The Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080, along with the next generation of Ampere-based GeForce stable GPUs, could be very power hungry graphics cards [This is because rumors that the new GeForce GPUs will require a 12-pin power connector and therefore a powerful power supply unit (PSU) have been almost confirmed by PSU manufacturer Seasonic [Andreas Schilling of HardwareLuxx tweeted an image of a Seasonic connector showing the existence of a new 12-pin configuration called the "Nvidia 12-pin PCIe Molex Micro-Fit 30 Connector" Given that the current generation of GeForce graphics cards use a different connection format, it is widely believed that this connector is for the upcoming new GeForce GPUs, which are expected to be revealed on September 1

Schilling's article on the new 12-pin connection highlights that the Seasonic connector box is recommended for use with PSUs rated 850W or higher Our sister site, PC Gamer, has a more detailed breakdown of why all of this could shake up current gaming PC hardware

To keep things simple, if you plan to get an Ampere-based GeForce card, you may need a new PSU for your PC

That said, the 12-pin connection may only apply to the Founders Edition versions of Nvidia's next generation graphics cards; those produced by other manufacturers on behalf of Nvidia will likely combine the existing connections found on current PSUs to and would be able to find a way to rework the cabling However, if the power requirements for the GeForce RTX 3080 exceed the output of the PSU in the gaming machine someone is upgrading, it may not matter

We do not expect the GeForce RTX 3080 and GeForce RTX 3090 or RTX 3080 Ti to be inexpensive graphics cards Also, if PC gamers need to upgrade their PSUs as well, the initial cost of obtaining the next generation GeForce GPUs could be quite high

This could work in favor of AMD Big Navi, the "Nvidia killer" graphics card that AMD is expected to release in the fall If Big Navi delivers strong performance at a cheaper price and does not require a new PSU, it could be a serious competitor to the next wave of Nvidia's GeForce graphics cards