3) Power all three: motherboard "GPU" connector, and both of the GPU 8-pin connectors Nvidia post user guides on their website, here are the power connection instructions for my 2080 supers... [IMAGE]Use all connects that you are instructed to by the manufactorer.   I would say it is a safe statement to say all appropriate power connects are to also be used for 3070, 3080, and 3090 Series.
My old understanding of installing a new graphics card is this: First, I plug in to 4- or 8-pin connector to the motherboard and power her thru PCI Express x16 slot; if she needs more power, then a second power cable goes in to the 6- or 8-pin connector at the corner of the graphics card; if she still needs more power, then a third power cable goes in to the second 6- or 8-pin connector at the corner of the graphics card. Akshat Verma has an article that seems to say the same: Knowledge Base: Graphics Card PCI-E 6-Pin & 8-Pin Connectors Explained : [IMAGE]A screenshot of the GPU wattage chart from that article When it comes to the new Nvidia RTX 30-series, things get a little confusing. For example, the Asus Dual-Fan 3070 has a TGP of only 220(?) watts or so. However, the card comes with 2x 8-pin connectors at the corner of the graphics card: [IMAGE]DUAL-RTX3070-8G How does Nvidia and Asus want this card to be powered: 1) Power only via the motherboard PCI-E and a single GPU 8-pin, leaving the second 8-pin empty; 2) Power both of the GPU 8-pin connectors, leaving the motherboard "GPU" connector empty; or 3) Power all three: motherboard "GPU" connector, and both of the GPU 8-pin connectors? Also, is it a good idea to experiment powering the card in different ways, or that might risk hardware damage or even house fire if they are connected wrong? Thanks for your inputs in advance!
Aurora R11, consumer-market graphics card power connector priority?