Best PSU for RTX 3080

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Nvidia is making a massive leap in performance with its Ampere GPU architecture that powers the newly released 3000 series of graphics cards, including the RTX 3080. Multiple design and technical improvements were made over the 2080 GPUs, especially to the Ray Tracing (RT) and Tensor cores, but the most substantial boost is seen in the rasterization engine. To make sure we can take advantage of all these features, we need to look for the best PSU for Nvidia RTX 3080 graphics cards.

In comparison to its predecessor, RTX 2080, the GeForce RTX 3080 comes with almost triple the number of CUDA cores, from 2,944 to 8,704, 10GB of GDDR6 memory, and a massive throughput of 30 teraflops (up from 10). No wonder Nvidia is confident enough to promise twice the performance. But all of this raw power comes at a cost: higher PSU requirements.

For the most common computer setups operating with an RTX 3080 GPU, Nvidia recommends at least a 750W power supply. Certain systems will require even more. For example, a system using an AMD Ryzen 9/ Intel Core I9, or Threadripper CPU will require at least an 850-power supply. According to Nvidia, the graphic card alone needs 320W of power. This pushes a lot of current systems to the limit, so let’s review ten of the best PSUs for the RTX 3080.

Best PSUs for RTX 3080

The PSU is as important as any other computer part. It powers all the components and if it’s not up to the task, it can burn out, damage your PC, or worse. Investing in high-quality, efficient PSUs is recommended. With enough power to meet your computer’s demands, the system will be stable and you won’t have to worry about hardware failures. PSUs vary in wattage as well as efficiency. For example, a lower wattage 80+ Platinum power source is usually better than a higher wattage 80+ Bronze power source.

For the RTX 3080, Nvidia recommends a 750W power source at a minimum, however, this is just a recommendation that depends on several factors. The most important one is that Nvidia’s recommendations are based on its own Founders Edition GPU and they aren’t necessarily valid for all the third-party versions that will come out. The same card from MSI or Asus might have different specs and requirements based on their overclocking settings and cooling systems.

With that in mind, if your current system runs on a 650W PSU, you might be able to stay within the GPU’s requirements, depending on the rest of your hardware. But if your PSU is old and with less than 650W, you should check out the following options.  

1. Corsair RM750X

Specifications

Form factor: ATX | Capacity: 750W | Efficiency rating: 80 Plus Gold | Modularity: Full | Warranty: 10 years

Key Features

  • Low noise cooling fan operation
  • 100% premium Japanese 105°C capacitors
  • Tidy connections with fully modular cables
  • 160-mm long casing ensuring a tight fit in most computer cases

Corsair is famous for high-quality, durable, and efficient PSUs, and the RM750X is no different. Being a 750W power supply, it’s in a sweet spot category where you get the amount of power and efficiency, you’re looking for without breaking the bank.

The RM750X is rated with an 80 Plus Gold efficiency rating and an ETA-A efficiency level certification. Its noise output is rated with a LAMBDA-A+ certification, meaning that this PSU outputs only around 15dB of noise. This makes the RM750X one of the quietest options on the list.

Corsair also addressed the size of this model by reducing its length to 160mm, making it easily compatible with small PC cases. A large heatsink isn’t needed because its high efficiency also translates to smaller temperatures. Active cooling is handled by a silent 135mm fan that keeps noise at a minimum even when operating at full load.

But no PSU is worthy of an RTX 3080 GPU without a full set of protection features. Fortunately, Corsair equipped this PSU with everything necessary to keep your system safe. The safeguards include over and under-voltage protection, overpower protection, over-temperature protection, as well as short circuit, and surge protection. And in the event something goes wrong, the RM750X comes under a 10-year warranty.

To set everything up, this fully modular power supply comes with four PCIe connectors and two EPS connectors. Corsair also included several peripheral connectors, including eight four-pin Molex connectors.

