How To Connect Graphics Card To Power Supply? Step By Step

Last Updated/Fact Checked on April 22, 2022 by Irslan

Do you want to be a gamer? Do you have the right tools for the job? Many people think that all you need is a computer and some games, but that’s not entirely true. 

You also need a graphics card and a power supply that can handle the graphics-intensive games you want to play. 

However, since a lot of people don’t know how to connect a graphics card to a power supply and some even have trouble connecting their graphics card to their power supply, 

This is why I feel like I become obligated to make a guide on how to connect the graphics card to the power supply.

Some Preliminaries Regarding Graphics Cards

First, you need to know what kind of graphics card you have. There are two main types of graphics cards: integrated and dedicated. 

Integrated Graphics Cards

These are usually found on cheaper laptops and desktop computers. They’re called “integrated” because they’re built into the computer’s motherboard. 

Dedicated Graphics Cards

 On the other hand, are their own separate pieces of hardware. They’re more expensive, but they offer better performance for gaming and other graphics-intensive tasks. 

Things You May Need

Now that you know the difference between the two types of graphics cards, let’s talk about what you need to connect your graphics card to your power supply. 

  • Graphics card
  • Power supply
  • PCI Express x16 slot on your motherboard
  • Available six-pin or eight-pin PCIe power connectors on your power supply

Steps On How To Connect Graphics Card To Power Supply 

Since the integrated graphics card is pretty much embedded on the motherboard. You don’t have to do anything special to connect it to the power supply. 

It’s already connected! However, if you’re using a dedicated graphics card, then you’ll need to connect it to your power supply using a PCI Express (PCIe) cable. 

What Exactly Is PCI Express Cable?

A PCIe cable is a special type of cable that’s used to connect a graphics card to a power supply. It’s also known as a “power connector” or “graphics card power connector.” 

There are two types of PCIe cables: 6-pin and 8-pin. The 8-pin cable is newer and can provide more power to the graphics card, but both types of cables will work for most graphics cards. 

Let us take a look at how the whole connection is established,

  1. Dedicated graphics cards are a bit more complicated to connect to your power supply. First, you need to find the PCIe slot on your motherboard. This is where you’ll insert the graphics card. 
  2. Once you’ve found the PCIe slot, insert the graphics card into it and secure it with a screw (if necessary). 
  3. Next, locate the power connectors on the graphics card. There are usually two of them: one 6-pin connector and one 8-pin connector. 
  4. If your power supply doesn’t have an 8-pin connector, then you can use two 4-pin Molex connectors instead. 
  5. Molex connectors are a type of connector that’s often used for computer components like hard drives, optical drives, and case fans. 
  6. You can usually find them near the bottom of the power supply. Once you’ve located the power connectors, connect them to the graphics card. 
  7. If you’re using an 8-pin connector, then you can either connect it to two 4-pin Molex connectors or one 6-pin connector. 
  8. And that’s it! You’ve successfully connected your graphics card to your power supply. Just make sure to double-check all of the connections before turning on your computer. 

Wrap Up

Now that you know how to connect a graphics card to a power supply, you’re one step closer to being a gamer! Just remember to get a good quality graphics card and power supply so that your games will run smoothly.

I hope this article was helpful. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below. Thanks for reading!