Nvidia came in guns blazing and full force when they revealed the second generation RTX cards, which were based on the Ampere architecture. Nvidia named this series the 30 series and it was the direct successor of the 20 series, which was the step towards real-time ray tracing, a step towards a more realistic graphic environment. The tech giant worked out the kinks of the 20 series and introduced improvements in the 30 series cards. Better RT cores and Tensor cores are the highlights of the improvements made in the newer series card. But, the area that has improved the most is the rasterization performance in games. Where the previous-gen cards struggled in GPU bound titles, it has become a walk in the park for the newer cards.
If we compare the RTX 2080 and the RTX 3080, we will find that number of CUDA cores have increased almost 3x times, 2080 has got 2944 and 3080 has 8704. Moreover, the 3080 comes with 10 GB of GDDR6X memory and it can reach clock speeds of up to 1.71 GHz when boosted. Nvidia has showcased and promised that over its predecessors, these cards are capable of double the performance. But, there is a tradeoff. To power these Graphic monstrosities, you need a more beefy PSU that can power these cards so they deliver you the performance that they’re capable of.
If you’re looking to pair a 3080 with your processor, according to Nvidia, you would need a PSU of at least 750W. But, some of the PCs will need even a higher power rating PSU. For example, if your processor is an i9 or a Ryzen 9 then you will need a PSU that can deliver 850W. Just the GPU alone can take 320W of power so you would need a high tiered PSU, which can fulfill these power delivery requirements.
But before we review the list of the best PSU for 3080, here are some factors to consider regarding which PSU would be the best fit for your system. We also have recommendations for the best CPU for RTX 3080 that you might be interested.
| Award | Model | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Best Overall PSU for RTX 3080 |
Corsair RM750x
|
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| Best RTX 3080 PSU |
be quiet! Straight Power 11 Platinum 750W
|
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| Best budget PSU for RTX 3080 |
Cooler Master MWE 750 Gold
|
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| Best High-end PSU for RTX 3080 |
Asus ROG Thor 850W
|
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| Best 750W PSU for RTX 3080 |
Seasonic Focus Plus 750 Gold
|
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Closeup Of A Computer Power Supply With Switch
Your budget is the determining factor on which your decision hinges the most, regarding what PSU you can get. However, I always recommend my readers to never cheap out on PSUs, downgrade some of their components and allocate the overall budget to your PSU instead of getting a cheaper PSU. That is because I have experienced many PSUs giving out on their system and damaging the PC components and subsequently I have seen PSUs burning themselves out and saving the rest of the system. While, there is little chance it’s going to happen to you, but better safe than sorry right?
Old Computer Power Supply, pc computer equipment.
Due to the beefy power requirements, Nvidia has come with a new 12 pin power connector design. For cooling purposes, the truncated circuit board on the 3080 is designed to allow the cooling to pass through it. The new design didn’t allow for the standard PCIe and Nvidia had to come up with the 12 pin power connector design. Make sure you buy a PSU that will have a 12 pin connector cable with it so you can hook it in on your GPU.
Make sure you get an 80+ gold PSU for your 3080 as it has inbuilt safety features that will keep your components safe in case of any power surges. Also, a higher rated PSU will be able to manage power consumption and heat transfer as well.
This might be the least important factor to consider; nonetheless, individually it is important as modularity defines how versatile the PSU cables are. It means that the PSU only allows the cables that will be attached and used. Modularity allows better power cable management in your PC case. Also, cables from non-modular PSU can’t be removed which can be quite the hassle. Although a modular PSU is expensive as compared to a Non-modular PSU, so make sure you choose wisely.
Now without further ado let’s dive into the list of PSUs that you can pair with a 3080.
Corsair is a well-known brand that knows what its consumers want and it has built a name for itself by delivering quality products such as this one.
Check Latest PriceLet’s start the list with the best overall option available in the market right now. The Corsair RM750x is considered to be the best among the competition.
The PSU itself comes with a lot of improvements that include a form factor that easily fits in most cases and quieter fans that manage the heat generated ensuring a cool operating temperature. The PSU efficiency rating is 80+ Gold and has received the A grade from ETA as well. Even Cybernetics has given a rating of LAMBDA-A+ as well. The PSU fan doesn’t make noise that crosses the 15 dB mark, which makes it an efficient and quiet PSU, as all PSUs should be. Corsair has given us features like, over and under-voltage insurance, overwhelm security, over-temperature assurance, and even flood insurance.
The PSU is also fully modular and you will have no trouble managing the cables, and utilizing the space in their casing for other stuff. Corsair has also given a 10-year warranty which is more than what most brands give. If you’re looking to pair this PSU with an RTX 3080, you’ve made the right choice as this PSU ticks all the requirement boxes for the setup. There isn’t a better option in the market right now. Your GPU and processor will be able to perform any kind of workload no matter how intense, with this PSU powering your PC. You get 4 PCIe connectors, 2 EPS connectors, a few fringe connectors, and eight four-pin Molex connectors.
The PSU has been designed for the high-end tech enthusiasts PC and if you’re one of those then this is the right option for you as the PSU will take care of your power needs with a beefy GPU like a 3080 and also help you achieve a clean looking system where wires don’t tangle with each other.
