What Is ATX 3.0 And Why You Need To Know Before Your Next PC Upgrade

When it comes to choosing a power supply unit (PSU), ATX 3.0 is the latest standard. While PSUs may go overlooked on many computers, they play one of the most important roles in the build. The PSU will make sure every other component has enough power and does not short out if there are any power cuts or surges. It is always a good idea to get a proper PSU based on your needs and never go too cheap on one. If you are not sure which one is right for you, check out our Best PC Power Supply Units in 2024 article.

The ATX 3.0 standard was introduced by Intel back in March 2022. This was the first significant update to power supply standards in around 20 years, since the ATX 2.0 standard was introduced. With this in mind, let’s take a look at what updates the ATX 3.0 standard has brought us and their significance.

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What is ATX 3.0?

Offering more power for GPUs and better efficiency overall

As mentioned, ATX 3.0 is the latest standard for power supplies. Along with it also comes the new 16-pin (12+4) power connector for graphics cards. The connector is known as the PCIe 5.0 12VHPWR connector and is designed to provide up to 600W of power for newer PCIe 5.0 GPUs.

Previous GPU power connectors only offered 75W or 150W, so the new 12VHPWR cable is a massive leap in terms of power limits. The new 12VHPWR connectors are mainly used for the 4000 series NVIDIA graphics card at this time, but the potential for other manufacturers to use them is there.

With the increased power capabilities, ATX 3.0 also brings better power efficiency thanks to Alternative Low Power Modes (ALPM). ALPM isn’t exactly new, but it does allow for lower power consumption when your system is idling.

There are some other changes worth mentioning as well, such as faster system wake up and power on signal. This will allow your PC to turn on and wake up from sleep mode quicker. The 12V rail can now ramp up to 12.2V, allowing for lower voltage drops, and offering better system stability. ATX 3.0 also allows for 60% efficiency on a 10W load or 70% efficiency for 2% load of max capacity. This offers better stability at lower loads and should use less wattage when your PC is idle.

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How do I choose the right PSU for my GPU?

You do not want to get this wrong.

Do you need to upgrade to an ATX 3.0 PSU?

Probably not, but it wouldn’t hurt

Need is such a strong word. While ATX 3.0 PSUs haven’t been without issues, they are the new standard and have been out for about two years now, giving manufacturers time to work out the kinks.

The biggest issue we have seen has been the 12VHPWR cables melting/frying the power connectors on some NVIDIA GPUs. While this isn’t happening on all of them, it was and is still a main concern about the new 12VHPWR connector. The issue does seem to be more down to the 12VHPWR cable itself and not the ATX 3.0 PSUs overall but, unfortunately, they do go hand in hand. I won’t go into all the specifics, but I am sure many have seen the fried 12VHPWR connectors on some NVIDIA GPUs and the fact there is a lot of back and forth on whether it is due to user error or an error in the standard of its cable.

If you are looking to upgrade your GPU in the future to a new RTX 40 series card from NVIDIA, then yes, it is still very much worth looking into an ATX 3.0 PSU. If you also want the best power efficiency you can get, then it is absolutely worth it. Also, considering the last major change to the standard was over 20 years ago, if you are into future-proofing, an ATX 3.0 power supply could be a good way to go, especially as it looks like the new NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5000 series will continue to use the 12VHPWR cable to power them.