MSI has unveiled its next-gen X870 series of motherboards, ushering in a revolutionary “Supplemental PCIe Power” feature that promises to meet the escalating power demands of state-of-the-art hardware, including the rumored Nvidia GeForce RTX 50-series “Blackwell” graphics cards.
These new AM5 motherboards from MSI are aligned with the ATX 3.1 standard and bring a game-changer to the table. The “Supplemental PCIe Power” feature introduces a new power connector capable of delivering extra wattage directly to the motherboard, addressing the increasing power needs of today’s high-performance components.
The current 24-pin connector typically supplies up to 168W to various hardware components such as graphics cards and cooling fans. However, as components become more power-hungry—especially the top-tier GPUs—a more robust power solution is essential.
Enter the X870 motherboards: They come equipped with an 8-pin power connector that can provide an additional 252W. This means the total power capacity of the motherboard leaps from 168W to a whopping 420W—an impressive 150 percent increase. The supplemental power works alongside the primary 24-pin connector, kicking in when there’s a power crunch. This innovation is particularly beneficial for setups that need substantial power, such as those featuring the anticipated Nvidia GeForce RTX 50-series “Blackwell” cards, rumored to require at least 500W.
MSI illustrated a scenario where a GeForce RTX 4090 draws 165W from the PCIe slot, while the fan headers and RGB lighting together consume 168W. The total power draw of 333W would overwhelm a singular 24-pin connector, but with the supplemental power, the setup runs smoothly.
Interestingly, the supplemental PCIe power connector looks similar to an 8-pin PCIe or EPS power connector but features a unique pin configuration to handle higher power loads. This gives gamers and creators the necessary headroom to push their high-end gear to the limits, including the option to run a second GPU for intensive AI tasks.
MSI’s X870 motherboards are set to hit the market on September 26. While pricing details remain under wraps, the anticipation is palpable.
For tech enthusiasts and gamers alike, MSI’s latest innovation offers a promising solution to future-proof their setups against the rising tide of power demands in high-performance computing.