2. Asus ROG Thor 850W

Specifications

Form factor: ATX | Capacity: 850W | Efficiency rating: 80 Plus Platinum | Modularity: Full | Warranty: 10 years

Key Features

  • Integrated OLED panel displaying power draw in real-time
  • ASUS Aura Sync lighting system
  • 135-mm wing-blade fan with 0dB fan mode switch
  • Integrated ROG heatsinks
  • Sleeved cables

Normally we’re used to thinking about Asus when we look for good-quality motherboards, GPUs, or Laptops, but recently they started getting into the premium PSU market as well. The Asus ROG Thor 850W platinum-rated power supply is a solid, high-performing option for an RTX 3080 setup, but it comes with a premium price tag attached.

This PSU is an excellent choice for any PC user who appreciates top performance and efficiency, but it comes with a few extras you don’t normally find on other power supplies. The first feature that makes it stand out is the integrated OLED screen that displays your machine’s power usage in real-time. In addition, it also includes the Aura Sync RGB lighting system, allowing the user to synchronize all the other components that benefit from this feature.

Looks and performance aside, its efficient design also extends to the cooling fan. Thor’s fan has a 0dB quiet mode that you can activate using a switch at the back, next to the on/off button. The fan will start spinning only when high temperatures are reached. With its efficient heatsinks, the power supply should remain quiet without reaching hot temperatures unless you’re running something demanding. But even then, this PSU is rated with a LAMBDA-A+ certification, so it runs silently at around 15dB.

Furthermore, Thor is entirely modular and you can connect only the cables you need. As an added benefit, the cables are sleeved for added protection. 

3. Thermaltake Toughpower GF1 750W

Specifications

Form factor: ATX | Capacity: 750W | Efficiency rating: 80 Plus Gold | Modularity: Full | Warranty: 10 years

Key Features

  • Easy cable management with modular low-profile flat cables
  • Smart Zero Fan with 0dB fan mode switch
  • 140 mm silent hydraulic bearing fan
  • Zero Cable Platform for higher output power and heat dissipation
  • Single +12V rail design for high amperage

Although the Toughpower GF1 also comes with an 850W variant, this middle-of-the-road option rated with an 80 Plus Gold efficiency rating should be sufficient for most systems running the RTX 3080.

The GF1 is particularly great for anyone who focuses on building a neat system with minimalistic cable management. The PSU comes with all the cables needed to set up a modern system without wasting any space and they’re much thinner than the regular cables we’re used to seeing. Furthermore, the back panel was designed specifically for this power supply, meaning that there are as many ports to match the sleek cabling that’s included in the package.

There are no bells and whistles to make the GF1 shine, no RGB, no OLED panel, just an efficient power supply ready for business. However, it does distinguish itself from many other PSUs by having a “Smart Zero Fan” switch. This feature will enable the fan only when the power supply reaches a 30% load.

What distinguishes the Toughpower GF1 in its price category is the overall quality of its components, efficiency, and low ripple scores. While it’s rated as 80 Plus Gold, this PSU pushes into Platinum efficiency territory, but not quite enough to get the certification. However, its ripple noise is under 30mV, which is far from posing any problems. Having such a low voltage variation adds to the level of performance and reliability of this affordable power supply.

4. EVGA SuperNova 850 P2

Specifications

Form factor: ATX | Capacity: 850W | Efficiency rating: 80 Plus Platinum | Modularity: Full | Warranty: 10 years

Key Features

  • Single +12V rail design for high amperage
  • LLC resonant circuit layout for higher efficiency
  • Fully modular to reduce cable clutter
  • Double ball-bearing fan
  • Eco mode fan switch

This high-end PSU was designed for systems using two graphic cards and it was often used in builds running with two GTX 980 TIs. This means it could spare around 500W just for the graphic cards without a problem, so it should be more than enough to power one RTX 3080 together with a beefy CPU.

The SuperNoval P2 features a semi-passive fan control switch, called “ECO mode”, that when turned on will only power the fan when the power supply reaches 45°C. When running light to moderate processes you will have nothing but silence.

EVGA also supplies us with plenty of cabling, including two EPS connectors, six PCIe connectors, and ten SATA and Molex connectors. However, only four of the six PCIe connectors have 6+2 pins, while the other two are 6-pin connectors, so bear that in mind.