Check Latest PriceThe Straight Power 11 Platinum 750W has rightly earned its spot as the Best RTX 3080 PSU. It is extremely efficient and has quiet operating noise. Moreover, it has a power rating of 80+ platinum which will also reduce your electricity cost.
The fans have been engineered quite carefully to work with noise dampening material so that less sound is produced whenever the PSU is put under load. The funnel shape design also adds to the airflow and keeps the temperatures down for optimum performance of your PC. Silent Wings 3 135mm fan is also present for further dampening the sound and ensuring a quieter operation. Be Quiet have been quite thorough with their design and there is even an integrated CSD immune module as well.
If you want to free your mind of worry, then this PSU is the right one as it has been tested extensively and rigorously on multiple PC configurations and the results were not disappointing. They exceeded our expectations. You can say goodbye to PC crashes that result from the lack of Power delivery to components as this PSU can deliver in an uninterruptable and reliable manner. This PSU is also fully modular so you can rest easy when it comes to cable management and you will have no trouble doing that in your PC case.
If your budget is a little on the low side, Cooler Master has got you covered with this PSU, as they have given us a great value to money product that has been designed for longevity and durability while not compromising on performance.
Check Latest PriceI know I said earlier that you shouldn’t cheap out on a PSU, so why am I including a budget PSU in the list? Well, it’s because that the Cooler Master MWE 750 Gold isn’t exactly a budget CPU it’s more of a high mid-ranger. It offers great value for money and so it has earned the title.
The build quality is great and the PSU remains cool and quiet as well even under the most intense loads. Cooler Master has included a Silencio Fan with an LDB bearing to ensure smooth, quiet operations and give you maximum performance. Heat resistant components have also been included in the PSU so that temps stay down so that no thermal throttling occurs from the hardware.
Since this is another fully modular PSU, the flat cables assist in cable management as well as internal airflow as cable bulk is decreased which improves airflow. The design is quite compact and it will fit in most PC cases without a problem.
ASUS thought of everything when designing this PSU thus ensuring that they retain their brand name which doesn’t compromise on the quality of the products that they offer.
Check Latest PriceAsus usually caters to PC components such as GPUs, motherboards and even laptops. But, they have entered the PSU market as well with their arsenal of high-end PSUs. The Asus ROG Thor 850W is no different as it’s a platinum rated PSU that performs at the next level.
While the PSU is more than capable of catering to a system that is running an RTX 3080, it comes with additional features that make it stand out from its competition. ASUS has included an OLED that will display your power usage in real-time so if the user is going on the high side you can make the necessary tweaks to your system, or just help you monitor your system power usage so you can calculate the bill, Asus has got you covered. The PSU also comes with the Aura Sync RGB lighting system, which allows all components to sync with all the components that support this feature.
A switch at the back of the PSU has also been given, which activates the 0dB quiet mode that ensures that the fan will only start spinning at high temperatures. Large and efficient heatsinks have also been included with the PSU, which will keep the PSU running at lower temps unless you’re running some workload that is resource hungry. The PSU has a LAMBDA-A+ rating due to these features above which means that it has a noise threshold of 15 dB.
The PSU is also fully modular and you will have no trouble managing the cables which have also been sleeved off for added protection. As a cherry on top, ASUS is giving a warranty of 10 years with this PSU so you can put your mind to ease regarding any warranty issues.
Seasonic have established themselves as a dominant force in the PSU market. They were the first ones in the PSU industry to deliver an 80+ PSU to the consumers which just goes to show how committed they are.
Check Latest PriceIf you’re looking for a 750W PSU that performs over the top and is just the best in the market then the Seasonic Focus Plus 750 Gold is the right option for you.
Since they are the pioneers of the PSU industry they know exactly how to design a small fitting PSU that can power systems that are power-hungry. This is exactly what they have done with this PSU as the length is 140mm when measured which is quite a small factor and it will fit in any case no problem and you will have plenty of space for ventilation as well. While the space issue is resolved the smaller 120mm fan tends to get quite noisy at resource-hungry loads as it has to spin at a higher rate to keep the temps down.
The PSU has a gold rating and a power rating of 750W and it comes with features like the trademark Seasonic three-phased ventilation control system which ensures silent operation as well as cooler temps. When the PSU is under 30% load or less the fan will not rotate and the PSU will stay cool due to passive cooling. When the load increases and the 50% mark is achieved then the fan will activate and still operate in silent mode. When the load crosses the 50% mark the fan speed keeps on increasing until the temps have been lowered. To control this intelligent cooling system, Seasonic has given a button next to the power on button which will give you more control over the Fan operation.
Seasonic has included two EPS and four PCIe connectors with this fully modular PSU so managing them won’t be an issue even in large cases, so you can power a system that has a high-end motherboard, a high-end GPU like RTX 3080 with no issues at all.
While Nvidia has recommended a 750W PSU for running an RTX 3080, but that is when they were running their test bench which had a power-hungry tenth gen i9 processor. You can power an RTX 3080 system with a 650W PSU as well. However, to stay on the safer end of things these PSUs included on the list will not disappoint you at all and will serve you well. You can go for the Corsair RM750x or you can go for the ASUS Thor 850W that will give you features like real-time power usage display. All the PSUs included in the list are well suited for your needs so pick up whichever one fits your budget, you won’t be disappointed at all. If you are interested to know what’s the top 5 best PSU brands, we have an article for that.
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