RTX 3090 Ti Power Consumption: How Much Power Does The RTX 3090 Ti Use?
Last updated on October 18th, 2023 at 12:58 pm
The RTX 3090 Ti is one powerful GPU, producing a massive amount of performance through this top-tier graphics card.
This massive performance boost that the 3090 Ti provides cannot be accomplished without the massive power consumption of this beast.
It is very important to keep in mind the power draw and consumption of a GPU with this caliber because although it allows for high performance, you won’t be able to reach that without the consumption of a ton of wattage.
Here is a quick guide on the power consumption of the Geforce RTX 3090 Ti Graphics card.
How Many Watts Does an RTX 3090 Ti Use?
The RTX 3090 Ti has a TGP or Total Graphics Power of 450 Watts, which is the typical wattage it produces. When gaming you should also hit around 400 Watts. However, when idle the GPU should only produce around 21 Watts of power.
Here is a table that provides all the power consumption information about the RTX 3090 Ti:
| GPU | TDP/TGP | Watts Used When Gaming | Watts Used When Idle | Multi-Monitor Usage | Media Playback Wattage | Transient Power Spikes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RTX 3090 Ti | 450 Watts | 400 Watts | 21 Watts | 40 Watts | 42 Watts | 485 Watts |
When you want to figure out a GPU’s power consumption, it’s important to know more than just its TGP.
This table includes every aspect of power consumption that you should know about your GPU which include:
- Idle Power Consumption
- Multi-monitor power consumption
- Media Playback
- Gaming wattage
- Peak Maximum Wattage
The idle power consumption of the RTX 3090 Ti will be around 21 Watts. This is the lowest your GPU will run at when it’s on and no tasks are being performed.
You should also note that the idle power draw increases when you connect a second monitor, increasing the power consumption to around 40 watts.
Another thing to consider with this GPU is the amount of power it uses for media playback. When you are watching things such as YouTube, Netflix, HULU, etc. You should expect your GPU to produce around 42 watts of power.
When gaming, you should expect to have a power draw of around 400 watts. Your average wattage while gaming should be close to your GPU’s TGP. However, it also depends on what games you are playing and how hard you are pushing your GPU with things such as high-quality settings and overclocking.
The most important thing you have to consider is the transient power spikes produced by your graphics card. Transient power spikes occur when the power inside of your GPU spikes to higher-than-normal levels for a couple of seconds.
If this factor isn’t considered when purchasing a power supply, it can not only cause problems with your GPU but also with other hardware components inside of your PC.
After running some tests, we found that the RTX 3090 Ti only spikes to around 485 watts, (which is fairly low for a power spike.) However, depending on the situation transient power spikes can peak at higher wattages as well.
RTX 3090 Ti Power Consumption Compared to Other GPUs
The GPU power consumption is compared using TGP. It is essential to know and compare your graphics cards to other similar models because it will help you get a grasp on the amount of power your system is going to use.
Here is a comparison of a few graphics cards that are around the performance range of the RTX 3090 Ti.
| GPU | TDP/TGP | Average Power Consumption When Gaming | Idle Power Consumption | Multi-Monitor Usage | Media Playback | Transient Power Consumption |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RX 6950 | 335 Watts | 335 Watts | 7 Watts | 48 Watts | 50 Watts | 445 Watts |
| RTX 3090 | 350 Watts | 345 Watts | 18 Watts | 26 Watts | 31 Watts | 465 Watts |
| RTX 3090 Ti | 450 Watts | 400 Watts | 21 Watts | 40 Watts | 42 Watts | 485 Watts |
| RTX 4070 | 200 Watts | 200 Watts | 12 Watts | 20 Watts | 20 Watts | 235 Watts |
The GPUs I am using in this comparison are other GPUs that have the same or similar performance to the RTX 3090 Ti.
By doing it this way you will get a better idea of how much power draw you should get with a GPU in this performance range.
When looking at and comparing the RTX 3090 Ti to other GPUs; you can see that the 3090 Ti uses a lot of power. Especially when you compare it with the RTX 4070.
Against AMD RX 6950 which tends to have just slightly more performance than the 3090 Ti, there is over a 100-watt difference, which is not in favor of the 3090 Ti.
However, it doesn’t stop there…
When comparing the RTX 3090 Ti to the RTX 3090, which are basically the same GPU (The Ti being slightly better.)
You can see that there is still a 100-watt difference!
RTX 3090 Ti Power Supply Recommendations
MSI MPG A850G
MSI is one of the most reliable computer hardware companies on the market. The MSI MPG A850G is a fully modular 80 Plus Gold certified power supply unit, that has just enough wattage to power your whole system if you are using an RTX 3090 Ti graphics card. This PSU is compatible with PCIe 5 and uses a 16-pin PCIe connector cable, which future proofs it for any future builds and upgrades you might have.
ASUS ROG STRIX 1000W
This next PSU is from Asus and is one of my go-to brands when looking for computer hardware. Personally, I’ve never had any issues working with this company and for that reason, I am recommending this PSU. You should buy this power supply if you are using other higher-end components such as a Ryzen 9 or Core-i9 processor. It is essential to have a high-wattage PSU If you are looking to dive into overclocking as well.
Once again this is an 80 Plus Gold-rated PSU that is fully modular, and it comes with a 10-year-warranty if anything happens.
Why is Your Power Supply So Important?
The reason why your power supply is so important is because it is what powers your whole system. Without the PSU your computer wouldn’t be able to function.
This is also why it is very important to pick a reliable PSU that won’t break down. If something happens with your electricity it can spike all the hardware in your computer. When you are using a reliable power supply, it will protect the rest of your PC from being short-circuited.
If you don’t believe me let me just tell you a story of something that happened to me.
When I built my first PC, I didn’t see the importance of needing to buy a super reliable PSU, so I purchased the cheapest one I could find.
How did this end up?
Not too good…
The power supply broke and I was left with a computer that didn’t function for 6 months. I am just glad the PSU didn’t break any other components in my system.
When looking for a reliable power supply you should always look at the rating and the brand you are buying from. Here is an article that explains how power supply ratings work.
RTX 3090 Ti FAQ
Is an 850W Power Supply Good Enough For an RTX 3090 Ti?
According to the Nvidia website, an 850-watt power supply will be able to support the RTX 3090 Ti as a bare minimum. However, if you are looking to overclock your PC, or use other high-end components, then using an 850-watt power supply might not be enough.
Is 1000W Enough For an RTX 3090 Ti
Yes, a 1000W power supply will be enough to support an RTX 3090 Ti. This much power will also give you wiggle room for upgrades and overclocking if you are into that.
How Much Better is a 3090 Ti than a 3080 Ti?
If you are looking for the highest-end Nvidia has to offer for their 30 series GPUs then the 3090 Ti is for you. The RTX 3090 Ti is around 10% better than the RTX 3080 Ti, although it also depends on the specific model of each graphics card you use.