All in all, this platinum power supply is a premium piece of hardware that should satisfy even the most powerful builds, but keep an eye on the price tag.

5. GAMEMAX RGB750-Rainbow

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Specifications

Form factor: ATX | Capacity: 750W | Efficiency rating: 80 Plus Gold | Modularity: Full | Warranty: 5 years

Key Features

  • High-end SECC casing
  • 140mm low-noise RGB cooling fan
  • Honeycomb case design for maximum heat dissipation
  • Single +12V rail design for high amperage
  • Low ripple noise
  • Multiple ARGB and RGB lighting modes

Designed with a mix of value and performance in mind, this PSU gets the job done and nothing more. It’s a high-efficiency Gold-rated power supply capable of handling a high-end GPU like the RTX 3080. Its modular design unlocks a variety of options and the provided cables are at a minimum of 500mm in length, so we shouldn’t have problems with a bottom PSU PC build.

Its ventilation system is simple, providing proper cooling by relying on a honeycomb case design with an intelligent 140mm low noise fan, but it doesn’t come equipped with a 0dB fan switch. It also comes equipped with multiple RGB lighting modes that can be programmed or turned off if looking for a non-RGB build.

The RGB-750 is a solid choice that won’t break the bank and it has all the electrical protections we all search for in a good power supply. The biggest downside is that it comes with a 5-year warranty when most PSUs these days are backed up by a 10-year warranty.

6. Seasonic Focus Plus 750 Gold

Specifications

Form factor: ATX | Capacity: 750W | Efficiency rating: 80 Plus Gold | Modularity: Full | Warranty: 10 years

Key Features

  • Cable-free connection design
  • Three-stage silent fan control
  • Compact design with only 140mm in length
  • Multi-GPU capable
  • Connectors plated with gold

This power supply is small, modular, and rated with a Gold efficiency rating, making it difficult to resist. Seasonic’s Focus Plus brings a lot of power and efficiency in a small box. With its compact design, measuring 140mm in length, we don’t need to sacrifice any space in our PC case, thus having better ventilation. However, the downside is having a smaller 120mm fan that will be somewhat noisy when working under full load.

What makes this PSU more special is that Seasonic also included its patented three-phased ventilation control system to offer us as much silence as possible without leading to high temperatures. This system involves three cooling stages. Under 30% load, the PSU operates in fanless mode, relying on passive cooling alone. The fan will then activate itself in silent mode until reaching roughly 50% load. Finally, as the load increases from 50% onwards, the fan speed increases gradually to ensure optimal temperature. This intelligent cooling system can be controlled through the button found next to the PSU’s power switch. Without pressing it, the power supply will use all three modes of operations, but when pressed the fan will always be turned on. If you want to use fanless mode, don’t press the button.

The package comes with two EPS and four PCIe connectors, so we can use a premium motherboard together with a high-end GPU like the RTX 3080. The cables are also long enough for larger cases so cable management shouldn’t be a concern.

7. EVGA SuperNova 750 GA

Specifications

Form factor: ATX | Capacity: 750W | Efficiency rating: 80 Plus Gold | Modularity: Full | Warranty: 10 years

Key Features

  • Compact size with 150mm in length
  • LLC resonant circuit layout for higher efficiency
  • Double ball-bearing fan
  • Eco mode fan switch

Being a recent addition to the EVGA line of PSUs, the SuperNova 750 GA is a compact, fully modular, Gold-certified PSU with 90% efficiency under a normal load. That being said, it’s certainly capable of powering a system equipped with an RTX 3080, as long as it’s not pushed to the limit with a Threadripper CPU.

The GA edition manages to be compact with only 150mm in length without sacrificing the size of the fan, which is 135mm. In addition, the power supply includes an eco-mode on/off switch that will power the fan only when the load reaches 40% capacity.

The package includes fully modular cables, including 3 PCIe pin connectors (6+2), two EPS connectors, 6 SATA connectors, and 4 Molex connectors, making this PSU Nvidia SLI and AMD Crossfire ready, but that wouldn’t be advisable with a couple of 3080s.

