ATX 3.0 power supplies are on their way, and a host of them have been spotted at the recent Computex 2023 trade show in Taiwan, with the likes of SeaSonic, Thermaltake, and Channel Well Technology showing off their wares.
As we recently wrote in our ATX 3.0 power supplies explained feature, the new ATX 3.0 standard includes a host of new features such as standardizing the 16-pin 12VHPWR power connector Nvidia has been using on the likes of the RTX 4070 graphics card.
This new connector replaces the existing six and eight-pin connectors of older power supplies and, despite initial reports of some 12VHPWR plugs melting when used on high-end cards like the RTX 4090, it’s generally considered a step in the right direction. The new cable uses higher-gauge 16AWG wire compared to 18AWG wire in existing cable standards and the connector includes four pins that allow the GPU and PSU to communicate directly about the power needs of the card.
As with previous standards, there can be different levels of implementation, so not every power supply will include the new graphics card connector, but those that do will include these standard features. You can read our feature above for what else the standard includes.
On to the power supplies on show and a great range was demonstrated.
Seasonic showed off a wide range of power supplies, with power outputs of up to 1600 watts. Al the models included a 12VHPWR cable, except for fanless silent models.
Some examples include the Prime TX-1600 Black, which is rated to 1600W, is fully modular, has 80+ Titanium certification (up to 94% efficiency at 50% load), houses a very large 135mm fluid dynamic bearing cooling fan featuring hybrid fan control, and comes with a 12-year warranty.
Mid pack is the Focus PX-850 White, which is again fully modular and with the same 135mm fan but this time it 80+ Platinum Certified (up to 92% efficiency at 50% load), and has a 10-year warranty.
Meanwhile, the Prime PX-500 Black is a fanless model that’s fully modular, 80+ Platinum Certified and comes with a 12-year warranty. This first batch of models will be arriving in Q3 of 2023.
As for Thermaltake, its offerings top out at 1650W with the Toughpower iRGB Titanium that includes smart power management for status monitoring, timely warning alert, remote/receive alert through a mobile app, digitally controlled Riing DUO RGB fan, and 80+ Titanium rating.
The mid-range Toughpower PF3 Platinum PSUs meanwhile, range from 750-1200W and include a 120mm fan and Platinum 80+ rating. Further down the stack is the Toughpower GF3 Gold that ranges from 750-1650W but only has an 80+ Gold rating (87% efficient). Similarly, we can expect these models to be available later this year.
Elsewhere, supplies from Asus, Corsair, and more are already available now, though ranges are somewhat limited while the new standard builds out.
It’s always a stretch to suggest anything to do with power supplies is exciting, but the arrival of the ATX 3.0 standard is the biggest shake-up in the sector for a long time so it’s something to keep an eye on when you’re next upgrading.