[Resolved] Why a 4 pin and 8 pin 12 volt power connector?

[Wabbit]

Hello,
I've got a C2D E6600 CPU and a MSI P965 Platinum Motherboard. This is the first system I've built in about 5 years, so I am a little out of date on some of the hardware. My Antec NeoHE 550 PSU comes with a 4 pin 12 volt power connector and an 8 pin connector. My motherboard includes a CPU power connector that can fit an 8 pin connector, but it has a plastic cap over part of it, so that it looks like a 4 pin connector.

My PSU documentation doesn't seem to perfectly match the actual PSU, but it seems to imply a 4 pin connector for a single CPU, and an 8 pin connector for dual CPU's.

That makes sense, but why would my motherboard, with only a single CPU slot, include an 8 pin connector? Is my Core 2 Duo considered a dual CPU and require an 8 pin power connector?

Which CPU power connector am I supposed to use? Thanks for any help!

 

[Raeven_Zero]

I believe you can use either connector in this case. If you only have a 4-pin on your PSU then you don't have to have an 8-pin and vise versa. I used the 8-pin in the same situation just because the idea of more power running through the board makes me happy though I'm sure it has little to no effect on anything.

 

[BustedSony]

I believe you can use either connector in this case. If you only have a 4-pin on your PSU then you don't have to have an 8-pin and vise versa. I used the 8-pin in the same situation just because the idea of more power running through the board makes me happy though I'm sure it has little to no effect on anything.

Yes using the four-pin plug in the 8-pin motherboard connector is just fine, it's nothing to do with the number of cores in the CPU. The 8-pin connector is more to make the system future-proof against higher-power CPUs.

 

[Guest]

Yeah you can use etiher one, since both PSu and mobo support 8 Pin use the 8 Pin, this design is to supply more power to dual core and/or dual socket

 

[ragekage18]

My board also has the 8 pin connector, i have used both now and found that my system was more stable when the 8 pin is in use. I assume this is due to more power being supplied to the board.

 

[Wabbit]

Thanks for the replies! If it doesn't make a difference, wouldn't it be better to use the lower voltage connector? I want to avoid frying my CPU...

 

[enGRAVEr]

4 Pin vs 8 Pin. The 8 Pin connectors are, as mentioned, future proof. More to the point, the MB's with Core 2 Quad support use the 8 pin. The increased power requirements for the C2Q use it.

Now, IF you look at the 8 pin connector, you should notice that it is actualy 2 four pin connectors, that are held together by a little snap built into the pin block. Also, you will notice (if you look closely) at the 8 pin block that there are different shapes, one side SHOULD be the same, where as the other 4 pins have 2 that are square (i think) and 2 that are more of a pyramid shape.

Now, if BOTH your MB and PSU have the 8 pin connector, go ahead and remove the cap and use all eight. There will be no harm, and it wont use the power supplied, it will just dead end. No harm, No foul. Think of it as a light switch, there is always power available, but till you turn the switch on it does nothing.

 

[Wabbit]

Thanks to all for the quick replies! I plugged in the 8 pin and I'll update if I have a problem.

Thanks!

 

[BoomBatz]

Doode,
If u are that confused by that, then you need to just step away from the crackpipe and buy a dell. Seriously, quit being a big fat mOrOn! Just plug whatevr fits into the dadgum motherboard and boot the computer up. This is not rocket science........ I dremel cut my 4 pin thing off my dam mobo, that is how i fixed my problem! I didn't act like sucj a big crybaby.

 

[BustedSony]

4 Pin vs 8 Pin. The 8 Pin connectors are, as mentioned, future proof. More to the point, the MB's with Core 2 Quad support use the 8 pin. The increased power requirements for the C2Q use it.

Now, IF you look at the 8 pin connector, you should notice that it is actualy 2 four pin connectors, that are held together by a little snap built into the pin block.

Interestingly my C2D system, using a P5W DH, (which supports C2Q) has just the four-pin connector, with the system's strong OCZ power supply having an eight pin plug; whereas my Athlon X64 thingie (I'm not big on AMD) uses a DFI Lanparty board with an EIGHT-pin CPU connector, but the mating Noisetaker supply only has a four-pin plug... Such is life.. 8)

 

[eagles453809]

wow dude, way to be an asshole. all the guy did was ask if it was ok to use the 8 pin connector over the 4 pin and you flip and start flaming him. last time i checked asking questions and having discussions are what these forums are here for. do us all a favor and get the hell out of these forums and take your damn attitude with you. were not in high school anymore dipshit.

@OP yes you can use the 8-pin connector.

 

[thelvyn]

Many older PSU's only have a 4 pin connector still is why the little plastic cap to prevent dust getting in there if your not in fact using it..

If you psu has 8 pin and your MB has a 8 pin then you should use it.

 

[enGRAVEr]

My board is the same way, and it is SUPPOSED to support the C2Q also. It has just the 4 pin, NOT the 8. BUT, after trying to figure out why some boards were running the 4 (this I knew) and why the newer poards were running with an 8 pin connector, I FINALLY found it. Took a lot of looking at specific motherboards AND power Supplies too though.

If I can find some of the links that I used I will post em up, maybe this will help some others around.

P.S. There MAY be other reasons that I have NOT found yet for the 8 pin, but as of yet the only reference I could find was regarding the increase for the C2Q CPU's.