3.14.2 Power Supply Connectors
Learn to identify the different connectors used by a standard ATX power supply.
| Connector | Description | Image |
|---|---|---|
| 24 (20+4) pin ATX Connector | Supplies power to the motherboard. The 20+4 means that the cord has one 20 pin connector and a detachable 4 pin connector for backwards compatibility with 20-pin motherboards. The extra four pins provide an extra 3.3, 5, and 12 volts of DC power. | |
| 4 pin 12v Pentium 4 (P4) CPU power | Since the release of the P4 processor, CPUs have needed more power than can be provided with the ATX power plug. The cable provides two dedicated 12v wires to the CPU. Older processors only use 5v. | |
| 8-pin Entry-Level 12v CPU power | Modern processors consume even more power. This cable provides four lines of 12v power. The 8-pin connector was originally used with older dual processor systems. All modern multicore processors use this connector. Some power supplies have two 4-pin connectors that are meant to be used side-by-side in the 8-pin plug. | |
| 6+2-pin PCIe | Used to power newer video cards. This cord connects directly into the video card to supply up to 150 watts of additional, dedicated power. Some motherboards only have 6 pin PCIe connector, which only get 75 watts of additional power. | |
| 4-pin Peripheral Power (Molex Connector) | Used by legacy components e.g. IDE hard drives and PATA optical drives, case fans, and other accessory devices. The connector provides both 5v (red wire) and 12v (yellow wire) power. |
|
| Serial ATA (SATA) Power |
The connector has 15 pins and provides 3.3, 5, and 12 volt power. It powers SATA devices (no way!). You can use a special adapter to convert a 4-pin Molex connector to a SATA connector. When using an adapter on some power supplies, the connector maxes out at 5 volt power. | |
| 4-pin Mini Moxel | Used by floppy drives, not used anymore. Provides both 5 and 12 volt power. | |
| #III |
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