CPU and any power supply.
- TechPowerUp: 700 W minimum in its original review of this card, before the 2023 re-test measured higher spikes.
- 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 750 W, the higher of the published figures. See the methodology.
Connectors
Cards in this power class use the 12V-2x6 (12VHPWR) connector or three 8-pin PCIe connectors depending on the board partner. If yours has the 16-pin connector, a power supply with a native 12V-2x6 cable avoids adapters.
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 3080