Power cables for specific graphic cards: why?

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jhsachs

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Apr 10, 2009
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I've always thought that video card power requirements were simple: any card needs a 2x3-pin power connector, or a 2x4-pin, or two of one or the other, or one of each.

On the other hand, PSUs -- the ones that use plug-in cables at all -- aren't standardized at all. Some take 2x3 pin connectors, some 2x4, some 1x6, some round connectors with a lock ring. And different brands of PSUs that use same physical connector don't necessarily wire it the same way.

So my understanding of how to ensure compatibility is: get a cable for your brand of PSU, with the right number of pins at the card end, and never mind what card you have. When I'm asked "what cable is compatible with XYZ card?" I explain that the question isn't meaningful.

So I'm puzzled by a group of items I ran across on eBay: power cables sold to attach specific models of graphic cards to a Mac. I can believe that all Mac PSUs are wired the same way, but what about the card end? Is somebody selling digital snake oil -- labeling a standard cable for a specific card and charging a premium for it -- or are they solving a real problem that I'm not aware of?
 
Solution
k1114
Gpu cables are standardized. All psu cables are standardized too but some oem pcs don't like to follow standards and use proprietary connectors. Atx specifications have pcie power 6 pin and 8 pin. Most psus come with 6+2 for compatibility for both. That's all you'd find in aftermarket. Standards exist for a reason.

Since you mention mac, that opens a whole world of nonsense proprietary everything which is probably what this is actually about. There is no standard that all macs use. Different models use different connections but there are places that do try to trick people so you need to do your research.
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k1114

k1114

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May 2, 2010
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Gpu cables are standardized. All psu cables are standardized too but some oem pcs don't like to follow standards and use proprietary connectors. Atx specifications have pcie power 6 pin and 8 pin. Most psus come with 6+2 for compatibility for both. That's all you'd find in aftermarket. Standards exist for a reason.

Since you mention mac, that opens a whole world of nonsense proprietary everything which is probably what this is actually about. There is no standard that all macs use. Different models use different connections but there are places that do try to trick people so you need to do your research.
 
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Solution
J

jhsachs

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Apr 10, 2009
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So it's snake oil. Thanks for clearing that up so quickly.

I don't own a Mac and wouldn't buy something like this without more information if I did. I just like to know as much as I can about the equipment I work with.
 
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