8. NZXT C750

Specifications

Form factor: ATX | Capacity: 750W | Efficiency rating: 80 Plus Gold | Modularity: Full | Warranty: 10 years

Key Features

  • Entirely modular with sleeved main cables
  • Compact size with 150mm-long casing
  • Zero noise fan mode cooling switch
  • Monitoring software included

The C750 is a compact but powerful PSU that’s recommended for RTX 3080 builds that are powered by i7/Ryzen 7 CPUs. Anything beyond that might push the power supply too hard during highly demanding tasks and games.

While we can’t say anything bad about its power output and efficiency, it’s worth noting that its small size causes the 120mm fan to sometimes struggle under heavy loads and it becomes somewhat noisy. The zero noise cooling mode may also go unnoticed because it’s only engaged during very light loads.

Finally, the price isn’t the best when it comes to this category of PSUs. We can find cheaper ones with similar stats. This is probably to the included power supply monitoring system, which is nice to have but unnecessary due to free alternatives.

9. Apevia ATX-PR800W

Specifications

Form factor: ATX | Capacity: 800W | Efficiency rating: 80 Plus Gold | Modularity: None | Warranty: 3 years

Key Features

  • Stable 80+ Gold efficiency at a low price
  • 135mm quiet fan
  • DC to DC converter design for high reliability

This budget PSU from Apevia might not come with any impressive features, but it’s a workhorse of a power supply at a very low price. What’s truly impressive is the fact that it’s an 800W Gold-certified power supply in a price range where you rarely find anything other above Bronze level efficiency.

The PR800 offers plenty of power for an average RTX-3080 and should be sufficient for I9 / Ryzen 9 builds as well, without any overclocking. But that’s pretty much all that it offers: plenty of power and efficiency.

This PSU isn’t modular so all the cables are hardwired into it, making it difficult to neatly arrange all the cables inside the case. There’s no silent fan control mode and no lighting option for the RGB-build enthusiasts. Furthermore, Apevia offers a short 3-year warranty when most budget PSUs are backed by a 5-year warranty and sometimes even 10. These shortcomings were probably necessary to offer so much power at a Gold efficiency rating at such a low price.

If you’re on a strict budget and you don’t care much about premium features, then the PR800 is still a solid purchase. There’s just no guarantee that it will last for many years to come.

10. Corsair SF Series SF750

Specifications

Form factor: SFX | Capacity: 750W | Efficiency rating: 80 Plus Platinum | Modularity: Full | Warranty: 7 years

Key Features

  • Up to 92% efficiency
  • A 92mm fab with a Zero RPM fan mode and low noise at medium loads
  • SFX-to-ATX adapter bracket is included to fit the PSU into ATX cases
  • Slim, single-sleeved cables for easy cable management

Corsair offers the most powerful SFX PSU on the market with its SF750 model. This unit makes it possible to install an RTX 3080 GPU in a compact PC case without worrying about power requirements. In addition, it also offers a high-efficiency level, rated with a Platinum certification. This product is also very silent for an SFX power supply, considering its size and a 92mm fan. Overall, it operates efficiently without having high thermal loads or noise output.

This product is entirely modular and it comes with two EPS connectors and all the PCIe and auxiliary connectors you need for a serious PC build. The cables are sleeved individually, making them a lot slimmer and easier to manipulate inside a tight case. Cable management shouldn’t be a problem for anyone with small form factor PCs.

The SF750W is a powerhouse considering its small size but it comes with quite a steep price tag. But once you factor in all its features backed up by a 7-year warranty, it becomes a tempting purchase.

Final Thoughts

Nvidia recommends using a 750W PSU with their RTX 3080, but this is based on their test using a tenth-generation Intel i9 processor that has a serious power requirement on its own. Depending on your own PC build, you might get away with a 650W, especially if it’s brand new. If that’s not the case, you can replace it with any power supply using this list. They’re all capable of powering the RTX 3080. Some of them will also handle the infamous Threadripper together with the RTX 3080. So, make sure to weigh in all your options and pick the one that suits your system and your budget. You can also learn more about how to choose a PSU from this list.

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