MSI is set to feature a dedicated 8-pin power connector across all its X870E motherboards, designed to support the next-gen NVIDIA RTX 50 GPUs.
During Gamescom 2024, MSI unveiled its upcoming MPG X870E Carbon WIFI motherboard, a high-end model boasting features such as a 20-phase VRM, dual USB4 ports, and dual 2.5/5.0 GbE LAN ports. Among its many innovations, the board includes an EZ-slot and EZ-release mechanism for easier installation and removal of M.2 and PCIe devices. A key addition is the dedicated 8-pin power connector, which will provide extra power for the Gen5 lanes on the motherboard, crucial for handling the power demands of NVIDIA’s RTX 50 series GPUs.
This connector isn’t about addressing excessive power consumption by the GPUs themselves, but rather ensuring stability when using multi-GPU setups, like dual RTX 40 or RTX 50 GPUs, which place significant strain on PCIe lanes in the Gen5 generation.
MSI will include this 8-pin connector across its X870E and select X870 motherboard designs, including the MPG Carbon WIFI, MEG ACE, and MEG GODLIKE models. Other manufacturers, such as ASUS, will also adopt this solution, with the X870E ROG Crosshair HERO being the only ASUS motherboard so far confirmed to feature it. Meanwhile, Gigabyte, ASRock, and Biostar have yet to showcase similar power delivery solutions on their upcoming boards, though this may change as we approach the September 30th launch of the X870E series.
Sources: Videocardz, Cowcotland